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THE END OF THE EMPIRE -- OR IS IT?
Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 14 2013
CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON
[email protected]
When I arrived at New York Kennedy Airport the other night, I rang
my family to let them know that I had arrived safely and would catch
my connecting flight.
The first thing they said to me was that Turkey had been in the news
all day.
The world continues to watch as events unfold...
A Today's Zaman headline in this past Wednesday's newspaper read,
"Clashes in İstanbul extend into night in Taksim, police clear
square." What began as a peaceful demonstration against the park's
redevelopment more than two weeks ago has grown into the biggest
test of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's authority. The outrage
being expressed over a violent police crackdown on May 31 against
a peaceful sit-in in the park is now being covered internationally
around the clock.
As I watched some of the news on local American broadcasts, I realized
how few Western correspondents have an understanding of the situation
in Turkey. Though American news is trying to cover the events as best
they can, it is difficult to really fully understand the situation or
mentality unless you have some knowledge of the culture and language.
Having spent a significant time in the country is a plus!
In my piece today and the next one, I want to provide some cultural
insights and a brief historical summary for those of you around the
world who are watching the news about Turkey. To understand Turkish
society better requires a little knowledge about the general history
of Turkey, so let me start with the end of the Ottoman Empire: the
Treaty of Sèvres.
Before I left Turkey, a number of foreigners who live in Turkey were
wondering why some Turks are blaming the Gezi protest on America or
the West.
There have been accusations that foreigners instigated the Gezi
protest in İstanbul. This is not an uncommon statement to hear when
a problem arises in Turkey. Having lived in Turkey since 1979, I have
noticed over the years that this accusation is often made in times
of trouble. You may wonder why Turks are quick to blame America or
the West.
I have previously written about how the Treaty of Sèvres impacted
the nation. I think this is an important historical point to be aware
of to understand the Turkish mentality and fear factor. Basically,
with the defeat of Germany at the end of World War I in 1918 came
humiliation for its Turkish ally. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved
by the crushing terms of the Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920 with
the victorious Allies (excluding Russia and the United States). The
regional map was redrawn: Turkey renounced sovereignty over Mesopotamia
(Iraq) and Palestine (including Transjordan), which became British
mandates; Syria and Lebanon, which became French mandates; and the
kingdom of Hejaz (meaning the loss of Mecca).
Perhaps the most controversial terms were those that compelled Turkey
to grant autonomy to the Kurds, to allow Armenia to become a separate
republic under international guarantees and to see Smyrna (now İzmir)
and its environs put under an interim Greek administration, with the
final outcome to be decided by a vote for national self-determination
by the local electorate.
In Europe, Turkey ceded parts of Eastern Thrace and certain Aegean
islands to Greece and the Dodecanese and Rhodes to Italy, retaining
only İstanbul and its environs, including the zones of the straights
made neutral and international. No part of Turkey was left fully
independent. Turkey also had to pay reparations, enabling the Allies
to tighten their control over Turkey's economy. The Treaty of Sèvres
thus spelled the end of the Ottoman Empire, placed its lands in the
hands of the Allies and sparked the patriotic fire that drove Ataturk
to fight for an independent Turkish nation.
This treaty is considered one of the most serious acts of foreigners
meddling in domestic affairs. Certainly from this time onward, it has
not been unusual to blame foreigners for instigating problems. After
all, the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres were harsh. Many in the Ottoman
Empire were left angered and embittered by their treatment. The Treaty
of Sèvres territorially carved up an empire that had been known by
Westerners as the "Sick Man of Europe."
In my next piece, we will look at how Turkish culture has evolved
and Turkey's future as a democracy.
"The test of democracy is freedom of criticism." --David Ben-Gurion
Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 14 2013
CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON
[email protected]
When I arrived at New York Kennedy Airport the other night, I rang
my family to let them know that I had arrived safely and would catch
my connecting flight.
The first thing they said to me was that Turkey had been in the news
all day.
The world continues to watch as events unfold...
A Today's Zaman headline in this past Wednesday's newspaper read,
"Clashes in İstanbul extend into night in Taksim, police clear
square." What began as a peaceful demonstration against the park's
redevelopment more than two weeks ago has grown into the biggest
test of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's authority. The outrage
being expressed over a violent police crackdown on May 31 against
a peaceful sit-in in the park is now being covered internationally
around the clock.
As I watched some of the news on local American broadcasts, I realized
how few Western correspondents have an understanding of the situation
in Turkey. Though American news is trying to cover the events as best
they can, it is difficult to really fully understand the situation or
mentality unless you have some knowledge of the culture and language.
Having spent a significant time in the country is a plus!
In my piece today and the next one, I want to provide some cultural
insights and a brief historical summary for those of you around the
world who are watching the news about Turkey. To understand Turkish
society better requires a little knowledge about the general history
of Turkey, so let me start with the end of the Ottoman Empire: the
Treaty of Sèvres.
Before I left Turkey, a number of foreigners who live in Turkey were
wondering why some Turks are blaming the Gezi protest on America or
the West.
There have been accusations that foreigners instigated the Gezi
protest in İstanbul. This is not an uncommon statement to hear when
a problem arises in Turkey. Having lived in Turkey since 1979, I have
noticed over the years that this accusation is often made in times
of trouble. You may wonder why Turks are quick to blame America or
the West.
I have previously written about how the Treaty of Sèvres impacted
the nation. I think this is an important historical point to be aware
of to understand the Turkish mentality and fear factor. Basically,
with the defeat of Germany at the end of World War I in 1918 came
humiliation for its Turkish ally. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved
by the crushing terms of the Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920 with
the victorious Allies (excluding Russia and the United States). The
regional map was redrawn: Turkey renounced sovereignty over Mesopotamia
(Iraq) and Palestine (including Transjordan), which became British
mandates; Syria and Lebanon, which became French mandates; and the
kingdom of Hejaz (meaning the loss of Mecca).
Perhaps the most controversial terms were those that compelled Turkey
to grant autonomy to the Kurds, to allow Armenia to become a separate
republic under international guarantees and to see Smyrna (now İzmir)
and its environs put under an interim Greek administration, with the
final outcome to be decided by a vote for national self-determination
by the local electorate.
In Europe, Turkey ceded parts of Eastern Thrace and certain Aegean
islands to Greece and the Dodecanese and Rhodes to Italy, retaining
only İstanbul and its environs, including the zones of the straights
made neutral and international. No part of Turkey was left fully
independent. Turkey also had to pay reparations, enabling the Allies
to tighten their control over Turkey's economy. The Treaty of Sèvres
thus spelled the end of the Ottoman Empire, placed its lands in the
hands of the Allies and sparked the patriotic fire that drove Ataturk
to fight for an independent Turkish nation.
This treaty is considered one of the most serious acts of foreigners
meddling in domestic affairs. Certainly from this time onward, it has
not been unusual to blame foreigners for instigating problems. After
all, the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres were harsh. Many in the Ottoman
Empire were left angered and embittered by their treatment. The Treaty
of Sèvres territorially carved up an empire that had been known by
Westerners as the "Sick Man of Europe."
In my next piece, we will look at how Turkish culture has evolved
and Turkey's future as a democracy.
"The test of democracy is freedom of criticism." --David Ben-Gurion