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TURKEY FEARS 'DEEP STATE' RETURN
Voice of America News
March 19, 2014
by Dorian Jones
March 19, 2014
ISTANBUL - The release of retired senior military figures and crime
bosses in Turkey is prompting concern that the country's so-called
"deep state" could return.
A legal reform introduced by the Turkish government has seen dozens
of retired military officers and members of the country's criminal
underworld released from jail. Many have been convicted of crimes
linked to what prosecutors have termed "Derin Devlet" or deep state -
unofficial networks of power that prosecutors claim are responsible
for political assassinations of people considered enemies of the state.
Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul Policy Forum said the releases were worrisome.
"The Turkish public opinion is extremely worried about these releases
because these people might think about taking revenge in the months
to come," said Aktar.
Among those released are people convicted of assassinating prominent
Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Prosecutors allege that the killers
of three missionaries also have been released. Others are accused of
forming death squads within the security forces.
But human rights groups said most of the victims of crimes committed
by Turkey's so-called "deep state" were activists fighting for Kurdish
minority rights, especially during the 1990s at the height of fighting
between the Turkish state and the Kurdish rebel group PKK.
Several offices of the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party have been
attacked by Turkish nationalists this month during local election
campaigns. The party's leader, Ertugrul Kurkcu, said the deep state
organization was involved.
"This group is the major mastermind behind these attacks. They, of
course, did not lead those attacks, while they were in prison. But
this is the remnants of this group which has been very active in the
past atrocities against the Kurds and democrats," he said.
Kurkcu and many other political observers said the government has
released individuals linked to Turkey's deep state in a bid to enlist
its support in its battle against followers of an Islamic cleric,
Fetullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States.
The government accused his followers of infiltrating sections of
judiciary and police.
Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar of Carnegie Europe, doubted the
government would take such a risky move. He blamed the releases on
shortcomings within the judiciary.
"From the standpoint from the government this was also an unwanted
development because most of Turkish society is critical with this
development," he said. "Certainly some of the people have been
associated with Turkey's deep state, can regroup. But I don't think
that's possible anymore because there has been fundamental change in
the civil military relationship and that will not change."
Political scientist Aktar acknowledged that Turkey has changed from
the time when the military directly intervened in politics. But he
said with the government having purged thousands of polices officers
and members of the judiciary in its battle against Gulen's followers,
Turkey remains vulnerable to political intrigue.
"The police and justice have been shaken and destabilized. Therefore we
don't know who will ensure the public order, with that many criminals
there in the streets of the country. It's very worrisome," said Aktar.
Human rights groups accused Turkey's "deep state" of thousands of
political deaths and disappearances during the 1990s.
From: Baghdasarian
Voice of America News
March 19, 2014
by Dorian Jones
March 19, 2014
ISTANBUL - The release of retired senior military figures and crime
bosses in Turkey is prompting concern that the country's so-called
"deep state" could return.
A legal reform introduced by the Turkish government has seen dozens
of retired military officers and members of the country's criminal
underworld released from jail. Many have been convicted of crimes
linked to what prosecutors have termed "Derin Devlet" or deep state -
unofficial networks of power that prosecutors claim are responsible
for political assassinations of people considered enemies of the state.
Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul Policy Forum said the releases were worrisome.
"The Turkish public opinion is extremely worried about these releases
because these people might think about taking revenge in the months
to come," said Aktar.
Among those released are people convicted of assassinating prominent
Armenian journalist Hrant Dink. Prosecutors allege that the killers
of three missionaries also have been released. Others are accused of
forming death squads within the security forces.
But human rights groups said most of the victims of crimes committed
by Turkey's so-called "deep state" were activists fighting for Kurdish
minority rights, especially during the 1990s at the height of fighting
between the Turkish state and the Kurdish rebel group PKK.
Several offices of the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party have been
attacked by Turkish nationalists this month during local election
campaigns. The party's leader, Ertugrul Kurkcu, said the deep state
organization was involved.
"This group is the major mastermind behind these attacks. They, of
course, did not lead those attacks, while they were in prison. But
this is the remnants of this group which has been very active in the
past atrocities against the Kurds and democrats," he said.
Kurkcu and many other political observers said the government has
released individuals linked to Turkey's deep state in a bid to enlist
its support in its battle against followers of an Islamic cleric,
Fetullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States.
The government accused his followers of infiltrating sections of
judiciary and police.
Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar of Carnegie Europe, doubted the
government would take such a risky move. He blamed the releases on
shortcomings within the judiciary.
"From the standpoint from the government this was also an unwanted
development because most of Turkish society is critical with this
development," he said. "Certainly some of the people have been
associated with Turkey's deep state, can regroup. But I don't think
that's possible anymore because there has been fundamental change in
the civil military relationship and that will not change."
Political scientist Aktar acknowledged that Turkey has changed from
the time when the military directly intervened in politics. But he
said with the government having purged thousands of polices officers
and members of the judiciary in its battle against Gulen's followers,
Turkey remains vulnerable to political intrigue.
"The police and justice have been shaken and destabilized. Therefore we
don't know who will ensure the public order, with that many criminals
there in the streets of the country. It's very worrisome," said Aktar.
Human rights groups accused Turkey's "deep state" of thousands of
political deaths and disappearances during the 1990s.
From: Baghdasarian