DEMIREL: DEEP STATE IS THE MILITARY

This article comes from Kurdish Info

Date: Monday, February 12 @ 14:04:54 CST

TDN-Interview with Suleyman Demirel, the ninth president of Turkey

Implications of gang activity in the state, murder and illegal deeds
are nothing but efforts to harm the image of the state, and what is
called the "deep state" amounts to nothing more than the Turkish
Armed Forces (TSK) taking over the administration of the country
three times since 1960 on grounds that the state was brought to the
brink of collapse, the "dean" of Turkish politics has said.

In an interview with the Turkish Daily News about the "deep state,"
nationalism and the contentious Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK) – the issues that have dominated Turkey’s agenda since
the Jan. 19 murder of Hrant Dink, the editor in chief of the
Turkish-Armenian weekly newspaper AGOS – former President Suleyman
Demirel said the state cannot commit murder or engage in illegal
activity. The veteran politician said nationalism was not something
to be feared, though a nationalist understanding tainted with racism
or based on skull measuring was something that scared him as well. He
refuted claims that there were gangs operating within the state and
that these gangs constituted the "deep state," saying that the state
cannot be allowed to engage in illegal activities. However, he said
there was a sensitivity regarding the security of the state. If there
was a deep state, it was the TSK, he said. Acting with that sensitivity
and with the pretext provided by the Internal Service Law – the law
that sets the guidelines for the duties and functions of the TSK –
the TSK has intervened in state administration three times. He said
apart from the TSK there was no power within the state that could
undertake anything on behalf of the state.

‘Erdogan is wrong!’

Opposing demands to lift the contentious Article 301 that regulates
penalties for insulting Turkishness, Demirel said, "Lifting 301 may
lead to confrontation. Illegal paramilitary forces may step in.

However, 301 may be amended in a manner that won’t offend the
people." Demirel said Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was wrong
in his remarks on the "deep state" and gangs within the state. "I was
extremely saddened by such remarks. He has been leading a government
for the past five years. If he is convinced that there are gangs active
within the state, he is expected to get rid of them. Now he says that
‘others did not get rid of them, how could I?’ as if others ever said
there were gangs within the state. We said there were no such gangs
and naturally did not go after something which did not exist."

Deep state is TSK

The former president said the state cannot exist outside the frame
of law, cannot engage in murder and cannot be involved in illegal
activities. "I have served 12 years as prime minister and seven
years as the president of the republic. In these periods I have
never received a claim that the state was involved in such things,"
he said. Nevertheless, he said there was sensitivity in this country
against an existential threat to the state. Excluding the military
there is no other force in the state that has the power to touch the
state. Otherwise, there can be any such element in the state with
the ability to stage actions on behalf of the state."

‘Skies will collapse on them’

Demirel said the wrong discussion was continuing in the country and
people were engaged in "stoning ghosts." He said the government and the
security network of the country were obliged to track the criminals and
bring them to justice rather than dispersing the guilt and engaging
in petty polemics. "It is a gross injustice to implicate the state
in a murder. The state cannot kill anyone. There is no interest in
murdering Dink for the state. Whoever implicates the state in such a
heinous act must know that skies will collapse on him. No one should
look for a calf under an ox." The veteran politician said those
who claim there were gangs within the state were obliged to expose
them. "But if the government says the state has committed a crime,
I revolt against that claim."

‘I am scared of racist nationalism’

Demirel said there was nothing to fear from nationalism. He said
nationalism required one to work for the interests and well-being
of the nation. "Nationalism tainted with racism or skull measurers,
however, scares me," Demirel said. He said ethnic nationalism and
nationalism based on racist themes were very dangerous and added
the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was based on ethnic
nationalism and has been after establishing an independent Kurdish
state on Turkish territory. He said if the PKK could not be finished
off, it was inconceivable to prevent some other groups that oppose that
gang from organizing themselves. "This is Turkish ethnic nationalism. I
am scared of ethnic Turkish nationalism. However, Turkish nationalism,
as described by Ataturk, is the backbone of the Turkish Republic
because it is not based on a race but is an inclusive understanding
encompassing all elements who are loyal to this state and which treats
all elements forming this nation on an equal basis and considers
them equal citizens. Such nationalism exists in all states. Denying
nationalism will be a big mistake. The British, the Germans or anyone
else are not less nationalistic than the Turks. Nationalism must serve
peace, development, the well-being of the nation and public order. But,
if you opt for ethnic nationalism, that means confrontation."

301 can be amended:

Demirel said he always feared polarization in society and unfortunately
the contentious Article 301 of the TCK was becoming a source of
friction in Turkish society. He was against annulment of Article 301,
which regulates penalties against insulting Turkishness.

However, he said the contentious article could be amended in a way that
would not offend the Turkish public. "No one can insult the Turkish
state or institutions of the Turkish state. No one can explain to
the Turkish public a lifting of Article 301 because the people will
say ‘How can you say let them curse at our state?’ If you lift that
article, we may have serious frictions in society.

Paramilitary elements may step in to do what the judiciary is not
allowed to do because the article is lifted. Such a situation would
be opening an era in Turkey outside the rule of law. However, the
article can be amended in a manner that would not offend the feelings
of our people." We must always stand for the defense of the state. The
state cannot be blamed for the mistakes of some institutions or some
personalities. The state anyhow is an abstract description. It is a
sum of all the powers in the country. We should not harm it."

Turkey is floundering between etatism and liberalism

Turkey has been floundering between an etatist, or state-dominated,
economy and a free market economy and badly needs to undergo state
reform, Demirel said. Making an analysis of the latest global and
domestic developments in an exclusive interview with the Turkish
Daily News, Demirel listed the most prominent global threats as the
environment and global warming, energy, economic disparity between
peoples and regions, terrorism, narcotics, migration and poverty. The
former president said apart from the sole superpower of the United
States, China, Russia, the European Union, India and Brazil were also
emerging as the new global players.

Live volcanoes around Turkey:

Besides its own problems and the changing international climate,
Demirel said, Turkey was surrounded by many "active volcanoes."

"One of these is the Israel-Palestine problem. Another one is
Iraq. Even if we may not yet call it an active volcano, Iran is yet
another. The Afghanistan volcano is also very important. There are
eruptions of lava and gas from both southern and northern Caucasus.

The Georgia-Russia relations, the Chechnya issue, the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem are all included among those volcanoes," said Demirel. Demirel
advised that in devising its policies, Turkey’s administrators must
consider both global challenges as well as the so-called active
volcanoes of the region.

Global fever:

The globe is complaining about the harm done to it by mankind, Demirel
stated, adding that global warming and environmental challenges must
be taken very seriously by everyone. "The globe has a high fever and
its temperature is rising. Mankind must be at peace with the globe
and should take every measure for its protection. This is extremely
important. The globe’s problem is the increase in its population and
the gradual exhaustion of resources."

He underlined that the world’s daily oil consumption was currently
around 80 million barrels, and that the existing 145 billion ton global
oil reserve will dry out in 45 years’ time, while gas reserves will
be exhausted in 60 years and coal reserves in 100 years if current
consumption trends continue. He said that with the increased energy
consumption of China – a natural consequence of its industrialization
– these reserves could all be gone at a much earlier date. Thus,
Demirel said, the international community has been seeking alternate
energy resources, adding that this bleak energy situation was one of
the most important issues of the world at the beginning of 2007.

‘Turkey needs to abandon its etatist mentality… Reform is a must’:

Turkey must wake up to the realities of the present day and realize the
opportunities and challenges with which it is faced, Demirel stressed:
In both democracy, human rights and particularly in terms of market
economy, Turkey unfortunately still lags behind other nations. "Turkey
needs to undertake further democratization and human rights reforms,"
he said, complaining that Turkey had seen little success despite all
its efforts in moving toward a market economy.

"Turkey could not give up that etatist mentality. I believe that is
the most important handicap hampering Turkey’s development.

Turkey could not yet understand the new role of the state. The new
role of the state requires that it withdraw from the economy and
engage in areas that could not be shouldered by others. The most
prominent areas where the state must engage itself are defense,
public order and security." Demirel added that a state that cannot
successfully undertake such responsibilities cannot do anything else.

People don’t trust politicians:

For several reasons, Demirel said, the bridge between the people and
politics and politicians had been disrupted. He said that people’s
complaints regarding the functioning of the state was mostly attributed
to the disruption of the bridge between the state and the people.

The URL for this story is:
ws&file=article&sid=6070