Violent nationalism blights Turkey
Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/7737413.stm
Published: 2008/11/19 16:31:29 GMT
Turkey is fiercely patriotic and proud of it. But the country’s bid to
join the European Union has sparked a nationalist backlash that has
turned murderous, the BBC’s Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul.
Turkey’s lethal nationalism
Writer Hrant Dink was the first victim, killed last year because some
in Turkey could not tolerate what he stood for. To nationalists, he was
a traitor.
In a country where every citizen is defined as a Turk, Hrant Dink
defined himself as ethnic Armenian. That was already subversive to
some. But Mr Dink went further.
He wrote about the expulsion and killing of hundreds of thousands of
Ottoman Armenians from eastern Turkey in 1915. To Armenians, and
others, that was genocide – a claim Ankara vigorously denies.
Hrant’s cause
Hrant Dink was convicted of insulting the Turkish nation. That is a
crime here. Nationalist protesters surrounded his office shouting "Love
Turkey or leave it!" and he received hundreds of death threats.
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Rakel Dink on her husband and his murder
Already low-profile, after Mr Dink’s murder most Armenians retreated
into scared silence. But almost two years on, his
widow has decided to
speak out.
"Hrant was really affected by those protests," Rakel says, fighting
back tears. "After that, we said only a miracle could help us live
here."
But the family stayed.
"Hrant could never abandon his cause," says Rakel, explaining that he
wanted to convince Turkey that diversity and dissent were a strength,
not a threat.
His killers disagreed.
"I don’t know if I should say this, but the origins of this murder go
back to 1915," Rakel says.
"An Armenian told the truth to the face of the Turkish state and the
law. That’s why Hrant was murdered. It offended them, it dishonoured
them."
Critical flashpoints
To Turks, honour is everything. From childhood they learn of a glorious
history: how a soldier – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk – forged a new nation
from the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey needs time to adjust – the EU process may help, but my
husband’s death is their biggest loss
Rakel Dink
To most, the allegation their ancestors were guilty of genocide is an
unacceptable slur.
Turkey’s justice minister underlined that view himself this week,
defending his decision to allow the trial of another writer to proceed
for referring to "genocide".
"The man describes Turkey as a murderer state," Mehmet Ali Sahin is
quoted as saying.
It seems freedom of expression is no defence.
"That is why they were against Hrant,"=2
0Rakel says. "They could not
digest what he was writing about, even though he used very soft
language."
But Turkey’s drive to enter the EU has made nationalists feel
threatened, and that has made them aggressive.
The Armenian issue, and the treatment of millions of Kurds in Turkey,
have become critical flashpoints.
‘Once-and-for-all fight’
Almost 50 writers have been brought to trial since May for insulting
the nation.
"Democracy means questioning, it means self-critique – and this is the
thing they [nationalists] would not like," explains Umut Ozkirimli,
from Istanbul’s Bilgi University.
"For them, when you start questioning things you become a traitor."
That is why Hrant Dink was murdered.
It is also why at least 20 writers in Istanbul are now living with
bodyguards.
Oral Calislar is one of them. A close friend of Hrant Dink, he is also
a well-known critic of the Turkish military – particularly its policy
towards ethnic Kurds.
He has had dozens of death threats. Now, wherever he goes his armed
guard goes with him.
"We want to change this country into a democratic country and the EU
accession process is important for that," the journalist says.
"I think because of that, some powers in the state want to shut our
mouths."
Mr Calislar is sure Mr Dink’s murder is part of a far broader
resistance to reform. He sees that deep within institutions of the
Turkish state; groups clinging to power – and to their own vision of
the republic.
"This is a once-and-for-all fight. It’s been going on in the closet for
80 years, between those who want change and those who don’t," Mr
Ozkirimli agrees.
"If the whole project of EU membership goes away, [then] the democratic
forces will lose, and forever," he adds.
‘Ergenekon’ trial
In that battle for democracy, Hrant Dink was on the frontline. Now
there is another sign the fight will be fierce.
Eighty ultra-nationalists are currently on trial just outside Istanbul,
accused of plotting to overthrow the government and block democratic
reforms.
The prosecutor claims the group – known as Ergenekon – planned a
campaign of murder and violence. It was meant to create chaos – and
force the military to step in and take control.
Hrant Dink believed Turkey could change. His vision was of a truly
democratic republic and the EU accession process was a vital part of
that.
To his widow, such change now looks a long way off.
"[Turkey] doesn’t want people to express their ethnic identity, or live
freely. That doesn’t fit the founding ideas of this country,’ Rakel
says.
"Turkey needs time to adjust. The EU process may help, but my husband’s
death is their biggest loss."