The failed coup in Turkey was very badly planned (which is why it failed), but it has also left the idea of a secular Turkey hanging in the balance. A process of slow erosion of the secular state and ideals of Atatürk, will now accelerate, as President Erdogan takes his revenge on the opposition.
Turkey as a secular democracy, has effectively now been hijacked by an Islamic religious party, and will now inevitably become a one party religious state.
Supporters of the ruling party chanted "God is Great" (Alluha Akbar) in Taksim Square in Istanbul after the coup failed .... this should be sending shivers down the spines of the states of the European Union, because its a chant we hear too often in our own cities (usually just before an outrage).
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| Turkeys Ruler .... |
Turkey as a secular democracy, has effectively now been hijacked by an Islamic religious party, and will now inevitably become a one party religious state.
Supporters of the ruling party chanted "God is Great" (Alluha Akbar) in Taksim Square in Istanbul after the coup failed .... this should be sending shivers down the spines of the states of the European Union, because its a chant we hear too often in our own cities (usually just before an outrage).
Turkey is pressing to get access to the EU for its citizens, as part of the deal struck with Germany, err, the EU, over migrants. But (Life) President Erdogan has already 'suggested' that parliament might consider a proposal to restore the death penalty. He has also taken to referring to himself in the third party .. "I'd like to know what a crackdown by Tayyip Erdogan looks like ... It's just libel. If Tayyip Erdogan was an oppressive figure, he wouldn't have won 52% of the vote at the presidential elections," ..... always a worrying sign in a leader.
He is now embarking on a purge of all his secular opponents, with the Judiciary and Armed forces to be purged, as he promised after calling the coup a "gift from God... because this will be a reason to cleanse our army" .... so far 6,000 armed forces personnel have been arrested, and almost 3,000 Judges suspended, this from two of the most secular of state organisations (he has already purged the oppositions independent newspapers).
He has also dismissed almost 9,000 police officers, and suspended thousands of civil servants in the liberal education department. So far (and I can't keep up with the figures and it may well be far more by Friday), more than 50,000+ people have been rounded up, sacked or suspended, including about 21,000 teachers, and about 1,577 university deans (faculty heads) have been asked to resign. They have ’temporarily’ banned all academics from travelling abroad. and more arrests and suspensions are expected.
Although its already obvious that this number of 'plotters' can't all have been in on the coup attempt, as way too many people to have kept it a secret, so these are mostly people totally innocent of being involved but useful to get rid of.
Of the the traditional four estates of the realm (The Clergy, Nobility, Commoners, and Mainstream Press), he has now total control of all:
If we weren't still pretending that there is a true democracy in Turkey, we would call it a dictatorship, as Erdogan's counter coup, is more far reaching in its impact than mere finding the coup members. Remember Hitler was voted into power, but we don't call the Nazis a democratic party.
He is now embarking on a purge of all his secular opponents, with the Judiciary and Armed forces to be purged, as he promised after calling the coup a "gift from God... because this will be a reason to cleanse our army" .... so far 6,000 armed forces personnel have been arrested, and almost 3,000 Judges suspended, this from two of the most secular of state organisations (he has already purged the oppositions independent newspapers).
He has also dismissed almost 9,000 police officers, and suspended thousands of civil servants in the liberal education department. So far (and I can't keep up with the figures and it may well be far more by Friday), more than 50,000+ people have been rounded up, sacked or suspended, including about 21,000 teachers, and about 1,577 university deans (faculty heads) have been asked to resign. They have ’temporarily’ banned all academics from travelling abroad. and more arrests and suspensions are expected.
Although its already obvious that this number of 'plotters' can't all have been in on the coup attempt, as way too many people to have kept it a secret, so these are mostly people totally innocent of being involved but useful to get rid of.
Of the the traditional four estates of the realm (The Clergy, Nobility, Commoners, and Mainstream Press), he has now total control of all:
- Clergy - His Justice and Development party (AKP), enjoys total backing from the increasingly conservative clerics of Turkey.
- Nobility - The politicians of Turkey are under his thrall. What opposition is left is either arrested, or cowed by his power both in an out of parliament. He will now control the Armed forces and the Judiciary following his current purges.
- Commoners - He wins election after election by appealing to the peasants, and the country is changing from secular to Islamic in nature very quickly.
- Mainstream Press - he has closed or attacked opposition newspapers, attacked the foreign press, tried to silence protests even abroad, and the state broadcasters are little more than mouth pieces for his political party.
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| Erdogan's Counter Coup ... Up To Mid-Week. |
If we weren't still pretending that there is a true democracy in Turkey, we would call it a dictatorship, as Erdogan's counter coup, is more far reaching in its impact than mere finding the coup members. Remember Hitler was voted into power, but we don't call the Nazis a democratic party.
A decade later and he's still in power and the secular purges continue.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c36yrlzew39o
He's a life president. Thanks for the comment.
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