MESOP’S GENERAL TURKEY MEDIA ROUND-UP (II) FEBRUARY 2013 ( TURKISH FOLLOWS ENGLISH)
Kurdish and German Angles of Erdoğan-Gülen Rift Murat Yetkin analyzes Turkey’s international relations, peace negotiations, and upcoming local elections in light of the graft crisis.
Two Centuries of Conspiracy Nuray Mert suggests that conspiracy theories always go hand-in-hand with authoritarian politics.
Choosing the “Right” Side According to Cafer Solgun, the AKP “is simply engaging in a style of politics which has swiftly managed to polarize Turkish society.”
We Are All Losing Noting the decrease in public confidence regarding opinion leaders and political leaders, Doğu Ergil argues that “we are all losing” due to the graft crisis.
How Turkey’s “War” Diminishes Its Freedom “This current political war does nothing but harm Turkey’s economy and diminish its freedoms,” writes Mustafa Akyol.
Whose Turkey Is It? Suzy Hanser analyzes last year’s developments, including the Gezi Park protests, Erdoğan’s growing authoritarianism, and the rift between Erdoğan and Gülen.
Questioning the Gülen Movement: Truths, Lies, and Conspiracies An interview with Mustafa Yeşil, one of the most important spokesmen of the Gülen Movement.
The Structural Roots of Turkey’s Power Struggle Galip Dalay comments on the structural factors that have led to the feud between the AKP and the Gülen Movement.
A Leader Shows Vulnerability in Turkey’s Cash Crisis According to Tim Arango, Erdoğan’s ambitious economic goals and great construction projects for Turkey are in jeopardy.
Securitizing the Hizmet/Gülen Movement Mustafa Demir and Omer Shener argue that “securitization” may destroy the democratic fabric of Turkish society.”
When the Masks Have Fallen “All these claims of a parallel state are nothing but fiction, and this country is being dragged into a party state,” argues Ekrem Dumanlı.
Truth and Reconciliation in Post-Erdoğan Era Abdullah Bozkurt calls for a truth and reconciliation commission that could reveal “the dark period of Erdoğan’s third term in government.”
Turkish Military Only Winner in Current Turmoil Lale Kemal argues that the Turkish military will be the only winner in Turkey’s current turmoil after the disclosure of a high-profile corruption scandal.
The December 17th Operation and Intellectual Trauma Taha Özhan criticizes the liberals “who appear to share a ‘police mentality.’”
Internet and Freedom
Turkish Government Rushes Internet Censor Bill As Phone Recordings Fly Around Özgür Korkmaz writes about the new law that brings broad restrictions to the Internet.
Turkey Pushes Through New Raft of “Draconian” Internet Restrictions Constanze Letsch writes that the new law “obliges internet providers to store all data on web users’ activities for two years and make it available to the authorities upon request.”
Putrefaction 2.0 Ismet Berkan criticizes the new law, which allows for wiretapping.
Farewell to Internet Ahmet Sabancı’s “farewell letter” to the Internet.
The Berlusconi Paradigm “Turkey should worry not about becoming Iran, but about becoming Italy under Berlusconi,” writes Jenny White.
Amid Flow of Leaks, Turkey Moves to Crimp Internet Tim Arango and Ceylan Yeğinsu link the new Internet law to the flow of leaks and wiretaps abou the government members.
Erdoğan Government Curtails Academic Freedoms “The government’s tightening regulations on the academic code of conduct could be another blow to freedom of expression,” Pınar Tremblay suggests.
Democracy in Crisis: Corruption, Media, and Power in Turkey A Freedom House special report on “the deteriorating state of media freedom” in Turkey.
Media Freedom in Turkey Takes Another Blow “Azeri-born columnist Mahir Zeynalov was deported from Turkey for posting two tweets critical of Erdoğan,” writes Tülin Daloğlu.
Ali İsmail Korkmaz Trial
Not Very Pleasant Pictures of Turkey Murat Yetkin writes on the Ali İsmail Korkmaz trial.
Will Justice Be Served in the Slaying of Ali İsmail Korkmaz? Orhan Kemal Cengiz provides an overview of Ali Ismail Korkmaz’s first trial.
Turkish-German and EU Relations
Erdoğan’s Germany Visit All About Turkish Politics “Turkish PM Erdoğan’s trip to Berlin was a political show for his audience back home and is not likely to affect Turkish-German relations,” argues Cengiz Candar.
A Shift Ahead for German-Turkish Relations? Regina Mennig analyzes the possibilities and limitations in the critical improvement of the Germany-Turkey relations.
Turkey and the EU, A Critical Turn in Relations Kıvanç Ulusoy points that, despite the concerns from the EU, Erdoğan could not help underlining the “conspiracies” against his government.
Will the Readmission Agreement Bring the EU and Turkey Together or Pull Them Apart? Kemal Kirişç discusses the implementation of the EU agreement.
Time for Merkel and Hollande to Jointly Act on EU Chapters #23-24 Yavuz Baydar comments on the ongoing EU negotiations, specifically chapters twenty-three and twenty-four and their relevance to the graft crisis
Turkey-EU: Back to the Future Verda Özer claims that although the AKP has recently received harsh criticism from the EU countries, Turkey-EU relations are gaining momentum.
Economy
Kemal Dervis: “Crisis in Turkey is Primarily Political” Al-Monitor’s interview with Turkey’s former Minister of Economic Affairs Kemal Derviş.
Inflation Expectations Growing Worse Erdal Sağlam analyzes the factors behind Turkey’s early inflation data for 2014.
Too Big to Fail, But in a Good Way According to The Economist, two huge family firms, Koc and Sabanci, should be able to resist Turkey’s crisis.
Kurdish Question
Why Is the PKK Siding With the AKP in the AKP-Gülen Conflict? “The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) may believe that the enemy of my friend is my enemy,” argues Mustafa Akyol.
Turkish Power Struggle Leaves New Questions on Kurdish Issue “The AKP-Gülen struggle has raised new questions about the killings in Paris,” writes Wladimir van Wilgenburg.
Syrian Kurds Want to Sell Oil Via Turkey Namik Durukan interviews the co-chair of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD).
Syrian Kurds Courting Turkmens Amberin Zaman argues that the future role of Syrian Turkmens depends their on alliance with Kurds.
Turkey-Syria Border
NGOs Open Special Schools for Syrians in Turkey Mehveş Evin points out that more resources are needed to cope with the massive number of refugees.
Turkey-Syria Border Remains Vulnerable According to Tülin Daloğlu, increased patrols along the Turkey-Syria border do not provide full security.
Turkey-Iran Relations
Turkey, Iran Seek Workaround on Syria “Ankara and Tehran are attempting to normalize a relationship put off track by Syria,” writes Fehim Taştekin.
Turkey-Iran Relations: Cooperation and Rivalry According to Sami Kohen, Erdoğan’s recent visit to Iran showed that both countries want to improve relations between the two countries.
Armenian Question
Armenian Diaspora and the Memory of 205 Ottoman Turks in Canada “The denial industry in Turkey is losing its force; I wonder when this will be the case with the Armenian diaspora,” says Barçın Yinanç.
Armenian Diaspora: Discovering Anatolia in Los Angeles Senem Cevik analyzes the relations between Turkey and the Armenian diaspora.
Position of the Political Parties of Armenia on Turkey and on the European Union Several interviews with political parties of Armenia on Turkey and on the EU.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Charter of İstanbul Cengiz Aktar emphasizes the need forlocal empowerment and discusses “the Charter of İstanbul.”
Turkey-Israel Ties May Be Linked to Gas Pipeline According to Semih Idiz, Erdoğan is inching toward the normalization of the Turkey-Israel relations.
Does Turkey Really Need Long-Range Missiles? Burak Bekdil comments on Turkey’s plans to build its own ballistic missile capability.
Turkey Needs Ministry of Women’s Affairs “Not only would a ministry of women’s affairs help to integrate Turkish women into politics, it would boost the country’s economy,” argues Güven Sak.
Turkish
Graft Crisis
İslami hareket kendi büyüsünü kendi elleriyle bozdu (1)–(2) Ruşen Çakır argues that the “Islamic movement has broken its spell by itself.”
Teşkilatın örgüt organizasyonu If things continue as they have gone, the AKP government and the Gülen Community will fall down together, writes Mücahit Bilici.
‘Hukukun Üstünlüğü İlkesi Askıda’ Gencay Gürsoy discusses the recent statement signed by many academics saying that the “rule of law is suspended.”
Türk demokrasisinin acıklı portresi Soli Özel draws attention to a survey conducted by Kadir Has University—“the Turkey’s Social Trends Research.”
Paralel ülke Türkiye Eyüp Can asks how a country full of contradictions like Turkey can manage to survive.
Savcı Zekeriya Öz’e dair algımda iskonto yapmak zorunda hissediyorum Alper Görmüş, who helped exposed coup attempts back in 2004, discusses the graft crisis.
Bir destan kahramanı olarak Başbakan Gülse Birsel likens Prime Minister Erdoğan to an epic hero.
Yeni siyasi sayfa: AK Parti, cemaat, Kürtler, asker… (1)–(2) Arguing that the graft crisis has turned over a new page in Turkish history, Ali Bayramoğu summarizes the new positions of the fundamental political actors: the AKP, the Gülen Community, the Kurdish Movement, and the Turkish army.
“Siyasal İslam”ın geleceği… Ceren Kenar comments on the future of political İslam.
‘Yolsuzluklar’dan geçen ‘yol’ nereye gidiyor? Cengiz Çandar asks “where does a road that passes through graft lead to?”
Gülen Cemaati ve AKP hükümeti arasındaki gerilim ABD’de nasıl görülüyor? İlhan Tanır explains how the rift between the AKP government and the Gülen Community is perceived in the US.
Hesap günü (1)–(2)–(3) Yalçın Akdoğan, the AKP deputy and Erdoğan’s chief political advisor, contends that there is no escape from the day of reckoning for the so-called “parallel state.”
17 Aralık sreci hakkında açıklama A statement on the graft crisis offers an alternative view by an Islamic organization called “Bread and Justice.”
İstisnai hal ve biraderlik siyaseti: Jacques Derrida, Erdoğan ve Gülen’e bakarsa ne görür? Meyda Yeğenoğlu analyzes the graft crisis through Derrida’s “Politics of Friendship.”
Gezi / 17 Aralık vak’aları: Demokratik eylemlilik ve Spinoza Halük Sunat analyzes the graft crisis and the Gezi Uprising, referring to Spinoza.
Kurdish Question
Cemil Bayık ile söyleşi Ruşen Çakır interviews Cemil Bayık—co-chair of the Kurdistan Communities Union’s (KCK) Executive Council—on the graft crisis and their position related to it.
Kandil, PKK ve Cemil Bayık izlenimleri (1)–(2) Rusen Çakır writes his impressions on Bayık’s interview and comments on the relationship between the Kurdish movement and the Turkish left.
Kürt hareketi: Her şey barış için Hüseyin Şengül also comments on Cemil Bayık’s interview, which was conducted by Ruşen Çakır.
Hasan Cemal: Dilim inkar edilse, yakınlarım öldürülse ben de dağa çıkardım, ama… An interview with Hasan Cemal on his newly published book—a diary of Kurdish guerilla.
Mücadele edilmeden demokratikleşme gelişmez Clarifying the position of the Kurdish movement in relation to the graft crisis, Hüseyin Ali argues that “democracy without struggle is impossible.”
‘Ben de varım’ mücadelesi… (1)–(2)–(3) A comprehensive interview with Sebahat Tuncel, co-chair of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
PYD Eş Başkanı Abdullah: Rojava’da kurulan PYD yönetimi değil In this BBC Turkey interview, Sinan Onuş speaks with co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Asya Abdullah, about the democratic autonomy in Rojava.
Rojava statüsüzlüğe son verecek An interview with a Middle East specialist, Haluk Gerger, on the Geneva Summit and the significance of the democratic autonomy recently declared in Rojava.
Kapitalist Rojava’ya karşı halkların Rojavası İrfan Aktan distinguishes between “capitalist Rojava” and “people’s Rojava.”
Armenian Question
Öcalan’dan yüzleşme çağrısı Agos, the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper, made PKK jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan’s open letter to Armenians its headline.
Agos yazarları Öcalan’ın mektubunu yorumladı Agos’s columnists comments on the Öcalan’s letter.
Türkiyeli bir Ermeni’den Öcalan’a mektup A response letter to Abdullah Öcalan from an Armenian Turkish citizen.
Other Pertinent Pieces
Bir araştırmadan kesitler (1)–(2)–(3) Nazan Üstündağ presents some aspects of SAMER’s research ahead of the forthcoming local elections.
Geziye Kimler Katıldı: Orta Sınıflar, İşçiler, Türkler ve Kürtler Hakkında Bazı Somut Bilgiler ve Saptamalar Erdem Yörük’s response to Loic Wacquant’s İstanbul talk on “Inequality in the City, Marginality, and Social Injustice.”
Yozgat Blues ile Taşraya Bakış: Kapitalizmin Zamanında Gerileme/İlerleme An anonymous blogger’s comments on Mahmut Fazıl Coşkun’s award-winner film Yozgat Blues.