Premeditated retrogression

If anyone believes that the conservative-Islamist government in Ankara comes across some serious plots and develops something like the antibodies developed by our bodies against invading bacteria or viruses, he is badly mistaken. There is nothing that this government has ever left to chance. It prepares the conditions, makes the people believe the need and urgency of employing antibodies – be they some retrogressive policies or some “advanced democratic” security measures – and then plays the role of the aggrieved.

After more than 10 years in governance how can a political leader claim he was aggrieved? Back in September 2011 supposedly some bugs were discovered in the home and office of the premier. Why did he wait for more than one year to “reveal” that he was bugged? After he “disclosed” that his offices were bugged, the intelligence and police who slept on the issue for more than a year all of a sudden started an investigation and reportedly found yet another bug. What a success!

Now, like the American presidents, our all-powerful absolute ruler has trusted his security to the National Intelligence Organization and kicked out the “enemy” police from his security arrangements.

“Who could trust the police anyhow?” I would say, but that might constitute a crime under the law on protection of Turkishness. Anyhow, special agents of the intelligence, the so-called velvet berets are reportedly entrusted now with the physical, electronic and probably spiritual security of the almighty leader.

Coincidence? If anyone believes so, let him believe! The prime minister came to power in alliance with some other power centers, particularly supporters of the Pennsylvania-based Fethullah Gülen Muslim fraternity. Particularly since 2007 (probably result of the almost 50 percent electoral support) the prime minister believes he no longer needed to share power with anyone else.

Now, there are claims that the prime minister was bugged from three centers of the so-called deep state; one in the Beyoğlu district of Istanbul, one in Ankara and one in İzmir. What do such reports indicate? There will be a new web of ambushes and detentions. The “neighborhood” will be cleansed of “bacteria” once again.

In any country that claims to be a democracy or semi-democracy it is just “routine” for students to demonstrate on their campuses, raising their objection to some policies or to a visit to their campus by a minister or premier they do not like. It is the fundamental right of students to demonstrate. A politician trying to demonize student demonstrations and trying to portray them as acts of terrorism cannot be, unfortunately, acting with good will, to say the least.

If a prime minister goes to a university under the protection of 2,500 security personnel like the commander of an occupation army, could he await roses from the students? His presence there under the protection of 2,500 guards is a sufficient provocation he need not say anything to provoke anyone!
Again, if the AKP governance doesn’t undertake anything unplanned, what might be the reason behind the demonization of the students’ demonstrating against the premier’s visit to the Middle East Technical University?

Could it be an effort to legitimize the new Higher Education Council (YÖK) law that would convert universities into some sort of an “Erdoğanjugend” organization if not an “Erdoğan Jungvolk” network?

After all, this is the age of premeditated retrogression.