Judiciary is intimidating us all
We are living through a strange era. All eyes are on the judiciary. When viewed from outside, an intensely nervous atmosphere is felt at the decisions the judiciary have made. A tense air prevails.
You may ask how we have concluded this. It does not come from a secret information source. I can only say a segment of the public has this impression.
The official notice regarding the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu is the most concrete sign of this nervousness. Kılıçdaroğlu is being charged with visiting Silivri and attempting to influence fair trial. As a matter of fact, CHP’s deputies are being held under arrest at Silivri. Does a political leader not have the right to visit those people (like Balbay and Haberal) from his party? Does a political leader not have the right to criticize the judiciary?
Not only this, but also Tolon’s re-arrest and the specially authorized court’s undertaking the trial of Başbuğ has also contributed to the deepening of this tense atmosphere. As if a message was trying to be delivered; an impression is created as if a conflict were being experienced. Behind these decisions is there not a wish to intimidate? I am talking about an intimidation of the media, political parties and non-governmental organizations. Do they want to say, “This is enough. Are you trying to test our patience? If you criticize the judiciary, we will punish you, too.”
Actually, I do not blame the judiciary for the current climate of strangeness. I blame the government for delaying the judicial reform so many years. While they are able to do it, why they are still waiting? I cannot understand.
[HH] This retaliation does not suit us
I read it among news stories. As a reaction to the approval of the “denial of genocide” resolution in the French Parliament’s Lower House, the Ankara city council has decided to change the name of Paris Street where the French Embassy is located to Algeria Street and the name of the De Gaulle Street to one of the national heroes of Algeria. Separately, they have approved an Algeria genocide monument to be erected at a place near the French Embassy, and a search for this has begun.
To be frank, this gesture does not suit Turkey or Mayor Melih Gökçek. It is a reaction, far from being effective, typical of the Orient and third world countries. Why are we billing the entirety of France for a step the current President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken for domestic political reasons? There is a Paris Street even in those countries in dispute with France. Paris is a symbol. Let me ask you, what are we going to do when another statesman replaces Sarkozy tomorrow and repairs ties with Turkey? Are we going to change the name of the street again and call it Paris?
The issue of erecting an “Algeria Genocide Monument” is even more childish. At a time when even the Algerian government said, “Do not fight with France over us,” the fact we insist on a monument is, pardon me, very superficial.
Turkey is a serious country. It should not express its reaction with such sentimental shows. I’m sure the Ankara city council had good intentions when they wanted to demonstrate a reaction, but the symbols they have chosen do not suit us. Really.
