Who was behind the Afyon explosion?
We speak among ourselves, but the debate circles around the same point: “Was the Afyon explosion really an accident, or were Syria or the PKK involved in it?”
People do not fully believe official statements. They look for other things behind them.
Could it be that Syrian agents engineered such an explosion? Or was it an outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attack, and are the authorities hiding that fact? Several other questions similar to the above are also being asked.
If a society suspects what its official spokespersons say and listens to what others say, then alarm bells should ring. Then, another day, a forest fire will be chalked up to Syrian agents; the most unrelated incidents will be connected to the PKK. Do you know what this means? A fearsome image of the PKK will be created in the eyes of society.
The only way out of this vicious circle is transparency.
You have to be transparent. You need to find what and who is behind each incident in the shortest possible amount of time and share it with the public. We have no other choice.
Please listen to Cevat Öneş
I listened to the former deputy undersecretary of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) speak Thursday evening on Şirin Payzın’s program “Ne Oluyor?” (What’s happening?) on CNNTürk. He presented such responsible and farsighted views, he was like an oxygen cure in these days when everybody is playing war drums. It was surprising to hear these from a person who is right in the heart of the matter.
He presented facts at a time when this question was frequently being asked: “If the intelligence organization worked properly, wouldn’t this issue be solved more easily?”
In short, he said, “You can have the best intelligence possible; again, the solution to the Kurdish issue is through politics. The political authority should make a decision, the Parliament should support it, and if other institutions act according to this strategy, then a solution may become possible.”
He emphasized that the issue would not be solved through fighting with the PKK and that only more democracy and more respect for human rights would bring results.
Fortunately, there is a Cevat Öneş and more like him…
Isn’t this a huge disgrace?
Know that I am afraid to write these lines. Not because the prime minister or the interior minister would be angry with me, but because what I will write will be harmful to the people involved.
I have written this numerous times before now, just as dozens of other writers have.
First of all, the former chief of General Staff, Gen. İlker Başbuğ, another former chief of General Staff, Ret. Gen. Ergin Saygun, and many other members of the military whose names I don’t know, and also those whose names have become symbols, the journalists under arrest: Balbay, Özkan and Yalçın… I’m talking about their situations, having been under arrest for years while their cases continue. There are two main reasons that judges uphold the arrests, and these are what make me most astonished. One is “the suspicion that the suspects may escape,” and the other is “the suspicion that the suspects may destroy evidence.”
This is extremely hard to believe. Who could ever think Başbuğ would escape? In the case of Saygun, he can barely stand up. Let alone escaping or destroying evidence: His only wish is to receive proper medical treatment in a hospital, that’s all.
The situations of Balbay and Yalçın are a complete comedy.
Also, as the court case continues, leaving aside the risk of the evidence being spoiled, it is becoming more clear how weak some of the evidence included in the indictments is. There is no need to destroy it. The government is also aware of this crookedness. In order to calm down the reactions of the public conscience, it has issued the third justice package. It has told the justice system, “Don’t do it; let go of this practice.” Even the prime minister openly voiced his reaction.
But it is in vain: Our judges paid no attention. They have interpreted the new law in such a way that it is apparent they will not release anyone before the court cases end. The showdown will continue, regardless of this being written or not.
What a shame!
