Turkey: The country of Alevis and Kurds
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) held its fifth ordinary general congress on Saturday, which was the first congress during which the party was not in sole power. In 2002, the AK Party took over a country that was economically downsized and restricted in the political sphere and attained turning the country into a place that enriched the middle class, downgraded the tutelary system and imbedded the coups in history.
However, this democracy struggle began to be undermined as of Feb. 7, 2012. Various coup attempts started with the Gezi Park protest uprisings and continued with the Dec. 17 and Dec. 25 operations, along with the Oct. 6-8 unrest, and now continue with terrorist assaults from the outlawed PKK. This situation carried both Turkey and the AK Party to a new crossroads. Either democratic acquisitions would take on a new dimension, or the country re-enters the vicious cycle of the past.
The mood of the crowd that gathered in front of the hall before making its way into the arena hall, where the fifth congress was held, was attention grabbing. Thousands of people from all across Turkey headed to the congress with a spectacular motivation and urge to protect democracy, which we have seen in moments of crisis in the country. They were shouting out the same phrase in unison: "Cumhurbaşkanımızı yedirmeyiz," reflecting the people's desire to protect the president from any injustice.
A similar atmosphere was also prevalent in the congress hall. The crowd stood up with excitement every time the name of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was spoken. During the congress marked with this spirit, Prime Minister and AK Party chairman, Ahmet Davutoğlu's speech and the question of who would be elected to the party administration, were the highly anticipated points. During his long yet intense speech, Davutoğlu put particular emphasis on the principles that led the AK Party's default settings - its founding principles. In a sense, he made a brief summary of the party's history and also mentioned the need for a renewal, which was a highly anticipated issue. But what he said regarding the terrorist assaults, which have lately caused many fatalities and wrenched the heart of the country, received the most torrid applause.
"The operations we are currently launching cannot be associated with the mindset of the 1990s by any means. During those years there was intense suppression; some people could not even speak their own language. Some ask where the Kurds' country is. The country of the Kurds, Turks, Sunnis and Alevis is the Republic of Turkey. They think that they would block this emancipator mind." Upon this assertion, public opinion researcher Hilmi Daşdemir, who was sitting next to me said: "These words belong to a leader who is blamed for being a Sunni proponent. No matter what is said, Turkey cannot regress from this point anymore."
The organization of the congress on Sept. 12 was of special importance. Davutoğlu expressed the importance of the date with his reaction against coups and terrorism: "We will not compromise in the face of pressure and cruelty from terrorist organizations and dictatorial administrations."
The moment that possibly grabbed the most attention at the congress was the instant when the AK Party's new set of members for the Central Decision and Administrative Board (MKYK) were announced, since this list may have been the indication of the party's new route. As the names were announced one by one, the overall picture reflected a synthesis of the 2002 spirit and the 2015 spirit. Along with old names such as Cemil Çiçek, Binali Yıldırım, Mehdi Eker and Faruk Çelik, new names were announced, including Galip Ensarioğlu, Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, Berat Albayrak and Ravza Kavakçı Kan. The surprising name on the list was Ensarioğlu.
The AK Party will go to the Nov. 1 elections with this cadre. The upcoming days will show how this change will be reflected on deputy lists. The AK Party's classic ability to impress prevailed at its fifth ordinary general congress. The staff led by the party's organization head, Süleyman Soylu, prepared a faultless congress hall. The best part of the organized and orderly hall was the smoothly operating ventilation system.
However, this democracy struggle began to be undermined as of Feb. 7, 2012. Various coup attempts started with the Gezi Park protest uprisings and continued with the Dec. 17 and Dec. 25 operations, along with the Oct. 6-8 unrest, and now continue with terrorist assaults from the outlawed PKK. This situation carried both Turkey and the AK Party to a new crossroads. Either democratic acquisitions would take on a new dimension, or the country re-enters the vicious cycle of the past.
The mood of the crowd that gathered in front of the hall before making its way into the arena hall, where the fifth congress was held, was attention grabbing. Thousands of people from all across Turkey headed to the congress with a spectacular motivation and urge to protect democracy, which we have seen in moments of crisis in the country. They were shouting out the same phrase in unison: "Cumhurbaşkanımızı yedirmeyiz," reflecting the people's desire to protect the president from any injustice.
A similar atmosphere was also prevalent in the congress hall. The crowd stood up with excitement every time the name of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was spoken. During the congress marked with this spirit, Prime Minister and AK Party chairman, Ahmet Davutoğlu's speech and the question of who would be elected to the party administration, were the highly anticipated points. During his long yet intense speech, Davutoğlu put particular emphasis on the principles that led the AK Party's default settings - its founding principles. In a sense, he made a brief summary of the party's history and also mentioned the need for a renewal, which was a highly anticipated issue. But what he said regarding the terrorist assaults, which have lately caused many fatalities and wrenched the heart of the country, received the most torrid applause.
"The operations we are currently launching cannot be associated with the mindset of the 1990s by any means. During those years there was intense suppression; some people could not even speak their own language. Some ask where the Kurds' country is. The country of the Kurds, Turks, Sunnis and Alevis is the Republic of Turkey. They think that they would block this emancipator mind." Upon this assertion, public opinion researcher Hilmi Daşdemir, who was sitting next to me said: "These words belong to a leader who is blamed for being a Sunni proponent. No matter what is said, Turkey cannot regress from this point anymore."
The organization of the congress on Sept. 12 was of special importance. Davutoğlu expressed the importance of the date with his reaction against coups and terrorism: "We will not compromise in the face of pressure and cruelty from terrorist organizations and dictatorial administrations."
The moment that possibly grabbed the most attention at the congress was the instant when the AK Party's new set of members for the Central Decision and Administrative Board (MKYK) were announced, since this list may have been the indication of the party's new route. As the names were announced one by one, the overall picture reflected a synthesis of the 2002 spirit and the 2015 spirit. Along with old names such as Cemil Çiçek, Binali Yıldırım, Mehdi Eker and Faruk Çelik, new names were announced, including Galip Ensarioğlu, Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya, Berat Albayrak and Ravza Kavakçı Kan. The surprising name on the list was Ensarioğlu.
The AK Party will go to the Nov. 1 elections with this cadre. The upcoming days will show how this change will be reflected on deputy lists. The AK Party's classic ability to impress prevailed at its fifth ordinary general congress. The staff led by the party's organization head, Süleyman Soylu, prepared a faultless congress hall. The best part of the organized and orderly hall was the smoothly operating ventilation system.
Last Update: September 15, 2015 02:07