As the fine and proud nation of Turkey came together this Friday to remember for the sixth time the fateful night of July 15 in 2016 when the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) terrorists tried to stage a heinous coup attempt, one thing became crystal clear: What was correct to say back then as it is correct to say today, Turkey’s democratic way of life cannot be derailed, the political clocks cannot be turned back by aiming at installing a dictatorship, as a matter of fact, Turkey’s democracy got even stronger day after day since that dreadful terrorist attack.
"Dreadful" was the very word highly respected British politician Sir Alan Duncan had used too in his condemnation of the coup attempt. He repeated this wording again in the year 2017 when he said via Twitter "heading to #Turkey for 5th visit as FCO Minister. 1 year since dreadful coup attempt. Important to uphold democracy" in Aug. 17, 2017.
Sir Duncan was Minister for Europe at the time and the first European representative to arrive in Ankara immediately after July 15/16, 2016, to express his country’s solidarity with the people of Turkey. His visit(s) became a lasting symbol of the friendship that unites both states.
Why is this so important? One would have imagined that Sir Duncan would have been one of many European government officials rushing to Ankara, to first of all, find out what had just happened and second, to make sure certain allies and partners stand shoulder to shoulder with Turkey at this moment in time.
"Maalesef," as one would say in Turkey, unfortunately this was not the case. Yes, there were telephone calls to Ankara from a number of governments but with respect to, for example, the president of the European Commission or Parliament, or leaders of the European Council... silence, eerie silence.
The second notable exception was the visit by the group of ambassadors from European Union member states to Turkey to the site of the bombed Turkish Parliament. A few days after the terrorist attack, they wanted to see for themselves the destruction caused by FETÖ. The Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Dr. Klaus Wölfer then shared a number of pictures on his social media accounts to create awareness back home about the brutality, about the sheer barbarism of FETÖ’s agents involved in the putsch. Same as with the United Kingdom, the people of Turkey were grateful to the Austrian ambassador showing solidarity in troubled times.
Then once more – silence, eerie silence. Apologies for having used the same terminology twice but there are simply no other fitting options to describe how European capitals reacted, or shall we say refused to react, to the events of July 15/16, 2016.
Flashback 2013
It is not unfair to argue that this highly controversial wait-and-see attitude had already started three years earlier. During the so-called Gezi Park Protests, initially legitimate environmental concerns voiced by a small group of young citizens were quickly hijacked and misused by extreme political activists and organizations who had completely different ulterior motives – to topple the democratically elected government of Turkey and revert to anarchy.
Cynics could be forgiven for saying that some circles in Europe and perhaps even as far away as North America were not necessarily dissatisfied with the chaos that erupted on Istanbul's streets. It was a first sign that some of the violent segments camouflaged within Turkey’s society as apparently peace-loving advocates had begun their final journey, had embarked on their final mission: Destroy their supposedly very own country, destroy modern Turkey at all costs including tolerating the loss of life.
It took quite a fair number of years for the wider world to realize that back in 2013 the way Turkey had defended herself was nothing out of the ordinary; after all, democracy as such was at stake and threatened! How would other democracies have reacted faced with violent mobs? Sitting idle? So why sit idle watching an ally, partner, friend being attacked by mobs?
Some local commentators were quick to point out that in 2013, the moment would soon come when world-famous CNN anchor Ben Wedeman would book himself into a posh suite in the Marmara Taksim Hotel overlooking Gezi Park hoping to report on a "successful" public uprising against the democratically elected government, same as he had previously done in Egypt where his "balcony news hours" looking west to Tahrir Square became sort of a news-making legend.
No such luck in Istanbul, in Turkey democracy won big time. Hence, past midsummer 2013, all quiet on the western front, one might write but no so fast: FETÖ used the upcoming three years to reassemble, to prepare for "Day Zero" as we now know; they continued to infiltrate the state, the police, segments of the military and civil society organizations as much as possible.
Most bizarre aspect of all
Political analysts often shy away from calling a spade a spade, as in particular issues linked to national security need meticulous attention to detail, and after all, who would openly answer ones’ questions as most such agenda items are off limits to the wider public? With none of us having a crystal ball to tell us about the truth we revert to the guessing game, at least from time to time.
But this is journalistic effort – we must think and propose ideas and commentary even if we are fully aware of the fact that it might just be a kind of think tank. As long as we clearly mark such writings as nothing more and nothing less, fair enough.
Hence, here we go.
With intelligence agencies being equipped with the most modern tools and employing highly skilled staff, it sounds at least odd to me that no one in Europe correctly interpreted Gezi Park as what it was – the above-mentioned attempted overthrow of the democratically elected government of Turkey.
Three years on – the same intelligence agencies reporting to their host governments for sure must have realized that FETÖ is no old-men’s tea drinking association but a killer gang.
A further six years down the wait-and-see game line: Has it not transpired that neither the PKK and its satellite YPG, nor FETÖ are homemade problems of Turkey, but that key personnel of both since long have found a refuge on European (and North American) soil thus posing a serious security threat from Helsinki to Brussels, from Berlin to Madrid and anywhere and everywhere else in-between?
Let us hope these reflections are nothing but hypothetical reflections. In that case: Dear Europe, please speak up against FETÖ, against terror. As Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu wrote this last Friday, "terrorism knows no nationality, ethnicity or religion. FETÖ threatens all of mankind." And once Europe refinds its way, let us hope Washington joins in and finally extradites ringleader Fethullah Gülen from his hiding place in Pennsylvania.
On the night of July 15, 2016, an entire nation rose, rose against the wicked and heinous terrorist gang FETÖ. Generations to come will always be grateful for the bravery and willpower of the people of Turkey. Turkey does not need any padding on the shoulder in the sense of, well, did we not always support you, well done... Modern Turkey demands a fair dialogue about the global threat of terrorism on an eye-to-eye-basis. The time is now, and the time is right – before Turkey gives her green light for NATO expansion.
A future article will shed more light on that topic and how Ankara could become a leading actor in that international body, same as within the United Nations, and most naturally, the European Union.