OTS: Turkey Marks Second Anniversary of the Foiled Coup Attempt

Winner is the Turkish Democracy: Second Anniversary of the Foiled Coup Attempt in Turkey

On the night of July 15, 2016, a terrorist attack was carried under the cover of a coup attempt by a group of soldiers and their collaborators who define themselves as the "Council for Peace at Home".

Next morning the scene which Turkey woke up was tragic. What occurred was a night of terror under the wrath of tanks, helicopter gunships and fighter jets.

The events resulted in the death of 250 people and left over 2193 maimed or wounded.

The bombing of the Turkish Parliament, the Presidential complex and the Police headquarters went down as firsts in history.

The coup attempt which was led by a rogue armed faction and their civilian collaborators belonging to the Fethullah Gülen Terrorist Organization (FETO), aimed to topple the constitutional order and parliamentary democracy with a military junta. But these treacherous and heinous putschists miscalculated the power of the Turkish people and the Turkish state.

The Government, opposition parties, civil society groups and ordinary citizens joined together in unity and solidarity and defended the democratic order. On the night of 15 July, hundreds of thousands of unarmed civilians poured into the streets to protect Turkish democracy and its legitimate government.

This was a historic moment in Turkey. The success of the Turkish people’s resistance in the face of a military coup stands as a unique example in human history.

FETO which has been organized under the cover of a religious structure for long years is a sinister and clandestine cultish global crime network with economic and political ambitions. It was established by a retired preacher Fethullah Gülen in the early 1970s. It is hard to grasp this “sui generis” terror organization from the outside. Since the 1980s, this religious cult whose members present themselves as peaceful educators, social and relief workers have always had a dark side. Concealment is their key tactic. The uniqueness of FETO as a terrorist group comes from its use of legal means and institutions as a cover to achieve illegal objectives. It has infiltrated thousands of adherents to the critical state institutions, such as the judiciary, the army, the national police, educational institutions and other segments of the public service. Thus the organization constructed a parallel structure, in essence a deep state, within the legitimate state machinery.

This structure is used to get rid of opponents and anyone who constitutes a threat to the organization, with the ultimate aim of overthrowing the constitutional order, install an oligarchic/fascist regime under the spiritual leadership of Gülen. He is believed to be Messiah by his followers and his orders are obeyed to the letter. His self-positioning as a moderate alternative to religious radicalism has no credibility in Turkey or the rest of the Muslim world. It is a strategy he uses to win the support of the West.

The extraordinary character of the aggression necessitated extraordinary measures. Dismantling the deep-rooted FETO network within the state institutions and judiciary was one of the painful but required measures. The aim has never been reprisal or retribution but the defense of the secular republic. The whole process has been managed in full transparency and as prescribed by the constitution and relevant laws and in full observance of international obligations. Legal remedies have always been provided for any inequity and continue to be so.

It is very clear for Turkish people that unless we overcome the threat from FETO members, Turkey’s unity and security cannot be guaranteed; democracy and rule of law in Turkey cannot be safeguarded.

Naturally, the international connections and ties of this organization constitutes an intrinsically related chapter that needs to be uncovered and clarified. We are confronted with a global terrorist organization breeding an ambition for political domination and active in more than one hundred fifty countries via its schools, NGO’s, media outlets and companies. They have used and exploited these countries and in return allowed themselves to be used and exploited. Yet, what took place in Turkey two years ago may be repeated in other countries in different forms and scales. Harboring and condoning the wrongdoers is a false game.

The civilized world faces ever-increasing challenges against its democratic universal values. Extremism spreads in all violent forms, terrorism being the most vicious. Resolutely fighting against terrorism requires solidarity, cooperation, collaboration, understanding, intelligence sharing and many steps more to take collectively; and that is what we expect to see from our allies, partners, and friends around the Globe.

As the country returns to normalcy, it is important to explain and emphasize the remarkable standing of Turkey as the pillar of secular democracy in its region and the world. It is also necessary to realize and appreciate the resilience and strength of Turkish people’s devotion to democracy. After embracing the democratic system in 1950, Turkey has passed several ups and downs in its political life, but each time, Turkish democracy and stability bounced back more forcefully. Criticisms levelled at Turkey should not lose this perspective.

On the second anniversary of the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, we honor the memories of those who lost their lives defending Turkish democracy and national union, in fight against fascism and terrorism. May God rest their souls in peace! We are grateful to our martyrs who gave their lives for this cause and we will always cherish their memories.

Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Bratislava

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