[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Turkey and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Turkey Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week`s roundup to turkey@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
English
Özgecan Aslan, Nuh Köklü, and the Spate of Violence
Violence against Women Beril Dedeoğlu examines the rise in violence against women over the past few years and claims that such violence should be framed as a men’s problem rather than women’s.
Sexist, not Denominational… Ali Bayramoğlu frames violence against women as a “security issue” and calls for political and judicial action to address the issue.
Erdoğan Targets Feminists to Prevent Unity of Conservative and Liberal Women Barçın Yinanç argues that Erdoğan’s rhetoric on the subject of women and violence against women is polarizing and contradictory.
The Problem is Deeper than Rape and Murder According to Yusuf Kanlı, the AKP’s selective application of the law enabled the conditions for the murder of Özgecan Aslan and others.
The Monsters among Us Mustafa Akyol asserts that Turkey’s reckoning with Özgecan Aslan’s death and with the issue of violence against women should not be a discussion of Islamism’s discontents.
In Turkey, Divisive Politics Lead to More Violence Cengiz Çandar claims that the recent spate of violence indicates that Turkey’s political climate has become a “powder keg.”
Beating in Parliament, Murder over Snowball Özgür Korkmaz suggests that the AKP is implicitly condoning and naturalizing everyday violence, as evidenced by the recent attack on opposition MPs in Parliament as well as by the murder of journalist Nuh Köklü.
Open Letter to Judges (1) - (2) In an open letter, Melis Alphan condemns the judiciary’s precedence of extreme leniency toward perpetrators of gender-based violence, assault, and rape.
Have AKP`s Policies Caused Rise in Violence against Women? Pınar Tremblay argues that the AKP is not offering political solutions that address the root causes of violence against women.
AKP & Authoritarianism
Insulting Erdoğan in an Advanced Democracy Orhan Kemal Cengiz comments upon the increasing number of cases in which people are being arrested for criticizing or insulting Erdoğan.
Erdoğan`s `New Turkey` Much like the Old According to Mustafa Akyol, the notions of the “parallel structure” and “internal enemies” within the AKP government mirrors decades of Kemalist discourse that the Islamists rejected when they came into power.
Is Twitter Giving in to Turkish Censorship? Sibel Utku Bila claims that Twitter is capitulating to the Turkish government’s removal requests much more frequently, which has led legal activists to pursue legal action against Twitter.
Erdoğan`s Politics of Tension to Bring More Chaos to Turkey Serkan Demirtaş argues that recent examples of Erdoğan’s polarizing rhetoric, such as the alleged assassination conspiracy, are part of an attempt to create politically advantageous fault lines in society.
Erdoğan and His Script-Writing Team Mümtazer Türköne criticizes the Turkish government’s efforts to regulate its image in and through media representations, such as the new film K.O.Z., which concerns the corruption allegations against the government.
Why is the West`s Criticism of the AK Party not Influential? Etyen Mahçupyan suggests that criticisms of the Turkish government by the EU are based in “tension between identities” and “anti-Turkish behavior.”
What`s Next for Hakan Fidan? Metin Gürcan speculates that Hakan Fidan, former head of the National Intelligence Organization, may establish a new “Ministry of National Security” to head up Turkey’s security apparatus.
Domestic Security Bill
Approaching the Point of No Return Suat Kınıklıoğlu contextualizes the domestic security bill within the social and political atmosphere related to the protests over the violent murders of Özgecan Aslan and Nuh Köklü.
Homeland Security Draft Bill Triggers Fight in Parliament (1) - (2) İlnur Çevik criticizes opposition parties for fighting the domestic security bill and calls upon the government to prevent Gülenist police from using the law to besmirch its image.
Turkey Deserves Public Security Measures Aligned with EU Norms According to Melih Altınok, EU criticisms of the proposed domestic security measures are hypocritical because such measures are already the norm in EU member countries.
No Offense to Parliament Abdülkadir Selvi claims that, in spite of its problems, the domestic security bill makes important reforms to existing measures and as such, the opposition should be more open to debate.
Giving the Police a Blank Check Semih İdiz analyzes the political mentality that lies behind the AKP’s efforts to rush the domestic security bill into law as quickly as possible.
Kurdish Politics
Erdoğan May Need Öcalan`s Hand for Strong Presidency According to Murat Yetkin, dissatisfaction over the reconciliation process from PKK leaders in the Qandil mountains means that Erdoğan has to work more closely with Öcalan to disarm the PKK.
The Kurdish Paradox Nuray Mert evaluates the HDP’s complex and contradictory political and electoral strategies as the election approaches.
Kurdish Process is at Serious Risk Lale Kemal suggests that increasing authoritarianism, exemplified by the proposed domestic security bill, is threatening the peace process.
What Will Happen if Öcalan Calls for Disarmament? Nagehan Alçı speculates about prospects for the return of PKK members to public life if Öcalan announces the disarmament of the PKK.
Öcalan Dealt Qandil Blow (1) - (2) Abdülkadir Selvi argues that the PKK leadership in Qandil does not want to heed Öcalan’s call for disarmament.
Foreign Policy
Houston! We Have a Problem Called `Erdoğan` Ali H. Aslan claims that Erdoğan’s bombastic and aggressive attitude toward the US is damaging perceptions of Turkey around the world.
Latin America, Turkey, and a New Development Paradigm Cemil Ertem alleges that Turkey is building a presence in Latin American markets in order to combat the damages of neoliberal development.
ISIL Might Strike Turkey According to İbrahim Karagül, a number of organizations are working across the Middle East with the intent of making Turkey the next target of the Islamic State.
Where Are They Attacking Turkey From? Erol Göka asserts that the forces pushing ISIL towards Turkey are attempting to foment “the anti-Erdoğan secular front” in order to damage Turkey’s ascendancy in the region.
Syrian Army`s Advances near Border Rattle Ankara Fehim Taştekin writes that the threat of the Syrian Army’s takeover of Aleppo puts pressure on the Turkish government to seek out solutions and strengthen border security.
First Comments from Russia Verda Özer interviews Russia’s Consul General in Istanbul regarding the “Turkish Stream,” a recent energy deal for a pipeline from Russia to Europe via Turkey.
Election & Regime Debates
Turkey May Become Ungovernable Şahin Alpay claims that divisions within the AKP’s ranks will emerge as the election approaches, leading to political instability and unrest.
Who`s Who in Erdoğan-Davutoğlu Relationship? (1) - (2) Murat Yetkin suggests that recent turmoil among the ranks of AKP politicians “is not the matter of a single day,” but rather has a longer history rooted in behind-the-scenes dynamics and decisions.
Why Does the AK Party Have No Rivals? Etyen Mahçupyan argues that the AK Party has been so successful because of the loyalty of its voters as well as the inefficacy and shortsightedness of the opposition parties.
Turkish Opposition Party Recruits Obama Pollster Zülfikar Doğan examines the CHP’s evolving electoral strategies, which involved hiring a US-based consulting firm as well as building coalitions.
Economy
Unemployment Increase Continues Seyfettin Gürsel explores the causes of the stagnant rate of unemployment in Turkey and predicts that the rates will soon drop to more normal levels.
Domestic Political and Economic Climate Disturbed Erdal Sağlam examines the AKP government’s ineffective economic policies at a moment of particular political uncertainty.
Turkish
Özgecan Aslan, Nuh Köklü, and the Spate of Violence
Survivor Sevda Karaca argues that men are aware of the systemic judicial and societal discrimination against women and act accordingly; and women cannot “survive” unless they are more organized.
`Cinayeti siyasallaştırmayın` saçmalığı Nilgün Tunçcan Ongan purports that attempts in signaling out individual cases of women murders depoliticize a problem which is a result of dominant gender policies.
Hukukçu Hülya Gülbahar: İdam gibi cezalar dönüp dolaşıp kadınları vurur Nur Banu Kocaaslan’s interview with Hülya Gülbahar, a women’s rights advocate who opposes proposals to bring back the death penalty, as it would not solve the issue of violence against women.
Hepiniz oradaydınız! Ayşe Batumlu calls attention to the mechanisms that sustain violent attacks on women, voicing a need to confront the system of oppression rather than its individual constituents.
‘Canavar’ adında bir yurttaş yoktur! Murat Sevinç reminds us that Özgecan Aslan’s murderer is a person who is a product of the society and current cultural and political conditions, not a monster.
Sebahat Tuncel yazdı: Özgecan’ın ardından… According to Sebahat Tuncel, HDP deputy, the Turkish state that defines women only as wives, sisters, mothers, and as continuation of the family, not as free and equal individuals, is the main party responsible for violence against women.
Erkek siddetine karşı bir İstanbul Sözleşmesi vardı, hatırlar mısınız? Çiçek Tahaoğlu draws attention to the discrepancies between the progressive content of the Istanbul Convention signed by the government, and its near-zero implementation.
Hiçbir ceza yetmeyecek! Onur Yazıcıoğlu thinks no punishment will be enough to deter violence in a country where people who feel ownership over other people are the majority.
Saltanatınız yalan, kartopu gerçek! According to Vedat İlbeyoğlu, the ruling party will eventually be brought to account for their crimes, not unlike Nuh Köklü’s killer who pleaded insanity.
Bu bir rüya değil kâbus! Commenting on Nuh Köklü’s murder, Cem Erciyes expresses concerns over the abundance of violence and intolerance in the country.
AKP & Authoritarianism
Artık tek dava var; Erdoğan’ın ömür boyu iktidarda kalması An interview with Levent Gültekin, a journalist who had been close to the AKP in the past, who speculates on the recent developments in the AKP with regards to Erdoğan’s authority.
Saray’daki Sultan, Türkiye’yi büyük bir patlamaya sürüklüyor! Hasan Cemal asks the “Sultan in the palace” whether he is able foresee the potential outcomes of the climate of violence created under his rulership.
Hayır, nefret değil… Ali Yurttagül argues that people are more concerned than hateful regarding the AKP’s politics that have increasingly become unaccountable.
Katil olmaya razı olmayanlar, birleşin! According to Mustafa Alp Dağıstanlı, the AKP involuntarily created a public opposition who supports gender equality, secularism, and the environment while condoning bigotry, arrogance, and corruption.
Kötülük Hayko Bağdat thinks that evil has been rendered banal and legitimate by the politics of the ruling party.
Ataerkil düzen, siyasetin dili tamam da, peki ya yargıçlar Pelin Cengiz calls for specialized women judges in cases of male violence and a complete change in the mentality of judges as well as politicians.
Öyle bir dönemdeyiz ki... Cengiz Çandar argues that Turkey is being set as an example of the regression of democracy around the world, along with Russia, Venezuela, Thailand etc.
Hakaret suçu bir diktatörlük aracına dönünce Commenting on the increase in arrests for the offense “insulting Erdoğan,” Ahmet İnsel ruminates over the lenient interpretation of the relevant article as a symptom of a dictatorial country.
Türkiye faşizmin hunisini takmaya hazırlanırken muhalefetin tarihi sorumluluğu Murat Sevinç reminds opposition leaders of their responsibility for the future of the country in the next elections.
Cemaat’te özeleştiri alametleri mi Observing signs of stepping back regarding the Kurdish issue among the ranks of the Gülen movement, Mücahit Bilici lists the issues that they should criticize themselves for.
MİT’e de yazık! Mümtaz’er Türköne thinks that Erdoğan’s hostile politics harm the image of the National Intelligence Organization.
Domestic Security Bill
İç güvenlik paketi, süreç, kadın kırımı Besê Hozat asks how the government plans to continue the peace process while also passing a security bill that aims for “war, extermination, and genocide.”
`Paket`in yolu `çözüm süreci`yle kesişince… İhsan Çaralan voices the possibility that the government wants to pass the security bill in order to force Kurdish politicians to end the peace process.
Kim, Kimi, Kimden Koruyacak? Burcu Kaya gives a detailed account of the articles of the security bill, questioning whose safety the government wants to secure.
Ülkeyi askeri vesayetin gerisine düşürecek o yasa geçmemeli Esra Arsan chronicles the steep increase in arbitrary violence in the parliament and on the streets and truth making in the media, calling for a united oppositional front.
‘Paket-Manşet’ barajı 7 Haziran’da aşılacak! According to Veyzi Sarısözen, AKP politicians’ aim with the security bill is to politically survive and not be prosecuted for their crimes, a plan to be overruled by the HDP’s election victory.
Kurdish Politics
Öcalan olmasaydı According to Oral Calışlar, after having led one of the longest guerilla wars in the world, Abdullah Öcalan is now a pivotal safeguard for the peace process.
PKK birdenbire niye ve nasıl silah bırakacak? Ezgi Başaran’s interview with Remzi Kartal, head of Kongra-GEL, detailing the conditions and possibilities of laying down arms.
Abdülkadir Selvi ne istiyor? Saruha Oluç questions Abdülkadir Selvi’s public statements that delegitimize the Kurdish parties and politics.
AKP’nin çözüm sürecinde yeni hesabı Fehim Işık argues that Abdülkadir Selvi’s recent statements imply that the government wants to enter the elections with the PKK having laid down arms.
‘Düşük yoğunluklu çatışma’dan düşük yoğunluklu diyalog sürecine Fatih Polat purports that, unlike the media attempts in portraying it as such, the peace process will not come to a halt unless a particularly significant event occurs.
Kürt meselesinde duruş Kerim Balcı’s position on the Kurdish issue, implying alternative voices in the Gülen movement’s position.
`Ufuktaki barış` nereden geçiyor? Cengiz Çandar argues that the peace process could fail only due to the AKP’s political decisions, not due to the actions of the Kurdish movement.
Foreign Relations
Türk-Amerikan ilişkilerinde fırtına öncesi sessizliği mi? (1) - (2) Murat Yetkin questions the lack of communication between the American and Turkish governments, especially at higher levels, also commenting on the politics around the Armenian issue.
‘IŞİD Türkiye’ye sızdı’ Amberin Zaman discusses the potential outcomes of the continuation of the government’s Syria policy, and its controversial relation with El-Nusra.
Elections & Regime Debates
Demokrasinin ve iyi yönetimin gereksinimi: Denge ve denetleme Fuat Keyman discusses the ways in which strong civic political power can or cannot be sustained in a democracy.
Yönetim sistemi değişmeli Yüksel Taşkın argues for a system where local governments are strengthened, and where the presidential system is no longer desired by politicians.
“Erdoğan’ın yarattığı korku iklimine karşı tek seçenek HDP’nin barajı aşmasıdır” İrfan Aktan’s interview with Remzi Kartal, who argues that the only way to prevent the climate of fear created by the AKP is the HDP’s election victory, as the party is now the center of a radical and democratic opposition.
Published on Jadaliyya
In Memory of Ozgecan Aslan: Sexual Violence and the Juridical System in Turkey
Becoming a `Media Intellectual`: The Platitudes and Partisanships of Etyen Mahçupyan
Bio-Istanbul: A Speculative, Segregationist, and Sustainable Urbanism
Justice: An Uncertain Question in Turkey