by Halit Yildiz
Istanbul, March 1
(THE GLOBE)
The writer is an ethnic diaspora Kazakh, and a citizen of Turkey. He is neither an advocate for the Turkish Army, nor an apologist for the Islamists in Turkey. He is partial to none, and takes a philopshical and scholarly approach to the subject. He attempts to look into this enigma empirically, which has become a phenomenon of the social, and political spectrum of Turkey.
Turkish army- legacy from
the Ottoman period
The Turkish Army is unique in many ways. It traces a part of its legacy from the Ottoman period. The period, when the Janissary corps existed during the latter half of the fourteenth century until 1826. It has not changed much of its character of the role it has contemplated in assigning for itself. That is, GUARDIAN OF THE TURKISH NATION BOTH IN
TIMES OF PEACE AND WAR, AND AGAINST INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DANGER.
In times of the Ottoman empire the Janissary corps (Yenicheri) always acted as a pressure group to force the Sultans (only those who were preoccupied with the Harem, neglecting the State Duties, or were under the dictates of the Queen Mother-Valide Sultan) to behave and act in the interest of the Turkish nation. Although at times excesses were said to have been made.
The modern Turkish Army, however traces a major part of it�s legacy from Kemal Atat�rk , the father of the Turks and the founder of the Repulic of Turkey. Though different than the Janissary corps in many ways, it also undertook the prime role of being the guardian of theTurkish nation. In fact, the constitution specifies that it is the duty of the armed forces, to safeguard the nation both against internal & external dangers.
The modern Turkish army :
The Difference
The prime d�fference is- the modern Turkish Army established and formulated by Atat�rk and his team, has not only saved Turkey from extinction , but also steered between the need for foreign capital and a determination to encourage investment from domestic sources.
It introduced �tatism, state support for private effort, drafting the banks (T�rkiye �� Bankas� is one example) to help in the modernization of established industry and in the expansion of new enterprise.At the end of the decade the economy included substantial developments in textiles, steel, and chemicals, and the entire communications and transportation complex: airlines, shippng, telephone, and telegraph - passed under government control.
Turkey, had no nationalist bourgeoisie. And, there are rumours in the air that Vehbi Ko� (the luminary Turkish business & founder of KO� group who died last year), was a creation of Atat�rk, and the Turkish army.
Turkish army-the only army in
the world doing business?
In fact, the only army in the free world said to have been doing business - is the Turkish Army (although communist China�s army is also believed to be involved in doing business). A few years back, the Turkish army bought the Boston Bank Of America in Turkey, and changed its name to Oyak Bank.
Oyak Sigorta-an insurance company.Oyak Motors, which holds major shares of the Renault car factory in Turkey, and Oyak Turizm, are other examples that are owned by the Turkish army, or believed to be holding major shares of these establishments.
Army- Foundation & pillar
of theTurkish nation
The Turkish army wears the laurels for not only having saved Turkey from annihilation, but also for being the forerunner in turning Turkey from a feudal and anachronism society, to a business-orientated society, setting its course towards progress and secularism.
In fact, the modern Turkish army is the only formidable institution in the country that has remained intact till date. If it all, it would be to collapse (May God Almighty forbid!), then the Turkish nation would crumble and pave the path for it�s balkanization. This is precisely, the forces harbouring ill-will towards Turkey are bent upon and intending to do. To weaken the foundation and it�s pillar of strength, by arousing hatred amongst a section of the Turkish society against it�s own army.
Army nationalist-but not racist
The Turkish Army is nationalist but not racist. It looks with suspicion at those wearing traditional Islamic dresses. Therefore, it holds animosity to traditional Islamic dresses, but is neither anti-Islam nor against any fervent or sincere Islamic worship. For, if at all the army would have been anti-Islam, one would not notice hundreds of mosques mushrooming around the country.
Army elitist- but not corrupt
The army is authoritarian but not Fascist, elitist but not corrupt. The local media and the press has not yet been able to find or uncover any corruption or scandal on the army.
Critics of the army say that because of the fear of the army generals, the press and the media dare not print the corruption allegations or scandals involving the army generals.
However, this argument seems to carry little weight or hold conviction. For if at all there were any corruption charges or scandals involving the army generals, it would have found their way into the foreign media and press by now. But till date, not a single corruption charge, or kickback scandal, has been alleged to have been made against the Turkish army generals, in any single foreign press or media. This itself speaks of the honesty and the integrity of the Turkish army�s top brass.
Democracy & Islam
Cultures should be judged not merely by the heights of achievement to which they have ascended but by the depths of brutality to which they have descended. The measure of cultures is not only their v�rtues but also their vices.
Islam has not often proved fertile ground for democracy and its virtues. However, on the other hand it has not been hospitable to Nazism, fascism, or communism. The Muslim world has never yet given rise to systematic fascism and its organized brutalities.
It is true that the contemporary Muslims have not produced their best, but they are seldom congratulated for an ethic that has averted the worst
Shari�a in theory
The sacred law of Islam is called the Shari�a - a word which originally meant �the way to a watery path�, but came to be used of the path of God�s commandments. It is regarded by Muslims as firmly based on divine revelations, derived from four main sources:
� the Qur�an - the holy book of the Muslims.
� the Sunna - or practice of the Prophet Muhammad, as enshrined in countless traditions of what he said, did, or permitted.
� the Ijma - or consensus of the Muslim community or its leading scholars.
� Qiyas - analogical deductions from the first three sources.
It would be a misnomer to equate the believers of Shari�a with backwardnesss, or with illiteracy.
To quote Prof. Sir Norman Anderson, formerly Professor of Oriental Studies and Director of the Institute Of Advanced Legal Studies, London University: Chapter The Law of Islam p.322 , book �The World�s Religions�, published by Lion Publishing, England 1984 reprint.
Quote ���The Shari�a has often been classified under five categories:
>what God has commanded
>what God has recommneded but not made strictly obligatory
>what God has left legally indifferent.
>what God has deprecated but not actually prohibited.
>what God has expressly forbidden.
As such Shari�a�s scope is much wider than any Western concept of law, for it covers every aspect of life�� unquote.
Hence, to label all followers of Shari�a as illiterate, bakward, and barbarian would be a great error.
It is true that some sections of Islamic Society, misinterpret and misimplement Shari�a in some countries, but that does not justify to synonym all the believers of Shari�a as brutal or illiterate.
The situtaion of Islam today, is the same, as that was of the Christian world in the dark Middle Ages. But it did not tantamount to conclude that Christianity itself was bad. At the most, it could be said that the leaders of Christianity, during that period made errors in interpreting Christianity, or was misinterpreted by some to suit their own narrow and selfish interests.
There are sincere and fervent Muslims, who interpret Shari�a in its true perspective, and there are Muslims, who in their misguided zeal, unsecurity, fear, and political motives, tend to be ultraist, and bring defame to Shari�a. But it would be wrong and unfair to equate Shari�a itself with backwardness, or an uncivilized code of law.
On the other hand, in the Muslim world today, it seems, many of their politicians, gentry, and the educated lot feel shy in admitting that they are fervent Muslims, and try hard to impress the Western world that they were either modern or radical Muslims. Why Is it so? Is it because Islam today is no longer the ideology that rules the world�s economics or its politics, and is no longer the super power of the Middle Ages?
They, instead of trying to explain and educate their own Muslim brethren, and the Western world about the Shari�a and its manifesto, join the band wagon in finding faults with Islam and it�s Shari�a.
However, Thanks to God that there are persons like Prof. Sir Norman Anderson, who come to the rescue of Islam and its tenets. It is a paradox, that many a times it is the Western world and their intellectuals, who have come to the best defence of Islam, thus giving a cause to many educated Musllims for being proud of their Muslim heritage.
Shari�a in practice
But in practice, Sharia is not easy to implement, from a very early date, even the official courts allowed a number of �devices� which eased the inconvenience of some of the Shari�a�s precepts.
A not so recent example was the pardoning of a British nurse by the Saudi Arabian authorities, which is alleged to have been done under pressure of the British government.
This does not suggest that the Western contemporary law is f lawless, and is not subject to any external pressures or influence- It is.
In the United States, the not so recent court trial of an English au pair, which involved the death of an American baby child, while under her care is a unique example.
In the first round of trial the au pair was found guilty, and convicted to life sentence. But the English nation made an uproar challenging the American court�s verdict. They, practically launched a tirade against the U.S. court�s verdict in the media and the press.
The result - The American law and justice, allegedly succumbed to the pressure of the English nation, and let off the English au pair with a very light sentence.
Dialectic of Culture
Humankind and fathers of the nation should keep Islam in perspective and must also consult Islam about how to check the worst in human nature - from alcoholism to racism, materialism to Nazism, drug addiction to Marxism as the opiate of the intellectuals.
Army refurbishing the Image
The Turkish army is sincerely attempting to refurbish its image. Not so recently, it was reported that three army generals visited a mosque and offfered their prayers.
In an another incident, on the occasion of a burial ceremony of a Turkish Air Force personnel, top Air Force officers took part in the burial prayers, which was follwed by the recital of the Holy Koran, and its translation. This in a way refutes the theory that the army generals were atheists.
This was in a sort, a signal to the public in general that, although they were Kemalist, they too were sincere Muslims, and not anti-Islam or religion as they were made out to be by people having vested interests.
.
Islamists in Turkey
The Islamists in Turkey, should also come forward with such similar, and sincere gestures, to rect�fy their image which has been set earlier.
They should exude some positive proof in their actions and behaviour that they (Islamists) were not ultra Islamists, but sincere and fervent Muslims. That they were neither a threat to the republic, nor have they become unconsciously tools and pawns in the hands of the forces that are trying to undermine the Turkish State.
Turgut Ozal
The late Turgut Ozal, the previous President of Turkey, immediately after he was shot at in an attempt to take his life, spoke these words, � Turkey is Muslim and will remain Muslim�..�.
Nobody, including the Turkish army�s top brass, or the secularists, branded him as an ultra Islamist or anti-secular. That was so, because Turgut Ozal took precautions not to identify himself with any branded image.
If at all he had an image, it was that of a fervent Muslim, In fact, true Islam is secularism by itself
Distinction between democratic
principles and humane principles
In some humane principles- incuding stabilizing the family, security from social violence, and the relatively nonracial nature of religious institutions- the Muslim world may be ahead of the West.
But the Western liberal democracy has enabled socities to enjoy openness, government accountability, popular participation, and h�gh economic productivity. And, it should be stressed here that nationalism is no substtiute for a strong economy.
Dilemma
�Turkey is a prime example of balancing humane principles with democratic principles�.In times of peace, the Ottoman Empire was more humane in its treatment of religious minorities, but less democratic�
�Ottoman rule at its best was humane governance; the Turkish Republic at its best has been a quest for democractic values�.� �..(source: in an article from �Islamic and Western Values� by Ali A. Mazrui, Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies at the Sate University of New York, at Binghamton).
The Wisdom Of
PRESIDENT NAZARBAYEV
President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, has been reported to have said to someone that, � If one neglects reality, he or she is an empty talker. But, if one neglects theory, he or she is bound to lose all sense of direction�.
Taking into consideration the above words of wisdom, this writer is of the opinion that the time has come both for the Turkish army, and the Islamists to accept the reality and co-exist it with the theory - � The Reality - that the contemporary Republic of Turkey is secular, which has been saved from annihilation by Mustafa Kemal Atat�tk and the Army, and theTheory -that 98% percent of Turkey is Muslim.�
Edmond Burke, philosopher
Edmond Burke, the luminary British philosopher once said, � A society is not a contract between some sections of people that live or thrive in it.
If at all, it is a contract, it is a contract between the past and the present. And, for the sanity of a group the continuation of traditions are important or otherwise it might lead to chaos.
And for the sanity of an individual past memories are vital, or otherwise he or she is likely to become insane.�
Thus, for the sanity of the Turkish people in general, there is a dire need of the past to co-exist with the present in modern timesTurkey of today.
The modern Repuplic of Turkey cannot afford to ignore its past, wheras the people at large cannot afford to live altogether in the past. Doing so, would be futile and unrealistic.
Political & Cultural scholars
Political and Cultural scholars point out that in England, since Henry VIII, a theocracy has been democratized.
In Turkey, might a democracy be a little theocrat�zed ?
Turkish Army always returns to barracks once order is restored in the country
However, to the credit of the Turkish army, it has never been after power. But has always preferred to return to the barracks after having restored order and stability in the country.
Three times, it has intervened whenever there was chaos or unrest in it�s streets, or in the country. And everytime, once order was restored the Turkish army chose to go back to the barracks without finding any excuses to stay on, or hold on to power.
Compare this, with the role of the army, in many Latin American and the Far East countries. The army in those countries, lingers on and refuses to give up control and power, inspite of mass awakening, bloody rioting, and deaths of hundred of their citizens in the streets.
Genuine need for compromise
Yet, in Turkey, there is a genuine need of a national understanding and compromise by all the parties involved. That is- to reassess its national security and social structure, and to hold a national consensus.
The Armed Forces, and all the political parties should sit together and lay out a voluntary code of conduct for all the political parties operating in Turkey.
Both the Arny and the Islamists in Turkey, should practice Orthopraxy, rather than Orthodoxy, in their approach to issues concerning the national security and interest.
The Turkish army should realise, that there also lies a world beyond the borders of Turkey. And that, this world is changing very fast, therfore one should adapt itself to the new changing conditions, or get isolated.
They (the army) instead of fighting the ultraist on a military level, should use the tool of propoganda, and enlightment, in enlighting the Turkish people at large about the true basic tenets of Islam.
Likewise, with so many secterian groups of Islamists in Turkey, which tend to divide the Turkish nation, the Ataturkists also, many a times unknowingly become tools in the hands of the powers that are bent on dividing Turkey.
If one is to make a thorough investigation, one will not be surprised to find that the forces which support the ultra Ataturkists, and the ultra Islamists, are none other but the one and the same forces.
Politicians should cope up with�
The politicians in Turkey, should grasp the fact and the reality that Turkey stands alone in the region surrounded by the not so friendly neighbours, and the hostile Europeans.
IF THE TURKISH ARMY IS MADE TO LOOK WEAK OR PICTURED AS SUPRESSORS OF DEMOCRACY IN TURKEY, THIS WOULD TANTAMOUNT TO INVITING FOREIGN INTERVENTION INTO TURKISH INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS GAME THE TURKISH POLITICAINS WOULD BE PLAYING! AS, IT WOULD PUT THE VERY EXISTENCE OF TURKEY AS A NATION AT STAKE. AND, THAT IN TURN WOULD PUT THE VERY FUTURE OF TURKISH POLITICIANS� EXISTENCE IN QUESTION!
There�s an old proveb wh�ch goes like this-�YOU DON�T CUT THE BRANCH OF A TREE, ON WHICH YOU ARE SITTING�
The politcical parties, and groups, which advocate d�fferent ideologies in Turkey, should refrain from engaging themselves with petty issues, which are purely theoritical, and non productive. They should think and act empirically and pragmatically, and cope up with issues, which would improve Turkey�s relations with its neighbou�rs within and outside the Eu�opean Union.
They should be busy restructuring the exisitng judicial laws to make the judiciary completely independent of the State�s executive body. Moreover, they should usher in human rights legislation that would make Human Rights conditions, and the right of freedom to express one�s thoughts on par with the Western countries.
They should cope up with issuses like reassessing and restructuring their policies empirically towards the Central Asian Republics. These policies, should be centred on mutual respect and equality, treating Central Asian Republics as friendly, but independent soverign states. They should not be based on emotion and rhetorics.
They should cope up with issues that would make Turkey�s economy stronger benefiting it�s public at large. They should make dynamic changes in it�s educational system gearing it-up for the year 2000 and beyond.
They should be able to read the writings on the wall, and realise that English language is not only the business language of the world, but is ought to become it�s defacto universal language.
And., in order to make the Turkish citizens competent, and compatible in the world of the future, computer technology and the medium of it�s language- English should be made affordable, wthin their reach, and as soon as possible on a war footing.
Political pundits opine�
Political and social pundits opine, that all the parties concerned should look at things analyt�cally, objectively, strategically, and empirically. And once, they are able to reach a pragmatic and empirical consensus, Turkey shall emerge out of its present catches more educated and empiricist, much strong and united, and more humane and democratic than ever before.
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