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KurdistanObserver.com
Turkey Military: Secularism Under Attack
By CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA
Associated Press Writer
Aug 28, 2007
ISTANBUL, Turkey --Turkey's military issued a stern warning on
Monday about the threat to secularism on the eve of an expected triumph of the
Islamic-oriented government: the election of a loyal - and devout - president.
There were no signs that the military planned to disrupt Parliament's vote on
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, but the statement describing "the centers of
evil" arrayed against secular Turkey was a reminder of its past interventions to
enforce the separation of mosque and state. This time, the military is dealing
with a government that renewed its mandate in a resounding election victory in
July and an emboldened prime minister who has urged the generals to stay out of
politics.
Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, chief of the military, said in a note on the military's
Web site: "Our nation has been watching the behavior of those separatists who
can't embrace Turkey's unitary nature and centers of evil that systematically
try to corrode the secular nature of the Turkish Republic."
The military often condemns separatist rebels who have been fighting for decades
in the predominantly Kurdish region of southeast Turkey. But the potent
reference to "centers of evil" and the timing of the announcement just before
the presidential election suggested the conflict over the role of Islam in
politics was its immediate concern.
The military, which has ousted four civilian governments since 1960, said its
statement was issued to mark the 85th anniversary on Aug. 30 of a military
victory that was crucial for the establishment of modern Turkey.
Gul, whose earlier bid to win election as president was blocked by the secular
establishment because of concerns about his background in political Islam, was
expected to win the post on Tuesday. He has pledged to uphold secular principles
enshrined in the constitution, and to use his contacts in foreign capitals to
promote Turkey's role on the international stage.
The military-backed secular establishment, however, fears Gul is so loyal to
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he would not use the presidency's veto
powers as a traditional check on the government. The secular incumbent, Ahmet
Necdet Sezer, vigorously used his authority to block the promotion of officials
deemed to have Islamic leanings.
"Nefarious plans to ruin Turkey's secular and democratic nature emerge in
different forms everyday," Buyukanit said in his statement. "The military will,
just as it has so far, keep its determination to guard social, democratic and
secular Turkey."
The stark message underlined the challenges that Turkish democracy faces even as
it struggles to join the European Union by implementing a wide array of reforms.
The military keeps a much lower political profile that it used to, but time and
again it has served notice that the nation's civilian leaders are under close
watch.
In April, when Gul's candidacy first came to vote, the military indicated it was
willing to become more openly involved.
"It should not be forgotten that the Turkish armed forces is one of the sides in
this debate and the absolute defender of secularism. When necessary, they will
display their attitudes and actions very clearly," the military said at the
time.
Gul withdrew his bid in the face of mounting criticism from the secular
opposition, which was backed by the military and the top court. Huge crowds
demonstrated in major cities to demand that secular ideals remain intact.
Erdogan, who had picked Gul as his candidate, called early general elections to
defuse tensions. Erdogan's ruling party emerged with a strong majority, which
most analysts here interpreted as popular support for Gul's candidacy.
Gul renewed his presidential bid after the elections. In the first two rounds of
voting, he failed to get support from two-thirds of the Parliament, which was
required to be elected for the post.
He will need only a simple majority in the third round on Tuesday. His party
holds 341 of the 550 seats in Parliament.
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