Friday, February 26, 2010
Turkish views on 'coup' charges
The recent arrests of 31 military officers charged over an alleged plot to provoke a coup in Turkey have increased tensions between the secular military and the Islamist-rooted ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). According to opinion polls, the armed forces, who have a past history of overthrowing elected governments, are Turkey's most trusted institution and are seen as the guardian of secularism. Here, ordinary people in Turkey voice their concerns about the volatile situation and their convictions on who should be the guardian of democracy in Turkey.
IMO: The rough BBC opinion poll suggests that it is often felt that the people, rather than the army, should now safeguard secularism. But will such a safeguard be there ? Ataturk still looms over Turkey as a kind of modern Jesus, to twist a metaphor, and I think it may be a good thing. I felt thankful to Ataturk when I was in Turkey a few months ago, for what he has done. Turkey can't afford to have 'Neasden cops'. Superstition and the fear of it, rather than reasonable religious beliefs, may be the real problem and the EU should carefully beware,
IMO: The rough BBC opinion poll suggests that it is often felt that the people, rather than the army, should now safeguard secularism. But will such a safeguard be there ? Ataturk still looms over Turkey as a kind of modern Jesus, to twist a metaphor, and I think it may be a good thing. I felt thankful to Ataturk when I was in Turkey a few months ago, for what he has done. Turkey can't afford to have 'Neasden cops'. Superstition and the fear of it, rather than reasonable religious beliefs, may be the real problem and the EU should carefully beware,
# posted by uv : 9:01 AM
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