[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
Zaman Newspaper Raid
An Outcry by Intellectuals Bülent Keneş welcomes the statement made by intellectuals, which framed the police raids and detentions of journalists as amounting to a "coup against the freedom of the press as well as against Turkey`s democratic future" as a “silver lining.”
WikiLeaks Sheds Light on Turkey’s Mysterious ‘Annotators’ Mustafa Akyol traces the connections of “Annotators,” allegedly being part of an operation conducted by the “parallel state” and a major motivation behind the latest media crack-down, to al-Qaeda in WikiLeaks documents.
Under Crackdown, Turkish Media Close Ranks Sibel Utku Bila shows how journalists from various camps have responded to the arrests in the Gülenist media.
Are European Politicians Aware of What They Are Defending? Melih Altınok argues that despite the various legitimate causes for an investigation, EU politicians continue to frame it as a violation of press freedom.
Is Gülen Erdoğan’s Rival? According to Hilal Kaplan, efforts in framing the investigation in terms of press freedom fail to address the illegal operations of the Gülen movement within the state.
How Moral Is the CPJ Approach? Etyen Mahçupyan refutes the Committee to Protect Journalists’ listing of Turkey as one of the world`s worst ten countries for journalists.
“New Turkey”
Turkey’s High Court Could Pull Rug from Under AKP Ömer Şahin discusses the possibility that Turkey’s high court could make a ruling regarding the ten percent election threshold and change the current state in politics.
Conspiracies in a Parallel Universe Ömer Taşpınar outlines the pattern in the reactions of the government in response to criticisms from the West.
Erdoğan Declares Birth Control Treason Pınar Tremblay discusses the reflections of Erdoğan’s latest commentary on birth control and its costs to society.
From Atatürk to Erdoğan (II) Mustafa Akyol draws parallels between Atatürk and Erdoğan in terms of aggressively warding off their rivals.
Davutoğlu’s Most Important Test as PM According to Serkan Demirtaş, an important identifier of Davutoğlu’s leadership will be how he will act in the parliamentary vote for the corruption investigation.
Is Erdoğan Really Concerned About Demography? According to Semih İdiz, Erdoğan’s latest remarks on birth control, together with his other statements on women-related issues, signals a discrepancy even with his pious electorate.
Ottoman Nostalgia and the Reality Doğan Hızlan questions how teaching the Ottoman language will contribute to culture today.
Turkish Cannot Go Back to Arabic Script Murat Yetkin states that learning the Arabic script will not be a solution to the problems that were raised by the AKP leadership.
Romantic Approaches to Ottoman Taha Akyol claims that there is a culture problem rather than an alphabet or script problem.
Political Stain on a Legal Decision Regarding the closing of the corruption investigation, Ismet Berkan discusses the evidence at hand.
AKP: From Post-Islamist Back to Soft-Islamist? (I) Joost Lagendijk comments on the factors that led to the AKP’s authoritarian shift since 2011.
Lost Intellectuals According to Mümtazer Türköne, intellectuals who advocate the policies of the government forsake their ethical values in exchange for maintaining their positions.
Peace and Reconciliation Process
Peace Process on Course Despite Provocations İlnur Çevik warns that time is running out for the government and the HDP to take sound steps for the peace process.
As Kurds Speak of Turkey at an American House in Russia Murat Yetkin reports that Demirtaş, the co-chairman of the HDP, asked Russia to get more actively involved in Turkey’s Kurdish bid.
A Woman Warrior’s Tough Love “Can secular and educated women who have voted for the CHP switch to the HDP?” Ahu Özyurt asks.
Foreign Relations
Downgrading Erdoğan Suat Kınıklıoğlu points out that the US has effectively downgraded its relations with Turkey.
Qatar`s Egypt Reconciliation Embarrasses Erdoğan Doha’s moves to improve ties with Egypt deal a fresh blow to Erdoğan’s seemingly futile efforts to isolate Sisi internationally, writes Semih İdiz.
Time for Turkey to Make the Move Commenting on the growing anti-Islamic hatred in Europe, Verda Özer argues that Turkey could revitalize the call for a “historic reconciliation” between Islam and Christianity.
Hamas’ Turkey Dilemma Gökhan Bacık comments on the participation of Khaled Mashaal, the leader of Hamas, in an AKP congress.
European Union and Turkey
Running Hot and Cold Joost Lagendjik argues that pro-government journalists like Daily Sabah writers struggle with the “almost Herculean task of making sense of Erdoğan`s policy toward the EU.”
Dealing with Ankara Becomes Increasingly Challenging According to Amanda Paul, Turkey has become the most controversial NATO member, accused of pushing policies that are frequently out of sync with its Euro-Atlantic partners.
Rise of Islamophobia in EU Raises Concerns Ozan Ceyhun argues that the increasing number of demonstrators in the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident (PEGIDA) movement in Germany is alarming.
Turkey and Rising Racism in the EU (1)-(2) Markar Esayan believes that the EU condemns the AKP’s struggle with Gülen’s “parallel structure” due to the “classic arrogant Western perspective that looks down on the Middle East.”
Is the Skirmish between Turkey and the EU Serious? Emre Gönen reports that after the EU’s December summit, Turkey, together with Bosnia, remained the only "eligible" country that is delicately kept aside from the EU membership.
Ten Years On Mustafa Aydın comments on Turkey’s ten-years long journey with the EU for full membership.
Economy
Foreigners Put Brakes on Investment in Turkey Mehmet Çetingüleç reports that Turkey is losing its capacity to lure foreign investors, and thereby has an increasing unemployment problem.
Turkey`s Coming Decade Tulu Gümüştekin underlines Turkey’s need for structural changes and political stability to gain access to international free trade agreements.
Farewell to an Ominous Year İbrahim Türkmen expresses concerns over the impact of the negative developments in the economy in 2014 on the year 2015.
The State of the Turkish Economy Güven Sak talks about the mistrust that foreign investment has towards the sporadic investment decision-making process of the political leadership.
The Turkish Economy’s Big Dilemma Güneş Kömürcüler points to the need for varying trade markets and sources of national income in light of unstable conditions in international politics.
Construction Industry Doing Relatively Better Seyfettin Gürsel states that the slowdown in the construction sector in big cities is lower than is assumed.
Other Pertinent Pieces
The Massacre Turkey Hopes Alevis Will Forget Fehim Taştekin reports that the government is obstructing memorial observances for the 1978 anti-Alevi massacre in Maras, hoping it will be forgotten.
Planned Armenian Genocide Memorial Ruffles Ankara Amberin Zaman suggests that a proposed art project commemorating the 1915 Armenian Genocide has sparked a tug-of-war between the Turkish government and Geneva, where the monument is to be placed.
Turkish
Zaman Newspaper Raid
Zaman`ı, Cumhuriyet`i, Odatv`yi savunmak Oya Baydar insists that defending news outlets that have records of anti-democratic practices is a must for the spread of a democratic culture.
Cemaatin basın özgürlüğü Özlem Albayrak argues that the investigation of Zaman and Samanyolu cannot be framed as freedom of the press.
Zor Karar Mustafa Ünal marks the decision on corruption allegations as a crucial moment for the government.
Her şey güzel olacak According to Abdülhamit Bilici, the unified opposition to the raid on Zaman, allegedly orchestrated by Erdoğan himself, is a promising start for a better future.
“New Turkey”
CHP kendi dışına bakabilmeli Yüksel Taşkın underlines the CHP’s need for structural changes to increase its vote in the next elections.
İşçi yaşamının ucuzluğu Kemal Tekin Surek talks about the legal process behind the high rates of worker fatalities.
2014, 2015’e kötü miras bıraktı Lale Kemal claims that past year’s political and social incidents will impact 2015 negatively.
Meşruiyet, baskıyla korunamaz Şahin Alpay states that the pressure on dissent decreases the legitimacy of the government.
Darbe, yolsuzluk, cozum sureci Fuat Keyman claims that the AKP’s election campaign will be based on three main issues: “the coup attempt by the Gülen movement,” fighting with corruption, and the peace process.
Yeni bir Türkiye mümkündür Muzaffer Ayata states that forces that uphold democratic values in the country should take the political initiative out of the hands of the government.
Ülkenin yarısını kim yönetiyor Rıdvan Akar problematizes the government’s lack of interest in representing the other fifty percent of the country.
Ne hazin, askerci düdüklerden sivil darbe şakşakçılarına… Hasan Cemal draws parallels between journalism during the military coup periods and today’s journalists.
Cumhurbaşkanı’na hakaret edenler çoğalırken… Mümtaz’er Türköne argues that Erdoğan’s actions invite more people to break the law by “insulting the President.”
Çocuktan korkan devlet Mustafa Önal tells the story of a sixteen-year-old high school student being arrested for “insulting the President” with accusations of corruption.
Peace and Reconciliation Process
İki ayaklı demokratikleşme paketi geliyor According to Abdülkadir Selvi, the leadership of the peace process has shifted from Qandil and Europe to Abdullah Öcalan.
Çözüm sürecine yeni format Mehmet Metiner highlights that Öcalan has called for nonviolence for the sake of the peace process.
HDP dışındakiler ne bekliyor? Abdülkadir Konuksever reports that deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç visited two Kurdish parties, HÜDA-PAR and HAKPAR, by arguing that the HDP is not the only representative of the Kurdish population.
Trenin raydan çıkmasına engel olanlar Bekir Ağırdır suggests that the last meeting between the HDP and the government was cautious yet hopeful and optimistic.
‘Müzakere taslağı’ ve Bölgesel devrimci anlamı Veysi Sarısözen argues that the draft plan proposed by Öcalan would lead to a “regional revolution.”
Barışa tahrik olsanız ya Kenan Kırkaya highlights that Öcalan’s draft plan contains a sound schedule and a reliable methodology for the peace negotiations.
Predatörler PKK istihbaratını artırdı, çözüme katkısı ne? Lale Kemal accuses the government of conducting negotiations with the Kurdish movement while at the same time gathering security intelligence about the PKK.
"Çözüm süreci"nin neresindeyiz? Cengiz Çandar argues that what we face today is a “process management” rather than the peace process itself.
Roboski Massacre
Katliamın 3’üncü yıldönümünde Roboski: 34 sivil bombalanarak öldürüldü, tek bir kişi bile yargılanmadı Işıl Sarıyüce reports what had happened in the aftermath of Roboski, a bombardment in the eastern city of Sirnak that left thirty-four civilians dead and remains unresolved.
Üç yıldır kanayan yara Roboskî! İhsan Çaralan reminds us that the government has not yet been faced with the Roboski Massacre where thirty-four Kurdish civilians were bombed to death by the Turkish military in 2011.
Roboski AKP hükümetinin kimliğidir According to Hüseyin Ali, the Roboski Massacre is the AKP government’s identity marker.
Foreign Relations
Türkiye-AB ilişkilerindeki çıkmaz Dilek Yiğit reports that the government’s raiding Zaman newspaper as a part of its fight with the Gülenist “parallel structure” has triggered reactions from the EU.
Türkiye 2014: Ortadoğu`da yalnız, Batı`da şaşkın… Cengiz Çandar argues that Turkey is “isolated in the Middle East, perplexed in the West.”
Nerden baksan tutarsızlık… ‘Mazlumların dostları’ndan biri havlu atmış! Nuray Mert comments on Turkey’s relation with Qatar.
Kayıp dava Fehim Taştekin argues that Turkey’s political partnership with Qatar is deteriorating.
Bir sıcak duş, bir soğuk duş… Joost Lagendjik argues that pro-government journalists like Daily Sabah writers struggle with the “almost Herculean task of making sense of Erdoğan`s policy toward the EU.”
Other Pertinent Pieces
90`s series (1)-(2)-(3)-(4)-(5) Bianet’s “the 1990s series” chronicles the 1990s’ rights-based struggles.
Tüm İstanbul, bütün Marmara; bütün Marmara, tüm İstanbul için! Baran Alp Uncu suggess that the Marmara region is facing the danger of ecological destruction due to the series of projects ranging from mines to energy, housing, and transportation.
Kanlı bluzu hâlâ çeyizinde Şerif Karataş interviews Aziz Tunç, the author of Maraş Kıyımı, about the 1978 Maraş Massacre.
Mülteciyi kentten kente kovalama devri İhsan Çaralan draws attention to the discrimination, exclusion, and xenophobia that Arab, Ezidi, and Kurdish refugees from Syria face in Turkey.
Fatih Akın’ın “Kesik”ine Türkî Bakış İrfan Aktan reviews the director Fatih Akın’s new film Kesik, which addresses the Armenian Genocide.
"Kadin Sorunu"nu çözelim mi? Sultan Komut comments on the problems of the dominant discourse regarding women’s issues in the Turkish media.
“Hakiki” Gündem, Kadın Bedeni ve Politika According to Zeynep Kurtuluş Korkman, framing Erdoğan’s frequent commentary on women’s issues as attempts at changing the agenda impedes possibilities for multi-faceted politics.
Hani kendi içinde tutarlı zalimlik Filiz Gazi asks about the rationale behind not releasing political prisoners with fatal illnesses.
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