Sezai Temelli
“The concept of coup mechanics is one of the concepts that Mr. Öcalan voiced during the peace process. The concept contains an important warning, but beyond that, it is one of the most important analyses of the system in Turkey,” writes former HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) co-Chair Sezai Temelli for Yeni Ozgur Politika.
A military view this week took the stage with the open letter signed by the retired admirals over regarding Montreux debate.
However, it was not the open letter itself but the government’s reaction to it that created much more attention.
The government is now using the whole ‘coup debate’ or ‘coup mechanics’ for its own maneuverings and benefits. Of course, it is not possible to accept this method.
The retired admirals most probably did not have the intention to attempt a coup, but they have perhaps the desire to control the country by military rules. Can we say that the current government is formed outside of this mentality? Let us see: When we look at the regime in Turkey today, we can see how the statement written in the open letter by the admirals is actually at peace with the ruling mentality of the government. Therefore, what we are seeing are different manifestations of the same mentality.
The concept of ‘coup mechanics’ is one of the concepts that Mr. Öcalan raised during the peace process. The concept contains an important warning, but beyond that, it is one of the most important analyses of the system in Turkey. It does not only explain that period of time, but expresses the implicit codes of the regime in Turkey.
When it was stated by Ocalan that coup mechanics would come into play in periods when chaos deepened, an important forecast was also embodied in this: the coup mechanism might become permanent! And actually, it did.
Turkey has a history of coups, starting with the 1960s. However, when we think about the pre-1960s era, we can argue that the character of the regime was similar to todays.
It is very clear that the coups and coup attempts that took place after 1960 were not “against” the regime, but for the “restoration” of the regime. This process continued until 2016 with different methods.
The situation that emerged after 2016 shows that now there is a continuous state of coup mechanics: the one-man regime
The state of emergency after July 2016 was characterised by appointing trustess in place of the elected HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) mayors and the attacks against democratic politics, which has all enabled the maintenance of the coup mechanics.
It is not possible to continue with the militarised foreign policy and domestic security-based violence policies with a different regime code. The state policy regarding the Kurdish question was actually describing the political and economic road map of the regime.
The system, which is trying to survive today as a presidential government system in Turkey, is experiencing various difficulties. The new constitution debate is voiced by the AKP as an attempt to end them. AKP and its partners are increasingly embracing the mechanics of the coup to continue the restoration of the regime.
The current status of the Turkish judiciary system, the debates about the closing of the Constitutional Court forever, the stripping of Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu’s MP status, the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention… These are all examples that the coup mechanics are still in effect in Turkey.
To end this process will only be possible by the organisation of the society, by increasing the level of struggle and by insisting more on a democratic solution, on a democratic republic, on a democratic society.
We must not forget that the struggle for democracy is identical to a struggle against fascism.
Without getting stuck in an election-oriented alliance politics, we can understand the strategic importance of the “third way” politics. We can stop the coup mechanics with an alliance that links its struggle not merely for the elections, but for a broader understanding of third way politics.
