No nation can build future without memory – Türkiye Veep
Opening a panel discussion last Tuesday in Ankara on the theme, “Memory, Justice and the Future”, the Vice-President of Türkiye, Dr Cevdet Yilmaz, said, “A nation cannot build a future without a memory.”
The panel discussion which was on the topic, “Defending democracy: The power of civil resistance”, was part of activities held to mark the 9th anniversary of the abortive July 15, 2016, insurrection in the country, a day that has since been set aside as Democracy and National Unity Day.
Dr Yilmaz said while memory in the theme referred to the experience the nation had come from, justice meant they should deal with the people behind the heinous attack by the FETO terrorist organisation nine years ago, while the future stood for the lessons Türkiye took from the painful experience to “build the future in a stable world.”
“Think about if you lost your memory. It is the same for the nation as well. Without a memory the nation cannot build a future. A nation without memory cannot have justice or a future,” he reiterated.
“Türkiye has experienced several coups before, but on July 15, 2016 insurgents attacked Parliament and the Presidential Complex. This was no coincidence because these two institutions represent the image of the state. Renegade soldiers elsewhere in the world respect Parliament buildings. A coup d’état against democracy is intolerable,” he said.
Panellists
The panellists in the discussion moderated by Associate Professor, Istanbul University Faculty of Communication, Dr Ismail Caglar, were the Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Bekir Bozdağ; Chairman of Presidency State Supervisory Council, Salih Tanrikulu; a Turkish Correspondent, Hande Firat and the Director of Political Studies at the SETA Foundation, Dr Nebi Mis.
Mr Bekir Bozdağ said since the July 15 failed coup many steps had been put in place to forestall a recurrence, including making the Presidential Complex and Grand National Assembly (Parliament) areas no-fly zones, taking a new approach to military training and adopting the presidential system.
Stating that voting for a President was no longer a dreaded period as used to be the case, he said for the first time the people of Türkiye were able to peacefully go to the polls to elect a president and members of the legislature in 2018. He added that whoever obtained 51 per cent in an election became the head of state.
Mr Bozdağ also said the far-reaching measures that had been put in place had lowered the risk of coup attempts, stressing “In our country there shall not be coup attempts anymore.”
Petitions
Taking his turn, Chairman of Presidency State Supervisory Council, Salih Tanrikulu, said the council had been put in charge of reforms in various sectors following the July 15 incident.
He added that a total of about 131,000 petitions had been received regarding people’s involvement in the botched coup attempt at the rate of 98 per cent.
He said a Commission of Inquiry which had been set up with 250 personnel was up and running in less than two months and had seen to the prosecution of over 55 people, who investigations proved had links with the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), while about 678 people had also been dismissed from office.
