Tension Leads to Restricting Freedoms

Association for Human Rights and Solidarity with the Oppressed (MAZLUMDER) Chairman Ayhan Bilgen has said that recent statements made by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Chief of General Staff Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit reflected "a mentality of increasing polarization in the society, showing targets and being discriminative".

Bilgen said on Tuesday that "tension between institutions serves to repress justice and the demands for freedom" calling on everyone to avoid making statements that would polarize the society.

"We call on all civilian society organizations, unions, politicians and workers of the independent media to defend the state of law and their rights" he said, adding that provocative remarks were a threat to the security of the community.

Gathering his views on the statements made by Sezer in Parliament and Buyukanit during his speech at the War Academy, Bilgen addressed the issues highlighted by the two senior state officials:

Civilian-military Relations: "In a state of law, the society makes the definition of threats through an elected parliament. The security bureaucracy can only take on the duty of sharing its information without breaching its authority on this issue. The extraordinary status of the military due to constitutional arrangements makes Turkey look weak in front of the international public opinion on one hand while on the other, it obstructs social demands".

PKK's Cease-fire: "This is an opportunity for the clashes in the country to come to end, the guns to be silence, all violence to come to an end. Steps of common sense and creating peace need to be taken for this while provocative remarks are a serious risk for public safety".

Amending the constitution: "To identify the request to change the constitution as a situation that will eliminate the right to participate in administration could be the product of a totalitarian state mentality. It is a must to change the Constitution that was prepared after a military coup in accordance with public needs and global developments so that the presidential elections do not turn into tension. It is a requirement of parliamentary regimes for the public to monitor those they elect, to criticize them and to retract the authority that have placed in them".

Secularism: "Displaying secularism with a dogmatic ideological approach aggrieves not only those circles who want to carry out their religious obligations but also the Alawites and the non-Muslims. The state's arbitrary interventions in religious life by limiting freedoms do not overlap with the principles of the state of law. Just like any other thoughts of a human being, to force someone to keep their religious opinions inside cannot be accepted. For those who are using the force of the state to appear to be sided against beliefs and make hurtful, accusative remarks is at the level of threatening public peace".

Bilgen also criticized remarks indicating that Turks needed to be clothed in contemporary fashion implying this, restricting the wearing of clothing reflective of religious beliefs, was a show of intolerance. He said that it was concerning that high level officials in Turkey, a country based in a geography that is face to face with conflict, could attempt to lead the public opinion with discussions on clothing. (TK/II/YE)