White Toros* Polemics
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has made remarks regarding his "White Toros" statement in Van, and claimed it was Justice and Development Party (AKP) that ended unidentified murders. Davutoğlu in his statement following the reactions against his words "either terror groups or White Toroses will swarm" said, "it won't be returned to the days of White Toros, that's what I meant."
Davutoğlu said explicitly bringing the symbol of state violence was not a threat.
"The circles openly supporting terrorism are making accusations like 'AKP wants to return to 90s'. My words are a response to this accusation.
"White Toros is remembered with unidentified murders. Unidentified murders were ended by AKP".
Demirtaş: They are threatening
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White Toros |
| JİTEM Jandarma İstihbarat ve Terörle Mücadele or Jandarma İstihbarat Teşkilatı (abbr. JİTEM or JİT; English: "Gendarmerie Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism" or "Gendarmerie Intelligence Organization") is the controversial wing and intelligence agency of the Turkish Gendarmerie. It is claimed that JİTEM was active in the Kurdish–Turkish conflict. After the Susurluk scandal, former prime ministers Bülent Ecevit and Mesut Yılmaz have confirmed the existence of JİTEM. According to Murat Belge of Istanbul Bilgi University, who has reported that he was tortured in 1971 by its founder, Veli Küçük, JİTEM is an embodiment of the deep state. In other words, it is used by "the Establishment" to enforce alleged national interests. It is also said to be the military wing of Ergenekon, an ostensible underground nationalist organization. In 2008, long-maintained official denials of JİTEM's existence started collapsing in the courts, as ex-members of Turkey's "deep state" security apparatus testify to their participation in covert and illegal activities over the last few decades as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation. Source: Wikipedia |
Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş had said, "those are both confession and threat".
"They remind us of the past, the unidentified murders committed by White Toroses. Now I want to ask him, if White Toroses will re-appear in the absence of you after your 13-year-long governing, then it means you are protecting them.
"That means there will be a bloodshed in this country in case you are gone. That's true, there were White Toroses, now you have luxury cars, good for you. You are kidnapping with more high-quality cars and torture.
"Yes, when you are gone, we will get rid of White Toroses, Rangers you drive now, and ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). The country will breathe a sigh of relief.
"We are the only political power to solve Kurdish question and have PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) lay down its arms.
"They threaten us saying JITEM will come if we leave. All these are both confession and threat."
Demirtaş: "They must have lost their conscience"
Demirtaş has gone on with his remarks on the White Toros polemics in "solidary breakfast" at Okmeydanı in İstanbul.
"So they have some preparations which we don't know, so White Toroses wait in the garages, they are not removed.
"So JİTEM, counter-guerilla remain where they are. So what we have said are not wrong, nor slander. The PM himself confessed in Van."
Demirtaş saying that Davutoğlu threatens people said, "This is the sign of how pathetic they are."They have been in power for 13 years. They can threaten 'the day we leave counter-guerilla will kidnap and execute you every day'. If you mention Toros in Van, those people will give you such a response in November 1 [elections] that they will lock you in the trunk of Toros and send you back to Ankara."Threatening peoples with death...One must have lost his conscience." (YY/TK)
* From 1970s to 2000s, Renault's "Station Wagon" types of "Toros" models were the symbol of unidentified murders and kidnappings. Especially in the 90s, it was used as patrol car by JİTEM members in Turkey's eastern and southeastern regions.Click here and here to read the article in Turkish