Neo-sultan

Some strange things continue to unfold in Turkey. They appear to be unrelated, yet there might indeed be some correlation between at least some of the developments. Or, is there a relationship between them? Eminent writer Okay Gönensin apparently has some ideas on the issue. In daily Vatan on Sunday, Gönensin wrote on what he considered an effort to create “red zones” in cities and a society not only ignorant of continued practices of hypocrisy but one that has become an allegiant one.

“Seeing that those who resisted application of the smoking ban in a reasonable manner similar to the practice in some countries like Spain and Greece have imposed killer taxes on wine producers; who have imposed a tax hike on restaurants that do their business in good order, paying social security insurance for its employee, have tourism certificates and thus are under constant supervision, one cannot stop but wonder whether there are some ambitions to create red zones… Rather than drinking the most expensive wine in restaurants on which a hefty tax increase was imposed, people may rather stay at home enjoy a glass of wine accompanied by a cigarette and thus the possibility of people coming together and chat decreases. A society shut inside their homes is a harmless one. Heading such a society is a great pleasure particularly if that society is in total ignorance of the continued gross hypocrisy and obeys whatever it is asked to do …”

Apparently, the “cloudless air space” pogrom of smokers was a “personal issue” for Prime Minister Erdoğan. After all it is an issue very much related to communal health. Yet, was it really a must to have such a strict and wholesome smoking ban? Could not Turkey follow the examples of Spain, Greece or Germany where smokers were given some rights, though very much restricted? But, the Sultan Recep the First wanted it so. Now, some allegiant media outlets are exploding in anger because the across the board smoking ban was likened in some Western media outlets as the success of Murat the Fourth, the Ottoman sultan who had banned alcohol, coffee and smoking as part of an effort to prevent people coming together and criticizing the edicts of his highness. Without thinking for one second why those Western media outlets were drawing such a comparison between Erdoğan and Murat the Fourth, the allegiant media has started complaining again of “Western hypocrisy.”

Still, not only some insolent opponents of the smoking ban or the hefty increase in value added tax on spending at hotels with three or more stars, even the former social democrat, new neo-liberal Culture and Tourism Minister Ertuğrul Günay is apparently having difficulty in understanding why, at these difficult times for the Turkish economy, and naturally of Turkish tourism, there was such a sudden hefty increase in VAT rates for spending at hotels was introduced.

[hh] What’s the intention?

What is indeed the intention of the government of Sultan Recep the First? Is it, as Gönensin said, aimed at confining Turks to their homes? Are we leaving through a process of advancing red zones in the cities? Or, is it as Le Monde or some other Western media outlets implied in their reports, an effort by the neo-sultan in the footprints of Murat the Fourth aimed at avoiding Turks coming together and criticizing his all benevolent and all capable government?

In this country where since the July 22, 2007, parliamentary elections a systematic campaign to turn it into a fear empire has been underway through various methods. The neo-sultan was complaining on Sunday that the country was under the custody of the opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, which “shamefully applied in the past period to the Constitutional Court some 33 times” demanding the annulment of some legislation passed through Parliament by the AKP majority.

Though since the March local polls there are signs of improvement, indeed the CHP has been a perennial problem of Turkey. It could not rejuvenate itself. Failed so far to introduce some new ideas. Could not become an alternative. Yet if the CHP going to the Constitutional Court is a “shame” that shame belongs to the AKP rather than the CHP if in how many of those applications the high court accepted the CHP requests are taken into consideration.

The era of absolute allegiance must have come to an end long ago. It is just normal for the neo-sultan unaware of the reality that there is a difference between absolute rule and pluralistic democracy to complain against opponents. How dare they?