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MEHMET ALİ BİRAND > Özal’s body was exhumed in vain

I did not believe it from the beginning. It never sounded logical, the claims that President Turgut Özal was poisoned to death.

It was, entirely, a conspiracy theory produced and the more people talked about it, the more they were convinced. The family was persistent. Finally, President Abdullah Gül could not resist and started the investigation mechanism.

The forensic report, as expected, detected some poisonous material inside Özal’s body, however, “it was not determined that the death was caused by poisoning.”

Experts find it normal that some poisonous materials are found in the body as a result of having been buried for so many years.

Of course, now, there will be reactions such as, “The Forensic Institute hid the murder” or “Even this scarce poison found is enough to prove that he was poisoned to death,” and nobody will be satisfied.

However, now, it is enough.

Primarily the family, this insistence should be abandoned and Özal should be left alone.

Moreover, even if it was confirmed that Özal was poisoned, what would it have proven? After so many years, what kind of an investigation would be conducted and who would be caught?

While the agenda of the country is full of conspiracy theories, there is no use, ever, in adding a new one to them.

Ergenekon case self-injures
The prosecutor, assuming everything goes well, will read his opinion today and a new stage will start in the Ergenekon case.

This case, unfortunately, has been managed badly from the beginning. It went through a process that irritated the conscience of society, conflicted with the sense of judgment and where given powers were used vulgarly.

It was so vastly expanded, developed branches to such an extent that a very complicated stage has been reached.

Still, there were many correct aspects in this case. When some claims are reviewed, there were people who had to be tried and punished. A picture emerged that is correct fundamentally but where the practice has gone wrong. Whereas, if it had been handled differently from the beginning, if rule of law had been applied strictly, then the prosecutor would have been watched with excitement today.

Before the opinion was read, our judicial system and its implementers failed.

In this process, even those like me who supported Ergenekon have been disappointed. What we have experienced for years has not been accepted by most of us. Punishments that will be given from now on will not quite be accepted by consciences.

Sırrı Sakık is right in his reactions
You must have watched it on TV.

During the budget debate, the news of the death of Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Oktay Vural’s mother arrived and was announced to the general assembly. Each deputy group chairman took the floor and spoke to convey their condolences.

This was an exceptionally humane and correct act.

Until Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Sırrı Sakık took the floor, I had not noticed. Sakık was sad.

He had lost his son a short while ago, but nobody had ever taken the floor simply to convey their condolences.

He said, “You discriminate even at this.” He was so right.

I wish all deputy group chairmen would have immediately seen how right Sakık was and taken the floor to convey their condolences.

Humanity would have called for this.

December/13/2012

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Murat

12/13/2012 7:21:50 PM

This is one of the most paranoidal and conspiracy theory obsessed nations I have ever known. Birthers are small league in comparison. There will be people who will still claim Ozal was poisoned and there are UFOs all around us.Truly amazing. No wonder the largest percentage of people who think Darwin is wrong also live in Turkey.

mara mcglothin

12/13/2012 4:46:10 PM

Why is it in Turkey that you always end up licking your own spit? Why are people buried without the proper investigations in the first place? Always questions and never any answers. I was not optimistic that after so much time anything would come of this. Ozal was an honorable man who did not deserve this. SAme old same old in Turkey.

cagdas erdogan

12/13/2012 4:46:03 PM

Mr. Birand, you are entirely wrong about your Sakık's case opinion.

Red Tail

12/13/2012 10:14:44 AM

Why can we not solve a simple technical investigation without a mess coming out of it? Why do we always see these conspiracy theories, we do not trust people, hidden agendas etc etc. If we are not able to find even doctors in this country that we can trust, then we should ask what is really going on in the country and in our heads. I think we should have sent the body to a reliable country, e.g. Switzerland, and asked them to examine the body then make a public report for all of us to read.

Engin Atik

12/13/2012 3:59:49 AM

Ozal's exhumation and Ergenekon case approaching the end at the same time is not a coincidence: If the forensic report were to discover a faul play; this would have meant a certain conspiracy. It would have shaped the public opinion into lynch mob psychology in which vengeance comes before justice. Forensic report did not find faul play which probably broke the script. It is likely that the script prescribes heavy penalties otherwise why disturb an ex-president in his grave.

Can Oz

12/13/2012 1:56:04 AM

Those who supported the old guard will never believe Özal was poisoned. Those who were against the old guard will always believe Özal was poisoned. It is that simple. For the sake of progress, this chapter in Turkish history should be closed.

Kerem Kemal

12/13/2012 12:19:49 AM

even if the BDP is a criminal organization, the behavior towards Sakık was shabby and primitive.
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