Commission set to probe military coups
ANKARA
Oktay Vural, deputy leader of the opposition MHP, speaks to reporters. AA photo
A parliamentary commission was established yesterday to shed light on the coups and military interventions in politics that took place in the country’s recent history among discussions about whether it should also investigate the civilian coups.“We should make these studies (on coups) in a very detailed way for the future of society but not in a revanchist way,” Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay said yesterday. “It’s the first time that perpetrators of the 1980 coup are being prosecuted. It’s symbolically very important.”
The commission, to be set up by 17 lawmakers from four political parties, will investigate the coups staged in 1961, 1971, 1980 and the army intervention in politics in 1997 (known as the February 28 process) as well as 2007’s e-memo. In addition, after lengthy discussions it was decided the commission will also investigate coups staged by the civilians upon very consistent appeals by the Republican People’s Party (CHP).
Ali Rıza Öztürk, a CHP deputy, said prosecuting two former generals would not be enough to deal with the coups. Arguing that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) is also a product of the Sept. 12, 1980 coup, the lawmaker demanded investigation of this party’s policies in the last 10 years.
The commission will contact all related institutions to demand the official documents they have with regard to the coups.
Oktay Vural, deputy leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said his party suffered a lot from the coups, supporting the move. “We want the establishment of this commission as a precaution to prevent the repetition of such undemocratic interventions,” he said. Hasip Kaplan of the Peace and Development Party (BDP) said the work of this commission will help to further develop Turkey’s democratic standards.
“The Parliament’s best response to the coups should be the new constitution,” Atalay said.
