Zeynap Jane Kandur is a columnist for the Daily Sabah and volunteer member of the ruling AKP Party, an acronym which we would translate as the Justice and Development Party, in Istanbul. She corresponded with the Washington Examiner Friday night about much of the recent excitement in her country that came out of a coup attempt. What follows is a lightly edited version of that conversation.
Washington Examiner: What in the world is happening in Turkey?
Zeynap Jane Kandur: What is happening is that a small group of putschists in the military, connected with Gulen movement, have tried to stage a military coup. They have failed because the Turkish people have stood up for democracy.
The idea that in 2016 a military coup can occur in a NATO country is just astounding. But thanks to the dedication of the Turkish people to democracy, this has failed.
People from all political views have turned out in the streets. Those who voted for AKP and those who didn’t. The people have firmly established that they want to be governed according to the ballot box, not by tanks.
Examiner: What is the Gulen movement?
Kandur: Gulenists are followers of Fetuallah Gulen, a preacher who lives in Pennsylvania. The Gulenists were allies with AKP to begin with but wanted more and more power. As befits a democratic party, AKP refused their demands and just before Gezi Park the movement declared war (figuratively) on the government. This failed attempt was their death rattle.
Examiner:Reports say that Parliament has been bombed. Do you know the extent of the damage?
Kandur: From the information I have received, Parliament was bombed twice; however, the outside doors were shattered, but the members of Parliament, who were in the chamber, were unharmed. Twelve people I believe were injured, two severely.
Examiner: How divided is the military over the coup attempt?
Kandur: The military is not divided over the coup attempt. This was an attempt by a small group of putschists. The head of the army, the head of the navy and the head of the airforce have spoken out against the coup. The military is on its way to becoming what a military should be; a force that protects the people.
No longer will the people of Turkey tolerate a military that controls the government. Democracy has come too far to be pushed back.
Examiner: What do you say to charges that Erdogan has been too harsh on dissenters, particularly as regards media?
Kandur: There are some laws that need to be changed in Turkey. There have been those who have challenged these laws, wrongly or rightly.
But at a time when Turkey is fighting two different internationally recognized terrorist groups — [the Islamic State] and PKK, plus the fifth columnist Gulenists — people should respect the laws or be willing to pay the price of breaking them until changed.
