We are growing

İklim Öngel
 
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu explained that they would conclude the Justice March, whose eighth day has ended, at Maltepe Prison where Istanbul MP Enis Berberoğlu is being held, but would continue their ‘quest for justice’ with rallies and a variety of events. At the end of the seventh day, Kılıçdaroğlu spoke about the subsequent stages of the march and his health, diet and aspirations:
- MHP General Chair Bahçeli has said on social media, ‘Let them go as far as Pennsylvania and not come back.’ What is your comment?
All political parties that believe justice is missing should support this march as a matter of course. I expect them, not to come and march, but to say that there is a problem with justice in this country and thus, ‘We respect the way this is being brought to society’s attention.’ I would have expected the same comments from Bahçeli but he makes comments rebuking us. He can rebuke as much as he likes.
We have not crumbled; we have grown
If they accept that justice is missing and that justice has to a large extent been monopolised by the political authority, there is a need to sit and question. What they were expecting was: ‘After all, they will be unable to march and will crumble on the second day.’ They have seen that, far from crumbling, there is a gradually increasing body of people. They are coming here from all sections of society. And they take heart from the way we are speaking out and they march. Justice itself is a unifying concept, but unfortunately justice is being wounded by those in power arguing that their own pronouncements are valid and acting accordingly.
- What will happen after Istanbul?
The quest for justice will continue. Rallies may be held or other things may be done. We must absolutely continue our quest for justice with resolve and belief. Maltepe is a symbolic place and we will hold our rally and everyone will go home. Society has been given a bit of a fillip and we will take our opposition forward with increased intensity both inside parliament and outside parliament. If so many people are under pressure and society is under so much pressure, there will be an explosion somewhere. The 20 July coup took place. This must be enshrined in memories. There was a civilian coup in this country on 20 July. The coup’s leader is no secret, and they are issuing the state of emergency decrees and are doing everything. The Constitutional Court cannot pass rulings and cannot even reinstate former rulings. Today, Osman Kaçmaz came from Antalya. Just imagine that a retired judge is marching for justice. He is somebody who is testifying that justice is missing from this country.
There is no difference between them
- Are Erdoğan and Kenan Evren similar?
There is absolutely no difference between the two. The former had martial law courts, the latter has special courts. The former could not control the entire judiciary, the latter controls the entire judiciary. The former threw teachers out of university, the latter has also thrown teachers out of university. In the former’s time, those whose positions were terminated had the right to apply to the courts, nowadays nobody has the right to apply to the courts. At that time there was no collective crime, nowadays things have been taken up a notch and collective crime has come into being. They call this condemnation to civil death in the Western literature. They cannot find work because tabs are kept on this person and no employer will even give them a job.
They are enemies of the arts. The former threw journalists in jail, and so do the latter. There is absolutely no difference between them. In this period, there are far more people in detention and under arrest. There is torture nowadays, and it took place at that time, too. In the 12 September period there was evidence in case files, however scanty. Nowadays, nobody looks as to whether there is evidence in the file: they look upwards and if they are told ‘convict’ then a conviction will ensue whether or not there is evidence in the file. Following the 20 July coup, the Republic of Turkey, in a letter it sent to the United Nations, told them in a letter it sent there that they would not act with humanity towards those in detention and give them a fair trial. And then they turn to us and say, ‘There is justice in Turkey.’ I am not sure if Bahçeli is aware of this reservation. Given that he is on such intimate terms with the government, Bahçeli must be asked, ‘Why are you disgracing Turkey in the eyes of the world, mate?’
- Was Enis Berberoğlu’s detention the last straw?
The straw that broke the camel’s back. With Ergenekon and Sledgehammer declared to be conspiracies, society breathed a little easier and they started to seek their rights. There were victims of the conspiracy, too, and we submitted a draft law saying, ‘These people have been wronged so give them back their honour.’ This did not happen and their lack of sincerity was obvious. The 15 July coup ushered in a very different landscape in Turkey. Everybody opposed it. Then, 20 July came and something different emerged. The space for compromise was annihilated. A structure emerged along the lines of ‘I will do as I please and I will lay down the law.’
I am in good health
- Would you invite the Prime-Minister or President onto the march?
I would be delighted if they came, joined our march and listened to the citizenry. Justice must be surveyed not just in the Palace, but outside the Palace, as to whether justice exists. There is no need to see the world through pink glasses! Let them ask a citizen at random, ‘Is there justice in this country?’ Even if the person they ask is an AKP voter to boot, they will say, ‘There is no justice.’
- How is your health standing up?
I am in good health, thankfully. Cihangir İslam and Metin Lütfi Baydar are taking care of my health. They tell me what movements I need to do after each march and I comply. There are also lists they have drawn up as to my diet.
I miss rice pudding
- How would you sum up the march after one week?
I said that I would walk alone and people of all parties, civil society organisations and the world of arts have not left me alone. The yearning for justice is growing and I think it is very important that this demand of ours for justice be met and that an ear be lent to what is being articulated. Let me also state that the path enabling a reaction staged by a society to attain its goal takes its dimensions from the extent to which the people and institutions to whom you are directing the reaction are democratic. Gandhi marched in India. Britain is the cradle of democracy and responded to every demand as democracy dictated. I am sorry to say that we do not encounter a group or person who has assimilated the culture of democracy. There are such people, but they do not raise their voices out of fear. They have come under the tyranny of one person and they cannot give expression to their free wills and come out with it.
- Do you miss home?
I have mostly missed the rice pudding my wife makes.