Weighing an article on the jeweller’s scales

By Aydın Engin

Yayınlanma: 23.01.2018 - 11:02
Abone Ol google-news

At a paper on which I worked and which I also managed to the extent the boss permitted, during the second military intervention in Cyprus dubbed the “Peace Operation”, I ran a headline with an “ironic” bent: “Taking peace with arms” when it became apparent that the move there was for good.
And I was sacked.
The opinion was reached that I had published contrary to national interests.
Debate over what constitutes national interest and what does not can have no place under war conditions – even in an academic or philosophical context. “Turkey must have a sole heart” and the media must serve this.
Those who don’t are shown the door.
That’s what they did, anyway.
 
***
 
We are in a war setting again.
It is necessary to report the news truthfully but without giving the vultures the opportunity to tear the paper to pieces in the process.
This means that you need to weigh, never mind paragraphs and sentences, but even single words on jeweller’s scales when penning reports or comments.
For example, the day before yesterday in the hours when the Afrin operation was commencing, the Head of Religious Affairs requested the reading of the “Victory Surah” at sunset and morning prayers in all mosques.
It seems to me that a claw mark could be left on this.
The comments by former Diyarbakır Mufti Nimetullah Erdoğmuş, an elected MP for the HDP, basing his objection on the Quran, along the lines that “Victory is the counterpart of peace not war” conveys nothing to me apart from distorting life and reality. Victory, as I know it, means capturing another country – its cities and forts - with military force. This is called war. I am of the view that it cannot be called peace. I also think I could expound on this at length.
However...
However, the jeweller’s scales in my hand say nothing but, “Don’t you dare!”
OK. Scrap that. I won’t write about this.
 
***
 
Kurdish, Arabic, Turkish (Turkmen), Syriac, Armenian and Maronite peoples live in Afrin. It is in the north of Syria and they have set themselves the goal of acquiring the status of a canton (or state or autonomous region) on the Turkish border. Agreed, the Kurdish stamp is clear and predominant on the setting of this goal. And the PYD and its armed wing, the YPG, represent the Kurdish element.
So, why is such a development dangerous for Turkey?
Maybe there is some reason that I don’t know or am incapable of fathoming. But, until now no reason and no evidence has been forthcoming that convinces me and many people like me in this regard.
I have read articles and in-depth analyses to the effect, “If a Kurdish state, mini-state or independent canton or what have you comes into being there, this will be a centre of attraction for the Kurds in Turkey and will pave the way for Turkey’s partitioning.”
To counter this view, one could speak of the model that Öcalan has recommended to the Kurds, dispersed among four countries in the Middle East as they are, and that he calls a “democratic federation”. Similarly, it would be possible to recall the comments, “We have neither the intention nor the goal of establishing a nation state and splitting from Turkey” that were repeated ad nauseum by Selahattin Demirtaş during the constitutional referendum. A useful suggestion might be: “Suppose we discussed these pronouncements.”
However...
However, the extremely sensitive jeweller’s scales in my hand reprimand me, “Don’t you dare! We are at war. Now is not the time for such debate and such recollections. Don’t get yourself and your paper in hot water”
OK. Scrap that. I won’t write about this, either.
 
***
 
So, what am I to write about?
Snow is on the way. Would you like a Claw Mark warning about the dark days of winter?
Or...
Or hilarious little observations on Istanbul’s terrible traffic?
I get it. I get it.
You say, “End this article here and place the full stop.”
All right. Today’s Claw Mark hereby ends.


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