Hosted by Turkish Ambassador to Indonesia H.E. Mehmet Kadri Sander Gurbuz, the embassy held a small reception in remembrance of the event, said to be traumatic to the nation, and the citizens that had fallen two years ago in the Embassy grounds in Jakarta, Sunday evening.
"July 15, 2016, was a trial of strength and perseverance for the Turkish democracy and the State and it makes us proud to know that we have passed this test," he noted in his opening remarks.
An attempted coup had taken place in several areas in Turkey, after crowds answered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan`s call to take to the streets to support him, and dozens of rebel soldiers abandoned their tanks in the main city of Istanbul.
The failed attempt claimed the lives of 251 Turkish citizens and wounded more than two thousand people, as rebelled military personnel sought to assassinate the president and prime minister.
The Turkish government believed that the perpetrators of the undertaking comprised the disciples of the country`s noted Ulema Fetullah Gulen, who now resides in the United States.
"The man who calls himself `Imam of the Universe` used military hardware against innocent civilians, who took to the streets to defend their democratic institutions," Ambassador Gurbuz stated.
The Power of the People
It was revealed in a video, played during the commemoration event, that President Erdogan called for the people of Turkey to take to the streets and crowd public facilities, such as airports and bridges, and defend their nation and its democracy.
"It was the people of Turkey from all backgrounds and political views who resisted and set a historic example of solidarity, as they stood selflessly in front of the tanks and reclaimed their democratic rights," Gurbuz added.
The Aftermath
After the attempted coup, the Turkish government is determined to take serious measures to prevent similar events from recurring in future.
As they believed it was the Fetullah Gulen Terrorist Organization (FETO) that had carried out the coup, under the instructions of their leader, the ambassador said that his government has had to "clean out" its institutions, including ministries and military instances, as they have been infiltrated by those who bear ill will towards the democracy and governmental system of Turkey.
"It was followed by a series of administrative and judicial investigations into the criminal aspects of the organization, including their large-scale cheating at the admission tests for public institutions, illegal wiretappings, and money laundering operations," he revealed.
There was also the decision to shut down prep-schools, believed to have made the structure of the organization precarious and vulnerable, as the schools were the main recruitment grounds and major financial source for the organization.
Furthermore, the police and judiciary had also taken measures to discharge members of the FETO from their ranks.
Ambassador Gurbuz believed that the operation had taken at least 10 to 15 years, which had allowed members of FETO to infiltrate the institutions and had given them sufficient time to take on high ranks in their fields.
He reiterated that the effort to clear out the institutions would surely take a long time, and in fact, it is still being carried out up until now, two years after the attempted coup.
"They have been building this operation for 10 to 15 years. This is not something we can discredit in two months and even two years," he stated.
Despite the severity of the challenges faced, he affirmed that Turkey resolutely acts in line with the principle of the rule of law and its international obligations.
"We maintain uninterrupted cooperation with the international institutions, in particular the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the OSCE. All measures are taken in complete transparency and our international obligations are observed," he reiterated.
At the moment, the Government of Turkey has had some 34 thousand public employees reinstated into their work place after being carefully investigated.
Ambassador Gurbuz noted that the authorities have to be precise and careful in ensuring that no innocent people are being criminalized. They need to be able to differentiate between those who are disciples and active followers of FETO and those who are simply keen on Gulen`s teachings.
Moreover, 345 institutions have been reopened, including 187 associations, 21 foundations, 93 private education institutions, six radio-TV channels, 17 newspapers and one private health institution.
The Turkish government had also taken over FETO institutions in several regions around the world. In 10 countries, the governmental Maarif Foundation took over FETO-related schools and in another 16, FETO-related schools and language centers were closed.
"FETO established itself in many countries, with thousands of schools and businesses. Their actions in Turkey should be considered as a wake-up call for other countries. We are pleased to note ever-increasing awareness on part of our partners regarding the security threat posed by the organization," Ambassador Gurbuz concluded.
(T.KR-ARC/INE)
EDITED BY INE/a014
(T.KR-ARC/A/KR-BSR/A014) 16-07-2018 20:13:02
Reporter: Aria Cindyara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
