Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro
de la Prensa-Basm Özeti
'.
Turkey's Shadow State
Takes on Predatory Forms
Organized Crime Has Infiltrated Country's Security Forces
By Rainer Hermann
ISTANBUL. A piecemeal transformation
of values and language is taking
place in Thrkey. Almost nobody speaks
reverently of "devlet baba," or "father
state," any more. Instead talk is of
"derin devlet," or "deep state," with increasing
frequency and dismay.
The pater familias who used to hold
a protecting hand over his big family
has become a monster distributing sinecures,
favoring some to the detriment
of others and entering alliances with organized
crime. Behind the facade of
the Thrkish nation state lurks the steel
skeleton of a parallel predatory state.
However, the state itself has begotten
a Hercules who intends to
cleanse the Augean stables of Anatolia.
Between Edirne and Erzurum nobody
can match the current popularity
of Interior Minister Sadettin Tantan,
who can count on Zekeriya Temizel,
the president of the banking supervisory
authority, as an ally.
"Operation white energy" has been
running for more than two weeks. So
far, eight businessmen and a former
minister have been arrested for irregularities
at two minor power projects.
'''Operation white energy" is in the
hands of the police force, which is controlled
by the interior ministry but
equipped by the army. The latter announced
that it initiated the operation
through Hu"iyet, the newspaper close
to the Thrkish armed forces. Since
then, some affected politicians have accused
the generals of interfering in politics.
They are upset because this is the
first time politicians and political
Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung
January 24, 2001,
partIes have been named in connection
with corruption.
They all profited from the state, because
it offered them ample opportunity
for plunder. Recipients of a bank license
empty the safe and give the bank
ba~k to the state deposit guarano/ fund,
which then looks after the creditors. If
you are in charge of a state enterprise
you add fictitious names to the payroll,
whose real salaries go to your account.
If you are responsible for a state bank,
you grant your friends loans, which are
at best served only once rampant inflation
has consumed the original loan.
"All corruption has one thing in common,
it needs three participants," says
Kemal Koprulu, a leader of the political
reform movement Ari. The businessman
provides the bribe, the politician
the power and the bureaucrat the
know-how.
/1 I
Istanbul, a sea of tranquility at least on the surface. However, criminal forces are beginning to take over from the usual state institutions in Turkey.
93