If Islamists tear each other apart, will the country be saved?

Quite a while Turkey is plagued by the inner fighting of the Islamists who occupied the seat of power. A first there was a shemozzle between Erdoğan and the Gulenist mob. At those days some thought “they are going to tear each other apart, so both sides will be weak”, but not at all. The fight marked by the coup attempt of the Gulenist mob, then state of emergency and regime change followingly. Ultimately the fight of the two Islamist fractions paved the way which lead the single man regime, and we all know the rest.

Nowadays we are witnessing opening of a new front among the AKP who lead the country to the abyss. At one side, Babacan who supported by Gül, and at the other side Davutoğlu are about the face voters with their new parties. When Erdoğan realized the tactic of “Maybe they would give up, lets not overwhelm them” is vain, he openly targeted Babacan and Davutoğlu over the quarrel of Şehir University. He accused the former prime minister and ministers for trying the swindle Halkbank. This is of course not an accusation that one could swallow easily. However, we have to pay attention to Erdoğan’s opening move of the battle rather than the accusation he made. Just as after school support courses were the tip of the iceberg of the fight between Erdoğan and the Gulenists, Şehir University have the same function at the stiff with Davutoğlu. Şehir University designed by the new Ottoman thesis partly as the flagship for seeking to establish a conservative hegemony in academia . It also managed to recruit a considerable amount of academic staff. Among the staff, who believe in that true democracy could only be gained in the leadership of those who describes themselves as conservative was majority. After the dismissal of Davutoğlu, the University where the ruling circle invested heavily, discredited rapidly. The students and the academic staff who encouraged to study or teach at the University by the power circle are caught crossfire in these days.

AKP’s leader who decide the criticize the deed transfer of the monumental location of the Turkish labour history’s Tekel property ‘”now” like he did at the battle with the Gulenists before, implied that he has been “cheated by the closest to him”; “we gave them what ever they wanted, we gave them all” he implied. He critisized Babacan, Şimşek and Davutoğlu to show ingratitude. But he also gave the signs of he will not be contended with merely publicly complaint. Ultimately Erdoğan has an example in his hand to show the dissident İslamists as a “cautionary”. Erdoğan obviously doesn’t just want to fight with his ex-companions in front of public, but he also prepares for a “pay off” legally in the corridors of the courthouses. We can imagine that, the Pelikan group who light the fuse in the process of Davutoğlu’su removal from the prime ministry, are rubbing their hands with pleasure, and started to work with heart and soul.

We all remember what we have witnessed at 2018, when Gul’s presidential nomination was on the agenda. Akar’s visit to Gül from “the sky”, and his and Kalın’s warning “never ever run for presidency” yielded a “result” at that conjuncture. The claim that the former prime minister defrauded Halkbank, means that a war plane filled with ammuniton piloted by Erdoğan’s himself landed on Davutoğlu’s garden. However, Davutoğlu’s immediate statement at the same evening is the proof that he would not step back and work from behind like Gül. Davutoğlu made a counter attack by demanding a parliamentary inquiry for the assets of all the former presidents and former prime ministers currently alive, the persons –and their family members- who are responsible for the privatizations, and he included the list current president and his family members as well. Of course he knows that this is not possible, however there is no wonder to see that Davutoğlu’s attack on a situation even US uses as blackmail.

After Babacan and Davutoğlu formally established their parties, there is no doubt that the fight between the İslamists will escalate. Lots of other dirty laundries will be spilled everywhere, we will witness under waist strokes in a row. I am sure that there are some among us who says. “how nice, then we sit back with a bowl of popcorn, and watch”. But we watched this boring film before. Therefore we know the nastiest scenes and the tragic end very well. The fact that actors and figures have changed does not mean that scenario also has changed.

We all experienced bitterly that the violent fight between the İslamists was not added directly as a plus to the ledger of democracy, leftist and republicans. We all see that a public who got locked in the fight, could easily forget the mutual responsibility of the parties, we all see that the winner of the fight could rewrite the “history of the relationship” for its benefit, could charge the bill, not only its rival but to society as a whole. As a matter of fact, In the Sehir University quarrel Erdoğan did not neglect to accuse the TMMOB (Turkish chambers of Architects and Engineers Union) and CHP (Republic and People Party) again, and he thereatened the opposition.

Than what should opposition do? Should it take action to escalate the fight? Would it say “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”? Of course not! On the contrary, it must show the will of the call all the responsibles to account is in itself. It must show the mere responsible of the state of social lunacy, economic crisis, the deadlock of the foreign policy are the fighting brothers themselves and must have the courage to sweep them from the scene of the history. Otherwise it will be too late.