TURKEY: Terrorist Attack & more – 29th Oct 2024

Merhaba from Keswick Village! This is the Rorshok Turkey Update from the 29th of October twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Turkey.

Sadly, we are starting off this edition with some tragic news… On Wednesday the 23rd, a deadly attack struck the Turkish Aerospace Industries or TUSAŞ, headquarters in Ankara, where an explosion and gunfire left five dead and twenty-two injured. The Defense Minister attributed the assault to the Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK, vowing to pursue the group until the last terrorist is captured.

As expected, shortly after the incident, the government imposed a broadcast ban on the attack and restricted access to social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to prevent public panic and outrage. However, the decision sparked criticism, arguing it infringed on the public’s right to information.

Founded in nineteen eighty-four, TUSAŞ is crucial to Turkey’s defense industry, developing major projects like the Hürjet supersonic jet. The NATO Secretary-General expressed solidarity with the country. Leaders across political lines condemned the attack’s timing as provocatively close to recent talks on PKK amnesty.

Speaking of the PKK amnesty, the government had arranged for Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK, to meet with family members for the first time in forty-three months. The meeting fell on the same day the attack took place. Öcalan, who has spent twenty-five years in isolation on İmralı Island, last communicated with his brother in March twenty twenty-one. Reportedly, Öcalan said that he can take the current relations between the state and the PKK from conflict and violence to a legal and political framework if the conditions allow it.

This recent visit marked a significant change in his long-standing isolation, raising the discussion on potential shifts in his treatment as political discussions around the PKK continue. Recall that just last week, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, called for Öcalan to dissolve the PKK in exchange for the potential of parole or a review of his sentence. However, the recent attack might affect any progress made in this area.

Still on the issue, on Friday the 25th, the Turkish parliament rejected a proposal from the Republican People’s Party, the main opposition, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the TUSAŞ attack. The ruling Justice and Development Party and its ally, the MHP, voted against the motion. Despite arguments emphasizing the attack's unusual timing and the need for a thorough inquiry, the proposal failed to gain the necessary support in the assembly. This was called into question, as it seemed illogical for the government to forgo an investigation into a terrorist attack directed at its own facilities.

In more tragic news… On Saturday the 26th, a private coal mine in Amasra, located in Turkey's northern Bartın province, collapsed, trapping a miner 300 meters underground. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the thirty-five-year-old died from his injuries the same day. The facility, operated by Hattat Energy and Mining, has a troubling safety record. There was another collapse in the same district in October of twenty twenty-two, which resulted in the deaths of forty-three miners following an explosion.

Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, said that President Erdoğan recently suggested resuming Black Sea shipping talks with Russia, though he has yet to review his proposal. Turkey and the United Nations initially brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative in twenty twenty-two to facilitate Ukrainian grain exports despite the conflict with Russia. However, Russia withdrew a year later, citing obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports. Erdoğan highlighted Turkey’s commitment to achieving a ceasefire and launching peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as a potential prisoner exchange, to enhance stability and shipping security in the Black Sea.

Keeping with international relations, on Thursday the 24th, the German BILD newspaper reported that India blocked Turkey’s bid to join the BRICS group due to the country’s strong ties with Pakistan, preventing the consensus required for membership approval. While the group recently added Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia to the bloc, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia’s applications remain pending. Experts say the bloc is unlikely to further expand anytime soon, as several BRICS countries are reportedly opposed to adding more members right now.

Next up, On Wednesday the 23rd, the Turkish Parliament approved a one-year extension for the Turkish Armed Forces' mission in Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon or UNIFIL. The Armed Forces began their mission in Lebanon in two thousand six, with Parliament extending the mandate annually. The current mandate expires at the end of October. Currently, there are ninety-two Turkish soldiers stationed in Lebanon, part of an international peacekeeping force of over 10,000 troops from around fifty countries. Recently, tensions have escalated, with Israel targeting civilians and UNIFIL troops, resulting in at least twenty peacekeepers injured.

On another note, The International Monetary Fund or IMF has advised Turkey to steer clear of another inflation-triggering minimum wage increase, like the one implemented earlier this year, and instead focus on targeted support for low-income households. Jim Walsh, the IMF mission chief for Turkey, warned that broad wage hikes often raise inflation expectations. He recommended cash transfers or other tailored aid for those most in need.

The country’s annual inflation has gradually eased from a 75% peak in May to below 50% in September following months of interest rate hikes. However, Walsh stated that further interest hikes may still be necessary if Turkey aims to meet its 14% year-on-year inflation target by the end of twenty twenty-five.

On Saturday the 26th, news outlet T24 reported that the government seized the assets of notorious Adnan Oktar’s Islamic cult and transferred them to the Turkish state. The assets, valued at over two billion liras, about fifty-eight million US Dollars, were confiscated after the Court of Cassation upheld Oktar's eight-thousand-year prison sentence in July for charges including criminal organization leadership, sexual abuse, and illegal confinement. The court arrested Oktar and his 200 associates in twenty eighteen on these charges. Previously, he was known for hosting broadcasts on his A9 TV channel, where he discussed Islamic values while dancing with young women he called his kittens.

In other news, on Friday the 25th, Greta Thunberg, the renowned Swedish climate activist, visited Açık Radyo in Istanbul, a radio channel that recently faced government closure due to a guest's remark affirming that the Armenian Genocide indeed happened, which the country denies. Turkey almost exclusively refers to it as the so-called genocide.

Thunberg met with Ömer Madra, the radio station's Editor-in-Chief and a prominent environmental figure, to express her solidarity. As the legal process for reopening continues, both the station's terrestrial broadcast and digital presence remain suspended. In a message to Açık Radyo's followers on its Twitter account, Thunberg said that the station must remain open, emphasizing the importance of having transparent media platforms that focus on climate change and human rights.

A recent survey has highlighted a decline in public trust in the Directorate of Religious Affairs, stirring unrest within the organization. In light of unsatisfactory external survey results, the Directorate opted to have its own internal poll, which uncovered similarly concerning outcomes.

There have been reports of personnel feeling uncomfortable openly acknowledging their association with the Directorate. The survey’s findings revealed that staff members voiced worries about the fairness of assignments related to organizing, facilitating, or participating in pilgrimage activities, noting that many had not received such responsibilities for years, implying that the assignments were unfairly given to a select few. Also, a fear of surveillance led many staff members to skip sensitive sections of the survey, particularly those requiring personal information that could reveal their identities, raising doubts about the survey's reliability and transparency.

And to close this edition, on Tuesday the 29th, Turkey marked the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic. While local authorities planned numerous celebrations nationwide starting a week earlier, many canceled most events following the recent terrorist attack in mourning.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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