Commentary: Turkey’s Client State in Revolt

The Turkish daily Hurriyet, in an editorial on the dichotomy of the Turkish foreign policy, quoted an interesting metaphor: “Turkish society (and presumably its political life) is like moving on two opposite axles, one turning in one direction while the other one is turning in exactly the opposite direction.”

One immediate example of that axle analogy is Turkey’s condescending advice to Egypt’s former ruler, without heeding the very same in the face of protests in Northern Cyprus. Other examples are Ankara’s refusal to recognize Karabagh Armenians’ right to self-determination while occupying Cyprus under the pretext of defending the same right for the Turkish minority. Last year when clashes erupted in China resulting in 200 casualties, Erdogan cried who would listen that the ethnic Uyghurs were being subjected to genocide. But it turned out that there were more Chinese victims than Muslim Uyghurs ones. Erdogan’s government sheds crocodile tears on the genocide in Gaza, while murdering 30,000 Kurds in Turkey. For Turkish leaders the accusation of genocide is a convenient tool to achieve any political goal, while they sit on the loot left from historic Armenia, denying that their ancestors could not have committed the Armenian Genocide.

Today the moment of truth has reached Ankara and Turkish Cypriots are demanding the end of the colonial rule in that occupied section of the island.

The protests were triggered when Ankara asked Northern Cyprus to come up with 600 million Turkish liras toward the deficit.

Learning about the insults hurled at his government’s face, Erdogan publicly replied: “Who the hell are these people, that are living on our hand outs?” He also blamed Northern Cyprus’s puppet president, Dervish Eroglu, for allowing such protest rallies. Eroglu himself is an immigrant from Turkey who continues former President Raouf Denktas’s intransigent policy versus the Greek Cypriots. Right now he is caught between a rock and a hard place.

Following Erdogan’s outburst, one of his deputies, Jemil Cicek, infuriated the protesters further. He said that Erdogan had not said enough: “The protesters insulted Turkey on Friday and the next Monday they went to cash their salaries provided by Ankara.”

Action followed Ankara’s word when the New Turkish “ambassador” to Northern Cyprus was appointed. That “ambassador” is nothing but a governor sent from Ankara. A very unpopular Turkish diplomat Akca was sent to Cyprus. Writing in the Cyprus Mail, Simon Bahchali states: “With the appointment on Thursday of Halil Ibrahim Akca as a new ‘ambassador’ to the North, Erdogan sent a clear message to the Turkish Cypriot Unions, the Turkish Cypriot Leader Dervish Eroglu and the Turkish Cypriot people in general: ‘Either you are with me or against me. Either way, my wishes will prevail.’”

Some politicians in Ankara, while blaming Erdogan for his rage, are giving the unequivocal message about Turkey’s long-term goals. One of those politicians is Nationalist Movement Party leader (MHP) Devlet Bahceli who says: “Whether we like them or not, all our Cypriot brothers and sisters are important to us. Northern Cyprus will continue its existence as an inseparable part of Turkey and all the aid they receive rightfully belongs to them like their mother’s milk.”

As far as Ankara is concerned Turkey is in Cyprus forever, regardless of EU demands, the Anan plan or any other formula.

Once again, the Platform of Unions is planning another “Survival Rally” on March 2. In the southern Greek-Cypriot section of the island, the Teachers’ Union is planning its own rally in solidarity with the Platform whose clear message to Erdogan is: “Colonizers, pack up and leave Cyprus; we don’t need your help, this land is ours.”

This time around it seems that the time has come for Mr. Erdogan to heed his own advice and “listen to the people.”