Today we understand that the parallel structure which interfered in the state, got all of its power by imitating state institutions: by establishing intelligence within the intelligence service, using the state’s own weapons, attempting coups by copying the coup tradition within the army… In the end, all of this was happening in front of the eyes of the state! It is not an organization which goes up to the mountains and rebels. That is why we are in a great shock. People who we perceived as religious soldiers, judges, prosecutors, policemen suddenly turned out be villainous members of a huge organization.
We were mistaken here in two ways. We were mistaken because they were inside the state structure and religion. Because these two structures give confidence to the society. Because both of them are sacred in the eyes of the nation. The Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), deluded a great part of the society by hiding behind these armors. People rushed to send their children to the schools and dormitories they opened just to keep their children away from troubles like alcoholism and drugs, and make sure that they have a secure and religious education. The intellectuals supported their efforts saying, “They are promoting Turkey in the world as “good-humored and service-focused.” The Justice and Development (AK) Party approached them as faithful people who devoted themselves to service when they were in the state bureaucracy. When AK party moved to Ankara (it was born in Istanbul), when almost the entire bureaucracy of Ankara was chasing them as reactionaries, they found these people. The FETÖ structure presented itself as an alternative, especially after the exclusionist and threatening attitudes of the tutelage circles. After that, FETÖ emerged up like a dragon with its deep and pro-tutelage structure.
After the Arab spring, FETÖ started to bare its teeth and plotted coups. It started to attack the legitimately-elected government. It became the dogs of Israel and the U.S. It used the brains it dulled against Erdoğan. They conducted cursing sessions. They declared Erdogan as “Yazidi.” Gülen reproduced himself in a messianic fashion. They bombed our parliament on July 15 and massacred our people. They attempted to assassinate our country with their malignant entity.
Turkey reached an important phase after five years of struggle. Now, FETÖ is exposed with all its plans, ideologies and networks. It lost all of its credibility in the eyes of society. An organization that is not rooted in society is like a tree without soil. Now, there is only a small group being delirious among themselves. They gather sometimes in some places. But there is nothing left unknown. For the most part, both the state and religion were purged of this evil organization.
Now there is another evil act born out of this struggle. That is the act of slander. FETÖ, with its malignity, is becoming a means of slander. It is poisoning the conservatives, the religious people from the inside. Those who struggle for position and the fame slander people they see as obstacles. The greedy, those who seek benefits, rank, and power are using FETÖ as the best way of slander. Especially those religious people who are dealing with money and interacting with the issues of position and power are the ones who resort to these slander campaigns the most. This is the decay of the religious!
The state is an entity that is just and fair. It is the pinnacle of justice. The fundamental aspect which separates the state from the bandits is that it rules with justice. If it starts to see people through the slander mechanisms and starts to use its mighty power against anyone who is “the other,” it becomes a vicious structure. This is the thing FETÖ wants to happen the most: everybody taking offense at the state, everybody becoming each other’s enemy. The state extends its life by using mechanisms of justice against slander and by including the so-called others. Also, in a time like this when pardon is being discussed, the relationship between FETÖ and those in its orbit can be reconsidered. Those who were not the private imams, who were not involved in the coup, those who were not at the top cadres of the organization and those who were not involved in a crime can be pardoned. The state can forgive crimes against it. Thus, it will also be a graceful act. Both forgiving and punishing arises from greatness as long as it has justice in it.
