Turkish Delight? - A Modern Coup.

I've lost track of how many times I've visited Turkey, starting in the 70's. I love the country & it's people. I have travelled by bus all round the Western & Southern coasts. Also into the middle - to Cappadocia, Pammukale & Lakes Beysehir & Egidir. I have been to Istanbul twice, most recently a year ago. I want to visit the East & the North, but haven't got there yet.

The current situation post the failed Coup attempt is very serious & has very real human rights implications. It seems likely that the Predident was warned of the Coup attempt by Russia. President Erdogan has quickly purged tens of thousands of people in the Military, the Judiciary, Education, the Civil Service etc. It's hard to imagine where all these people are being kept & in what sort of conditions. Turkey's already notorious prisons must be full to overflowing. There were already more journalists in prison in Turkey than in Russia.

Although it now seems unlikely that the Coup itself was orchestrated by Mr Erdogan for his own ends, it does seem certain that he already had huge lists of people who do not support his dictatorial Islamist regime & they have been very quickly taken out of circulation. It is difficult to see how they can all be replaced & how the State can effectively function. (It's something like the Parliamentary Labour Party at the moment - but much, much, worse). Mr Erdogan has declared a State of Emergency which means that there can be a curfew & he can rule by decree. His powers are immesurably increased. He is, in effect, an elected dictator.

The West has been here before & we have not got a good record of dealing with situations like this. Our politicians are afraid that Mr Erdogan will stop getting us out of the current refugee / migrant crisis in Europe. We have failed to deal effectively & fairly with it ourselves & the agreement with Turkey has been our only solution to deal with the sheer numbers. Politicians are also afraid because Turkey is a major route for oil & gas to Europe down the Bosphorus & through pipelines.

No one says that dealing effectively with complex modern political problems is easy. Nothing is straightforward or black & white. No one wants another Syria.

I think we have to go back to basics. To simple Human Rights & the proper adherence to the Rule of Law. We must remember that we are talking about human beings for whom both of these are being ignored. Human beings who are being treated appallingly. If we "pass by on the other side" eventually we ourselves will face the consequences.