An Era On Trial

By Yusuf Kanli
TDN- This is the first time in 11 years that the high court of the country has met to prosecute two former ministers for an alleged abuse of power during their terms in office. Indeed, this is the trial of an era rather than a trial of the two ministers who appeared before the court on Tuesday

The Constitutional Court, meeting on Tuesday in its constitutionally designated capacity as the highest court of the country (the Supreme State Council), started prosecuting two former energy ministers for allegedly abusing their power during their terms in office. This was the first-ever such trial in the country in the past 11 years and, in practical terms, it was not just the trial of former ministers Cumhur Ersumer and Zeki Cakan, but rather an era that was facing prosecution.
The two ministers are the first to face the high court on charges of graft since the 1993 acquittal of former Public Works Ministers Safa Giray and Cengiz Altinkaya on charges of irregularities in the allocation of highway contracts.
Rampant charges of misuse of office, favoritism and corruption and allegations of institutionalized bribery in government offices together with an overwhelming mood of pessimism following the November 2001 and February 2002 twin economic quakes were instrumental in the Turkish electorate replacing the entire Parliament in the November 2002 elections and sending scores of once-prominent politicians and political leaders of the country to early retirement from active politics.
The allegations of graft for that period and the preceding Tansu Ciller era could not be prosecuted because the statute of limitations had expired for most of the cases or because both open and discreet amnesties since then have rendered obsolete prosecution of many of the allegations.
Were all those allegations correct? The answer to that question must be given by the independent judiciary, in this case the high court of the country. In addition to the two accused ministers, several other former ministers and a former prime minister are in the pipeline to face the high court. They will defend themselves, and the court will issue its verdict on each and every case. Guilty or not is not and should not be a verdict rendered by the media or by the current or former political foes of the accused. But nor should it be handed down by the politicians clearing each other of such allegations by taking into account political alliances, coalition calculations and such motives.
Charges that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government pursued corruption allegations against the former ministers, including former Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, but disregarded allegations against politicians close to the party cannot be ignored.
It is therefore a must for Turkey to start reconsidering the limits of the judicial immunity of its politicians as well as of the top bureaucracy -- including the top judges. Without limiting judicial immunity for politicians and top civilian and military servants, we can never have a clean and transparent administration.
An energetic man at 80
On Monday Turkey's ninth president, Suleyman Demirel, celebrated his 80th birthday with university students at Kirikkale University.
A man who became general director of the State Waterworks (DSI) at the age of 30, who became prime minister at the age of 40 and who has served the state as a civil servant and politician for over 50 years, celebrated his 80th birthday among university students.
Apart from celebrating the 80th birthday of Demirel, one has to salute as well Professor Tahsin Nuri, the rector of Kirikkale University, for hosting such an emotional ceremony and providing an opportunity for his students to listen to the life story of a monumental personality who has shaped or influenced most of the recent history of Turkey.
It's our privilege to come together with Demirel from time to time and discuss domestic and international developments with him. These discussions have always enlightened and enabled us to approach issues with a broader perspective. It's unfortunate that this country somehow cannot fully utilize the immense accumulated experience of the living legendary figures of our society like Demirel, Bulent Ecevit, Professor Ihsan Dogramaci, Kamran Inan, Nuzhet Kandemir and a few others whose number unfortunately barely exceeds the fingers of our two hands.