Demonstrators march in Istanbul against the suspected coup. But some see the arrests as a plot by elements within the government to discredit the country's secular armed forces.
Demonstrators march in Istanbul against the suspected coup. But some see the arrests as a plot by elements within the government to discredit the country's secular armed forces.
Demonstrators march in Istanbul against the suspected coup. But some see the arrests as a plot by elements within the government to discredit the country's secular armed forces.
Demonstrators march in Istanbul against the suspected coup. But some see the arrests as a plot by elements within the government to discredit the country's secular armed forces.

Arrests of officers drive a wedge into Turkey


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  • Arabic

ISTANBUL // The arrest of dozens of serving and former officers of Turkey's armed forces in recent days may have weakened a hitherto powerful institution widely seen as being opposed to political change. But as rifts between opposing political forces appear to be deeper than ever, the country's politicians are unlikely to agree on further democratic reforms to strengthen Turkey's EU bid. After the arrests, a top business representative warned of a "serious polarisation" in the political scene. Umit Boyner, the head of the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, or Tusiad, the country's most powerful business lobby, said in a statement following meetings with political leaders in Ankara that "the polarisation and atmosphere of strife that affects different levels of society" had to be overcome.

In two countrywide police sweeps last week, about 70 active and retired military officers were arrested, and 35 of them, including generals and admirals, have been charged with having plotted to bring down the elected government by force. Their suspected coup plan, codenamed "Sledgehammer", included the bombing of mosques and the provocation of new tensions with Greece in an effort to pave the way for a military intervention, the prosecution says.

Former top commanders, including the former heads of the country's air force and navy as well as a former deputy chief of general staff, were released after being questioned, but are still regarded as suspects. If convicted, they could face life in prison. Other officers have been standing trial as suspected members of a nationalist organisation called Ergenekon that is also accused of having plotted a coup. The development is unprecedented for Turkey, a country where the military has been both highly regarded and politically powerful.

And the bad news just keeps coming for the generals. The military's embarrassment deepened late Monday when the general staff was forced to admit after a forensic investigation that another suspected coup plan, uncovered last year, may have been signed by a colonel serving at the armed forces headquarters. Civilian prosecutors had the colonel arrested twice, but Gen Ilker Basbug, the chief of general staff, played down the alleged coup plot as just "a piece of paper". Now Gen Basbug's military prosecutors are investigating the case.

The events have left the military's reputation in tatters and have been hailed as a breakthrough for democracy by some. "The issue is not just taking people to account for actions in the past," Cengiz Candar, a columnist, wrote about the arrests and the coup plans in the Radikal newspaper. "The issue is safeguarding Turkey's democratic future." But others say they fear Turkey is in fact becoming less democratic. They accuse the religiously conservative government or Islamic brotherhoods of being behind a smear campaign designed to undermine the strictly secular armed forces. "This is not a legal process, this is a political settling of accounts," said Deniz Baykal, the opposition leader in Ankara.

The gulf between the government and those accusing it of undermining the republic means that reforms considered to be essential for progress in Turkey's troubled candidacy for membership in the European Union may have to wait, even if everyone agrees there are issues that should be tackled. A first test of the willingness of both sides to work together will come this month, and the first political skirmishes indicate that not too much can be expected on that front.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister, said on the weekend that his government is working on a reform to overhaul the judicial system and wants to table the plan, which includes changes to the constitution, in parliament at the end of March. The move follows a heated debate about a decision by a judicial body opposed to the government to remove a special prosecutor from office after he had had another prosecutor arrested under suspicion of belonging to Ergenekon.

The prime minister said the government was taking European standards for the judiciary as an example and wanted to do "what is done in the 27 members of the EU". Brussels has long called for a comprehensive reform of the Turkish judiciary. But Mr Baykal, the leader of the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, the biggest opposition party in parliament, made it clear that Mr Erdogan should not expect broad support. "Of course changes to the constitution will be on Turkey's agenda," Mr Baykal said in a reply to Mr Erdogan's announcement. "But it will be a new and fresh government" after the next elections, to be held by the summer of 2011.

Turkey's bar association, known for its anti-government stance, also spoke out against the government's plans. "The reform cannot be tackled in today's atmosphere of conflict," it said this week. Mr Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, commands the most seats in parliament, but does not have enough deputies for the two-thirds majority needed to change the constitution. The prime minister has said that if there were no consensus on the changes between parties in parliament, he would take the issue to a referendum, which could take place in May.

Other reform plans by the governments are also likely to stir controversy. According to media reports, the government wants to stage a new effort to strengthen the oversight of the civilian judiciary over members of the military, although the constitutional court, acting after a CHP complaint, threw out an earlier version of that reform. The AKP, which narrowly escaped being shut down by the constitutional court two years ago, also wants to make it harder for the judiciary to ban political parties.

@Email:tseibert@thenational.ae

The low down

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Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark

Rating: 2/5

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO

Karnataka Tuskers 110-5 (10 ovs)

Tharanga 48, Shafiq 34, Rampaul 2-16

Delhi Bulls 91-8 (10 ovs)

Mathews 31, Rimmington 3-28

Karnataka Tuskers win by 19 runs

Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
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Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

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HOW TO WATCH

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Company%20profile%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog

Date of birth: 27 May, 1995

Place of birth: Dubai, UAE

Status: Single

School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar

University: University of Sharjah

Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

MWTC info

Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

In%20the%20Land%20of%20Saints%20and%20Sinners
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F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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