Judging countries regarding their human rights records and their progress in democratization process is one of the biggest weapons used by Western countries.
States are labelled under concepts like “underdeveloped”, “rogue” and “undemocratic” with negative attributions.
Turkey, for instance, is said to be taking the crown as the worst rights violator according to the statistics system registered in European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Turkey’s championship in rights violations at the ECHR system is not a surprise. Turkey has been the “relevant other” in for Europeans. Will Europeans ever forget that it was Turks who conquered Constantinople and converted into Istanbul? Have Europeans forgotten the fact that they have been attacked by Turks for centuries and marched to Vienna? Stereotypes, prejudgements, biases towards Turks are deeply embedded in subconscious of Europeans.
Such biased, deliberate, purported statistics are used as a legitimizing background to use force. Taking democracy to rogue states, preaching about human rights violations is merely a continuation of “civilizing mission”. Traditionally it has been called crusade.
What is surprising here is the fact that some of so-called Turks are using this purported standing and freely use it against their own homeland. Criticizing our human rights records within our own dynamics and parameters is one thing, becoming part of the “civilizing mission” by legitimizing purported statistics is another thing.
Historically, countries like Russia and Turkey have traditionally been foes of Western countries. Will it not be naivety to think that they are not wishing to topple down and weaken them in every possibility? Are we to expect “good will”, “impartiality” and “mercy” from Europeans?
Are we not supposed to be skeptical in this democratic club where some of the countries are more equal? Will there ever be necessary respect for the internal dynamics of non-Western societies?
First you will arm terrorists in our lands, organize satanic all types plots, use different groups against one another, manipulate certain centers in your own favor and for your own interests. And when we take measures for defending and protecting ourselves; declare us “Violators” and “non-democratic”.
I believe we have to solve the problem of “honor” before dealing with “human rights”. This is true for standard bearers of “civilizing mission” and their Turkish representatives.
Instead of using Western lances, Turkish intellectuals are invited to evaluate their homeland taking into consideration its own dynamics and parameters.
