Through the eyes of the building's architect… Can the CHP Headquarters be occupied?

The CHP is facing a series of judicial blows from the government. I do not claim to be giving advice to the CHP on what to do or how to act. But I will offer a suggestion that should be taken seriously.

Before 1980, I was a member of the Central Executive Board of the CHP Youth Branches. The party was shut down on September 12, and I did not become a member during the re-establishment process. But I voted for them dutifully. During my time in office, the Headquarters building was on Farabi Street. Later, it moved to Göreme Street. In 2006, it moved to its current building. I have only been to the current building once. We held a meeting in the Party Assembly hall as former Youth Branch executives from before 1980.

The CHP leadership and many others described the injunction in Istanbul and the occupation of the provincial building by 5,000 police officers using force as a rehearsal for September 15. CHP youth say they will stay in the party building until the extraordinary congress on September 21. They have also stocked up on enough water and food.

I have only been to the headquarters building once, but the architect who built it is my friend Kadri Atabaş, with whom I worked in the Youth Branch Central Executive Board before 1980. He is one of Turkey's respected architects and has a high level of intellectual background. In addition to architecture, he also teaches at universities as a guest lecturer.

I called dear Kadri Atabaş and asked what kind of precautions should be taken in the building against an occupation. It turns out he planned the building in such a way that, if they take control of the two fire escapes—one from the outside and one from the inside—it is impossible to occupy the building except for the ground floor. "Let them lock the fire escapes and build barricades in front of and behind them, that is enough. The elevators work with a card system. Only those with cards and those with appointments can use the elevator accompanied by staff. Even if they enter the ground floor, they cannot go up to the other floors."

The building's project was in 2004, and it was completed in 2006. I asked if he had prepared such a project by foreseeing these days. "No," he said.

"Before drawing the project, I visited the German Social Democratic Party building and got information. There, too, only the ground floor is open to visitors. The Headquarters is closed to the public and outsiders. When I asked why, their answer was very clear. 'The base and members of a social democratic party are necessarily members of a labor union or a non-governmental organization. The places where they meet, hold meetings, discuss, and make decisions are unions and non-governmental organizations. What business would individuals have at the Party headquarters? There are scheduled visits to the party,' they replied. I also designed only the ground floor and the museum on the ground floor in a way that everyone can reach. Also, if you notice, there are no balconies in the building. Because a social democratic party cannot go out on a balcony and speak to the people from above, from a high position. I only built a platform at the entrance for press statements or public announcements that does not look down on the people, but is just high enough to allow the person speaking to be seen and for photos and videos to be taken."

These are the details provided by the building's architect. I suggest that the young people inside the building listen to their 'Kadri brother.' I do not know what kind of decision will come out of the court. Will the CHP Headquarters be surrounded by police like in Istanbul, will it be occupied? We will wait and see.

THE MAIN AGENDA

This is Turkey; everything that is said to be impossible happens. Due to the constantly changing agenda, we cannot talk about the public's struggle to make a living, the national security problems the country faces, and the destruction process the Republic is going through.

Legal experts say that the rule of law is now completely over. If you look at the economy, we are stuck in a quagmire. A handful of domestic and foreign companies are plundering the country and our nature. 10-15 percent of the population is in great prosperity. About 10 percent are managing, while nearly 80 percent are struggling. A significant portion of children going to school are hungry. Young people have no hope left. Well-educated young people who find the opportunity are fleeing abroad. Some of the youth, even those under 18, have become drug addicts and hitmen for organized crime gangs. There is almost no village population or farmers left. Agriculture has collapsed. Access to safe food has become difficult, and the threat of public health and hunger is gradually increasing.

Around 10 million refugees, including 1 million Afghan-origin American military personnel, and an unknown number of jihadist terrorist organization members among them, have become the country's real national security problem. They are ready to stir things up at any moment with the push of a button by the US or Israel. But according to the government and the government's judiciary, these are not the country's survival problems. The music group Manifest, consisting of 6 young girls, is the country's national security problem. Their concerts and travel abroad should be banned. I made the historical reminder below elsewhere. It is worth repeating.

In May 1453, Byzantium's national security problem was not (Fatih) Sultan Mehmed II and the Ottoman army surrounding the walls. For them, the national security problem was the gender of angels. Were angels female or male? On May 29, 1453, they could not learn the gender of angels, but they were wiped off the stage of history.