Instruction to veterans to support the 'PKK opening'!..

One of the first to make a presentation at the “PKK commission” established in Parliament was Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş.

In that presentation, Minister Göktaş, who spoke about new regulations to be made for the families of martyrs and veterans, later announced the details of the planned regulations to the government's newspaper, Sabah. [https://www.sabah.com.tr/gundem/2025/08/21/sehit-yakinlari-ve-gaziler-icin-yeni-duzenleme-bakan-goktas-meclisteki-komisyonda-acikladi] Göktaş also emphasized that they aim to ensure that these efforts, carried out under the chairmanship of TBMM National Defense Commission Chairman Hulusi Akar, proceed in full harmony with the vision of a “terror-free Turkey” and the work of the commission.

According to what Sabah reported, the 38-article draft, which is still being prepared, includes proposals such as; “increasing the monthly salaries given to the mothers and fathers of martyrs to the level of the minimum wage, clarifying the definition of martyrdom and veteran status, granting employment opportunities to all children of martyrs, increasing the salary given to veteran privates, providing veterans with the opportunity to receive orthosis-prosthesis treatment outside of Ankara, and issuing honorary martyr identity cards to the children of martyrs who turn 25.”

How nice... It would have been better if it hadn't been indexed to the “PKK opening”!..

LAST YEAR'S VETERANS DAY

As is known, September 19 is celebrated as Veterans Day, in addition to the anniversary of the granting of the title of “Veteran” and the rank of “Marshal” to our Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Before writing about the very remarkable development regarding this year's celebration program, let us recall the activities of Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş from last year.

In her visit to the Veterans Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital one day before Veterans Day, she stated that they “continue to work to further expand the rights granted to the families of martyrs, veterans, and the families of veterans,” and said the following: [https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/bakan-goktas-18-eylulde-729-sehit-yakini-gazi-ve-gazi-yakinimizi-kamuya-atayacagiz/3330863]

“We will hopefully complete these efforts in the coming period and share them with the public. One of the rights we offer to the families of martyrs, veterans, and the families of veterans is public sector appointment. To date, we have appointed nearly 50 thousand relatives of martyrs, veterans, and relatives of veterans to the public sector. Hopefully, we would like to announce that we will appoint 729 relatives of martyrs, veterans, and relatives of veterans to the public sector on September 18. I hope this appointment will lead to good things. I convey my mercy to all our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the homeland and fought for our future, and my best wishes for a speedy recovery to our veterans. We owe them a debt of gratitude... We will continue to protect the legacy of our martyrs and our veterans and stand by them at all times.”

On September 19, she attended the Veterans Day program hosted by the Ministry of National Defense and stated that they “gathered to honor the heroic veterans who put their lives on the line for the independence of the homeland and the peace of the nation”... She said, “Our veterans are the living monuments of our struggle for freedom. Each of them is a hero who defended our homeland, our flag, and the values that make us who we are without blinking an eye. The courage and sacrifice of our veterans are the guarantee of our unity and solidarity. It is the strongest expression of keeping the love of the homeland alive and explaining it to our children.” [https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/milli-savunma-bakanliginda-gaziler-gunu-programi-duzenlendi/3335157] And she noted that under Erdoğan's leadership, they would continue their efforts to maximize the welfare of every member of the “Great Heroes Family” in the Century of Turkey.

Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, who explained that they have dealt major blows to terrorist organizations through operations, also said, “If it were not for this struggle put forth by the heroism of our martyrs and veterans, the attacks of terrorist organizations against our country and our nation would have continued as they did before, and the current environment of stability could not have been achieved. Let no one have any doubt that our fight against terrorism will continue with determination and resolve for our peace and security.”

WILL VETERANS GIVE THIS SPEECH?

Now let's come to this year's program [https://www.aile.gov.tr/haberler/bakanimiz-mahinur-ozdemir-goktas-gaziler-gunu-programina-katildi/].

On August 28, the General Directorate of Martyrs' Relatives and Veterans sent a letter to the Provincial Directorates of Family and Social Services in our 81 provinces on behalf of Minister Göktaş titled “September 19 Veterans Day March Event.” The letter is as follows:

“Within the framework of the duty given to our General Directorate by Article 72 of Presidential Decree No. 1 dated 10/07/2018, to ‘carry out studies to support the families of martyrs and veterans economically, socially, and culturally and to ensure they do not become disconnected from society; to carry out activities to strengthen social sensitivity on this issue’; it is planned to hold various events in our 81 provinces on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the granting of the title of veteran to Atatürk and Veterans Day.

In this context; marches will be held on September 19, 2025, between 10:00 and 12:00 with the slogan ‘September 19 Veterans Day March on the Path of Brotherhood with Heroes,’

In this regard; I kindly request that all necessary measures be taken to ensure that the entire program is carried out without any disruption or deficiency, that the issues specified in the event documents are complied with, that news and announcements are made in the written and visual press before and after the events in question, that notifications are made on social media, that the publication of pictures, videos, and documents regarding the event is ensured, that the news and visuals of the events held are uploaded to the common folder by the end of the working day on September 19, 2025, and that our General Directorate is informed in writing.”

The attachments include:

1- The veteran's speech text (1 page)

2- Event Document (4 pages)

3- Visual to be used

Our subject is the “veteran's speech text”... It is understood that the veterans who will speak at the ceremonies are expected to read a single, uniform text prepared in Ankara.

We do not know if this is what was prepared; but, what a coincidence, a text reached veteran associations around the same time.

The text in question begins as follows:

“Dear...

I am the grandchild of a blessed ancestry that has seen many victories, protected its homeland as a whole for its independence and sovereignty, and adorned the homeland soil with its blood in Tripoli, Çanakkale, Sarıkamış, and Kut'ul Amare. As a child of this legacy, I attained the honor of being a veteran while serving for the homeland. Today, I am proud to be here in your presence as a veteran who carries this noble title.

Veteran status is not just a title; it is the unshakable monument of our nation's will to exist. We veterans are the soldiers who carry the blessed legacy left to us by our martyrs who gave their lives for the homeland and represent the glorious stance of our nation.

Dear friends;

This march, which is held simultaneously in our 81 provinces today, is a link in our chain of heroism that spans centuries, from Malazgirt to Çanakkale, from Sakarya to July 15. The fact that our youth are walking shoulder to shoulder with us today is the strongest sign that this historical legacy is being carried into the future. Because the spirit of being a veteran is a compass not only for the past but also for the future.”

ERDOĞAN, BAHÇELİ AND THE ''TERROR-FREE TURKEY'' MESSAGE

In the continuation, the following is emphasized:

“In the second century of our Republic, our greatest goal is to build together a Great Turkey that is completely purified from the shadow of terror and where peace and security prevail.

We know that the ideal of a Terror-Free Turkey, carried out with the leadership of our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the determination of Mr. Devlet Bahçeli, and the prayers of every member of our nation, means not only protecting the sacred legacy left to us by our martyrs but also gifting a peaceful, brotherly, and prosperous homeland to our future generations. As long as we remain one today, as long as we stand shoulder to shoulder, we will never leave room for the darkness of terror; we will carry our country to bright tomorrows.

Let us not forget that; the greatest enemy that will harm the homeland and the nation is the division among the members of the nation. The struggle of us veterans is not for division, but to grow and perpetuate our unity and brotherhood. We are with our state, one and together, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart. We continue to set an example at all times with the consciousness of being a veteran so that future generations will be the same.

On behalf of thousands of our brave friends and brothers who put their lives on the line while serving with the love of homeland and nation in their hearts and were blessed with veteran status; I celebrate the 104th anniversary of the granting of the veteran title to the Founder of our Republic Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK and Veterans Day, I commemorate our veterans who have passed away with mercy, and I greet you all with respect, love, and affection. Long live Great Turkey, Long live Brotherhood.”

In a word;

If it is true; is this not an instruction to veterans to “support the opening”?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

September 16, 2025