The Year 1960: Lieutenant Tuna and Private Vahap

Twenty-seven years have passed since the February 28 period, which is still the greatest weapon of the government and its supporters, turned into what retired Colonel Alican Türk—who was tried and acquitted in the February 28 conspiracy case but has waged an incredible struggle without letting the case go—calls an “endless exploitation”!..

At every opportunity, they harp on about “February 28 justice.”

However, the lawlessness during their own time in power has surpassed all previous periods by leaps and bounds; “AKP justice” has been invented, and they are either unaware of it or choosing to ignore it.

Here is the latest example: the treatment that 7 women wearing headscarves were subjected to while in custody and in prison for protesting trade with Israel in the presence of Erdoğan!..

Why are we making this introduction?

Today is the second anniversary of a painful event: the death of 85-year-old retired Air Pilot Lieutenant General Vural Avar in prison, while everyone watched.

General Avar was one of the individuals sentenced to life imprisonment in the February 28 conspiracy case, which the AKP embraced even though it was revealed from A to Z to be a “FETÖ” conspiracy.

Despite his serious illnesses, he was kept in prison after being issued a report stating he “could remain in prison”...

Four days before his death, a “pardon” petition was forcibly taken from him...

Not a single uniformed soldier attended his funeral, and although his wife, Tuna Avar, is also a retired Colonel, no officials called to offer their condolences...

I just learned that because General Vural was expelled from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the attendance of uniformed personnel was not deemed appropriate, and some officials only called Tuna Avar to offer their condolences 1 year after his death.

Let us also underline this: there were those in the government camp who rejoiced at General Vural's death, saying, “We will watch with a lesson as all of you take your last breath in the dungeon”!..

Yes, General Vural took his last breath in the dungeon. But there were commanders left behind. On the first anniversary of his death, his wife, Tuna Avar, said at his graveside: “We went through very difficult days, but there are still 5 of our friends and their families going through difficult days. Their distress continues. My request to you is, do not leave their families alone. It is important that the power of the TSK is behind us; we stand tall with this power. Do not forget my dear Vural.”

As for the other commanders, they only regained their freedom when Erdoğan signed off on the “senility” reports issued by the Forensic Medicine Institute two years later as part of the “normalization/softening with the CHP,” while the pro-government media turned this into “Erdoğan pardoned them” propaganda.

Who “pardoned” whom, what, and to what extent, and who took responsibility; these will surely come to light when the time comes. Let us just state this much: after his death, both General Vural and Tuna Avar provided such indescribable help to their comrades-in-arms and their families!..

THE PRIVATE FROM URFA: "WE DO NOT SERVE WOMEN"

I visited Tuna Avar before the memorial ceremony to be held at General Vural's graveside on Saturday.

She shared her memories of General Vural as her life partner and comrade-in-arms. It would be remiss not to tell one of them.

The year is 1960. Tuna Avar is a fresh-faced lieutenant in charge of logistics at a unit in Balıkesir. A general and a colonel come from Ankara for an inspection. During the refreshment break, they ask for tea. Tuna Avar calls Vahap, a postman private from Urfa, and orders tea. Vahap brings two cups of tea and serves the guests. The guests like the tea very much and ask for more. Vahap brings two more cups. Upon this, Tuna Avar asks why he didn't bring tea for her. Private Vahap salutes and gives this exact reply:

“We do not serve women!..”

The visiting commanders get angry and immediately demand that action be taken against this private. But Tuna Avar prevents this, saying, “No, I will win him over.”

After the guests leave, she calls Private Vahap. She asks if he knows how to read and write. She receives the answer, “No.” This time, she asks, “Who writes your letters to your wife?” When Vahap states that his friends write them, she says, “How do you know what they are writing? I will teach you how to read and write.”

And after work hours in the evenings, she keeps her word and teaches Vahap how to read and write.

One year after he was discharged, Vahap calls their home and says this to the late Vural Avar, who answered the phone:

“My commander, I had a daughter. If you allow it, I want to give her my mother Tuna's name.”

General Vural gives his permission on the condition that, “You will not beat your daughter, you will not pull her hair, you will not curse at her.”

That girl is now an obstetrician and a mother of two, and both she and her father Vahap continue to call and check on Tuna Avar.

THE EXPULSION OF LIEUTENANTS: "I WOULD DIE OF GRIEF"

It would be impossible not to ask Tuna Avar, who met and married the late General Vural at the Military Academy, about the demand for the expulsion from the TSK of the lieutenants who crossed their swords after the official graduation ceremony and said, “We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal.” Before I could finish my question, she reacted as follows:

“I was devastated when I heard this. We were all raised as Atatürk's soldiers, and we worked that way. I have been in the TSK since 1959. Vural and I met that year, and we married as two Atatürkists. Whatever the disciplinary punishment is, it should be given; but expelling them from the profession is not right. It is not an easy education, it is very difficult—especially as a woman. You are under the same conditions as the men. I hope they do not expel them. Otherwise, I would be very sad and die of grief. This would be an irreparable mistake.”

Retired Colonel Tuna Avar has great pain, she has illnesses... But her eyes and heart are still with the TSK. That is why, after stating that if she had the chance now, she would choose the Air Force again with her eyes closed, she said, “I call on all our girls to join the TSK.”

Notice to all her comrades-in-arms and friends:

We will commemorate General Vural on Sunday at 13:30 at his graveside in Karşıyaka Cemetery, M-18 block/parcel 480.