The 'First Four Articles' Deception in the 'Clog' Constitution Scheme Without Turks or Atatürk

They learned their lesson from the fiasco of the first 'Civilian Constitution' campaign. This time, they swear on their honor that they will not touch the first four articles. After Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş, who had suggested the first four articles could be touched, had his ears pulled by the Presidential Palace, no one is entering that minefield anymore. It should be understood that the guarantee given regarding the first four articles is a clever ploy to kill two birds with one stone: turning the MHP's objection into approval and pacifying public opinion.

Let us set aside the claims of those who argue that the State, the Republic, the Turkish Nation, the Turkish language, and the capital are guaranteed by the protection of the first four articles—claims made by those who are practicing 'taqiya' (dissimulation) and those who are naive enough to believe them—and get to the heart of the matter. Let us take a closer look at the 173 articles of the 1982 Constitution that they intend to throw into the trash.

The multiple-choice excerpts we have taken from the sections starting from the fifth article of the much-maligned 'Coup Constitution' (!) (Fundamental aims and duties of the State – Sovereignty – Freedom of religion and conscience – Protection of the family and children's rights – Right and duty of education and training – Turkish citizenship – Entry into public service – Higher education institutions – Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History) show in all their nakedness what is actually intended to be destroyed under the lie of a 'New and Civilian Constitution'!

FUNDAMENTAL AIMS AND DUTIES OF THE STATE

Article 5 – The fundamental aims and duties of the State are to safeguard the independence and integrity of the Turkish nation, the indivisibility of the country, the Republic and democracy; to ensure the welfare, peace, and happiness of the individual and society; to strive to remove political, social, and economic obstacles that restrict the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual in a manner incompatible with the principles of a social state governed by the rule of law and justice; and to prepare the necessary conditions for the development of the individual's material and spiritual existence.

Sovereignty

Article 6 – Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the Nation. The Turkish Nation exercises its sovereignty through authorized organs, as prescribed by the principles laid down in the Constitution. The exercise of sovereignty shall not be delegated to any person, group, or class under any circumstances. No person or organ shall exercise any State authority that does not derive its source from the Constitution.

Freedom of religion and conscience

Article 24 – ......No one shall exploit or abuse religion or religious feelings, or things held sacred by religion, in any manner whatsoever, for the purpose of basing, even partially, the fundamental social, economic, political, or legal order of the State on religious tenets, or for the purpose of securing political or personal interest or influence.

Protection of the family and children's rights

Article 41 – The family is the foundation of Turkish society and is based on the equality between spouses.

Right and duty of education and training

Article 42 – ....Education and training shall be conducted under the supervision and control of the State, in line with Atatürk's principles and reforms, and on the basis of contemporary scientific and educational principles. No educational or training institutions that are contrary to these principles shall be opened. No language other than Turkish shall be taught as a mother tongue to Turkish citizens in any educational or training institutions.

Turkish citizenship

Article 66 – Everyone bound to the Turkish State through the bond of citizenship is a Turk.

Entry into public service

Article 70 – Every Turk has the right to enter public service. No criteria other than the qualifications required by the position shall be taken into account in recruitment.

Higher education institutions

Article 130 – ....Universities, as well as faculty members and their assistants, may freely engage in all kinds of scientific research and publication. However, this authority does not grant the freedom to engage in activities against the existence and independence of the State and the integrity and indivisibility of the nation and the country.

Atatürk High Institution of Culture, Language and History

Article 134 – For the purpose of researching, promoting, disseminating, and publishing on Atatürk's thought, Atatürk's principles and reforms, Turkish culture, Turkish history, and the Turkish language through scientific methods; under the spiritual auspices of Atatürk.......

The excerpts above show the real reason why those who govern the country constantly complain about the 1982 Constitution, despite all the changes made by the Grand National Assembly and through referendums. It should be known that the anti-coup rhetoric is being used to gain public acceptance for a Constitution without Turks/Atatürk, which will provide legal legitimacy to the 'Reis' (Chief) regime. In other words, a text of disintegration/division, which will provide the legal basis for the dismantling of the nation-state and unitary structure of the state symbolized by October 29, 1923, is being marketed as a 'Civilian Constitution'.

It should not be overlooked that the remaining 173 articles constitute the legal basis of a state focused on the Turkish Nation and Turkey in terms of language, culture, political unity, and institutionalism. The demagoguery that 'it is impossible to cleanse the 1982 Constitution of the coup-plotting/military tutelage residues embedded in its spirit without completely abolishing it' is undoubtedly being carried out with the aim of cleansing Turkey of Turks and completely liquidating the nation-state's unitary structure.

It is clear that in a separation text designed as the legal basis for the project to partition Turkey, the first four articles, once hollowed out, will mean nothing more than a scarecrow that wouldn't even frighten a crow. What is painful is that politicians who are incapable of understanding or explaining that the first four articles are being used as a lollipop offered to a child about to be abused, during the process of taking the title deed of Turkey away from the Turkish nation, are still continuing with their nationalist rhetoric.