“GANGS WITHIN GANGS…”

As the judicial recess slows down the court agenda, it also gives me the chance to take more time for myself. Lawyers will know that the month of June is like crossing the Bridge of Sirat to heaven. It takes skill to cross it safely and make it to July! No matter how calm and patient you might be, it is hard not to get exhausted. Anyway, let’s get to the point.

As I said, I had the opportunity to take time for myself, so the first thing I did last week was to go to the bookstore. I wandered among books both to empty my mind and be a guest of different worlds. Of course, it was not possible. Because in the first section I got my hands on, I came across Kai Lindemann’s book, titled, “The Politics of Rackets: On the Practice of Ruling Classes.” First, the title caught my attention so I immediately checked the back cover and started to read. The following sentences in the book had me going straight to the till without a second thought: “The concept of ‘rackets’ used in the book is not limited to criminal gangs in its narrow sense. It describes the networks of power that receive the obedience and consent of the ruled and the communities of labourers in return for offering a certain social protection, like a kind of tribute.” You, too, are intrigued, aren’t you? What a familiar and beautiful definition of a gang. The author also explains with all clarity that not only coercion, i.e. violence or oppression, but also many other dynamics that can be defined as “non-economic”, may lead to this order of decay.

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I would like to talk a little bit about the content of the book and the sort of perspective it gives me. We all know that those who claim to be sovereign, or those who lick boots to create the perception that they are sovereign do not / cannot put forward any action other than corruption – bribery – violation of the law, which keep damaging public order. Every day, people who belong to parties in government, who hold executive positions in these parties, or are in office – not on the basis of merit but their political badges – are detained, arrested and brought before the court only to be released on bail. Don’t you think this is strange?!

Allegations of fraud appear in the news agenda as a package with the words UBP – DP – YDP [National Unity Party-Democratic Party-Rebirth Party]. Think about it, the minister himself, who uttered the sentence, “perhaps one of the biggest cases of irregularity we have ever experienced” to describe the prescription investigations, and his chief of staff (!) who has been conducting this investigation process with full effort, have been walking up and down police cells and court corridors for the past four or five days, as a result of the allegations of bribery in relation to many issues handled within the ministry. “Inconsistency wherever you look…” [Editor’s note: lyrics from a song by Ahmet Kaya, ‘Başım Belada’ (I am in Trouble)].

Of course, this is not the only incident that made me think about the concept of gangs. The notorious Ercan [Tymbou] Airport protocols of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport; the electricity bill disgraces of KIB-TEK [Cyprus Turkish Electricity Authority] / AKSA [Turkish power generation company] and Turanlı [Editor’s note: chairman of the executive board of Taşyapı, the senior partner in the management of the airport]; the shady situation created with the purchase of fixed traffic cameras; the silent negligence of the government in the face of the collapse of public services such as health, housing and education; the inability to bring a person who caused a fatal traffic accident before the judiciary; the completion of an investigation at lightning speed on a suspect within the context of the diploma investigations, in contrast with previous examples of a similar nature, and the release of the same person on bail following her appearance at court – I can list so many other issues that I cannot think of at the moment, such as the fact that the data on the cost of living determined by the state does not match reality, the hypocrisy regarding the sale of real estate properties to foreigners, and the fight against informality (they issued a general amnesty instead of making amendments). But there is one issue that I would like to mention, specifically. The dark abyss that our only representative (!) recognised abroad has dragged us all into with policies – “produced” or adopted in full disconnect from the world and international law – that seem to be current but only reflect the historic lack of a solution. As Turkish Cypriots, we are embarrassed, dishonoured, and depleted on a daily basis in social and economic terms.

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When describing gang structures, or organisations, Lindemann emphasises the politics of interest and practices of looting. He says that in all cases, through overt violence, or covert coercion, the gang offers the ruled, or less powerful interest groups, the promise of protection by giving them a share of the spoils. In a way, they create the illusion of insecurity and present a “safe harbour” as the only structure within which one can live. Of course, what they know best is to bend and twist the truth in order to put the scenarios they have produced into practice, create an enemy to be feared, and convince the masses with various manipulation techniques. But they know very well that they cannot do this without offering anything in return. For this reason, giving a share of the spoils, and throwing a bone, even if it might be a small one, are the rules of the process. The gain in question should not be perceived in its material sense only. Especially regarding the process we are experiencing, the positions of power bestowed without the relevant knowledge and skills are an important part of the spoils. As such, gangs gain new members, these members enjoy upward class mobility, and in order not to lose any of these favours, a space is created for all kinds of corruption, bribery and illegality.

At a time when the economic collapse is so deeply felt, what I am about to say may not make any sense, but the author also points to other values that might help us fight against all these evils. I have already mentioned that as Turkish Cypriots we feel humiliated and ashamed. Lindemann emphasises that pride and collective identity are prerequisites for a kind of politics that can be shared by many within which an organised and powerful struggle can be built. “Although overcoming misery and poverty is always the primary political goal, misery and poverty are not the driving forces of this politics, as is often claimed. It is the struggle for dignity and self-determination…“

When we talk about collective identity, we are not talking about something that creates antagonism and fosters hostility to the other on the basis of nationalism. On the contrary, it points to a vision in which we can eliminate irrational methods and discourses, and seize the truth. On this path, all kinds of relationships based on interests must be exposed. Thereby, it will be revealed who acts with what kinds of motives, or who keeps silent and tries to maintain the existing order, and why they attack like lions when their interests are harmed.

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Corruption, the corruption of the entire structure and institutions that make up the state, is something that the current governmental structure wants and even aims for. They do not make mistakes. They act with the gangs that support, and move forward with them. Just like the way it happens in gang model communities of pillage, in the northern part of Cyprus, the networks of relations intertwined with the government through “complicity and accomplicity” work like clockwork, and they do justice to their raison d’être. A mentality devoid of honour that feeds, protects and nurtures each other, covets small morsels – even if not as much as the government’s share – and even accepts to take a chance on being a sidekick.

In the midst of all these dark scenarios, I believe that this community can set out to claim its honour, its future and its will, just as it did in the past. After all, the Turkish Cypriot community does not consist of two, or three gangs, and some bandits who guide them. Right? I would like to end this article by quoting Lindemann: “This is the deal: Recognition in exchange for a share of the spoils, like ‘protection for obedience'”…

Are we going to ensure the continuation of this system and fall in line with the structure that feeds the gangs, or are we going to become agents of change who will prevent the rotting of the most critically important values, especially the rule of law and judicial independence? This is the whole issue…

Source: “GANGS WITHIN GANGS…”