Dark clouds over Turkey

Turkey has undergone a turbulent two days. One of the biggest newspapers in the country, Hürriyet, was attacked twice in less than 48 hours; buildings belonging to the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) were assaulted in various cities, and some businesses were stoned and set on fire. The results of the war on terror could spark a conflict at home if leaders choose to act unwisely at this juncture.

The elections are less than two months away and Turkey is going through some dangerous days that could easily evolve into serious political turmoil. The killing of soldiers by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), recognized by Turkey and the EU as a terrorist group, has caused the public to take to the streets. It is nerve-wracking to see young soldiers and police officers killed every single day. Thousands marched around the country to protest the terrorist organization, which is only the right thing to do.

However, in some parts of the country, things have gotten out of hand. Some of the protesters attacked the Hürriyet newspaper, private businesses and even the headquarters of the HDP and other party buildings of both the CHP and HDP. Some sites were set ablaze as well.

Fear at play

"Fear and democracy are not two regimes that go hand in hand. But we are experiencing this fear." These are the words of Sedat Ergin, the editor-in-chief of one of Turkey's major newspapers, Hürriyet. This sums up the pressure currently faced by Turkish media which opposes President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Proof: two assaults on the paper following a statement by President Erdogan in a Hürriyet headline, which according to the AKP supporters has distorted the truth.

No political view can justify these aggressions. The attacks launched on the media and on political parties, like the CHP and HDP, is a crime. Even though some aggressors have been taken into custody, the fact that these attacks occurred is the main concern at hand. Provoking young people by equating news organizations with terrorist groups is a dangerous game to play.

Time for solidarity

Creating hate and planting seeds of discrimination within the society will not help any political party. On the contrary, citizens will start to question who is responsible for the instability. Everyone has a right to demonstrate but the state also has the responsibility to protect its citizens and to punish those that provoke hate and cause violence.

At times like these, what a country needs the most is solidarity, and an understanding that people living on this soil need to co-exist. The person charged with representing all people - irrespective of their ethnicity, political view or gender - is Turkey's president. It is also disappointing to observe that all leaders except President Erdogan have spoken to the people and called for solidarity. This is no longer about who wins the elections. This is about the future of a country that has long fought for its unity. It is now faced with another kind of terror, the one filled with hate and discrimination that only the people themselves can stop by standing tall against any kind of provocation.