There is a basic controversy intrinsic in human core: he thrives to belong to a group; thrives to be ‘one’ but at the same time he wishes to be distinguished. Especially when a tragedy is in question. On one hand you cannot stand to stay a spectator, you need to be close by. At the same time you need to get far away from pain, you want to distinguish yourself from the victims. Shuttle service to Silivri Prison witnesses that same controversy on every trip to the courthouse. “Perhaps we share the same fate” you reckon’ but “my situation is totally different!” No it is not my dear! Because “we all are in the same ship!” Only some of us are locked “inside” while others are locked in “outside.” We all nibble the same sour bread, some less, some in bigger portions. Don’t you see we are in the same bus? In the same prison shuttle? And we shall stay in as long as we do not leave our pride aside. As long as we think we are “somebody,” as long as we perceive ourselves as “distinct,” we keep going those rounds like the wheel horse we all are.
We have to leave our proud vanity aside as journalists “inside” and “outside” if we strive for self-respect. Now! Right away!
Us, the journalists never were equal, we never had equal rights. Some were more famous earning more, more accepted and pampered. Some were abused, treated as ‘terrorists’ and barely survived. Some of us became showpieces in glass cubicles watching Turkey from an elated window. Some were always on streets breathing in teargas, taking on beatings and tasting a casual arrest now and then. Some had shining never tainted shoes. Shoes of others were never visible under the mud. Some sweated in TV studios, others under the sun in squares next to demonstrators. And now, for the first time we are being equalized by an oppressor which in fact will have a positive side effect. Maybe now we could remember who we are and who we actually should be.
Now we are in trouble, but if we get rid of it, then we will partners in a common story. We will be united with that happy fraternity of people winning a battle together. We would not only end up defeating the trouble but we would destroy the devil in us. And only then we shall sing: “We all share the same life! Don’t you think you are different!” It will be good!
(Translation: Stratos Moraitis)
Ece Temelkuran
Born 1973 in Turkey, Ece Temelkuran is one of Turkey’s best-known journalists and political commentators. Her investigative journalism books broach subjects that are highly controversial in Turkey, such as Kurdish and Armenian issues, the women's movement, and political prisoners. She has published widely and won numerous awards for her work, including the Pen for Peace Award and Turkish Journalist of the Year. Also she was a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. As a writer she published ten books and two of her books; Deep Mountain, Across the Turkish-Armenian Divide and Book of the Edge has been also published in English. Muz Sesleri (The Sound of Bananas) will be published in Arabic soon. Follow her on Twitter @ETemelkuran
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