CHP Slams Government Silence on Tom Barrack's Remarks: 'Approval Through Silence'

The Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkey's main opposition, has sharply criticized the ruling AK Party and President Erdoğan's administration for their deafening silence in the face of what they deem to be deeply offensive and racist remarks by Tom Barrack concerning the Middle East and Turkey. Gökçe Gökçen, a Deputy Chairman of the CHP, articulated the party's strong disapproval, stating that the government's lack of response amounts to an implicit endorsement of Barrack's statements.

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This country's Republic and democracy are not deserved, openly expressed by the colonial governor, and there is still no response from Erdoğan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or party officials. There is approval through silence.

Gökçen specifically highlighted Barrack's alleged comments, which reportedly praised the Ottoman millet system and questioned Turkey's entitlement to a republic and democracy. She characterized Barrack as a "colonial governor" for making such pronouncements about a sovereign nation. The CHP's stance is that this silence is not only a betrayal of national sovereignty but also a failure to honor the sacrifices made by those who fought for Turkey's independence and democratic republic, referencing the historical context of the March 1st resolution.

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Tom Barrack's racist statements about the Middle East and Turkey should be interpreted along with the statement 'Strong nation-states in the region are a threat to Israel' and his praise for the Ottoman millet system.

From the CHP's perspective, this incident is particularly galling as it involves a foreign national making disparaging remarks about Turkey's political system and historical identity. The party views this as an affront to national pride and an example of how the current government, in their view, prioritizes foreign relations or appeasement over defending the nation's honor and democratic values. The lack of a strong, official rebuttal from Ankara is seen by the CHP as a continuation of a pattern where the government fails to stand up to perceived external criticism or interference, particularly when it touches upon sensitive issues of national identity and governance.

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No one from the government feels gratitude and responsibility towards those who were martyred for this country's full independence in the face of these humiliating and audacious words. Their duties have not changed since the March 1st resolution.