Dutch scandal is tip of the iceberg
It is impossible to know when the last time something similar to the current Turkish-Dutch diplomatic crisis happened. It is obvious that a number of European countries absolutely do not want the Turkish government to conduct a referendum campaign, simply because they do not like Turkey's governing party any more. Those European countries are quite selective about who is allowed to speak to Europe's Turkish communities as well.
European authorities remind members of those Turkish communities in the meantime that they are European citizens, so the Turkish government must not act as if these people are exclusively Turkey's affair. They also claim that constantly emphasizing their Turkish origins harms their integration process. When put like this, one may say there is some truth in it, and that this is a socio-political debate. However, we know that when the pro-PKK party travels to Europe, they are never told the same thing. Hence there is a double standard.
The Dutch government has declared that the Turkish minister has not been totally honest with them, and misled the local authorities about her real intentions. Is this enough reason to stop a member of a foreign government, who has entered the country legally and who only wanted to have access to her country's consulate building? If they claim the minister in question has no right to travel freely across the Netherlands, they should say what kind of crime she has committed that necessitates her being banned. The Dutch authorities have perhaps imagined she'd declare independence in the middle of Rotterdam with the Netherlands' 400,000 Turkish citizens around her, who knows?
It appears the Netherlands is completely absorbed by its general election atmosphere. The rising xenophobia may justify everything in their eyes, including poisoning deep-rooted diplomatic relations. One cannot believe one's eyes when the news reports show a minister not being allowed entry to her consulate, while the consulate staff are not permitted to leave the building, and the minister is taken to the border against her will by the police.
No political reason can justify these scenes. The two countries may have their own political logic, or they may have some bilateral problems; but if we are not in a state of war, these scenes should not happen. In fact, customary practices of diplomacy are respected even during war. One wonders if the Netherlands should be accused formally of violating international law.
Not only have diplomatic traditions been broken by the Dutch government, but European values too. The Netherlands was one of the most exemplary countries in the world when it came to democracy, pluralism and human rights. Maybe that has changed now. These attitudes make it impossible for many in Turkey to defend European values, institutions and the European Union.
A number of European countries definitely want the Turkish government's campaign to fail in the referendum, there is no doubt about that. However, why they want that result is not clear. No matter what, it is the people of Turkey who will cast their votes and determine the result of the referendum, not foreign governments. This is true for the general elections in the Netherlands, as well: only the Dutch people will choose their government, and the entire world will have to respect that, even though they are about to elect a racist party.
Anyway, the European governments' attitude toward the Turkish government make the governing party's voters even more determined to vote for their party. Those foreign authorities may think they are harming Turkey's governing party, but the opposite is happening. I am not sure they realize that.
The diplomatic scandal in the Netherlands has harmed humanitarian values, old friendships and current alliances. One can only feel bad about it. Let's hope people-to-people relations between the two nations will not be too damaged because of this episode.
European authorities remind members of those Turkish communities in the meantime that they are European citizens, so the Turkish government must not act as if these people are exclusively Turkey's affair. They also claim that constantly emphasizing their Turkish origins harms their integration process. When put like this, one may say there is some truth in it, and that this is a socio-political debate. However, we know that when the pro-PKK party travels to Europe, they are never told the same thing. Hence there is a double standard.
The Dutch government has declared that the Turkish minister has not been totally honest with them, and misled the local authorities about her real intentions. Is this enough reason to stop a member of a foreign government, who has entered the country legally and who only wanted to have access to her country's consulate building? If they claim the minister in question has no right to travel freely across the Netherlands, they should say what kind of crime she has committed that necessitates her being banned. The Dutch authorities have perhaps imagined she'd declare independence in the middle of Rotterdam with the Netherlands' 400,000 Turkish citizens around her, who knows?
It appears the Netherlands is completely absorbed by its general election atmosphere. The rising xenophobia may justify everything in their eyes, including poisoning deep-rooted diplomatic relations. One cannot believe one's eyes when the news reports show a minister not being allowed entry to her consulate, while the consulate staff are not permitted to leave the building, and the minister is taken to the border against her will by the police.
No political reason can justify these scenes. The two countries may have their own political logic, or they may have some bilateral problems; but if we are not in a state of war, these scenes should not happen. In fact, customary practices of diplomacy are respected even during war. One wonders if the Netherlands should be accused formally of violating international law.
Not only have diplomatic traditions been broken by the Dutch government, but European values too. The Netherlands was one of the most exemplary countries in the world when it came to democracy, pluralism and human rights. Maybe that has changed now. These attitudes make it impossible for many in Turkey to defend European values, institutions and the European Union.
A number of European countries definitely want the Turkish government's campaign to fail in the referendum, there is no doubt about that. However, why they want that result is not clear. No matter what, it is the people of Turkey who will cast their votes and determine the result of the referendum, not foreign governments. This is true for the general elections in the Netherlands, as well: only the Dutch people will choose their government, and the entire world will have to respect that, even though they are about to elect a racist party.
Anyway, the European governments' attitude toward the Turkish government make the governing party's voters even more determined to vote for their party. Those foreign authorities may think they are harming Turkey's governing party, but the opposite is happening. I am not sure they realize that.
The diplomatic scandal in the Netherlands has harmed humanitarian values, old friendships and current alliances. One can only feel bad about it. Let's hope people-to-people relations between the two nations will not be too damaged because of this episode.