Africa slams Europe on democracy

Turkey is experienced in coups. Who stages military coups? Who prepares the ground for the coup with fabricated reports and provocative actions? How is a junta organized? How is coordination with the media, the universities, the business world and the bureaucracy established? How is international recognition of the coup's administration ensured? Turkey, which experienced five interventions in democracy in 60 years, has all the answers to these questions. Since the day an elected prime minister was executed, coups have remained an important issue and subject of debate in Turkey that concerns every supporter of democracy. We have become experts in this field thanks to the ongoing trials over coup attempts, including the Ergenekon and Balyoz cases, the investigations into the Sept. 12 and Feb. 28 coups, and a comprehensive inquiry by a special parliamentary commission on coups. Reviewing our huge collection of documents and items will enable us to write a colossal volume of recommendations for countries sharing the same fate. Just as we were starting to think that the era of coups was over and that there wouldn't be any more coups, the coup in Egypt proved we were just plain wrong in assuming that our coup convalescence had ended. The Muslim Brotherhood, which had just started playing the game of democracy in Egypt, and other actors will go through a process of self-criticism once things calm down in Egypt. And they will regret that they didn't properly learn from the Turkish experience.

If the Morsi administration had looked at the first eight years in power of the AK Party, which learned from the lessons of the Feb. 28 postmodern coup and has ruled Turkey for 10 years, Egypt never would have experienced this trauma. Former leading figures of the National Outlook movement, including Abdullah Gl, Recep Tayyip Erdoan and Blent Arn, abandoned identity politics in the domestic political arena. They attempted to serve everyone and embrace people from different backgrounds, all without hiding their religiosity. Recognizing that a center-right political style is the best way to serve the people, they increased the representation of their party by attracting the support of social democrats, liberals and conservatives. They made an alliance with all groups that believe in the ideal of creating a genuinely democratic Turkey. They have always paid particular attention to supporting the poor, taking on ambitious infrastructure projects and providing high-quality public services.

Instead of the National Outlook's approach of focusing on the Muslim world alone, they put EU membership at the center of their foreign policy. The ensuing reforms raised democratic standards and addressed the influence of pro-status-quo forces in domestic politics. In the process, they assuaged the doubts of those who were suspicious of the AK Party's intentions. The opening wasn't limited to the EU. Strong relations were developed with Russia, Africa, the Islamic world, the Middle East and neighboring countries. This was a different style than the approach of Necmettin Erbakan, who paid his first official visit to Iran and had to step down without visiting a single Western capital because of the Feb. 28 coup. In addition to the change in politics, the media was diversified thanks to initiatives by Turgut zal three decades ago. Civil society was empowered, the economy improved and ordinary people started to participate in government. Turkey's ability to deal with attempted coups was the culmination of these developments. Leaders used to learn of coups when they saw a soldier at their gates. Now coup plans are covered in the media before they are implemented. Therefore, the AK Party leadership has to remember the conditions that ensure their survival and new actors like the Muslim Brotherhood need to study Turkey's experience very carefully. It is really sad to see that a coup was staged in an important country like Egypt in the 21st century and that the West remained indifferent. A move that reveals the double standard and hypocrisy of the West, which gave the green light to coups in Turkey in the past, is the African Union's decision to suspend Egypt's membership. The basis of this decision is the Democracy, Elections and Government Charter adopted by the Union in 2007. Africa's attitude -- zero tolerance for coups -- should be a lesson to the West. I hope Egypt learns from our experience, and that we learn from theirs.