The letter of Rector Prof. Dr. Erkan İbiş, that has been sent to over 500 stakeholders abroad, about the coup attempt against our country on the night of 15 July 2016.

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Dear Colleague,

In Turkey, on the night of July 15^th 2016, terrorists in military uniforms, in alliance with an illegal organization disguised as an Islamic group, attempted a bloody and unprecedented coup against our democracy and republic. They bombed the Turkish Grand National Assembly building and numerous strategic governmental institutions, drove tanks on the streets, killed or seriously injured government officers as well as unarmed civilians and tried to seize the government. However, patriotic civilians and officials, politicians from all parties, the government, our prime minister and president protected the Republic of Turkey and our democracy risking their lives resisting and standing against the tanks and consequently preventing this bloody coup attempt the same night, thus rendering it unsuccessful.

Despite this coup attempt, Atatürk’s principles and reforms as well as the acquisitions of the Republic of Turkey as a secular, democratic and a social state of law as specified in our Constitution are still in place and will continue to be in the future. All the institutions of our republic stand in unity with great courage and dignity. All state administrators who are committed to democracy and to the Republic, headed by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, remain in office.

During this period Ankara University, together with all its stakeholders, stood by our democracy, national sovereignty and the Turkish State, strongly condemning the plotters.

As you know human rights are fundamental, human life is precious and armed murder is intolerable all over the world. I am sure you will appreciate that any government elected to power by its citizens, should only be changed democratically again, by the will of the people. Any coup attempt is unacceptable for any government, in particular for modern constitutional states. As the founder of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said “Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the people”.

The purpose of this letter is to share my description and view on this rather perplexing event that occurred in my country. I hope it will be informative for you and your stakeholders.

Sincerely,
Prof. Dr. Erkan İBİŞ
Rector
Ankara University,Turkey