Turkish Army's Economic Might Under Growing Scrutiny

 ISTANBUL — Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party has forced the country’s once all-powerful army firmly back into the barracks and out of political life. The army's considerable business interests are now coming under growing scrutiny¹.

In Turkey, whether you buy a chocolate bar, insurance, a house or a car, it is likely to be linked in some way to OYAK, the Turkish Armed Forces Assistance and Pension Fund.

Military expert and Taraf newspaper Ankara Bureau Chief Lale Kemal said OYAK is a relic² of the country's military dominated past.

"It remains³ a bizarre, unaccountable institution. It is like the old days of Latin American countries or in China or in Egypt, which has nothing to do with the rule of law or democracy," said Kemal.

Probing OYAK

But OYAK’s dealings are now coming under growing political scrutiny. Last month, Justice and Development Party spokesperson Huseyin Celik announced that parliament will investigate the pension fund’s “existence and function.” 

Under Justice and Development Party rule, a fifth of the country's generals are languishing⁴ in jail, on trial, or awaiting trial for various alleged⁵ coup⁶ plots. The country's unprecedented⁷ investigations⁸ have driven the army out of the political arena⁹. 

Political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul's Bahcesehir University, however, said moving against the army's economic power is crucial.

"Demilitarization is a very, very long process. Without abolishing the financial and legal privileges of the army, we will not have a perfect demilitarization process," said Aktar.

Expanding assets

Army officers founded OYAK in 1961, months after the country's first military coup, to provide a pension to all serving soldiers.

Over the years, the pension fund has enjoyed tremendous growth. According to its 2009 annual report, it employs nearly 30,000 people and has assets worth more than $15 billion, spanning 60 companies. This year, the four-millionth car rolled off the OYAK-Renault production line in a collaboration¹⁰ that dates back to 1971.

Although the company board of representatives and general assembly are dominated by retired¹¹ senior military members, OYAK says it is not a part of the armed forces. 

Turkish military analyst¹² Gareth Jenkins pointed¹³ out that discontent over OYAK has spread to non-commissioned officers. The European Court of Human Rights is considering a case against OYAK brought by non-commissioned officers seeking representation on the company's board.

"I think the problem for OYAK is it was being used as an almost employment agency for retired generals. The people who needed OYAK to work hardest were the non-commissioned officers and junior officers. It is instead being used mainly for the benefit of higher ranks," said Jenkins.

Shifting emphasis, coming reforms

Legal woes¹⁴ also face jailed OYAK Chairman Yildirim Turker. The retired Lieutenant¹⁵ General is charged in connection with the so called "soft coup" of 1997 that forced an Islamist-led government out of office. 

Jenkins said with the army under increasing political and judicial¹⁶ oversight¹⁷, change at OYAK is likely.

"If the companies are somehow taken away from the army pension fund, the assets will be transferred to people [who] happen to be close to the ruling party. One of the problems generally we have seen in Turkey in the last few years is the system remaining the same, but the ruling elite¹⁸ changing,” he said.

Critics of the army's power in Turkey say reform of OYAK is crucial to the ongoing¹⁹ demilitarization of the country and is vital for the future of democracy.

"The fact that OYAK is unaccountable, untouchable, tells us Turkey has a long way to go to end the military tutelage system and to ensure the full civilian²⁰ control of its armed forces," said defense²¹ journalist Kemal.

Full civilian control of the military is a key demand of the European Union, which Ankara is seeking to join. But a statement on the pension fund's Web page denies such criticism, saying it is a victim of a campaign of disinformation. Observers say with the military's political power on the wane²², pressure for OYAK reform is likely to grow.

1 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

2 relic   

n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物

参考例句：

• This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
• He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 languishing   

a. 衰弱下去的

参考例句：

• He is languishing for home. 他苦思家乡。
• How long will she go on languishing for her red-haired boy? 为想见到她的红头发的儿子，她还将为此烦恼多久呢？

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

7 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

10 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

11 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

12 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

13 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

14 woes   

困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉

参考例句：

• Thanks for listening to my woes. 谢谢您听我诉说不幸的遭遇。
• She has cried the blues about its financial woes. 对于经济的困难她叫苦不迭。

15 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

16 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。

17 oversight   

n.勘漏，失察，疏忽

参考例句：

• I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
• Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。

18 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

19 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

20 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

21 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

22 wane   

n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦

参考例句：

• The moon is on the wane.月亮渐亏。
• Her enthusiasm for him was beginning to wane.她对他的热情在开始减退。