The 1980 Turkey coup

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2023

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

On 12 September 1980, the army took control in Turkey. It was not the first time they had done so. It was the third coup d'état in the history of the Republic of Turkey, the previous having been in 1960 and 1971. The coup followed growing street fighting between left and right-wing groups. Politicians were arrested and parliament, political parties and trade unions were dissolved. Following the coup at least 50 people were executed and around half a million were detained. Many were tortured and hundreds died in custody. Vice Admiral Isik Biren, who was an official in the defence ministry, and a former student activist, Murat Celikkan recount their different memories of that time. (Photo: Portraits of people killed or tortured during the coup displayed in a courthouse in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Credit: Adem Atlan/ Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is the BBC World Service and now witness history.
0:10.0	In September 1980, the military took control of Turkey and a coup.
0:14.0	In 2011 Jonathan Head spoke with two men on different sides of this defining moment in the country's history.
0:21.0	It's September the 12th, 1980.
0:23.4	It's 6 o'clock in the morning and Murat Chelecan, a 23-year-old student, is listening with friends
0:28.9	to the radio in his parents' home in Ankara.
0:31.8	We were expecting the coup, waiting for news about the coup, listening to the radio and
0:38.1	it came.
0:39.1	What did you actually hear?
0:40.1	Was it the announcement by General Kanan Everettran or was it just a news announcement?
0:44.0	I remember it was an announcement by Kanan Evran.
0:47.3	What did he say?
0:48.9	Enough is enough and now the army is taking over.
0:52.3	The politicians could not find a solution for that struggle between brothers and sisters.
1:00.0	So the parliament should be closed down and that's what I remember.
1:06.0	Dear citizens, once again I'd like to emphasize that the Turkish Armed Forces had to take
1:16.2	over the administration of the country in order to establish the comfort and happiness of the
1:21.5	Turkish nation.
1:23.0	Few people were surprised by the coup, the third in two decades.
1:27.0	Turkey was in turmoil at the time.
1:29.0	Every day right-wing gangs and leftist militants carried out tit for tat assassinations.
1:34.4	Political parties squabbling had paralyzed parliament.
	...

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