Our university’s Second International Coup Symposium entitled "Coup Cases and National Sovereignty Culture from May 27, 1960 to July 15, 2016" was organized with the participation of the Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci at the Atatürk Congress Centre on 28 May 2018.
Our Rector, Prof. Dr. Cavit Bircan welcomed the panelists and visitors before the opening ceremony.
The Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, members of the Symposium’s Honorary commission Aydın Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger, Denizli Governor Hasan Karahan, Aydın Deputies Mehmet Erdem, Mustafa Savaş and Abdurrahman Öz, Manisa Deputy and Acting Head of the Turkish Parliament Coup Research Commission Selçuk Özdağ Chief Prosecutor Kasım Tüten, ADÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Cavit Bircan, Palestinian Ambassador to Ankara Faed Mustafa and President of the Advisory Council on Human Civilization Movement Mehmet Güney, protocol members, coup victims, veterans and many guests attended.
After the National Anthem and a minute’s silence, Rector Prof. Dr. Cavit Bircan gave the opening speech. Prof. Dr. Cavit Bircan, in his speech, stated that being the Rector of a university bearing the name of a prime minister who has been removed from power in an illegitimate way had brought a different meaning and responsibility. Prof. Dr. Bircan said that they were acting with this awareness and responsibility on July 15th.
Prof. Dr. Bircan stated that the programme was planned with the thought that if there is anything to say about the coup and if a symposium is to be held, then this should be done at Adnan Menderes University and said “As children of a nation tested by coups in every period from the time of our late Prime Minister until the present, we have taken important steps towards the nation's sovereignty, leaving behind our painful experiences of 15 July 2016. In the land where the late Adnan Menderes, who was one of the most important losses for our Republic’s democracy, grew up, we have always given importance to democratic society and democracy culture as members of the university bearing his name. Last year we carried out our first symposium on 3 days at the beginning of Ramadan. We will show effort in order for national sovereignty to continue forever. Our Coup Symposium will continue with this consciousness in the coming years. "
Our provincial Governor Yavuz Selim Köşger said that we are a country which has been affected by coups both in the near and distant past and likened coups to microbes and said, "The producers of these microbes need to be removed." Köşger said, "Much work falls to scientific institutions and universities in order to scientifically analyze the mediums and cases creating coups. I wish these kinds of symposiums continue. Allah should not bring this country to another coup and attempted coup".
Mr. Mehmet Güney, President of the Advisory Council on Human Civilization Movement, pointed out that he was honoured to be at a university bearing the name of our deceased Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and stated "I hope this is the final coup attempt. Countries which suffer coups lose their reputation, and the price is paid by the people in front and young people. For this reason, young people should watch these symposiums carefully".
The Palestinian Ambassador Faed Mustafa, who began his speech by saluting free people from all over the world who support their struggle against Israel, stated that the United States of Amercica declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was without legal basis. He stated that this decision did not in any way undermine Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. He also thanked Turkey for their support for Palestine.
The Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, who started his speech by wishing peace for all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for democracy said "I commemorate Adnan Menderes, who was executed together with the leader of the Ayyildiz Gang of the War of Independence and two ministers".
The Minister said "We have been exposed to many coups. We did not see May 27 but we experienced the September 12 coup. When we woke up in the morning, national marches were being played on the radio. Those who were in charge of protecting the country were confiscating the will of the nation. People carrying out the coup said 'We waited for the situation to become suitable. Then,- not to be unjust – we hanged them one to the right an done to the left. Some of them were hanged by increasing their ages. Then came February 28th. This was a coup with a post-modern impact that will last for a thousand years. On February 28, the shape of coups was also changed. It was a coup of beliefs and economic and educational freedom. 27 April, e-muhtıra and then 15 July. I will not mention the others in between these. But 15 July was a different coup.
In the 1950 elections, the late Menderes was elected with 47.87% of the vote. The nation's well-being was very good and its citizens had no complaints. He was a very big dream, a man of ambition. The night he was executed was the darkest night. But every night has a morning after it. The morning brought embarrassment. This embarrassment, perhaps also on 15 July, caused people to take to the streets like steel. On 15 July, these people did a coup to the coup plotters. They took control of the country. These people made a democracy revolution that will be written in gold letters in the history of world democracy".
At the end of the symposium, Governor Köşger presented Zeybekci with a ceramic plate. Prof. Dr. Bircan presented a book set of the Coup Symposium.
