(For English readers : in French, the word cafard describes the bug known as ‘cockroach’. It also designates a police informer.)
Today, I offered my neighbor flowers. You find that odd?
Well, I have to tell you I was only taking out an insurance.
Ah ! I haven’t told you about the cockroaches in the building yet. Let me make up for my oversight.
As I can’t make heads nor tail out of all the decrees handed down by this AKP government since the blessed coup, let me simplify by saying that, in August 2015, Turkey adopted the Far-West regime, more or less.
Here we are, all of us, turned into “bounty hunters”. No need to kill the wanted person, all you need to do is dial the numbers, send the emails or, slinking along the grey walls, make your way to the police station.
Denouncing a “terrorist” can guarantee your old age pension, if it’s a “big fish” (up to 900 000 €). But don’t mention it to the taxi driver on your way to the police, he might dash in before you and pocket the money. With this new fashion, some taxis now come fully equiped with microphones and cameras. Don’t discuss it with the person in charge of light bulbs in your building either (the light bulb is the AKP’s symbol), he would grab the bounty first.
I’m talking to you about this all of a sudden because I read in one of the rags that a leader declared his satisfaction, since informers have made possible the “neutralization of at least 600 terrorists”.
All right, considering the number of potential informers, that isn’t much, and that’s reassuring. But I think of all those who had to provide evidence against their false allegations.
Plus, it is public knowledge that in the files of tens of thousands of persons being held in custody awaiting further injustice, there are “blank testimonies” provided by “secret witnesses” who never appear in court.
You may even denounce from abroad, just think of it.
You still have an eye on the neighbor’s appartment and he doesn’t want to sell… Ask around, maybe he had a housekeeper with a bank account in a FETÖ bank.
Because, yes, you still need some excuse… You don’t think the government would hand over the money just like that. The excuse has to have something to do with terrorism… If you follow the ongoing trials, you’ll see that terrorism is like the teacups you put under each glass, there are so many models to choose from… It’s the label you stick on those who still dare stand up or claim their rights.
I can’t resist the pleasure of presenting the website where you can go squeal but don’t expect me to provide a direct link…Search around, type “list of wanted terrorists” in Turkish, which is to say “aranan teroristler listesi”. You’ll come straight across it…
I clicked on the beehives with caution, and didn’t find my name in them. But those photos give you the jitters.
I can’t help thinking that’s the whole idea. And if there’s talk today in the rags of this “Turkish Wanted List”, it’s to lay on an extra layer of fear.
So you understand now… about the flowers I gave to my mustachioed neighbor on the 3rd floor. You won’t go stool on me just for that, will you?
In fact, I didn’t come back to talk to you about life insurance. I just wanted to reassure you over my prolonged absence.
But my big prison isn’t doing any better.
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Illustration : A elion’s mouthe, mailbox for anonymous denunciations in the Doge’s Palace, Venice (Italy)
Translation by Renée Lucie Bourges
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En français : “Turquie • Les cafards, ça dénonce énormément” Cliquez pour lire