Read Turkish original here. The text has been edited easily for German version.
Deniz NAC is a 28-year-old Kurdish football player.
He was born in Germany, began playing football with FC Düren, n played for clubs like Bayer Leverkusen and FC St. Pauli, n went to Turkey and became captain at Amedspor.
Can DündarIs editor-in-chief of new Web portal Özgürüz, which he founded in Germany. He writes for time a weekly column about crisis in Turkey.
On penultimate weekend he was shot in his car at Aachen, where he was on a family visit. Two bullets hit car in full speed on freeway in Windows and tires. NAC was afraid of death. The perpetrators are fleeting.
It was not first attack on captain of Amedspor. Several attempts were made to Lynch Deniz NAC on away games. For words he had said, he was beaten up, booed, scolded and punished.
A look at Amedspor helps to better understand importance of current assassination attempt with regard to Turkey. The club comes from Diyarbakır. "Amed" is Kurdish name of city, which was banned for many years. The former "official" football team of Diyarbakır was a state project. In order to keep young people away from political organisations and to ensure integration of region in western part of country, club was pushed into first division at beginning of 2000s. But state support didn't do much good, club got off again. Meanwhile, in 2012/13 season anor team from city came into second league: it called itself "Amedspor" and entered with a logo in traditional Kurdish colors. There was no organic support from state this time, so population of Diyarbakır was much stronger behind ir team. This is how "Barcelona of Turkey" was created.
This article dates back to time No. 04/2018. Here you can read entire output.But, like birth of team, ir ascent was painful too. When Amedspor played abroad outside Kurdish provinces in west of country, re were racist slogans. The team was denied hotel rooms, players were treated in matches like terrorists and attacked by spectators who stormed into square. Team bosses were chased by kicks and punches from gallery. In press, team was declared a "terrorist supporter". In order not to have to take name of club into ir mouths, sports reporters simply said "The Da" and "those". Captain NAC was banned for twelve games because he made "ideological propaganda" in a message of peace on Twitter. New transfers to Amedspor are impossible because players are afraid.
On or hand, all reprisals of team in local provinces contributed all more respect. Just like Barcelona, Amedspor became a symbol of a people, of resistance, and of widespread support.
Amedspor is more than a football club and Deniz NAC is more than a football player. In this context, attack in Germany can be seen.
Anor aspect is treatment that NAC experienced after attack in Germany. The famous footballer told Turkish editor of German wave that after attack his mobile phone had been confiscated, his far, his bror and a friend had to testify, he himself was heard for nine hours. "They asked me which party I choose in Turkey and wher I nahestehe PKK." Questions about how Turkish police generally ask you to hear from German police, must have amazed him. Because NAC suspected nationalist Turkish groups in Germany behind attack. Wouldn't suspects have to be interrogated instead of him?
The shots aroused concern that this could be start of long-awaited attack campaign on Erdoğan opponents in Germany. It is to be remembered that at end of last month, member Garo Paylan in Turkey, some authors and intellectuals in Europe, especially in Germany, were planning assassinations. On Paylans warning, Turkish Public Prosecutor's Office took investigations, in Germany security authorities allegedly targeted persons under protection.
However, it is obvious that problem cannot be solved by protecting all target individuals individually. It is only possible to remedy alleged assassins who are preparing and organising mselves in Germany and to call on Erdoğan to withdraw hand he is extending to Europe.
From Turkish by Sabine Adatepe
Date Of Update: 21 January 2018, 12:02
