General Hilmi Ozkok, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Turkey in a message on the occasion declared that from the ashes of history after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire Ataturk brought to existence 'free, secular state, which was no less important than the French Revolution of 1789'.

AtaTurk established the Republic in 1923 and died in 1938. During this brief period he instituted an astonishing variety of reforms which have totally transformed the Turkish society. Interestingly these reforms are felt strongly daily. To name a few:

He moved the capital from Istanbul, long the capital of the Ottoman Empire, to Ankara, in the heart of Anatolia, some 400 kilometres inland from Istanbul. From a tiny village Ankara has become a large and modern metropolis with a population of over five million. AtaTurk changed the script from Arabic to Latin and changed it to suit Turkish conditions. Thus literacy shot up dramatically in Turkey. Dress was changed and the famous Fez (known in our part of the world as Turkish cap) was consigned to history.

Women's emancipation was one of important targets of AtaTurk and he forbade the veil. The veil has made a semi entry amongst some Turkish women in the shape of what is known here as 'tesettur', that is a long coat with head scarf and face open. This has, however, caused controversy here as for instance Turkish ladies will not be invited to accompany their VIP husbands to state functions. There is problem in the education field as in France, where head scarf is disallowed for students in the seats of learning.

Of all the reforms of AtaTurk, the centerpiece is no doubt secularism. In other words AtaTurk decreed that state affairs must remain separate from religious practices. His argument was that in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire the fact that religion played a role in state affairs was largely responsible. The Arab component of the Empire had largely disappeared although the Sultan in Istanbul continued to hold the title of Sheikh-ul-Islam and protector of the two Harams in Makkah al Mukarramah and Madina al Munawara. Steeped in superstition due largely to illiteracy, AtaTurk decided that one way to extricate his society from backwardness was through separation of state from religion.

Mustafa Kemal AtaTurk made his Armed Forces the guarantor of all his reforms. And the Turkish Armed Forces take this responsibility very seriously. When they sensed that the policies of Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan was a threat to the secular principles of Turkey, they intervened directly and removed Erbakan. Thanks to a very high degree of integrity and discipline the actions of the Armed Forces are accepted by the Turkish population unquestioningly. As the Armed Forces are patriotic in the real sense of the term, they enjoy great affection. The Turkish Armed Forces operate through the National Security Council, which meets regularly under the President of the Republic and is attended by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence and high officials and top brass of the Armed Forces. This is the highest policy making body of Turkey.

Multiparty democracy started in Turkey in 1950, with the election of the opposition Democrat party to power. This half a century journey has not been very smooth. Right now an elected Government led by Prime Minister Recep Tayiip Erdogan holds the reins of power. His newly formed Justice and Development Party (AKP) won an astonishing victory nearly two years ago. This centre right party has Islamic leanings but is careful not to fall in the pitfalls of Erbakan. The Armed Forces keeps a wary watch on all such matters.

It is an interesting thought that of all the strong rulers that emerged after the First World War only Lenin has half survived although his system collapsed. Mustafa Kemal AtaTurk has not only survived for more than six decades now, his revolutionary reforms have taken strong roots and seems to gain in strength with the passage of time. It must be due to the great love of freedom that the Turkish people have and that AtaTurk threw away the chains of slavery following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. AtaTurk made his beloved Armed Forces the guardian of his revolutionary reforms.

Arshad-uz-Zaman is a former Ambassador.