To escape punishment, punish them all


Date posted: April 10, 2014

YAVUZ BAYDAR

The ongoing war to grab so much power has to do with the way Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to perceive the world, and his government does not feel that there should still be dissent — however reasonable — about the methods it uses to manage the country.

We have now entered a new period during which the resiliency of Turkey’s citizens to “one-man rule” will be tested to the limit.

The recent assault on Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has shown how vulnerable the social fabric has become here.

It follows rhetoric, designed and fiercely promoted by Erdoğan, that not only demonizes whoever gets in his way but also intends to criminalize whoever dares to disagree with him.

Violence starts when the limit of ugly words has been reached. The downwards spiral is now being opened, and it has to be fought off.

Welcome to the era of open-ended antagonism.

As if he has all the time in the world, Erdoğan is apparently keen on giving the highest priority to closing the schools that volunteers of the Hizmet movement have opened in more than 150 countries.

Also, Turkish ambassadors tell their counterparts wherever they are that these schools must be shut down.

This ridiculous U-turn is enough to spread joy among Turkey’s foes, as “These Turks have decided to shoot themselves in the foot again.”

Much has been said and written about these schools, which operate on five continents, so I do not have to go into the details. To plot for the closure of these schools, which have constantly been under the supervision of state institutions wherever they are, is, if not foolish and immoral, then vicious.

Attacking legitimate education centers, instead of targets that represent evil, horror and terror, cannot be explained otherwise.

These schools, where staff from Turkey teach the sciences and Turkish (on an optional basis) and cooperate with local staff, who teach the social sciences and the national curriculum, have become meeting points between cultures, inviting the Turkish Hizmet volunteers to learn about “the other” and vice versa. The students, often of a lower-middle-class background, graduate with satisfaction and a fine knowledge of Turkish people.

This Fethullah Gülen-inspired school project is arguably the best activity that Turkey has successfully implemented in the name of the “cultural globalization” of the benevolent Anatolian tradition of Sufism, shaped by the great thinker Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, who preached knowing the other and loving the other. It unleashed an enormous energy to show the world the most profoundly humanistic aspects of civil Islam.

It has managed to do so — as opposed to many other “schools,” which taught hatred and glorified violence against the other creeds as infidels — by excluding any teaching on Islam. In these schools all faiths meet and learn about one another. The satisfaction of parents also displays their approval of the project.

To engage in the closure of such a well-functioning and renowned school project is like pulling the trigger with the gun against your temple.

Why is Erdoğan now pushing other governments to exterminate these schools? He has done so openly with Azerbaijan and will not be stopped from doing so with other leaders.

The Turkish prime minister has decided that if he continues to be angry and vengeful, his power will be cemented. In his latest address in Parliament, he pushed his angry discourse to higher — or lower — levels, to make clear that he will not forgive and he will punish.

Since he has chosen the Hizmet movement as the enemy, all he wants to do is inflict harm, regardless of on who or what.

As an independent commentator who is not at all affiliated with the Gülen movement, I have been demanding that the government find and prosecute, in a credible manner, with a convincing set of evidence, anyone who has committed a crime within the state apparatus. Apparently the “parallel state” discourse is a fairy tale, since there have been no results.

A witch hunt is much easier, of course. It helps one escape the accountability of graft allegations, building impunity, while civilians whose only “crime” is disagreement with government policies are made to suffer.

Welcome to the medieval age.

Source : (Today’s Zaman)

COLUMNISTS 10 April 2014, Thursday 0 Share on facebook 0 Share on google 0
YAVUZ BAYDAR
y.baydar@todayszaman.com
YAVUZ BAYDAR

To escape punishment, punish them all

The ongoing war to grab so much power has to do with the way Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan continues to perceive the world, and his government does not feel that there should still be dissent — however reasonable — about the methods it uses to manage the country.
We have now entered a new period during which the resiliency of Turkey’s citizens to “one-man rule” will be tested to the limit.

The recent assault on Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), has shown how vulnerable the social fabric has become here.

It follows rhetoric, designed and fiercely promoted by Erdoğan, that not only demonizes whoever gets in his way but also intends to criminalize whoever dares to disagree with him.

Violence starts when the limit of ugly words has been reached. The downwards spiral is now being opened, and it has to be fought off.

Welcome to the era of open-ended antagonism.

As if he has all the time in the world, Erdoğan is apparently keen on giving the highest priority to closing the schools that volunteers of the Hizmet movement have opened in more than 150 countries.

Also, Turkish ambassadors tell their counterparts wherever they are that these schools must be shut down.

This ridiculous U-turn is enough to spread joy among Turkey’s foes, as “These Turks have decided to shoot themselves in the foot again.”

Much has been said and written about these schools, which operate on five continents, so I do not have to go into the details. To plot for the closure of these schools, which have constantly been under the supervision of state institutions wherever they are, is, if not foolish and immoral, then vicious.

Attacking legitimate education centers, instead of targets that represent evil, horror and terror, cannot be explained otherwise.

These schools, where staff from Turkey teach the sciences and Turkish (on an optional basis) and cooperate with local staff, who teach the social sciences and the national curriculum, have become meeting points between cultures, inviting the Turkish Hizmet volunteers to learn about “the other” and vice versa. The students, often of a lower-middle-class background, graduate with satisfaction and a fine knowledge of Turkish people.

This Fethullah Gülen-inspired school project is arguably the best activity that Turkey has successfully implemented in the name of the “cultural globalization” of the benevolent Anatolian tradition of Sufism, shaped by the great thinker Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, who preached knowing the other and loving the other. It unleashed an enormous energy to show the world the most profoundly humanistic aspects of civil Islam.

It has managed to do so — as opposed to many other “schools,” which taught hatred and glorified violence against the other creeds as infidels — by excluding any teaching on Islam. In these schools all faiths meet and learn about one another. The satisfaction of parents also displays their approval of the project.

To engage in the closure of such a well-functioning and renowned school project is like pulling the trigger with the gun against your temple.

Why is Erdoğan now pushing other governments to exterminate these schools? He has done so openly with Azerbaijan and will not be stopped from doing so with other leaders.

The Turkish prime minister has decided that if he continues to be angry and vengeful, his power will be cemented. In his latest address in Parliament, he pushed his angry discourse to higher — or lower — levels, to make clear that he will not forgive and he will punish.

Since he has chosen the Hizmet movement as the enemy, all he wants to do is inflict harm, regardless of on who or what.

As an independent commentator who is not at all affiliated with the Gülen movement, I have been demanding that the government find and prosecute, in a credible manner, with a convincing set of evidence, anyone who has committed a crime within the state apparatus. Apparently the “parallel state” discourse is a fairy tale, since there have been no results.

A witch hunt is much easier, of course. It helps one escape the accountability of graft allegations, building impunity, while civilians whose only “crime” is disagreement with government policies are made to suffer.

Welcome to the medieval age.

Source: Todays Zaman , April 10, 2014


Related News

Turkish experience in Sudan: making a difference

ABDULLAH BOZKURT Turkish volunteers also established what many here say is a very accomplished school in the capital, nurturing and educating future generations of Sudanese who will be keen to maintain friendly ties between the two nations. I was not planning to end up in Darfur last week when I booked the flight to Ankara […]

Unexpected consequences [of prep schools in Turkey]

The hottest debate in Turkey today is about the abolishment or, officially, the “transformation” of the private university prep schools. These are private enterprises. They are not schools but provide additional education to high school students to increase their ability to succeed in the nationwide university exams held every year.

Only educational efforts of groups such as Hizmet can eradicate extremism

In sharp contrast to Boko Haram, there is a faith-inspired group, a civil society movement that engages in education, dialogue and charitable activities and has grown out of Muslim grass roots. Check out how disturbed Boko Haram is about Hizmet’s education campaign, which offers opportunities for both boys and girls. Check out how ISIL publications outline exactly how they hate the Hizmet movement’s efforts and why they see Hizmet as their “enemies.”

Opposition CHP to take Gül-approved dershane law to Constitutional Court

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is preparing to take a controversial law closing Turkey’s dershanes, or private preparatory schools, to the Constitutional Court, the party said a day after President Abdullah Gül signed the bill into law on Wednesday.

Kimse Yok Mu chair Cingöz: Everyone feels some type of oppression in Turkey

Kimse Yok Mu was designated a nongovernmental organization in March 2002. It had started its work following a devastating earthquake in Turkey in August 1999. Kimse Yok Mu now reaches out to different regions of the world affected by catastrophes. It is officially recognized by Turkey as an association that works for “public interest.”

A Turkish family has disappeared in Pakistan, and suspicion turns to intelligence agencies

“The police are expressing ignorance about the picking up of Mr. Mesut, so who did this?” asked Muhammed Zubair, a doctor whose children attended the PakTurk school in Peshawar and who represents the parent-teacher association. “This is a dangerous trend and will send a negative image of Pakistan abroad.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Tajik-Turkish Schools excel in Science Olympiads

AK Party, Hizmet movement and politics

TÜBİTAK official says forced to make changes to bugging device report

Municipality shuts down three reading halls in Adıyaman

Vocational training center for the women in Albany

US avoids commenting on Gülen’s extradition

Turkey, The great purge – Four lives upturned by Erdogan’s ‘cleansing.’ Episode 1 – Asli

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News