Erdoğan’s game plan for Hizmet

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz
Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz


Date posted: April 18, 2014

İHSAN YILMAZ

Last week, I was in Australia to participate in the launch of our recently published book “The Muslim World and Politics in Transition: Creative Contributions of the Gülen Movement,” that I edited with Greg Barton and Paul Weller. I also presented papers at a number of conferences, gave opening speeches at two meetings and gave seminars to the Australian-Turkish diaspora communities in Sydney, Australia. As far as Turkey’s democracy is concerned, the picture is gloomy from the perspective of the people that I spoke to. We, who live in Turkey, because we are addicted to or accustomed to the crises, perhaps do not recognize the seriousness of the situation. People abroad are very concerned about what is going on in Turkey and they emphasize that since authoritarianism is evolving very gradually, similar to the 1930s in Italy and Germany, people in Turkey may not realize where the process is headed.

What I tried to tell them is mainly two-fold. First, Turkey had the first democratically elected parliament in the Muslim world in 1876, and one-third of the deputies were non-Muslims. Having experienced the benefits of democracy for so long, the Turkish people, at least many millions of them, will not succumb to one-man rule for long. I gave them the Gezi protests as an example. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan could not create a one-man autocracy easily in Turkey and if he discards democracy, he will be the first to suffer the consequences. At least 55 percent of the people simply hate him because of his polarization tactics and constant hate speech and he cannot fully control the state, which has thousands of bureaucrats who appreciate the rule of law and democracy. They do not want to be part of Erdoğan’s crimes and they do not have any intention of turning a blind eye to them. Second, Turkey is not a petro-state, and thus, it needs foreign direct investment and cash flow from abroad for the economy to run smoothly and create jobs for the hundreds of thousands of young people who enter the job market every year. Turkey will not be able to attract foreign investors if it becomes authoritarian and does not respect the rule of law. Thus, Erdoğan is in a dead-end situation if he continues his authoritarianism. There is a point where the final straw will prompt people to say enough is enough. If, as we saw with Gezi Park, peaceful protests of dissent begin and Erdoğan cannot run the country smoothly and resorts to the use of police violence, it will certainly backfire.

On the other hand, if he agrees to revert back to democracy and the rule of law, people around him will have to deal with the corruption investigations. This is not something he wants, for the simple reason that the evidence against his people seems to be very strong. We will have to wait and see how he will surf the potentially deadly waves. But one thing is certain, he has not been able to convince 57 percent of the voters and it is probable that his 43 percent will decrease, not increase. There are several reasons, such as the fact that he will not be able to provide more economic wonders, people are getting fed up with polarization, more and more people are becoming concerned about authoritarianism and some of his voters are becoming uncomfortable with his attacks on the Hizmet volunteers, schools and charities. Yet, as I said, he does not have a real, workable choice, so thinking that his anti-Hizmet rhetoric worked for the local elections, he may continue to demonize and even to try to criminalize the Hizmet movement in an effort to brainwash his people into believing that he is the only one who can save the nation. We will see if this brings him the additional votes he needs to be elected president. Only time will tell.

Source: Todays Zaman , April 18, 2014


Related News

Unlawful acts revealed in police raids on Gülen-inspired schools

Another illegal practice was revealed on Wednesday regarding police raids on schools inspired by the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement, on Sept. 21, as officers refused to give a copy of the police report of seized items to school authorities despite demands by the institution’s lawyers.

Man behind Gülen probe also filed complaints about PM Erdoğan

An investigation into Gülen was launched by an Ankara prosecutor’s office earlier this week following a complaint filed by C.O. The former noncommissioned officer told the media that his complaint against the scholar was based on a number of reports that had appeared in government newspapers. “I am basing my complaint on newspaper reports and my thoughts. I am unhappy. I do not want to be promoted in the media or become popular. I do not like things like this. I have also filed many criminal complaints against the prime minister,” he said.

Turkey blacklists 68 companies including Germany’s Daimler, BASF over Gülen links

Turkey has named 68 companies as supporters of the Gülen movement, in a list sent to Germany’s federal police, according to Die Zeit weekly. The list included a Turkish fast food restaurant and a late-night food store, Die Zeit said.

Turkish minister’s leaked emails show pro-gov’t figure has eye on Gülen-linked dormitory

Leaked emails of Turkey’s energy minister and son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Berat Albayrak, have revealed plans by a pro-government figure to assume ownership of a dormitory in Kayseri province that used to be operated by the Gülen movement but was closed down by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government.

Alleged Hizmet link in Hablemitoğlu murder a lie, says widow

The wife of murdered academic Necip Hablemitoğlu has said a recent attempt to establish a connection between the assassination of her husband and the Hizmet movement is an effort to turn her against the movement.

Mr. Gülen’s felicitous advice on Kurdish issue, freedoms

BÜLENT KENEŞ The interview Mr. Fethullah Gülen, a well-respected Turkish-Islamic scholar, gave to Rudaw, an online newspaper in northern Iraq’s Arbil, resounded powerfully in the Turkish media. I must note that it would be wrong to analyze the views Mr. Gülen expressed in this interview within the scope of the developments that have occurred in the wake of […]

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

Turkish family kept at Kiev airport for days at Turkey’s request

Afghan education minister recommends Turkish schools in each province

Alaton: I’m telling everyone about Turkish schools’ contribution to world peace

A new Exilic Community: The Hizmet Movement

What Is Next In Turkey?

Turkish Gov’t Seizes 965 Gülen Movement Affiliated Firms With $11.3 Billion Worth

US intel director: Turkish purge impeding fight against ‘Islamic State’

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News