Parents protest demolition of Fatih College wall

Parents of Fatih College students gathered on Wednesday to protest the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s destruction school’s wall. (Photo: Today's Zaman)
Parents of Fatih College students gathered on Wednesday to protest the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s destruction school’s wall. (Photo: Today's Zaman)


Date posted: October 9, 2014

Parents from Merter Fatih College gathered in front of the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality building on Wednesday to protest the demolition the wall of the school as well as a security cabin in the school’s courtyard by municipal teams in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The municipality, which is run by the governing Justice and Development Party (AK Party), had earlier decided to construct a road through the courtyard of the school, which is affiliated with the Hizmet movement — one of the largest faith-based communities in Turkey.

Teams from the municipality arrived at the school around midnight and rapidly demolished one of the walls surrounding the courtyard and a security cabin nearby. Sources said the municipality did not send any written warning to the school administration about the demolition plans beforehand. What was more unusual was that the demolition took place at midnight and during Eid — an official holiday in Turkey.

Lawyer Fikret Duran said he will file a law suit against the municipality and demand that the municipality compensate the financial loss incurred to the school by the demolition.

The school’s parent-teacher association head, Nezihe Ehli, said schools are the places where the next generation is shaped. These institutions must be cared for as they are home to some of the best students in the city, Ehli added. Ehli also noted that Fatih College’s Merter campus had outstanding successes between 2005 and 2014, having champions in high schools entry exams, national and international scientific, sportive and cultural Olympiads and many awards from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK). The school has been open for 20 years.

Neşe Solgun, a parent of a child at Fatih College, said the students will not be secure if there is no wall around the school and that it is meaningless to build a road through the middle of the school. “Why are they doing this work at this time?,” Solgun asked, saying that the municipality purposefully started the demolition now and not during summer vacation.

Source: Today's Zaman , October 8, 2014


Related News

“Like a Storm”: Deportations Stun Turks in Kosovo

The families of six Turkish nationals hastily deported from Kosovo to Turkey in a secretive intelligence operation speak of violence, fear and uncertainty.

AK Party provincial board member resigns after insults

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) İzmir provincial board member Emine Yenen has resigned from the party after being subjected to insults and discriminatory treatment by party members.

Daily Trust Editorial: In Turkey, fresh affront on democracy

The AKP government, under emergency rule, has taken over hundreds companies, seized the assets of businessmen and shut down institutions linked to the movement. Despite the fact that Gülen denied the accusation and called for an international investigation into the coup attempt, President Erdoğan – calling the coup attempt “a gift from God” – and the Turkish government launched a widespread purge aimed at cleansing sympathizers of the movement.

The Muslim Cleric Who Fell in Love With Democracy

Gülen say, “The principles and form of government that form the basis of democracy are compatible with Islamic values. Consultation, justice, freedom of religion, protection of the rights of individuals and minorities, the people’s say in the election of those who would govern them…[are] principles espoused by both Islam and democracy.”

Russian scholar: Gülen promotes peaceful education for a world mired in conflict

Prominent Russian scholar Professor Rostislav Ribakov has praised US-based Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen for the schools opened around the world by his supporters, saying that these schools are bringing up a new generation of students who uphold world peace.

When paths part…

ORHAN MİROĞLU The Hizmet movement and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) have arrived at a critical junction in the road. The main problems that have emerged on the route towards this critical junction are of course not limited to the debates and disagreements surrounding the question of the closure of the prep schools. […]

Latest News

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

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

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

Old reflexes of media against faith will rise again

Erdoğan’s image in the West

HRW to Turkey: Investigate Ankara abductions, disappearances

Spy agency planning false-flag terror acts in crowded areas, whistleblower claims

Islamic scholar Gülen urges followers to remain calm in face of insults

Boat carrying Turkish asylum seekers capsizes off Greece, killing 3 children and 3 others

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News