Turkey’s post-coup crackdown moves overseas


Date posted: August 1, 2016

Laura Pitel and Jack Farchy

The night after coup plotters put tanks on the streets of Istanbul and Ankara, Turkish doctors almost 5,000km away in Somalia were preparing for a late shift at Deva Hospital as normal.

The hospital, founded in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu five years ago by a Turkish charity, typically treated more than 100 patients a day. But that evening, under pressure from Turkey, a major donor to Somalia, the government announced it must close.

“We were in shock. So many times they told us we were doing a good job there. How on earth could it happen?” recalled one of the hospital’s eight Turkish doctors, who asked not to be named in order to protect his family.

The answer lies in Deva Hospital’s patrons — it was built and run by Kimse Yok Mu (Isn’t Anyone There), a global aid organisation linked to Fethullah Gulen, the exiled Turkish imam accused of masterminding the country’s failed coup on July 15.

In the wake of the attempted putsch, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not only purging the Muslim cleric’s alleged supporters at home in Turkey, but is also pressing countries around the world to crack down on Gulenist organisations. The diplomatic offensive is forcing nations to choose between their relations with Ankara and often popular local schools and hospitals, in a move that analysts warn could damage Turkey’s international ties and image.

Edil Baisalov, a former minister in Kyrgyzstan, says Gulen-linked schools have been an important tool of Turkish soft power in his country. “Ninety per cent of our closeness to this country and the sympathy [with it] is explained by how many of our youth — including my nephew — were educated in these schools,” he said. “If they throw us out of their orbit, I am sure the Russians will be very happy. Is this what Erdogan wants?”

In the early 1990s, the network of Mr Gulen’s supporters expanded beyond Turkey into the Balkans and central Asia, followed by south Asia, Latin America and Africa. At its peak, his supporters say, it was present in 160 countries.

Washington has demanded hard evidence for a demand to extradite Mr Gulen and US state authorities have largely resisted pressure to close charter schools allegedly linked to his movement. But governments more reliant on Turkey have simply ordered institutions to close. In post-Soviet central Asia and the Caucasus, Turkey is a crucial ally and counterweight to Russia and China.

Kyrgyzstan has borne the brunt of the pressure since the coup attempt. Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, has called Kyrgyzstan the “base” for Gulenists in the region, claiming that they have “infiltrated” the country’s institutions.

Bishkek has in return criticised Turkey for using “the language of ultimatums and blackmail” against an “independent, sovereign state” — but nonetheless the Kyrgyz foreign ministry said it would “take appropriate and timely action as necessary” in regard to 30 Gulen-linked schools and a university.

Azerbaijan, which counts Turkey as its closest ally, has suspended a TV station that had been planning to air an interview with Mr Gulen and has reshuffled the management of a Gulen-linked university.

In several cases, Turkey has offered to run the seized institutions, although it is expected to face legal challenges. Kimse Yok Mu, which was headquartered in Turkey and had more than 200,000 volunteers in 100 countries before being forcibly closed after the coup attempt, is understood to be preparing to take the decision to international courts.

Joshua Hendrick, an expert on the Gulen movement at Loyola University in Maryland, said Ankara faced a big challenge when it came to stepping into the shoes of its former allies.

Excerpted from FT, click below link to read the full article.

Source: Financial Times , August 1, 2016


Related News

Criticism rains down on gov’t for insisting on closing prep schools

In the meantime, BDP Co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş struck a similar tone to the prime minister regarding the prep schools’ closure, saying that prep courses must be shut down. Demirtaş said the closure is a political as well as commercial issue, casting doubts on the government’s desire but expressing his approval at shutting down prep schools.

Opposition does not believe Gulen movement was behind the coup attempt

Dr. Kadir Akyuz of University of Bridgeport, CT, USA has carried out a poll to find out who the general public believe was behind the bloody coup attempt in July 2915. According to his results, opposition does not believe the Gulen movement but it was conspired by the “deadly combo” of Tayyip Erdogan and Dogu Perincek.

Toward an Islamic enlightenment

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who has put forward an interpretation of Islam that advocates peace, democracy, secularism (in the sense of freedom of religion and conscience for all), science, education and a market economy, and who has supported interfaith dialogue and mutual understanding and respect for people of different ethnic and religious identities and lifestyles, has been the topic of much curiosity for native as well as foreign observers of Turkey.

Gülen movement reiterates principles, underlines transparency in statement

The faith-based network inspired by self-exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, known as Hizmet (service) or more commonly the Gülen movement, issued a statement on Tuesday reiterating its principles while emphasizing transparency.

Prominent theologian says Turkey in crisis with international community

American Professor Philip Clayton has said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s burning of bridges with the European Union after he received criticism from the bloc for detaining leading members of the media is a sign that Turkey is in crisis with the international community.

Turkey: Detained higher education professionals at risk of torture

Scholars at Risk (SAR) is gravely concerned about sweeping actions against Turkey’s higher education sector, including most recently prolonged incommunicado detention and related risks of torture and ill-treatment of hundreds of higher education professionals, in violation of Turkey’s obligations under domestic and international law.

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

In Erdogan regime western-oriented intellectuals, bureaucrats, liberals, Kurds, civil society activists in mortal danger

Fethullah Gülen’s Statement on the Shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada

Junior Coalition Partner Demands Explanation Why Bulgarian Govt Turned over Abdullah Buyuk to Turkey

The Independent: Turkish men ‘face torture’ after being extradited from Malaysia as post-coup crackdown continues

Are ambassadors propaganda officials for the ruling party?

Right to dissent in Turkey

‘Gulenists’ talk about finding a safe haven in Kosovo

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News