The Cambodian Higher Education Association (CHEA) released a statement on Saturday defending Zaman University against calls for its closure over alleged links to a group blamed for the failed coup in Turkey last month.
The statement dismissed Turkish Ambassador Ilhan Kemal Tug’s claims that the university—along with Zaman’s primary school and high school—was affiliated with a “terrorist organization,” as well as his request that it be shuttered.
“The request for the closure of private Zaman institutes proposed by a Turkish high-ranking diplomat had no clear evidence and has not proven legitimate yet, and causes concern over the future of Cambodian students who are studying now,” it said.
“Under any circumstance,” the group said, it would “continue to support Zaman institute.”
Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it was considering the ambassador’s diplomatic request to close Zaman’s schools.
Zaman had condemned the coup in Turkey and denied any formal connection to cleric Fethullah Gulen.
We are going through a very critical period. We need the common sense and support of all the precious members of the Hizmet movement as we have never needed them before. We must protect our democratic gains. I pen this article as a person who closely sided with the Hizmet movement during the attacks of Ergenekon — a clandestine organization nested within the state trying to overthrow or manipulate the democratically elected government — and the deep state, and who backed its justified objections to the government’s plan to shut down the prep schools.
Turkish schools are being closed down
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu stated he had ordered the closure of Turkish schools in 160 countries, arguing that the officials of those schools had sent letters to the leaders of foreign countries in which they complained about the Turkish government. The closure of these schools is a serious step, but the reason for the closure is not based on real evidence.
Kyrgyz court overturns extradition of suspected Gülenists to Turkey
A Kyrgyzstan court on Tuesday overturned a decision by the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office to extradite two people to Turkey to face charges of membership of the banned Gülen movement, The Diplomat reported.
Fethullah Gülen: President Erdogan is suffering from power poisoning
Mr. Erdogan’s witch-hunt in Turkey accelerated with the globalization of the Hizmet movement. When he closed the doors to activities such as language and culture festivals, other countries welcomed them. When Mr. Erdogan urged Turkish ambassadors to lobby their respective foreign governments to help close down schools started by Hizmet participants, those governments refused to go along.
Abundant accusations [against Hizmet], little evidence
The Turkish media – or what is left of it – has already found Fethullah Gülen guilty of the coup attempt on July 15. When challenged about the evidence, the most common reply is “Come to Turkey and see” or “Everyone in Turkey thinks this way.” This almost unanimous opinion is not a coincidence, and it does imply a monopoly over the Turkish media rather than any objective fact.
Election results and the Hizmet movement
Unlike the perception that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan tried to create, with the help of tremendous media power, the contention in the run-up to the elections was never between the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Hizmet movement (or the so-called foreign forces that colluded with it).
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