Turkish nationals in South Africa fear abductions

Nizamiye Mosque Complex in Midrand. Picture: Facebook
Nizamiye Mosque Complex in Midrand. Picture: Facebook


Date posted: April 24, 2018

BONGANI NKOSI

Johannesburg – “Yesterday we were sitting together, today they call us terrorists. Immediately overnight they changed.”

A conspicuously distressed Turkish national uttered these words during an interview with The Star at the Nizamiye Mosque Complex in Midrand.

Asking for anonymity, fearing reprisals, the executive from the Horizon Education Trust was referring to the growing animosity between a majority of members of the Turkish community in South Africa and their embassy.

The Horizon Education Trust, which runs Turkish schools in South Africa, is aligned to the Gülen movement. Started in 1960 by Fethullah Gülen, who is currently exiled in the US, the movement boasts a network of NGOs, schools and businesses.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s regime has accused this transnational, philosophy-based movement of attempting to dethrone him from power through a violent coup d’etat two years ago.

The Gülen movement has repeatedly denied it was behind the attempted coup that claimed about 250 lives and left over 2 000 people injured.

Elif Çomolu Ülgen, Turkey’s ambassador to South Africa, told The Star that members of the movement were terrorists. Ülgen refused to reply to questions, opting only to offer a statement.

“This group is not an innocent civil society group or a religious group. They are, unfortunately, a terrorist group.

“They are working through schools and other business structures in more than 150 countries around the world,” she said.

However, the Horizon Education Trust official and a fellow Turk working for the Universal Rights Association rejected this as propaganda meant to besmirch expatriate Turks believed to be linked to the Gülen movement.

“They know we’re not terrorists. But it’s very easy for them to name us that,” said the education trust executive.

He said their schools used to enjoy a cordial relationship with the embassy. “They were also participating in our activities as an NGO. Ambassadors came to this mosque many times when we invited them.

“They were supporting us and we also supported them when they had programmes. We didn’t have problems.”

The Universal Rights Association activist said the embassy’s attitude towards many Turkish schools, NGOs and businesses operating in South Africa had changed suddenly.

“Before the coup attempt they (embassy) changed their policies. They wanted our institutions to become like a propaganda centre for them.

“We told them we’re NGOs, we can’t accept that. We’re not here to promote Turkey or Turkish nationalism, but education by dialogue and peace.

“Because they can see we’re active in 160 countries, in most countries they didn’t even have embassies, so they wanted to use us.

“They threatened us that, ‘if you guys don’t support us and become part of our agenda, we’re going to present your group as terrorists in the world and we’ll finish you’.”

Ülgen, on the other hand, said the Gülen movement was a terrorist organisation with a stronghold in South Africa. “(The country) has unfortunately kind of provided a safe haven for those people who are running away from the legal procedures in Turkey. There is a political dialogue ongoing with Turkey and South Africa about their presence and their structures (in the country).”

The Erdoğan regime has admitted to abducting 80 Turks allegedly linked to the Gülen movement from 18 countries. “Wherever they are, we will package them up and bring them (to Turkey), God willing,” Erdoğan recently told the media.

Ndivhuwo Mabaya, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said: “As government, we can’t comment on speculation. Unless you’re saying there are Turkish citizens who are being abducted (from South Africa), that’s something else.”

Amnesty International’s Southern African spokesperson Robert Shivambu has urged the Erdoğan regime to respect human rights. “People should be allowed to express themselves.”

 

Source: The Star , April 23, 2018


Related News

Gülen Movement done nothing wrong, rather improved lives of the masses

No doubt that Turkey’s Schindler’s List today involves members of the Gülen movement who have done nothing wrong other than volunteering their time, money and expertise to improve the lives of people around themselves. They are viciously being demonized and vilified by Turkey’s President Erdoğan because they stood up against this tyrant’s massive corruption dragnet and arming of radical militants in other countries.

Government blocks bank accounts of aid organization

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government’s efforts to disrupt the work of Turkey’s leading aid organization Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There) continues with the unlawful blocking of the organization’s bank accounts on Oct. 22.

Gülen’s lawyer denies allegation of plot against Erdoğan’s daughter, calls it ’immoral slander’

A lawyer for Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen categorically denied claims by pro-government newspapers that Gülen ordered the assassination of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s daughter Sümeyye Erdoğan ahead of the June 7 general elections, calling the allegations “immoral slander” that he regrets even having to deny.

Old reflexes of media against faith will rise again

The author says his book offers documents and detailed data on smear campaigns against religious people, including publications such as “Haliç’te Yaşayan Simonlar” (Simons in the Golden Horn) by Hanefi Avcı, “İmamın Ordusu” (The Imam’s Army) by Ahmet Şık, news portal Odatv and other websites used as tools in such smear campaigns. 11 December 2011, […]

‘Power struggle with Gulen movement weakens Erdogan’

The [Hizmet] movement was formed by Gulen’s sermons – he knew how to reinterpret Islam’s moral and ethical demands. It’s not just about continuing traditions, but about exploring nature, seeing God in the laws of nature and the laws of physics and about finding God again.

Gülen says many would like to be in detained journalists’ shoes

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen has said he believes many people, including he himself, would like to be in the shoes of Zaman daily Editor-in-Chief Ekrem Dumanlı and Samanyolu Broadcasting Group General Manager Hidayet Karaca, who were detained in a police operation on Sunday, implying that it is an honor for the journalists to be in custody under Turkey’s current circumstances.

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

The letter that united America

‘Consider your husband dead, start a new life,’ prosecutor tells detainee’s wife

British lawyers warn of human rights violations in Turkey [against Gulen Movement]

Goods signed by Obama, Stallone auctioned at Turkish organization fundraiser

Biden says US courts to decide on Gülen’s extradition

Hizmet Movement NGOs from 80 nations share intercultural experiences at GYV meeting

Failed 2016 coup was gov’t plot to purge Gülenists from state bodies, journalist claims

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News