Turkish experience in Sudan: making a difference


Date posted: February 12, 2011

ABDULLAH BOZKURT

Turkish volunteers also established what many here say is a very accomplished school in the capital, nurturing and educating future generations of Sudanese who will be keen to maintain friendly ties between the two nations.

I was not planning to end up in Darfur last week when I booked the flight to Ankara from Strasbourg, where I covered the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. In fact, the next day, I was already scheduled to depart for Egypt to meet with the prime minister, foreign minister and other Egyptian officials until I got a last-minute call during a short layover in Munich for a connecting flight.

An official on the phone from the Egyptian Embassy in Ankara was advising me to delay my departure until the dust settled in his homeland.

While I was ready to relax and planned to take the week off, I got another call, this time from the office of State Minister Faruk Çelik, asking me if I was available to travel with the minister to Khartoum and then to Darfur. In an instinctive response, I said yes to a trip that would take me not to Egypt but to its neighbor across the southern border. I thought this would give me a chance to see the situation on the ground in Darfur. Well it did.

Despite all the criticism and the occasional outcry leveled at Turkish foreign policy vis-à-vis Sudan, some of which I share as well, one thing was made clear to me during this trip: Turks are really making a difference on the ground in Darfur no matter what critics say. Both the government-run Red Crescent Society and nongovernmental organizations like Kimse Yok Mu from Turkey are working hard on a daily basis to improve the lives of war-fatigued Darfur residents, numbering around 4 million.

One volunteer at the Red Crescent was telling me that Turks are the only ones who can wander the streets of Darfur without any fear of attack or provocation. The people of Darfur in particular and the Sudanese in general seem to have opened up their hearts to Turks, who apparently came to these people for no other reason than that of extending a helping hand to citizens in this struggling country. For example, the trust built up over time with Turkish doctors really made the field hospitals run by Turks one of the most attractive centers for those who seek treatment. The rumors of experimental trials run by Western drug companies still linger in the streets of Darfur.

There are many success stories here that could make intriguing news pieces. One businessman was telling me how he dodged a traffic ticket when police found out that he was Turkish, and others were recalling different tales, all showing the warmth of the Sudanese people for Turkish expats living and working here. Turks have been able to convert this goodwill into successful enterprises as well by recently winning a number of lucrative state contracts to build a highway, bridges and part of the new airport.

Turkish volunteers also established what many here say is a very accomplished school in the capital, nurturing and educating future generations of Sudanese who will be keen to maintain friendly ties between the two nations. The school, established in 1999, quickly turned out to be a very successful institution, ranking fourth among close to 800 private schools operating in the capital of Khartoum. Kimse Yok Mu is also planning to establish a school with a capacity of 600 students in the capital of Darfur near the airport. They have already acquired the land and drawn up projects, and soon they will break ground, I have been told.

Not only at the leadership level, but there is a sense of a strong bond with Turkey among the average people as well. It has been demonstrated time and again as Turkish State Minister Çelik made appearances with locals on a couple occasions. At the groundbreaking ceremony for a hospital building in Nyala, the event presenter was reminding the audience of the historical fact that they are the descendents of the Ottomans who once ruled this region in the 17th century. There are historic buildings around Khartoum that include a mosque built by the Ottoman governor of the time. In reciprocal remarks, Çelik thanked the Sudanese people for their support for the Ottoman Turks during World War I, vowing their contribution would never be forgotten.

 

Source: Today's Zaman , 08 February 2011


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.

PakTurk schools organise Pakistan’s largest mathematics Olympiad

Renowned Scientist Dr Samar Mubarakmand was the chief guest and distributed the certificates, plaques, and cash prizes among winners. Addressing the ceremony, Mubarakmand said that PakTurk International Schools and Colleges have been striving hard to provide quality education to the Pakistani youth since 1995.

Turkish schools in Afghanistan won 147 medals this year

Afghan-Turkish schools are source of pride for the country as they won 147 medals this year at international Science olympiads. They won 75 medals last year. The Education Minister made a speech underlining that Turkey had always helped his country in education. He said, “Today, this ceremony’s purpose is to celebrate the efforts the students show and the high quality education these schools provide.”

African Union Commission chair supports creation of more Turkish schools

Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, said on Tuesday during a visit to Johannesburg that volunteers working for the faith-based Gülen movement — inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen — should continue to build schools and other institutions in Africa.

African firms signal increased trade at TUSKON meeting

A total of 127 companies from 11 different countries in East Africa are participating in the Gaziantep summit, which started on Feb. 9 and will run until Feb. 12. The Turkish and African businesspeople held roughly 5,000 bilateral business meetings. TUSKON has intensified efforts to help more Turkish firms branch out into promising African markets over the past five years.

Nelson Mandela’s wife Graça Machel receives Fethullah Gulen Peace and Dialogue Award

FORMER president Nelson Mandela’s wife Graça Machel last night assured South Africans that Madiba was getting better. Machel made the assurance after receiving the Fethullah Gulen Peace and Dialogue Award during the sixth annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards ceremony that was held in Sandton, Johannesburg, last night.

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

On Gülen vs Erdogan – “And not equal are the good deed and the bad”

Hopefully the Gulen movement will help change the American values

Ministry dismisses honorary consuls, allegedly for ‘Hizmet’ affiliation

Gülen’s relatives dismayed over smear campaign against Islamic scholar

Enes Kanter – A Dervish in the NBA

Al-Azhar professor: Gülen courageously resists radicalism

Afghan Parents Complain to UN Over Detention of Turkish Teachers

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News