A February 28 tactic from the PKK

Bulent Korucu
Bulent Korucu


Date posted: November 16, 2011

Bulent Korucu Tuesday 15 November, 2011

These days, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) media is using a tactic to strike a blow at Fethullah Gülen that resembles one once used by the Feb. 28 supporters.***

The Feb. 28 media, using a sort of cut-and-paste method with various sermons and discussions that have taken place, created lots of material for a lynching campaign. We could offer up lots of examples, but the most striking of them was this: While Gülen once actually said, “You cannot tell the CHP [main opposition Republican People’s Party] supporters to go to hell,” his words were manipulated to look like he said, “Let the CHP supporters go to hell.”

The real version of this line from the list of allegations was extracted from cassettes, recordings and the 10-year trial period that started off with cries of “Execution, to the execution” and wound up with a double appeal judgment of acquittal. Even more important than all this was that they were never able to convict Gülen in the eyes of the public. Actually, the exculpation Gülen enjoyed in the hearts of the nation transformed his status in the courtroom to one of acquittal. Had they only been able to convince the nation, punishing Gülen would have been very easy.

These days, we see the same tactics being used by the PKK media. As a bad copy of the deep state, the PKK/Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) sees all roads leading towards its goals as permissible, and has once again been caught red-handed. The talk Gülen gave on Oct. 24 about “terror and lament” was of a nature to throw quite a few people off their tracks. For example, some of his comments were: “Why has there been no opportunity to learn Kurdish in schools? In our schools abroad, in fact even in America, Turkish is studied as an elective, and no one tries to impede this. This is one of the special features of being a great state.”

At another point in his talk, Gülen said: “At one time in the past, it was thought that these things could be imposed from on high, as though they were coming down like a large hammer. But the truth is, each hammer blow only whipped up hatred and enmity. This hatred and enmity was inherited by each passing generation, and became so large that it threatened to swallow the nation. The problem needs to be eliminated not by yelling and screaming, burning and killing, but rather with bravery, intelligence and clemency.” The great teacher called on security precautions to be taken on the terror front in order that “the terror be localized and the society be prevented from being put under pressure.”

A collation of works published in this week’s Aksiyon magazine shows that Gülen has been saying similar things on this subject since the start of the ‘90s, but we all know that words are never enough in these sorts of situations. And so civil society also tried to do everything it could. Schools opened in the region aim to alleviate the differences in opportunities regional citizens are afforded. There are “dershanes” (study halls) that support hundreds of reading rooms in the region, also aiming to alleviate problems in education in the area, all despite the threats of being vandalized or set on fire.

And all this assistance was not limited to within Turkey’s borders either. Even while Saddam Hussein persisted in his cruel tyranny and bloody internal clashes were going on in Iraq, education volunteers headed for northern Iraq. There are more examples to show that what Gülen said about Kurdish language education was not aimed simply at winning hearts. There is the “Dünya” television channel, formed on his advice, which broadcasts in Kurdish, offers language courses and even popular cartoons such as “Caillou,” to help children learn language more easily.

The misrepresentation of Gülen’s words by the KCK/PKK media does not stem from some deficiency in Turkish. Perhaps it really stems from a lack of mercy and intelligence. If they truly believe that his words contained anti-Kurdishness, and they are sincere in this belief, then let them broadcast the entire talk. If they are not just some dark propaganda machine for the Internet and television, but rather a real media agency, let them broadcast this talk in its entirety. I doubt that they could ever do this because, after all, their masters, the Feb. 28 supporters, were never able to either, which is why their final acts will be similar to the final acts of the Feb. 28 supporters.

The people of the nation know Gülen, who has spoken for years from the lectern at mosques, and they know those on the other side, too. If the shadows of the weapons cast over these people were only to be lifted, we would see whose side they would stand on.

Source: Today’s Zaman http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=262950

*** Read Wikipedia to get some brief information about Feb. 28 1997 military intervention in Turkey. Read Mr. Mehmet Ali Birand to learn about how Mr. Gulen was attacked those days in an organized way. Birand believes the Republic of Turkey has had two big enemies over the years — pious Muslims and Kurds. According to the journalist, the military was traditionally provoked by secularist circles to stage coups in Turkey. “It has always been secular circles in society that pushed and forced the military for coups,” he said.


Related News

Gülen’s lawyer refutes Erdoğan’s claims as baseless

Nurullah Albayrak, the lawyer of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, has denied President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s accusations against his client, saying the president has misrepresented the claims included in a recently unveiled indictment on a bugging scandal.

NY Times Editorial Board: Mr. Erdogan’s Reckless Revenge

At such a time, one would hope for a leader willing and eager to unify his people under the rule of law, to reaffirm democratic values and to address the grievances that motivated the plotters in the first place. So far, Mr. Erdogan seems determined to fail this test of leadership.

Kimse Yok Mu to launch legal case against cabinet ruling

Kimse Yok Mu filed three separate lawsuits after the cabinet ruling revoking its license to collect donations without government approval.

Kimse Yok Mu awaiting permission from governor’s office to help martyrs’ families

The İstanbul Governor’s Office has not yet granted permission to the Kimse Yok Mu charity, which aimed to raise TL 7,275,000 in aid for the families of security personnel who died during the fight against terror, despite having sent a proposal to the governor’s office over a month ago, Kimse Yok Mu President İsmail Cingöz said on Tuesday.

Turkey: Erdogan’s macabre dance in Africa

What is the sense in advocating for the transfer of investments of private individuals to a government backed NGO? Is President Erdogan indirectly telling African leaders that his empire in Turkey extends to African countries hence the outrageous demand? From the preceding, it is clear that President Erdogan has little or no respect for African nations hence this anomaly. I also beg to state here that the politics of Turkey should be left in Turkey.

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.

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

Daniel Skubik on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement

Gulen followers encourage education, awareness

Terrorism: Why Obama, Others Ignored Turkish President Erdogan

Somali students caring for the Soma orphans

Fethullah Gülen Offers Antidote For Terror

We must live with principles of peace and love

Ankara forces Arbil to close Turkish schools in KRG

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News