Only the people of the land can create a spring, GYV President Yeşil says

Many journalists, deputies, provincial district governors, representatives of non-governmental organizations, opinion leaders, institutional directors and businessmen were among the attendees at the iftar dinner, a tradition organized by the DASİDER every year.(Photo: İHA)
Many journalists, deputies, provincial district governors, representatives of non-governmental organizations, opinion leaders, institutional directors and businessmen were among the attendees at the iftar dinner, a tradition organized by the DASİDER every year.(Photo: İHA)


Date posted: July 19, 2013

Mustafa Yeşil, the chairman of the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), said that if there is going to be a springtime and a fresh beginning soon in the region, it will only be accomplished at the hands of the people of this land, while speaking at an iftar dinner — a special meal held to observe breaking the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan — hosted in the southeastern province of Van for journalists and other guests by the East Anatolian Civil Society Association (DASİDER) under the theme of “living together and tolerance.”

Yeşil said, “We believe that the Alevis, Kurds and Circassians of these lands belong with us. The notion of ‘we’ is sufficient to describe all of us. It is always possible to grow together and to share every opportunity, based on justice and human rights.”

Many journalists, deputies, provincial district governors, representatives of non-governmental organizations, opinion leaders, institutional directors and businessmen were among the attendees at the iftar dinner, a tradition organized by the association every year.

DASİDER Chairman Ahmet Öner emphasized in his speech that discrepancies among members of society are a reality of human life and are part of the richness of God’s reflection in the universe.

Writer and journalist Mehmet Altan was also among the guests who gave a message of unity and tolerance, saying, “Turkey reached a point of forgetting the basics of being a human where just the sub- properties stand out, which led us to fight with each other. When you look at life as a human being and adopt a natural stance of not finding someone that is simply different to be strange, then we can overcome Turkey’s problems.”

Yeşil said, “We believe that the Alevis, Kurds and Circassians of these lands belong with us. The notion of ‘we' is sufficient to describe all of us. It is always possible to grow together and to share every opportunity, based on justice and human rights.”

Yeşil said, “We believe that the Alevis, Kurds and Circassians of these lands belong with us. The notion of ‘we’ is sufficient to describe all of us. It is always possible to grow together and to share every opportunity, based on justice and human rights.”

Cemal Uşşak, a writer and researcher, also made a speech at the event referring to the Kurdish issue in Turkey, stating that for the last 30 years blood and tears had dominated the eastern provinces of the country and he added that this situation has changed in the last couple of months thanks to the settlement process.

Turkish officials have been conducting talks with the imprisoned leader of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, since October 2012 to put an end to a decades-old dispute between Turkish security forces and terrorists. The talks led to the declaration of a cease-fire and the withdrawal of some PKK militants from Turkey.

Source: Today's Zaman , 18 July 2013


Related News

Human rights associations up in arms over deputy’s remarks on torture allegations

In an open letter to the Turkish Parliament, six Turkey-based human rights associations on Thursday criticized recent remarks of ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Mehmet Metiner, who said the government would ignore allegations of torture and mistreatment if victims were sympathizers of the Gülen movement.

Washington mute as Turkey spying allegations cause outrage

Washington has refused to either confirm or deny allegations that its security intelligence agency had been involved in spying on top-level Turkish officials, while Turkish critics fear it could make the country’s security vulnerable, if the allegations are true.

Once shut down by Taliban, now Afghan gov’t plans to hand over successful Turkish Schools to Turkish Gov’t

Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani has agreed to hand over the Afghan-Turk schools, previously run by a pro-Gulen institution, to the Turkish Education Foundation which is a governmental institution. This step has, however, not been welcomed by the affected schools. Officials of the schools have warned that the move would lead to closing the schools and damage the quality of education.

Interfaith Ramadan Iftar Dinner Held in Montville

Sponsored by the Peace Islands Institute, approximately 75 people gathered at the Montville United Methodist Church in Towaco May 10 for an interfaith Iftar dinner.

Two Turkish TV producers detained as operation against media starts

Turkish police have reportedly detained two producers from Samanyolu TV in the first wave of what was said to be a large-scale operation against the media across Turkey.

Frontal assault on free enterprise in Turkey: The case of prep-schools

Erdoğan fired a warning shot across the bow of the Hizmet movement, which operates some one-third of the more than 3,500 prep schools, hoping that the movement would fold under the pressure and shy away from criticizing the government on lingering corruption, the lack of bold reforms, the stalled EU membership process, the failed constitutional work, its intrusion in people’s ways of life and privacy, blunders in foreign policy and the weakened transparency and accountability in governance.

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

Can Washington Ever Welcome a Nonviolent Muslim?

Brazilian senator impressed by Hizmet investments in education

Is man living in Pennsylvania responsible for Turkey coup attempt?

Uganda president praises Turkish schools’ success, calls for deeper cooperation

Pro-gov’t columnist: Turkish state must assassinate Fethullah Gülen

Ramadan aid cheers up Sudanese orphans

Fountain Magazine Essay Contest

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News