Kurdish initiative should not be suspended by provocative acts

M. Fethullah Gulen
M. Fethullah Gulen


Date posted: September 10, 2012

TUĞBA MEZARARKALI/MEHMET TAYANÇ, BINGÖL

The final declaration of a recent symposium on Turkey’s Kurdish issue, attended by Turkish and international academics, authors, politicians and leading thinkers, says that Kurdish initiatives aiming to resolve Turkey’s long-standing Kurdish problem by meeting some of the Kurdish people’s demands should not be suspended due to provocative acts.

Organized by Bingöl University, the symposium, titled “International Symposium on Kurds in their Process of Identity, Culture and Change from the Ottoman Era to Today“, started on Thursday and ended on Saturday. It included 16 sessions, covering topics such as “Tendency to Justice: a permanent solution to the Kurdish issue,” “Looking at the Kurdish issue within the context of Muslim scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s conciliatory role in the March 31 incidents” — referencing a rebellion of reactionaries against the restoration of a constitutional monarchy — and “A Suggestion for a Solution to the Kurdish Issue: The example of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.” The three-day symposium resulted in 70 declarations.

The final declaration emphasized the hope that the Kurdish issue would be resolved in the near future by the common sense of the state and of all parts of society. “Initiatives like establishing a Kurdish TV channel within the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation [TRT] and offering Kurdish as an elective course in Turkish schools should not be suspended by provocative acts. Some previous wrong practices have caused many prejudices among Kurds and Turks to emerge, and they did damage to our social peace. Despite this, it is not too difficult, as is thought by many, to abolish all the elements threatening our social peace,” it read.

Ramazan Korkut, an academic from Bingöl University, quoted from Nursi during the event, “My nationalism is my Muslimism.” Korkut commented: “I have known my nation as Muslimism for a long time and I have never dealt with Kurdishness leading us to the true path. Nursi says that our enemy is our ignorance, poverty and dissension. We will fight against these three enemies with the weapons of art, merit and alliance.”

Also discussing Gülen’s suggestions for resolution, another academic from the same university, Cengiz Yıldız, said that Gülen’s views, which are inspired by those of Nursi, suggest that Islam can never be associated with terrorism. Yıldız said: “According to Gülen, terrorism can never be the principal aim; it is merely a tool. And this tool is constantly being used against Turkey by some. When discussing ways to solve the Kurdish issue, Gülen always underlines that one can never reach the legitimate way through illegitimate ways and tools. Therefore, goodness only yields more goodness, while evil only yields more evil,” he says.

Source: Today's Zaman , September 9, 2012


Related News

MEP: International investigation into Turkey’s rule of law needed

Schaake stated: “The separation of powers is under immense pressure in Turkey and the rule of law is not upheld. This crisis also impacts the relations between the European Union and Turkey, because measures taken, such as political intervention with the judicial branch, are not in line with European rules. The independence of the judiciary has been a concern for Europe for much longer.

Islamic scholar Gülen’s family criticizes PM’s offensive language

Kemal Gülen addressed allegations about the scholar’s financial situation, explaining that Fethullah Gülen resides at a facility that belongs to a foundation and for which he pays rent, rejecting the claim that the scholar owns the property.

Mr. Gülen’s felicitous advice on Kurdish issue, freedoms

BÜLENT KENEŞ The interview Mr. Fethullah Gülen, a well-respected Turkish-Islamic scholar, gave to Rudaw, an online newspaper in northern Iraq’s Arbil, resounded powerfully in the Turkish media. I must note that it would be wrong to analyze the views Mr. Gülen expressed in this interview within the scope of the developments that have occurred in the wake of […]

The cleric, the coup and the conspiracy

In Pennsylvania, Gülen and his aides scrambled to denounce the coup attempt as it unfolded. “As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt,” Gülen said in a statement, referring to Turkey’s spotty democratic history. The U.S. also was quick to condemn the coup attempt, but not quick enough for many in the Turkish government and media.

Turkey at the precipice

Turkey has a terror problem. The Islamic State, Kurdish extremists and radical leftists each pursue targets inside Turkey seemingly with impunity. Turkey is no stranger to terrorism, but for decades it managed to control the problem. Turkey’s security forces were efficient. Today, however, the situation has changed. Turkish President Erdogan has purged the military, the police, and intelligence professionals.

Woman says she miscarried baby due to stress under police custody

A Turkish woman, whose identity remains anonymous, has said in a recent video recording that she miscarried her baby due to the stress she experienced under custody.

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

Kimse Yok Mu volunteer doctors back from Central African Republic

Oil-rich Nigeria seeks Turkish energy, construction partnerships

Executives of TUSKON call on Ghana GCCI

Limits of political Islam: the other face of AKP (2)

Der Spiegel’s recent strange attack on the Hizmet (Gulen) Movement

Lambsdorff: Turkish press intimidated, under pressure

Gülen says arms, swords have no place in Hizmet’s philosophy

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News