Top AK Party official likens Gülen’s stance on peace talks to that of Mandela

AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik
AK Party Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik


Date posted: January 11, 2013

Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Çelik has expressed appreciation for Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen’s support for ongoing talks with the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), likening Gülen’s remarks to those of South African politician Nelson Mandela.

In his latest weekly speech, broadcast on website Herkul.org last Sunday, Gülen said as long as national dignity and pride are not undermined, every necessary step should be taken to maintain peace because “there are benefits in peace.” He said those steps should be taken even if they seem unnerving at first.

“Chris Hani, who was like the spiritual son of Mandela, was killed by an immigrant at a time when peace talks reached a peak point in South Africa. The assassination [of Hani] was clearly an attempt to sabotage the peace talks. Mandela appeared on television at the time and said that he felt like a father whose son was assassinated. But he was not going to talk about revenge and holding a grudge, he said. What he meant was this: The assassination was an attempt at sabotage. Therefore, if people sought revenge, they would contribute to what the saboteurs aimed for in the first place. Mandela’s remarks calling for common sense and tolerance were what brought peace to South Africa, and Gülen’s similar remarks are what will bring peace to our country, ” Çelik said.

Other deputies also welcomed Gülen’s support for the peace talks

Independent deputy Ahmet Türk told CNN Türk in an interview on Wednesday, “the view of Fethullah Gülen [on the peace talks] is reasonable and welcome,” adding that he had carefully followed the scholar’s statements.

Türk, who visited Öcalan last week as part of the peace talks, said in the interview that Gülen stressed the fact that “we should accept who we are” and that he lauded the messages of tolerance in his speech. He said he found Gülen’s remarks “positive.”

State officials and Öcalan have been having talks to broker a deal for the disarming of the terrorist group. There is support for the peace talks from many circles in society including the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Turkey’s mainstream media.

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Sırrı Sakık also said he attaches great importance to Gülen’s statements. “I am very happy to see that Turkey agrees upon a point at last,” he stated. Sakık also called on the public not to be carried away by provocations and attempts at sabotage as we are going through quite delicate times.

Source: Today’s Zaman 10 January 2013


Related News

Former US diplomat: War on Turkish schools in Africa ruining Turkey’s credibility

Former US Ambassador to Ethiopia and Adjunct Professor of International Relations David Shinn told Sunday’s Zaman in an exclusive interview that Turkey tends to lose its credibility when it asks African governments to close Turkish schools as African leaders traditionally put up resistance when they are told what to do by an “external power.”

Fethullah Gulen: The Idea Architect

Kazakh writers and academicians published a book to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Writers Union of Kazakhstan. 45 Kazakh writers and academics visited the Turkish schools all around the world and wrote articles about Fethullah Gulen, which combined into a book titled “The Idea Architect”. Many writers and academicians attended the introduction and celebration […]

Prime Minister Erdoğan in his second home

Apolitical faith-based movements, represented by the Sufi lodges and the Hizmet movement today, regard Iranian expansionism as a real and imminent threat that needs to be tackled.

Defamation- Pro-Erdoğan daily claims Gülen movement converted 500,000 to Christianity in Kazakhstan

A Turkish daily claimed on Friday that the Gülen movement had converted 500,000 people to Christianity in Kazakhstan through its schools around the country.

Police raid successful Gülen-inspired schools, kindergarten in eastern Turkey

As one of the numerous raids against the schools affiliated with Gülen movement, popularly known as Hizmet Movement, two schools and a kindergarten were raided by police along with inspectors on Friday morning.

Al-Azhar has examined and approved all the works of Mr. Gulen

Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, one of the most respected Islamic Sciences centers in the world, and the Islamic Research Association, has examined the works of Gulen found no contradiction to the school of Sunni Islam. Beyond these works, in some universities, especially Al Azhar, many master’s and doctoral theses on the subject of Hizmet and Mr. Gulen have been published.

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

The engagement and integration to the larger society is very crucial for Muslims

PM Erdoğan: Internet bill protesters are defenders of immorality

Pakistani Govt deports abducted Turkish teacher and family despite UN protections

Zaman newspaper: Turkey police raid press offices in Istanbul

OSCE: Excessive penalties threaten journalism in Turkey

German gov’t dismisses parliamentary question on Hizmet

Peacebuilders Conference

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News