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

Fethullah Gülen: ‘I don’t have any regrets’

You insist your movement is peaceful, not political. But multiple sources tell me that Hizmet has a dark side — where individuals are carefully groomed to enter government and related professions with the intent of an ultimate takeover. Is this true? If not, is it possible that these sorts of activities are happening without your knowledge?

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

The Turkey Tribunal, a civil society-led, symbolic international tribunal established to adjudicate recent human rights violations in Turkey, started proceedings in Geneva on Monday where rapporteurs pointed to the use of systematic torture by the government against alleged members of the faith-based Gülen movement and Kurds.

Gov’t inspects Gülen-inspired schools while ignoring run-down state schools

The poor condition of state schools in Turkey was exposed by Today’s Zaman reporters on Monday, who found that despite the government expending considerable resources investigating and raiding private educational institutions sympathetic to the Gülen movement, many state schools fail to meet even basic health and safety standards.

The fate of prosecutors

An election was held at the Ankara Bar Association recently. Nuh Mete Yüksel, who was among the powers that be in the prosecutorial community in the past, entered while this was taking place. He was once an awe-inspiring prosecutor. Apparently, he retired from prosecuting and became a lawyer. Of course, he is now deprived of the terrifying appearance he had in those years. He no longer has the frigid countenance that would send everyone’s hearts throbbing with fear. As it happens, some lawyers started to protest harshly the “fledgling lawyer.” Moreover, the hall was filled with shouts of “Go away!” So Yüksel had to go back without casting his vote…

Gov’t targets Hizmet to distract attention from corruption, says director

Demirkubuz believes that all the “good things” that the government did prior to the 2010 referendum were to guarantee its position, rather than celebrating the rule of law and justice, as evidenced by the fact that the prosecutors who were called heroes yesterday are called traitors today. Demirkubuz urged society to go through an exercise of self-criticism in terms of the preference for power over freedoms.

Can a Post-Coup Turkey Get Along with Europe?

None of this has stopped the government from undertaking a huge, self-destructive purge, with around 10,000 people arrested, 100,000 people dismissed, and the seizure of assets of more than $4 billion, numbers that worry not just human rights activists but foreign investors as well. The government’s fury is understandable but it should distinguish between those who took part in the coup and those who simply belonged to the Gulen movement.

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

Turkey Wants Mongolia To Shut Down Turkish Schools

Borough President Adams Celebrates Eid with Food Donation

Turkey fails to channel money into industry: TUSKON

Turkish FM Babacan visits Turkish high school in Tajikistan

Does Islam Promote Violence?

“Here today, the Honorable Gulen’s vision is coming true”, says Malian Minister

Giuliani pressed Trump to eject Muslim cleric from U.S., a top priority of Turkish president, former officials say

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News