Kemalo-Islamists versus civil society and Hizmet

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz
Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz


Date posted: December 4, 2013

İHSAN YILMAZ

When summarizing the recent Cabinet meeting to correspondents, the speaker of the Cabinet, Bülent Arınç, referred to a religious concept, “fitnah” (sedition). He was implying that the Hizmet movement was engaged in an illegitimate psychological media campaign against his government.

He even a recited a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on fitnah and added that his elders know these issues better, implicitly referring to Fethullah Gülen and calling him out as the master of the fitnah campaign. The issue he was talking about was Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government decision to close private schools and tutorial centers (dershanes). The Justice and Development Party (AKP) leaders seem to have a problem with the plurality of viewpoints, independent civil society and lawful protests. Erdoğan’s harsh reactions to the Gezi protests is one case in point, and now the government is presenting a similar attitude to the Hizmet movement. But now, I believe, from a pluralistic liberal democratic perspective, they are in a much more problematic situation.

First, let me start with the crux of the matter on the dershane debate. Millions of students are taking several exams each year to be placed in very few schools and universities. For instance, it is true that out of the 1.5 million students who take the university entrance exam, maybe half of them are eligible to be placed in universities. But, most of these places are at distance learning institutions and only about 50,000 are actually at quality institutions that would guarantee a good job. In most state high schools there are not enough teachers and, particularly in rural and suburban areas, students do not get a good education. Moreover, the entrance exams are based on multiple choice questions that require different skills and these skills are not taught at schools. Thus, the parents and students have resorted to dershanes to fill all these gaps.

I was one of them. I was educated in a low quality high school and our class had about 60-70 students. Our math teacher was rarely available. If I had not attended a dershane, I would only have gotten a spot at a low-quality university — not the top school, Boğaziçi University, where I met many students from eastern Anatolia who could not have entered the university without a dershane education. Instead of solving the problems in Eastern Anatolia that pave the way for needing dershanes, the government wants to impose a ban on dershanes. Yes, they keep claiming that they are not closing them but transforming them into private high schools, but these two have completely different functions. And, while attending a dershane for one year and paying only $1,000 is enough, one needs to go to a private high school for four years and pay about $10,000 every year. And these schools do not have the function of dershanes. What is more, the state does not have a right to close down legally functioning private enterprises.

These are the arguments staunchly raised by millions of people and media organizations that are closed to the Hizmet movement and by owners of almost all dershanes, of which only about 20 percent, according to government leaders, are owned by businessman who are affiliated with the Hizmet. None of the arguments raised by the Hizmet media have been denied by the government. In other words, these media organs never published any lies, any insult, any personal attack or any swear words. They have only reminded the government of the universal and democratic legal standards, made arguments against banning the dershanes, etc., in a very civilized manner. Even though it is their democratic right, Hizmet volunteers do not pour onto the streets to demonstrate, but they have been very politely protesting on Twitter. Despite all this, they have been accused of fitnah. This shows that the Kemalo-Islamists are hostile to civil society, dissent and the plurality of viewpoints. Being Islamists, they believe that they are the sole leaders and spokespersons of practicing Muslims and they deserve absolute loyalty. This is the main reason why they have a problem with the Hizmet movement, which is not affiliated with any party or government and is totally independent, relying on only civilian volunteers.

Source: Today's Zaman , December 4, 2013


Related News

World media covers possible anti-journalist ops; Turkish press silent

Some foreign news outlets have been covering a whistleblower’s claim that around 150 journalists will be detained as part of a new government-backed operation, but most Turkish media outlets have remained silent on the issue.

Bank Asya shares skyrocket after trading resumes

The Islamic bank has been in the spotlight since Turkish media reported that state-owned companies and institutional depositors loyal to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had withdrawn TL 4 billion ($1.8 billion), or some 20 percent of the bank’s total deposits, because the bank’s founders include sympathizers of cleric Fethullah Gülen, a former-ally-turned-critic of Erdoğan.

Police raid Gülen-inspired Samanyolu schools in Ankara

In yet another government-orchestrated operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, popularly known as the Hizmet movement, more than 60 police officers carried out raids on four different branches of the private Samanyolu schools in Ankara early on Monday.

What is at stake is not prep schools [in Turkey]

Will Prime Minister Erdoğan really close prep schools down if he is bent on it? Why not? Although Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç, speaking after a Cabinet meeting last Monday, tried to reassure people by announcing that the government will discuss the matter once more with the stakeholders involved, PM Erdoğan refuted Arınç once again by saying they would shut them down. Isn’t this sufficient in showing his resolve in this regard?

Gülen-linked journalist association urges President Gül to take action over interventions on graft probe

“We call on the president to observe his duty to prevent the constitutional order, the independence of the judiciary, and the rule of law from being put at risk,” Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) Chairman Mustafa Yeşil said in a press statement.

Wife of veteran who lost hand, eyes in bomb attack under custody over Gülen links

Özlem Konakçı, the wife of former bomb disposal expert Bilal Konakçı, was detained over her alleged links to the Gülen movement. Bilal was retired from his position at İzmir Police Department after he lost his right hand and both eyes while trying to dispose of a bomb in 2009.

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

Fethullah Gülen’s message to “Gülen Movement” conference in Senegal

Michael Flynn, President Trump’s first national security adviser, was paid to investigate Fethullah Gulen during election campaign

Turkish-Arab forum focuses on gov’t oppression on Hizmet

Netherlands fires a lawyer from gov’t job due to her role in witch hunt against Gulen followers

Municipality shuts down three reading halls in Adıyaman

Micro-Finance and Vocational Training for Empowerment of Women

Our new neighbor [Al-Qaeda] poses a great risk for Turkey

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News