Corruption, Stigmatization, and Innocence


Date posted: December 31, 2013

BEGÜM BURAK

Turkey has been undergoing a serious transformation process identified with democratization policies under the rule of Justice and Development Party (JDP). However, certain turbulent affairs like that of Gezi protests have also been witnessed to have undermined democratization to an important degree. The hegemony of the JDP rule has been challenged in Gezi protests among different circles in the Turkish society. During the Gezi affair, liberals, environmentalists, hard-core Kemalists, and ultra-nationalists –a hybrid coalition—acted together to oppose the JDP rule.

After a few months, another issue has come to the fore. This time the JDP government has begun to lose hegemony among some other segments of society. The plan to shut down prep schools without fixing the problems of state schooling caused a large number of people’s worries and the attempt to shut down prep schools was treated as a blow to free enterprise and a blow to equality of opportunities in terms of education. Because in Turkey, centralized exams are taken in order to get university education, and despite the fact that state schools present quite different education levels, all students have to take the same exam to study in universities.

Education has been one of the critical areas through which the Gülen movement (Hizmet-Service movement) has been engaged in its dialogue-based activities. In Turkey, prep schools are important sites wherein the followers of the Hizmet Movement work as teachers. Thus, the government’s plan to shut down prep schools was naturally disliked by the Hizmet movement. That is why the newspapers close to the Hizmet Movement have continued to report and make news regarding education problems and prep school issue in Turkey. Also, on twitter, this issue has been made TT for several days.

Indeed, the Hizmet Movement is a non-state and non-governmental movement which has tried to keep away from daily political debates. However, the recent developments and corruption crisis occurred in Turkey has shadowed its apolitical character. Additionally, the political elites after the outbreak of the corruption scandal has stigmatized it as a “parallel state” structure hand in hand with the external forces to undermine the stability of the country. It should be stated that, the accusations made against Hizmet have also been produced during the February 28 Process (1997) when a post-modern military intervention took place in Turkey. However, this time the same scenario is drawn by different actors again labeling Hizmet as a crime unit.

Today, many think that the government is trying to cover up the corruption scandal by putting the blame on imagined enemies like interest lobby or crime units. Apparently, the executive branch is putting pressure upon the judiciary in addition to exercising a power over police force by removing hundreds of them. Unfortunately, the Hizmet Movement as one of the leading civilian movements contributing to intercultural dialogue and peace in the world has been labeled as one of the players to destabilize Turkey by the pro-government press too. This thesis was totally rejected by the Association of Journalists and Writers, an NGO affiliated with the Hizmet Movement. Here is what they declared the day before.

In short, Turkey has been going through hard days. I hope the New Year will bring justice for all and a strong democracy.

Source: The Globalized World Post , December 31, 2013


Related News

Tunisia was able to make constitution because of concessions of all parties

The Hizmet movement “revives civil society in a modern state,” he says, as he emphasizes that the movement also adheres to the values of the Muslim world. “Having Hizmet is very important for the Turkish state. It will help the state to renew its values,” the Tunisian politician comments.

Government plans to unlawfully take over aid organization

The Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) efforts to undermine the largest aid organization in Turkey, Kimse Yok Mu (Is Anybody There?) reached a new level with alleged preparations to dissolve the board of the organization and appoint a trustee instead, although no legal grounds exist for such a move.

The businessman who sits on his cell phone to avoid wiretapping

A businessman summarized it like this: “In the past, it was very important in the business community to have a meeting with Fethullah Gülen. Those going to the United States would try to get an appointment; yet today, different meanings are being attributed to these meetings. Those who in the past made sure to have these meetings publicly are now praying they do not come to the surface.”

Kazakh President congratulated ‘Katev’ Foundation on 20th anniversary

Students of the Kazakh-Turkish high schools for the past 20 years have gained many medals in international competitions. The President of Kazakhstan expressed his confidence that the graduates of “Katev” Fund would be highly qualified and would contribute to the economic development of the country as well as to strengthening of fraternal relations between Kazakhstan and Turkey.

Turkish Olympiad finals held all around the globe in prestigious venues in a variety of cities

Though we typically only witness the Turkey leg of the Turkish Olympiad, held as a part of the International Turkish Education Association’s (TÜRKÇEDER) Language and Culture Festival, the fact is that excitement over this event similarly takes place in participating countries every year as well.

Erdogan blackmails President-Elect Trump

“Turkey desperately wants the U.S. government to extradite an imam [Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen],” Maddow explained. “They [the U.S.] have said that they are not extraditing him. But if that’s what you wanted, what if you could squeeze the personal financial interests of the American president as a way to get what you want from the American government?”

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 provides TL 11 million aid to Palestine

Calgary man accused of helping plot Turkish coup

Kimse Yok Mu to stop beggary in Sakarya, Turkey

AFSV Denounces President Erdogan’s Seizure of Leading Newspaper Zaman

Gülen extends condolences for death of former deputy PM Arınç’s brother

‘Gülen movement challenges culture of competition’

Intel chief first gives anti-Hizmet file to Obama, then visits Gülen, STV president Karaca says

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News