Brookings: Takvim’s news on Hizmet movement incorrect, totally ignorant


Date posted: January 22, 2014

WASHINGTON

Turkish analysts at the Brookings Institution, one of the most respected think tanks in the US, have voiced their criticism over a news piece published by the Takvim daily which projects the institute as part of the Hizmet movement.

Takvim’s news piece, published on Monday, mentions the institute as an organization established with donations collected by members of the movement.

Kemal Kirişçi, a senior researcher at Brookings, has underlined that all funds provided to Brookings are transparent, and all information related to those funds is available on the institution’s website.

Kirişçi also pointed out that Brookings is to celebrate its 100th anniversary in two years and is one of the most prestigious institutions in the US.

US President Barack Obama, US Vice President Joe Biden and US Secretary of State John Kerry are among the members of government that Brookings has hosted in recent years.

The institution has also hosted Turkish politicians, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Co-chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş and Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.

Commenting on the Takvim news piece, Ömer Taşpınar, a Middle East expert at Brookings, said the news does not reflect the truth and that pro-government dailies publish news supporting conspiracies against the movement.

Taşpınar noted that such news is published in order to claim that the Hizmet movement is inspired by the US. “Their aim is to create public opinion,” Taşpınar told Today’s Zaman.

Reactions to the claims were voiced on social media as well. Twitter users posted tweets such as:

— The Brookings Institution, established with donations provided by Hizmet movement, was actually established 100 years ago, but who cares!

— The disinformation has exceeded limits in pro-government media.

— Dear Takvim daily, considering how you had an imaginary interview with [Christiane] Amanpour, you may as well claim that Hizmet established Brookings.

Source: Todays Zaman , January 20, 2014

Tags: | | | | |


Related News

Brazilian senator impressed by Hizmet investments in education

Respected Brazilian senator and Professor Cristovam Buarque, well known for his dedication to education, told Sunday’s Zaman during a visit to İstanbul that he has been impressed by the investments of Turkish businessmen who are inspired by the Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement, in education even without an expectation of profit.

Turkey’s top Muslim leader abhors terrorism

The unforgivable inhuman acts bring grief to the heart of Fethullah Gulen, a Turk considered one of the world’s 100 most important influential people advocating moderation in the Muslim world.

A Comparative Approach to Islam and Democracy

Religion, particularly Islam, has become one of the most difficult subject areas to tackle in recent years. Contemporary culture, whether approached from the perspective of anthropology or theology, psychology or psychoanalysis, evaluates religion with empirical methods. On the one hand, religion is an inwardly experienced and felt phenomenon, one mostly related to life’s permanent aspects.

Erdoğan’s harsh, xenophobic rhetoric damages fight against Islamophobia

The increasingly punitive and xenophobic discourse adopted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in recent years has done a huge disservice to the fight against Islamophobia, dealing a blow to the decades-long efforts of organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Hizmet movement in international forums.

After coup, Turkish activist afraid to return home

Okumus said he has lots of questions about the origin of the coup, and is suspicious about Erdogan’s motives to blame Gulen. He said the coup has created a kind of with-us-or-against-us mentality in Turkey, one that will ultimately hurt the country and its relations with the United States. Turkish officials have already fired tens of thousands of teachers, university deans and others they say have ties to the failed coup plot.

“Hizmet Movement making tremendous contributions to Muslim culture”

The Hizmet Movement, as an organization, with Fethullah Gulen’s inspiration for the movement, is a bright light for the Muslim-American community because of the focus of the organization in doing community service through relief work, and in focusing on education, in scientific education in particular, and also, with regards to interfaith and intercultural exchange.

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

U.S. State Department, Citing Security, Suspends [Fulbright] Teaching Program in Turkey

Erdogan advisor likens Turkey purge to Aborigine, Native American, Armenian cases

27th Abant Final Declaration on Democratization of Turkey

Of judges and coupists – Recent coup attempt in Turkey

Where is Turkey going? (2)

Erdogan critic calls jailing of his mother and brother ‘perverse’ and ‘politically motivated’

Turkish Olympiad students sing Kurdish, Turkish songs in Diyarbakır

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News