Tension at home hits Turkey’s brand overseas


Date posted: January 24, 2014

ANKARA

The harsh rhetoric of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan denouncing some groups as a “parallel state” following a corruption scandal that erupted a month ago has raised concerns among business associations and civil society organizations that Turkey’s national brand will be tarnished abroad.

In a press conference on Thursday, members of the Federation of the Aegean and Mediterranean Industrialists and Businesspeople (ESİDEF) said the negative language used by Erdoğan against the Hizmet movement, inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, which has been flying Turkey’s flag all around the world, has upset them. ESİDEF, which has a total of 12,500 businessmen and industrialists, is one of the biggest regional civil society organizations.

Speaking during the press conference, ESİDEF President Mustafa Özkara said: “Top government officials, who during the Turkish Olympiads only six months ago called the Hizmet movement the ‘peace movement of the century,’ now define the same movement as a ‘parallel structure,’ a ‘gang,’ a ‘criminal organization’ and even Hashashins. We are watching the defamation campaign being conducted against the movement with astonishment.”

Özkara also said the fact that Erdoğan had ordered ambassadors during an ambassadors’ conference last week to defame overseas Turkish schools, which have become a Turkish global brand, in the countries they serve deeply hurts the sense of community.

During a parliamentary group meeting on Jan.14, the prime minister accused the Hizmet movement of orchestrating a wide-reaching corruption and bribery investigation which has implicated some members of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.

Increasing the intensity of his criticism this time, the prime minister likened the Hizmet movement to the Hashishin, or Hashashim, a religious sect of Shiite Muslims originating from Persia. The group, thought to have been active between the 11th and 13th centuries, reportedly carried out politically motivated assassinations after consuming hashish. They usually targeted Muslim rulers. The word “assassin” is derived from the Hashishin.

Özkara said the movement should not be stigmatized by words such as gang or criminal organization, adding that what is currently taking place will negatively affect the future of Turkey. “The incidents taking place in recent days hurt the education volunteers serving loyally in 180 countries. Those people are working for the ideal of a greater Turkey.”

In response to the reassignments of police officers and prosecutors and a draft bill to restructure the country’s Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) following the corruption scandal, the federation said it was concerned by the recent incidents which show that Turkey has been moving away from a state of law and democracy.

Meanwhile, Erkut Yücaoğlu, the president of the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association’s (TÜSİAD) High Advisory Council, said on Thursday that the rule of law in Turkey was harmed when the government became locked in a feud with the judiciary. Claims that there is a “state within the state is staging a coup” and that the “corruption allegations are being covered up” have raised questions about the credibility of the judiciary and the country’s judicial system, he said, stressing that this situation has greatly damaged the separation of powers. This has negatively impacted foreign investors’ perspective of Turkey, Yücaoğlu added

TÜSİAD President Muharrem Yılmaz also said foreign investment will not be made in a country where there is no respect for the rule of law, where legal codes conflict with European Union rules, where public procurement laws have been amended dozens of times and where companies are pressured through tax fines.

The TÜSİAD president’s warning about the government’s mishandling of the ongoing corruption investigations, the third since the corruption scandal hit Turkey on Dec. 17, indicates growing worry in the business community over the prospect that the Turkish economy will be hurt by increasing political uncertainty as the government tries to derail investigations by reassigning police and members of judiciary en masse, as well as changing the laws pertaining to the judiciary.

Faik Öztrak, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy chairman in charge of economy, said on Friday that there has been a fragile economic environment since May, which can turn into a crisis at any moment.

Öztrak stressed during a press conference in Ankara that the corruption scandal which hit the country on Dec. 17 has devastated the economy. “It is no longer possible to relieve the markets [with words or distractions],” added Öztrak.

Commenting on TÜSİAD’s statements stressing that businessmen are uneasy about the political situation in Turkey, Öztrak said that TÜSİAD’s warnings show that the current economic conditions are no longer tolerable.

On Dec. 17, İstanbul and Ankara police staged dawn raids and detained 52 people as part of a major investigation into claims of corruption and bribery. Among the detainees were bureaucrats, well-known businesspeople and the sons of three Cabinet ministers. On Dec. 25, another major corruption investigation, implicating the prime minister’s son, Bilal Erdoğan, as well as prominent businesspeople close to him, was stalled when the government ordered the police to defy court orders.

The business association head also repeated his criticism of a planned amendment to the Internet law, part of an omnibus bill that was approved by the parliamentary Planning and Budget Commission, saying it could pave the way for an increase in Internet censorship.

Civil society organizations slam defamation campaign against Hizmet movement

The Buca Education, Culture and Aid Association (BEYDER) released a written statement on Friday in which it reacted to defamatory expressions targeting the Hizmet movement. “The movement, which has captured many hearts in 180 countries around the world, is being depicted as though it is a dangerous community by the country’s administration and some pro-government media outlets. This is unacceptable,” the association stated.

Six civil society organizations in Mardin province held a joint press conference on Thursday to slam the defamation campaign against the movement. Speaking on behalf of these six organizations, Kızıltepe Active Industrialists and Young Businessmen’s Association (KASGİAD) President Seyithan Karaozan said it is anti-democratic and destructive to try and destroy the Hizmet movement, which based on universal humanitarian values and coexistence. “Defamation campaigns against people who win the hearts of other should be stopped and a peaceful environment based on a rule of law should be established,” Kazaozan added.

Similarly, eight civil society organizations in Uşak province issued a press statement on Thursday criticizing the mudslinging campaigns against the Hizmet movement. “The negative developments and discriminatory and harsh rhetoric discrediting Turkey in the eyes of the world are distressing and raise concerns about the future and unity of the country. When the good work of the Hizmet movement both in Turkey and overseas are apparent, the offensive statements [about the movement] hurt a large segment of society,” said Uşak Technicians Association President Umut Döngel on behalf of the eight organizations.

Meanwhile, 44 civil society organizations in Kahramanmaraş held a press conference on Friday stating that the recent developments have created polarizations in society. Representative of the organizations stressed that defamation campaigns against the Hizmet movement are harmful.

Source: Todays Zaman , January 24, 2014


Related News

Caretaker AK Party gov’t criticized for police operation against youth association

The Yağmur Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Association, which was founded in 2013 by Ahmet Turhan, the Balıkesir governor of the time, has been giving Quran lessons to 60 children during Ramadan.

Kerry Tells Turkish Foreign Minister Coup Accusations Irresponsible

Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday he told Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu that it was irresponsible for his country to accuse the U.S. of involvement in Friday’s coup attempt.

On Hizmet exceptionalism

What is perhaps saddest about this witch-hunt is that Hizmet is a priceless resource for any government. It serves without any burden on public funds and efforts. It is a rich source of reliable manpower devoted to selfless service and ready to raise the banner of Turkey, on peaceful terms, alongside the flags of all other nations around the world. Instead of being propelled by this free energy, and benefitting from its resources, the Turkish government acts in jealousy, and tries to destroy it.

Turkish Extradition Request Could Strain Relations With US

The news that Turkey will officially request that the United States extradite Turkish Islamic scholar Fetullah Gulen is threatening to strain U.S.-Turkish relations. Ankara insists Gulen is behind a conspiracy to overthrow the government. But analysts warn that Ankara may find it difficult legally to secure his extradition.

Source claims US not probing into Gulenists’ alleged role in Russian ambassador’s murder

No investigation has been launched in the United States in connection with Turkey’s comments of the Gulen movement’s possible role in the Russian ambassador’s murder, a senior US Department of State official told TASS.

Erdoğan’s claims about Gülen stun US Ambassador Ricciardone

Ambassador Ricciardone, who can understand Turkish very well, cannot believe his eyes after reading the text about what Prime Minister Erdoğan had said during an ATV network interview about his conversation with Obama on Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen.

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

Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen offers condolences for Tahir Elçi, slain police officers

Fethullah Gülen’s message to his sympathizers in the aftermath of the coup attempt

Thais demand more Turkish Schools during their visit in Turkey

Renewing Islam by Service: A Christian View of Fethullah Gulen with Pim Valkenberg

Teacher abducted from Malaysia subjected to beating, torture in Ankara: cellmate

Turkic Cultural Exchange and Community Dialogue

Fethullah Gulen issued messages of condolence for victims of the ISIS attacks in Iraq and Bangladesh

Copyright 2024 Hizmet News