New Zealand politicians attend iftar dinner of Turkish foundation despite embassy’s warning


Date posted: June 29, 2016

A number of politicians from New Zealand attended an iftar dinner organized by a foundation of Gülen movement sympathizers in the country, despite Turkish embassy’s written warnings against the event.

Around 100 politicians, including Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse, Ethnic Communities Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Paul Goldsmith, attended an iftar dinner organized by the Pearl of the Islands Foundation (PIF), a non-profit organization founded by sympathizers of the Gülen movement that aims to promote dialogue and education.

The Gülen movement is a grassroots social initiative inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and carries out charitable activities all around the world, including education, distributing humanitarian aid and providing drinking water especially in African countries.

Politicians attended the iftar event held at the Parliament despite a written warning sent by the Turkish embassy days before.

“It is publicly known that PIF foundation, organizer of this dinner at the Parliament on 14 June 2016, is one of the world-wide groups of “Gülen Organization” whose leader, Fethullah Gülen, is a fugitive and on Turkey’s most-wanted terrorist list. Fethullah Gülen Organization is outlawed in Turkey. Therefore, Turkish Embassy does not have any dealings with PIF or support its activities,” the warning sent on May 16, 2016 said.

Minister Woodhouse spoke during the event and said he was glad to attend an iftar event such as this for the first time. He also thanked the PIF foundation and its managers due to a recent aid campaign about the refugees.

After a corruption investigation implicating then-Prime Minister Erdoğan, members of his family and senior Justice and Development Party (AK Party) figures erupted on Dec. 17, 2013 Erdoğan accused the Gülen movement of plotting to overthrow his government. He said that sympathizers of the movement within the police department had fabricated the graft scandal. Since then, hundreds of police officers have been detained and some arrested for alleged illegal activity in the course of the corruption investigation. Erdoğan said he would carry out a “witch hunt” against anyone with links to the movement. The Gülen movement strongly rejects the allegations brought against it.

Source: Turkish Minute , June 27, 2016

Tags: | | |


Related News

Kimse Yok Mu reaches out to Syrians in joint project with UNHCR

Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Kimse Yok Mu Secretary-General Savaş Metin said they have been able to reach out to 17,000 people from 2,900 families with this project, which will conclude by the end of February.

S. Korean universities host workshop on Hizmet movement

18 May 2012 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL The principles, aims and practices of the Hizmet movement have been discussed at a workshop in South Korea’s leading universities attended by Turkish and South Korean academics and other prominent figures. Organized jointly by the İstanbul Cultural Center in South Korea and Seoul National University’s Research Center for […]

Turkish Cultural Center co-hosts Iftar with Westchester Reform Temple

Interfaith Gathering Breaks the Fast of Ramadan at Westchester Reform Temple, which was co-hosted by the Turkish Cultural Center. Mehmet Ozhabes, president of the Turkish Cultural Council welcomed everyone saying it is tradition to raise the tent and open the flap wide to receive guests. “The tent,” Ozhabes said, “is a place of peace and […]

Peace Islands Institute Annual Ramadan Dinner

New Jersey Bergen Sheriff Michael Saudino had been fasting for the first time when attended the iftar dinner by the Peace Islands Institute (PII). At the gathering with the theme “Understanding hunger and poverty by fasting.” One of the attendees US Attorney Paul Fishman said, “PII serves a significant cause regarding unity and cohesion in the society with its cultural and religious activities.”

Fethullah Gülen in Indonesia

Gülen is a unique scholar whose knowledge, thought and actions inspire many intellectuals, scholars and academics around the globe. Yet some unfortunate people in Turkey are trying desperately to defame him. By doing so, they put themselves into an absurd position.

Anti-police operation is gov’t attempt to take revenge for graft probe

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has recently been engaged in a bitter fight with the Hizmet movement. This conflict intensified after Dec. 17, 2013, when a major graft operation targeting government ministers and connected businessmen became public. The prime minister claims the operation was orchestrated by the Hizmet movement in an effort to overthrow his government. However, he has not provided any evidence to prove this claim, and the movement denies the accusation.

Latest News

Turkish inmate jailed over alleged Gülen links dies of heart attack in prison

Message of Condemnation and Condolences for Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney

Media executive Hidayet Karaca marks 11th year in prison over alleged links to Gülen movement

ECtHR faults Turkey for convictions of 2,420 applicants over Gülen links in follow-up to 2023 judgment

New Book Exposes Erdoğan’s “Civil Death Project” Targeting the Hizmet Movement

European Human Rights Treaty Faces Legal And Political Tests

ECtHR rejects Turkey’s appeal, clearing path for retrials in Gülen-linked cases

Erdoğan’s Civil Death Project’ : The ‘politicide’ spanning more than a decade

Fethullah Gülen’s Vision and the Purpose of Hizmet

In Case You Missed It

EU, US Have Little Leverage as Turkish Democracy Backslides

Understanding Fethullah Gülen (1)

Kimse Yok Mu affiliate Time to Help volunteers back in Belgium from Africa

Former Daimler chairman: Turkey’s purge reminds of me beginning of Nazi era

Fethullah Gulen Calls Crackdown ‘Dark Pages’ in History – Responses to World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

Starting a witch hunt [against the Hizmet movement]

Interfaith Conference – Peace Islands Institute in Connecticut

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News