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

The era of dialogue will never be over

I saw, once again, what it means to be “stuck in time.” Breivik looks only to the past and disregards the potential for the human will to create change. He claims, in opposition to Gülen, that the time for dialogue is over. “We gave peace a chance. The time for armed resistance has come,” he declares.

The Istanbul Cultural Center hopes to build bridges though food

The room at the Istanbul Cultural Center just off the FSU campus is filled with both men and women and lots and lots of children. Many of the women are wearing colorful headscarves and long buttoned coats. And most of the men are their husbands, some associated with the university as teachers or students, and others who have taken time away from their own professions in Turkey to accompany their wives who are completing graduate studies here.

Islam-state-society relationship: the Turkish model

Dr. Husnul Amin* Countries like Tunisia and Egypt and their respective Islamist movements have positively revised their strategies taking inspiration from the Turkish model of society and statecraft in which both modern trends and Islamic values can coexist in the context of a pluralist society. While walking in the streets and bazaars of Istanbul, my […]

Turkish editor hits out at media coercion under Erdoğan

Segments of the Turkish media remain fiercely anti-government, however, including secularist dailies Sözcü and Cumhuriyet, and more recently Zaman and Bugün, which are close to Gülen and have become more critical since the graft scandal erupted.

Turks in South Africa tell a different narrative about Erdogan

The Hizmet Movement, founded by exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, hosted a panel discussion by its South African branch last weekend. The purpose of the event was to clarify misconceptions about the movement and its involvement in the current political situation in Turkey.

‘A very good representative of the best in Islam, Hizmet contributes to the non-Muslim world’s understanding of Islam’

Hizmet seems to me to be a very good representative of the best in Islam, in terms of being open, feeling a responsibility to the world, and the pluralism that is evidenced in the Koran, which tells us to respect all the prophets and all the people of the book.

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

Say What? Ankara Mayor Blames Gulenists for Shaking Turkey With an Earthquake

Ramadan joy in 110 countries on 5 continents

1915 tragedy to be commemorated with foreign delegation for first time

Muslims and Jews celebrate Ramadan together in Sheepshead Bay

Prep schools and market rules

Pro-gov’t daily proudly announces Gulenists put in ‘concentration camp’

Erdoğan’s African mission and dismantling Turkish schools

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News