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

Spinning on the Same World

Before Fatih Ozcan, the Mississippi representative for the Dialogue Institute of the Southwest, moved to the United States in 2002, he didn’t fully recognize the importance of communication between different cultures. The nonprofit organization, which follows Islamic scholar and social advocate Fethullah Gulen’s teachings of tolerance and mutual understanding, was in development in Houston when Ozcan first became involved.

‘Nigerians and their leaders won’t fall for Erdogan’s harebrained gambit’

…since at least 1998 Turkey has established its presence in Nigeria as one of the biggest outside forces for development in our education and health sectors. Today its 16 non-denominational Nigeria-Turkish international primary and secondary schools spread across Nigeria in Abuja, Kaduna, Lagos, Kano, Ogun and Yobe states – and with plans for more – are among the very best in the country.

Almost 1,000 officers removed from post in İzmir, Ankara

Around 700 police officers, including four deputy chiefs and 70 high-ranking officials, were removed from their posts at the İzmir Police Department and reassigned to different positions on Thursday morning and removals continued later in the afternoon with 207 more officers

Eid-al-Adha – Neighborhood Generosity

Capping off this weekend’s Eid al-Adha celebration observed by nearly 2 billion people around the world, the Turkish Cultural Center of Queens (TCCQ), a local non-profit, is giving back locally.

Turkish intelligence abducts Gülen-linked expats in Malaysia: relatives

With the government praising Malaysia over its alleged deportation of three Turkish citizens due to their links to the Gülen movement, recent tips from relatives stated that they were in fact abducted by Turkish intelligence officers.

Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards given in Washington

The Rumi Forum, a nongovernmental organization established in the United States to improve interfaith and intercultural dialogue, gave its traditional Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards in a ceremony held in Washington on Wednesday. Farah Pandith, US Special Representative to Muslim Communities, Hannah Rosenthal, the US special envoy on anti-Semitism, and Martin O’Malley, the governor of […]

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

The Future of Islamic Civilization in A Globalizing World

Why does the West love the Gülen movement so much?

Failed 2016 coup was gov’t plot to purge Gülenists from state bodies, journalist claims

4 people trying to escape persecution in Turkey missing after boat capsizes in Evros River

Arrested vet diagnosed with cancer, not allowed for treatment at hospital

3 taken into custody for asking Minister Ala questions

Erdoğan’s parallel state (1)

Copyright 2026 Hizmet News