Keyword: Turkey
American academic: Hizmet Movement serves for entire humanity
Speaking at a cenference in the southern province of Antalya, Soltes shared his observations about the Hizmet Movement. “I saw this on every people I met: I see that everybody, who is inspired by Gülen’s thoughts, help people with no thought of personal gain,” said Soltes adding that Hizmet Movement serves for entire humanity in the world.
Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT) at center of political storm
Indeed, the MIT’s tarnished reputation can be viewed as collateral damage from the AKP’s wars with former allies (the Gulen movement) or an unintended consequence of the government’s haphazard propaganda since Gezi. The agency is seen as the nexus of the initial friction between the Gulen movement and the AKP.
Parallel hearts…
It is unfair to accuse a movement whose only goal is to win hearts of seizing the state through bureaucracy. It destroys the world of the Anatolian people who are now holding hopes that they would be able to deal with their fate in the world. The goal and purpose of the Hizmet movement is not to create a parallel structure; its goal is to establish parallel hearts and a universal chorus of peace.
Power struggle for the state or deep rift about Turkey?
As an external observer, I see a profound rift having taken place between Erdoğan — more than anybody else in the AKP — and the Hizmet movement; and that has much less to do with the power struggle than a resistance to another massive, individual attempt to accumulate power in one person.What has defined Erdoğan’s way with various social segments since 2011 is to alienate, antagonize, suppress and devour. So was his pattern with the dissident Kurds, Alevis, leftists, liberals and now Hizmet.
Sacrificing a legend for a shoebox*
Just to prevent the graft probe…They [AK Party] declined the honor of ending the military tutelage system and also declared the procedures used to achieve this triumph to be “unlawful.” Since they sacrificed the most important victory of their eleven-year rule, we can easily say the following: My friends, this must be one hell of a shoebox!
Gülen’s letter to Gül
Koru told Gülen to express his feelings in a letter. The scholar wrote this letter on Dec. 22. Koru took the letter to its addressee, the president. He met with the prime minister the same day in Ankara and told him about his impressions from his contact with Gülen. I mean to say, there is not “bargaining” or “mediation.” There is only a “goodwill initiative” here.
Arbitrary intrusions and dangerous liaisons
If the AKP leader can publicize the mistakes made during the Sledgehammer and Ergenekon trials and convince the public that these were committed by overzealous prosecutors linked to the Gülen movement, it will be easy for him to make a comparison with the corruption allegations against his government.
New York Times : Hundreds of Police Officers Reassigned in Turkey
Mr. Gulen’s followers vehemently deny claims that his adherents control state institutions. They argue that if his sympathizers are well represented within the police and judiciary, it is because they are well educated and highly qualified for their jobs.
KCK suspect Ersanlı says doesn’t believe Hizmet behind coup, terror trials
Professor Büşra Ersanlı, who is among suspects in an investigation into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) on terrorism charges, has said she doesn’t believe claims raised by some officials linked with government that the faith-based Hizmet Movement led by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen is behind major trials.
Operation against whom?
A claim made this past weekend by Hüseyin Gülerce, a senior columnist for the Zaman daily, affiliated with the Gülen (Hizmet) movement, increased tensions in Ankara when he suggested that a major operation will be carried out by the government against the Gülen movement, which it believes to be behind the graft investigation.
Erdoğan’s house of cards
In a long statement, the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), whose honorary chair is Gülen, has called on the government to submit whatever evidence it has on conspiracies, such as those involving a “deep state” and “parallel structures” as well as accusations of “treason,” “espionage” and “collaboration with international powers” against the interests of Turkey. In other words, Gülen is standing firm and not blinking in the face of Erdoğan’s preposterous threats.
Central bank data disprove interior minister’s rigging claims
Ala’s remarks were widely interpreted as a reference to Bank Asya, a participation bank affiliated with the Hizmet movement, which the government has tried to scapegoat through conspiracy theories to evade corruption allegations. Some news stories broke soon after Ala’s claims, reporting that Bank Asya’s accounts were being scrutinized for misconduct.
