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Islamic roots dragging Turkey to the dark ages
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The struggle for the political identity of Turkey intensifies with the prospect of the country being led by a president with an Islamist past.
Scores of people (about 700,000) on Sunday marched to protest against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his agenda to move Turkey away from the country’s secular bequest.
The controversy over the presidential candidature of Abdullah Gul has recommenced an argument over Turkey’s identity. That debate has intensified since the current government came to power, formed from a party with roots in political Islam.
Turkey has been a secular nation since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founded of the secular republic, separated religion and state, gave women the vote, restricted Islamic dress and replaced Arabic script with the Roman alphabet after the fall of the Ottoman Empire.
Existing Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who will be stepping down on May 16, addressing military officers on Friday feared and warned the upcoming threats to the democracy and secular spirit of the nation.
For the first time, the pillars of the secular republic are being openly questioned.
If Abdullah Gul, an observant Muslim who is likely to win the presidential election, succeeds in winning the bid for the upcoming elections, the secular future of Turkey may well be at stake.
Abdullah Gul, with his hidden political Islam won’t let the nation turn to the secular West and the fact that his wife wears the Muslim headscarf, banned in universities and public offices makes it more worrisome for the seculars, as she will wear it as a first lady too.
However, the pro-secular military, which holds a strong influence in Turkey, won’t let the power slide into the hands of Islamic extremists that could well mar the future prospects and economy of the nation, especially when Turkey after extensive efforts is close to win an EU membership.
While Turks rationally value the secular nature of their democracy, one wonders if the threat to democracy isn’t greater from another military coup than it is from a Gul presidency.
Moreover, the common people of Turkey can only grow by sound policies of an open and secular government and better access to the EU markets would be one the best moments for the nation.
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Anupam Agnihotri
bodyofwealth.com
Apr 30 2007
Shimla,
India
It seems that the move, initiated in turkey would garrote democracy, which is still finding it hard to survive there. Moreover, I think that that deviation from the path of democracy would further exacerbate the condition of the people living there.
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with so much people protesting against the Islamic Rule it is very clear that the people are aware of the disastrous future of the nation after such a rule. secularism is the strongest pillar of democracy and if it is lost i fear we would see another dictator coming up in Turkey.
Samuel Huntington rightly classified Turkey as a torn country in his bestselling book on new world order. The current conditions, that you have captured so wonderfully in this article, testify this fact. No matter, how much a country tries to escape its past, the fact of the matter is it can never do so. Turkish people must stand strong in these testing times. They must break the shackles of Islamist past and vouch for secularism.
Only one advice though, Turkey must adopt western institutions and values without giving up on the right of its people to identify with its ancient heritage and culture. It must avoid another Clash of Civilization at any cost.
Only one advice though, Turkey must adopt western institutions and values without giving up on the right of its people to identify with its ancient heritage and culture. It must avoid another Clash of Civilization at any cost.
It is worthy of note that Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the incumbent Prime Minister of Turkey was earlier speculated to run for Presidency. However, there was opposition to this as many doubted his commitment to keep the secular fibre of Turkey intact. It holds true as Erdogan had been in jail for four months for inciting religious hatred when he spoke, “the mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers....”
His choice of Abdullah Gül, the current Foreign Minister, for President’s post raised several eyebrows. Gul’s being crowned the President of Turkey is as simple as getting a parliamentary majority in a 550 member body, and as it happens in a democracy the decision of the parliament will be the indirect choice of the citizens of its country. But the fact that 700,000 people marched on Sunday gives us a fractured view and proves beyond doubt what people DO NOT want.
The principles and secular republic of Atatürk may well be threatened by the selection of Gul or ‘anyone’ from the Justice and Development Party (AK), which has its roots in Islamic ideologies.
However, it might not be forgotten that Gul’s contribution as foreign minister included guiding Turkey through developments required for eventual EU membership. If in the ultimate state of affairs, Gul is selected, we may at best rely on his statement, ”The president must be loyal to secular principles. If I am elected, I will act accordingly.”
The world will wait and watch!
His choice of Abdullah Gül, the current Foreign Minister, for President’s post raised several eyebrows. Gul’s being crowned the President of Turkey is as simple as getting a parliamentary majority in a 550 member body, and as it happens in a democracy the decision of the parliament will be the indirect choice of the citizens of its country. But the fact that 700,000 people marched on Sunday gives us a fractured view and proves beyond doubt what people DO NOT want.
The principles and secular republic of Atatürk may well be threatened by the selection of Gul or ‘anyone’ from the Justice and Development Party (AK), which has its roots in Islamic ideologies.
However, it might not be forgotten that Gul’s contribution as foreign minister included guiding Turkey through developments required for eventual EU membership. If in the ultimate state of affairs, Gul is selected, we may at best rely on his statement, ”The president must be loyal to secular principles. If I am elected, I will act accordingly.”
The world will wait and watch!
The bloody Political Power struggles everywhere have broken records and gone very higher [talking of power buildups/corruptions/nepotisms etc] but none really kept the Economic numbers through the long debacles and most didnt even have an objective with politics..
The Military that has been incharge of the ww2fallen Turkey has not yet taken the World Press cloud off but again bureacratically they arnt bothered ...The new politicalism that was allowed after 1983 visit of turkish president to Pakistan the order was disasterous because no party really took real attention from public/culturists/economistwizards or even International brethern ...then even sulaiman demmiril was invited back after Arba khan was ousted and before him the Us supported ’turkish delight ’cant recall her name now faled into corruption and this party you can say ’ethnic socialists #postcomment were taking the stale european dictation breath ut from turkey but its difficult.............remember mankind’ written constitutions are a crime’ only publics that take away chages from a twelve story high king or sultan keep secrecy to achieve the talent and pize underground pleasures and then even generate themselves to the eccentric joy of slf destruction’’ Turkey has to run by sign instead of installations...
The Military that has been incharge of the ww2fallen Turkey has not yet taken the World Press cloud off but again bureacratically they arnt bothered ...The new politicalism that was allowed after 1983 visit of turkish president to Pakistan the order was disasterous because no party really took real attention from public/culturists/economistwizards or even International brethern ...then even sulaiman demmiril was invited back after Arba khan was ousted and before him the Us supported ’turkish delight ’cant recall her name now faled into corruption and this party you can say ’ethnic socialists #postcomment were taking the stale european dictation breath ut from turkey but its difficult.............remember mankind’ written constitutions are a crime’ only publics that take away chages from a twelve story high king or sultan keep secrecy to achieve the talent and pize underground pleasures and then even generate themselves to the eccentric joy of slf destruction’’ Turkey has to run by sign instead of installations...
The Turkish stock market plunged and the national currency fell sharply
on Monday as investors reacted to political uncertainty
in the [country] and fretted about the impact on the economy.o yea!
A tense stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the secularist Turkish army over presidential elections
will obviously be driven by politics this week,”
On the Istanbul stock exchange, the leading index grouping the 100 biggest Turkish companies fell 8.0 percent at the opening on Monday before recovering to finish the day 4.0 percent lower.
The Turkish currency, the lira, showed a loss of 2.4 percent against the euro? in late European** trading, after opening 4.0 percent weaker, its biggest fall since a broad selloff hit emerging country markets in May and June last year.
Tensions rose late Friday when, hours after a first, inconclusive round of voting in parliament for a new president,a man claiming to have seen ’green snowflakes! the army General Staff issued a stiff statement threatening to take action IF the government did not do more to preserve the republic’s secular tradition [what the meant all these years by secular was to be neutral to Christian and European tradition and culture although the last turkish Sultan was seen in London staking his pagamas for Sharkskin doublebreasts haha!.
The government responded the next day in words just as strong by calling the General Staff to learn truth and rejoice that he could now read thier red lips with white crest and star saying’no more vegetableisation of youth! An order, and reminding it that it remained under the orders of the prime minister’s office which primrily has to ceate community with its new neigbours who earlier wrote themselves off as ’menistan’.
”After the army stepped in, everything should change. We all remember what happened 10 years ago,and 20 years ago ,and 30 years ago we were the Sultans of Europe 40 years ago!” said analyst Arzu Rubaru Odabasi at Global Securities, a brokerage.
She was referring to the ousting in 1997 of Turkey’s first Islamist prime minister Netbettin Erbakan after strong pressure from 60 thousand decision makers and the army, which accused him of damaging Muslim-majority Turkey’s jealously guarded secular system ,while not inviting his usual worldwide consortium to draw in Lebanon .
”For the moment, the situation is confused,” she said. ”We have 48 hours to get all this over with and then we’ll see things more clearly.”Invest the cash where the profits are ,then she thumped her fist on table”CHINA”
The army o no? names of lobbyists please!, Turkey’s most respected institution followed by mosques mothers judges , has toppled all four diverse four governments in less than 50 years, the last in 1997.But cannot spell Democratisation !
The military [army]move followed legal action by the opposition to have the Constitutional Court, Turkey’s highest tribunal, annul the first round of the election whose sole candidate is Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a ’former’ Islamist.Khi Khi!
The court is expected to return a verdict within 48 hours, to tell Turks Constitutions are discussed in Lawmakers assemblies in courts these books are squeezed towards objective in defence of power for the fallen governments ,hardly in mankinds modren history a Politician used this Constitutional discussion with Judges before using public office or national schedules or finance/treasury ..the second round of voting on Wednesday afternoon.
Dissaux at Calyon said the reaction on Monday was because investors ”had practically failed over the past few weeks to price any of the risks related to the election period, with the lira at its strongest level versus the dollar since May 2006 and equities booming.”” this was interpreted in English from what he cited in french”the tiger has stepped backwards .it will leap very high!
Analyst Nicolas Bouzou at French research group Asteres said the political uncertainty risked scaring foreign investors [all below 10s of millions]and the army’s [military]role in Turkish public life could scupper the country’s bid to join the European Union with a dictation to count eros in turkish and liras in english by millions.
”IF the situation gets worser, if the army’s interface in the democratic process is more visible, then that could dissuade companies from investing in Turkey,” he warned.He also agreed that i was raised like other turks too!
Turkey has staged an impressive economic recovery since the current government stormed to power in 2002, but a day of inasurance could trigger the army rule and ending more than a decade of weak cia world press coalition governments.
Inflation, which stood at 29.7 percent in 2002, has been reduced to 9.65 percent in 2006, and agricultural growth and liberal trade policies averaged more than 7.0 percent between 2003 and 2006, compared with an average of 2.6 percent in the decade to 2002.
Analysts believe? further political stability is crucial as Turkey [Nation State Sultanate ? needs to address remaining weaknesses in its booming 400-million-dollar worth, such as a record current account deficit of 600 billion dollars in 2006 ,a decade from irresponsible reaction towards european nervousness towards the great surge of new central asian republics ,growing power of Arabs over EEU Economy via trade and the loss of logo !
on Monday as investors reacted to political uncertainty
in the [country] and fretted about the impact on the economy.o yea!
A tense stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the secularist Turkish army over presidential elections
will obviously be driven by politics this week,”
On the Istanbul stock exchange, the leading index grouping the 100 biggest Turkish companies fell 8.0 percent at the opening on Monday before recovering to finish the day 4.0 percent lower.
The Turkish currency, the lira, showed a loss of 2.4 percent against the euro? in late European** trading, after opening 4.0 percent weaker, its biggest fall since a broad selloff hit emerging country markets in May and June last year.
Tensions rose late Friday when, hours after a first, inconclusive round of voting in parliament for a new president,a man claiming to have seen ’green snowflakes! the army General Staff issued a stiff statement threatening to take action IF the government did not do more to preserve the republic’s secular tradition [what the meant all these years by secular was to be neutral to Christian and European tradition and culture although the last turkish Sultan was seen in London staking his pagamas for Sharkskin doublebreasts haha!.
The government responded the next day in words just as strong by calling the General Staff to learn truth and rejoice that he could now read thier red lips with white crest and star saying’no more vegetableisation of youth! An order, and reminding it that it remained under the orders of the prime minister’s office which primrily has to ceate community with its new neigbours who earlier wrote themselves off as ’menistan’.
”After the army stepped in, everything should change. We all remember what happened 10 years ago,and 20 years ago ,and 30 years ago we were the Sultans of Europe 40 years ago!” said analyst Arzu Rubaru Odabasi at Global Securities, a brokerage.
She was referring to the ousting in 1997 of Turkey’s first Islamist prime minister Netbettin Erbakan after strong pressure from 60 thousand decision makers and the army, which accused him of damaging Muslim-majority Turkey’s jealously guarded secular system ,while not inviting his usual worldwide consortium to draw in Lebanon .
”For the moment, the situation is confused,” she said. ”We have 48 hours to get all this over with and then we’ll see things more clearly.”Invest the cash where the profits are ,then she thumped her fist on table”CHINA”
The army o no? names of lobbyists please!, Turkey’s most respected institution followed by mosques mothers judges , has toppled all four diverse four governments in less than 50 years, the last in 1997.But cannot spell Democratisation !
The military [army]move followed legal action by the opposition to have the Constitutional Court, Turkey’s highest tribunal, annul the first round of the election whose sole candidate is Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, a ’former’ Islamist.Khi Khi!
The court is expected to return a verdict within 48 hours, to tell Turks Constitutions are discussed in Lawmakers assemblies in courts these books are squeezed towards objective in defence of power for the fallen governments ,hardly in mankinds modren history a Politician used this Constitutional discussion with Judges before using public office or national schedules or finance/treasury ..the second round of voting on Wednesday afternoon.
Dissaux at Calyon said the reaction on Monday was because investors ”had practically failed over the past few weeks to price any of the risks related to the election period, with the lira at its strongest level versus the dollar since May 2006 and equities booming.”” this was interpreted in English from what he cited in french”the tiger has stepped backwards .it will leap very high!
Analyst Nicolas Bouzou at French research group Asteres said the political uncertainty risked scaring foreign investors [all below 10s of millions]and the army’s [military]role in Turkish public life could scupper the country’s bid to join the European Union with a dictation to count eros in turkish and liras in english by millions.
”IF the situation gets worser, if the army’s interface in the democratic process is more visible, then that could dissuade companies from investing in Turkey,” he warned.He also agreed that i was raised like other turks too!
Turkey has staged an impressive economic recovery since the current government stormed to power in 2002, but a day of inasurance could trigger the army rule and ending more than a decade of weak cia world press coalition governments.
Inflation, which stood at 29.7 percent in 2002, has been reduced to 9.65 percent in 2006, and agricultural growth and liberal trade policies averaged more than 7.0 percent between 2003 and 2006, compared with an average of 2.6 percent in the decade to 2002.
Analysts believe? further political stability is crucial as Turkey [Nation State Sultanate ? needs to address remaining weaknesses in its booming 400-million-dollar worth, such as a record current account deficit of 600 billion dollars in 2006 ,a decade from irresponsible reaction towards european nervousness towards the great surge of new central asian republics ,growing power of Arabs over EEU Economy via trade and the loss of logo !
im surprised that only deficit is counted for what govrnment couldnt afford that year,,,while the publics are losing from decades....
Turkey is headed for grave political crisis, a very evident fact for a country that has seen four military coups since 1960 – and threatens to head for another. Then what’s the change over the years - probably the fact that this time the likely governing party in the country would be one that has roots in political Islam but the secular-minded military of the nation still stands at odds.
The officially secular nation – Turkey – rolls back into emergency, as the oppressive intervention by the military calls for a confrontation with the Islamist ideology jeopardizing the political and public life, with only call remaining for early elections.
EU remains a distant dream for the liberal democracy – that has been criticized for its record on human rights (genocide), religious freedom and violence against women.
The officially secular nation – Turkey – rolls back into emergency, as the oppressive intervention by the military calls for a confrontation with the Islamist ideology jeopardizing the political and public life, with only call remaining for early elections.
EU remains a distant dream for the liberal democracy – that has been criticized for its record on human rights (genocide), religious freedom and violence against women.
In the History, we can find that Turkey was keen to be part of Europe. But Europe was against accepting Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was able to change the culture of Turkey by the help of Europe. Educated people in Turkey are able to understand that Administration is going to be a fascist goverment and people will suffer its risk at high soon. It is a fact that people will be in success at the soonest if there is no intervention from America or Europe.
Turkish people is frustrated with European member attitude. People has realized that Europe is not going to accept them. Hence instead of being unwanted guest there is popular mood in Turkey to strenghthen their cultural values. When Germany can have Chiristian Democrat Party yet Secular and when Blair can display their religous allegiance in full glare of media then why can’t Turkish people have right to choose their president. In democracy it is people who are going to choose their policies through popular electorate. Demonstration is right of people but not a parametre for judging the majority opinion.
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