Author Topic: The end of secularism in Turkey?  (Read 6289 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
The end of secularism in Turkey?
« on: April 26, 2016, 10:43:43 AM »
The elephant in the room finally blew through its trunk yesterday - the parliamentary speaker, Ismail Kahraman was speaking at a conference relating to the new constitution and said:

“As a Muslim country, why should we be in a situation where we are retreating from religion? We are a Muslim country. So we must have a religious constitution

He went on to say:

“A description of secularism shouldn’t be in the new constitution. France, Ireland and Turkey have constitutions that include a description of secularism. But everyone interprets it the way they want to. That shouldn’t be the case.”

Scary stuff. 

Bit of an outcry from non AKP deputies, and later in the day the prime ministers office made a "say a lot but say nothing" statement - the prime minister is, apparantly, going to evaluate whether secularism should feature in the constitution.

Kahraman isnt a free thinker, he's not some Skinneresque rebel, in fact he's little reginalds man through and through.  He served under Erbakan (who the army seen off) in the nineties and was trotted out at the last (Nov 15) election in Istanbul with the view of him becoming speaker.

So why did he say it?  I wonder if this was an exercise in testing the waters for the potential removal of secularism from the constitution, which ultimately would make The Republic of Turkey an officially muslim country.  Like Pakistan, like Iran, Like Saudi Arabia - need I go on?

Hate to be repetitive, but interesting times ahead...

JF

Edit: sorry, forgot link to the ONLY English speaking publication covering this story - HDN



Offline kayakebab

  • Too Normal For Calis?
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3114
  • Age: 63
  • Location: Turkey
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2016, 11:53:39 AM »
Seriously considering going after seeing that yesterday.
Keep hoping the Turkish people would do something by now but with the way things are with freedom of speech etc thats increasingly unlikely :(

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk


Offline Anne

  • A Barmaid, From Hell
  • Global Moderator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6812
  • Location: United Kingdom
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2016, 11:57:16 AM »
Another nail in the coffin

Offline Dutchie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 576
  • Location: Turkey
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2016, 12:14:57 PM »
Nothing surprising. I'll try to post a link to an interesting video from a couple of months ago where they discuss the new constitution.

People have protested in Ankara against the "non secular" statement and many arrests have been made this morning.

Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2016, 12:27:15 PM »
People have protested in Ankara against the "non secular" statement and many arrests have been made this morning.

The youth of this country in Istanbul and Ankara (and many other cities) have paid a heavy price over the past few years for daring to show their displeasure about the direction Turkey has been heading.  I hope that 1st May doesn't add to the list of casualties.

I watched Winter on Fire recently and it showed how the determination of the people managed to overthrow a corrupt and totalitarian government, and it all started with the young.  Well worth a watch - I learned a lot that went unreported in the western media at the time.

Here's the trailer, its a Netflix production and also available to watch for free if you Google it.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RibAQHeDia8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RibAQHeDia8</a>


Probably said enough here to get the jail   :)


JF

Offline Dutchie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 576
  • Location: Turkey
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2016, 12:34:18 PM »
1st of May is bound to cause chaos :(

Here's a link to an interview where two hoca's claim that they and 50 other imams have prepared the new constitution based on the kuran and that they  have handed it over to the constitution committee to be approved.
It's in Turkish and the interesting bit starts around 4.15 minutes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92rzablfDtM

Offline kayakebab

  • Too Normal For Calis?
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3114
  • Age: 63
  • Location: Turkey
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2016, 15:12:41 PM »
My Turkish teacher, a very learned man who used to live in Istanbul,  way back in 2008 told me this would happen and was all being financed by America.
So much of what he told me would happen has already happened.



Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk


Offline Dutchie

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 576
  • Location: Turkey
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2016, 15:24:57 PM »
I've heard these predictions many times in the past as well and I always refused to believe them.
Mainly because I didn't want to believe them.

1,5 years ago we considered leaving Turkey but decided to stay but after the recent bombings in Ankara and Istanbul in combination with other events, I've lost all faith in the future for Turkey and we've put our house on the market. Hopefully it will sell and we'll be able to buy a property in Holland so our 6 year old can start first grade there. I want her to grow up in freedom without brain washing in school and the media.

P.S. Not sure about the "American master plan bit" though.


Offline JohnF

  • Administrator
  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4322
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2016, 15:44:27 PM »
P.S. Not sure about the "American master plan bit" though.

Pennsylvania  ;)

JF

Offline Colwyn

  • Prolific Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6412
  • Location: Bristol
Re: The end of secularism in Turkey?
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2016, 15:49:41 PM »
Gulen?




Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf