Turkish Government Takes Steps to Shut Popular Islamic Party
By IAN FISHER
ISTANBUL, Oct. 23 — Just 10 days before national elections, Turkey’s chief prosecutor moved today to outlaw the most popular political party, a moderate Islamic group whose leader had already been barred from running for office.
The case seemed unlikely to be decided before the elections, which take place on Nov. 3 — and the more immediate question was whether the legal troubles of the beleaguered party, called Justice and Development, would hurt its standing at the polls. Public opinion surveys show it with roughly 30 percent of the vote, far ahead of its nearest competitor.
“I say this clearly: this closure case will in no way damage our party,” said its chairman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the popular former Istanbul mayor who founded the party less than a year ago. He called the move to shut down the party “another heavy blow to Turkish democracy.”
Last month, the nation’s highest electoral board disqualified Mr. Erdogan from running because of a conviction in 1998 for reading a poem that a court said incited religious hatred.
The nation’s avowedly secular political leadership and business community view him with deep suspicion, at a time when Turkey’s long relationship with the United States is especially important because of the Bush administration’s vows to disarm Iraq, Turkey’s neighbor to the southeast.
Mr. Erdogan, 48, who had stood a good chance of becoming Turkey’s next prime minister, denies that his party espouses an Islamic agenda.
Despite Mr. Erdogan’s roots in political Islam, he staged his political comeback over the last year with a carefully thought out, moderate, pro-Western image.
Though barred last month from running, Mr. Erdogan retained the title of party chairman.
That appeared to be the basis for the court case filed today: Sabih Kanadoglu, the chief prosecutor, said in a statement carried by the Anatolian news agency that the party had not complied fully with a court decision barring Mr. Erdogan from being a founding member of the party.
Mr. Kanadoglu was quoted as saying that the party was trying to “deceive the law” by allowing Mr. Erdogan to remain as chairman.
Murat Mercan, a party spokesman, said tonight that he believed that the ruling would only anger Turkish voters, who polls show are disenchanted with most mainstream political leaders because of corruption and the nation’s poor economic performance.
“Turkish people, after all, would not find this case a reasonable one,” Mr. Mercan said. “Therefore it may even increase votes for the party.”
Mr. Erdogan’s troubles date to his recital of a poem during a political speech in 1997 while mayor. “The mosques are our bayonets, the domes our helmets and the believers our soldiers,” he said at the time.
A court ruled that the words incited religious hatred and sentenced Mr. Erdogan to prison for 10 months, stripped him of his office and barred him from politics. He served four months in 1999.
Coment: Its strange you will not hear a single voice against this form of extremism. The obsession of the Turkish elite to join Europe is becoming pretty ugly, along with their “Democratic” history. Its not far that the Turkish Army’s house of card will from with in.
Turkey is a bad news for both Europe and Asia. Someone should keep eyes on it. It needs to be divided in about 3 (or 4) countries. Anyway thanksgiving is aroud the cornor.
Turkey is a joke of a Democracy. Like us, their Army has the real power. But the problem with them is that they are the opposite of most other Muslim majority countrie. In this case, we have a extremist secularist country. Its just as bad as reoligous extremism.
One thing admirable about Turkey is that it has commercial and diplomatic ties with Israel, which is a pretty good thing for the security of the region. In case the US attacks Iraq (only if it does), Turkey will open its bases for the American use. It’s a country that can be relied upon.
I think no Islamic country should talk down about Turkey before they get their own houses in order.
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*Originally posted by NYAhmadi: *
One thing admirable about Turkey is that it has commercial and diplomatic ties with Israel, which is a pretty good thing for the security of the region. In case the US attacks Iraq (only if it does), Turkey will open its bases for the American use. It’s a country that can be relied upon.
I think no Islamic country should talk down about Turkey before they get their own houses in order.
[/QUOTE]
I admire their secular beliefs, but they take it way to far. While I suppot keeping govt and religion completely seperate, I dont believe this seperation should be forced.
The more the Turkish establishment enforce secularlism on the Turkish people, the more the Islamic parties will get. They have tried to bar or ban quite moderate Islamist parties three times now, and each they have failed to dent their popularity, in fact increased it. Over time Turkey is returning to its Islamic heritage, and eventually this corrupt secular establishment will end, inshallah.
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*Originally posted by rvikz: *
mallik why you want to live in secular country while you are a minority
but dont want secularism when you are majoarity.
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Who said I lived only in a secular country? I have lived in secular and non-secular countries, but that was not my point. If (all) people don't want secularlism then don't force it on them, and if more want a non-secular government then they should be allowed to freely choose that. That is the case in Turkey.
[QUOTE] Originally posted by Malik73: *
The more the Turkish establishment **enforce* secularlism on the Turkish people, the more the Islamic parties will get. They have tried to bar or ban quite moderate Islamist parties three times now, and each they have failed to dent their popularity, in fact increased it. Over time Turkey is returning to its Islamic heritage, and eventually this corrupt secular establishment will end, inshallah.
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I admire your opinions a lot, thanx for all your nice words and effective opinions and nice prays....
I agree 100% with you. I dislike turkish government forcing secularism on ppl just as much as I dislike mullahs forcing shariah on ppl. Heck if ppl are not for it, dont force it upon them.
Turkish govt is a kinder, gentler and secular version of Taleban in my view.
Turkish govt is a kinder, gentler and secular version of Taleban in my view.
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That is very apt comparison, which I am wholly in agreement with. Leaders should lead by example, and provide national direction according to the wishes of their people. A leadership or an establishment cannot enforce a system that people find alien to their way of life, be it secularism or theocracy. All to often and the reaction has always been the opposite, and brought chaos and great upheaval to a country.
Buddah says, "To control your sheep, let them roam over a large enclosed field..." Or something like that?!? Words of wisdom:) wich the Turkish govt should pay attention to.