In modern history we learned from several events that military intervention
and rule is not the solution to any problem rather it is greatest problem by
itself, great to see Turkey never went on that road again. Now it is also
important to investigate the real motive and culprits behind that bloody
military actions. Looking to the track record of
this type of events in Turkey, maybe we would not able to find the truth behind
the bloody episode of unsuccessful military coup of July 15, 2016, but that is
clear Erdogon is/will use this as opportunity to penalise his political
opponents. I am afraid political victimisation and human rights abuse will rise
in Turkey in coming weeks and months. We saw in recent years that Erdogan
style of rule is bit of totalitarian and we should not forget that Hitler was
also democratically elected.
Dismissal of over
2700 judges across Turkey in the blink of eye is strong signal in that
direction and that is dangerous for the rule of law and democratic values in
the country. Looks like hit lists of undesirable judges was ready even
before recent bloody events. When that unsuccessful military cope was in
progress, Fethullah Gulen and the followers of his reforms movement were the
first to condemn that and they called that action absolute danger for the
country and unacceptable. Fethullah Gulen’s call for investigation to probe into this unsuccessful
coup allegations is reasonable demand. Contrary to that Erdogon regime put all
of the blame on Gulen and large number of activists and followers of Gulen movement
are arrested. Looks like human rights situation and political victimisation
will rise in Turkey in coming days.
If we look at the background, Fethullah
Gulen was Erdogan’s political ally until corruption allegations surface in 2013
on president’s son and on top government officials. Later on Erdogan put all of
the blame of those charges on Gulen and his Hizmet movement and called that
unsuccessful civilian cope. Interestingly in response to those allegations, instead
of investigation on corruption charges government crackdown on judges and storm
Hizmet offices. Erdogan government had said that
the corruption investigation and comments by Gulen were the long term political
agenda of Gulen's movement to infiltrate security, intelligence, and justice
institutions of the Turkish state. These charges were almost identical to the
charges against Fethullah Gulen by the Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of
Turkey in his trial in 2000 and he had previously been tried in absentia in 2000,
and acquitted in 2008 from these charges.
Gulen movement’s religious views
and practice of Islam are based on Hanafi Suni School of thought with more
emphasis on interfaith dialogue. They also follow Turkish Sufi traditions. One
can find several similarities in Fethullah Gulen’s reformist views of Islam with
Javed Ahmed Ghamadi of Pakistan (although Ghamadi is not into sufism). In past Gulen
has criticized secularism in Turkey as "reductionist materialism".
However, he believe that secular approach that is not anti-religious and allows
for freedom of religion and belief, is compatible with Islam. He also said in
one of his press release, in democratic-secular countries, 95% of Islamic
principles are permissible and practically feasible, and there is no problem
with them. The remaining 5% are not worth fighting for.
In practical politics we can see Erdogan
regime is more leaning towards Saudi Arab and Wahabism, opposing to that Gulen
movement has firm stand against Saudi Arab’s policies to spread wahabism/extremism
among Muslims. Similar difference comes on Syrian issue. Gulen is
strongly against Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil war. While rejecting the Turkish and Saudi government's
desire to topple President al-Assad.
It is bit early to come
to some conclusion. Coming weeks and months are important to see where Turkey
is heading for – rather progressive democratic republic or going towards the kingdom
of Erdogon the magnificent.
