Fethullah Gülen: Despite differences in method, peace should be supported

Yet another show of support for Turkey's ongoing settlement process -- aiming to end the decades-old bloodshed in the country -- has been voiced, this time from Turkish-Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, who said some people might oppose the government's method of solving the settlement process but for the sake of peace, the process should be supported by all.

In his latest weekly speech, broadcast on website Herkul.org, Gülen said it will be a difficult process to maintain peace in the country and that the process needs serious courage, intelligence and diplomatic thinking. “For all these, there need to be a collective mind,” Gülen said, showing his support for the Wise People Commission, which is tasked with promoting and explaining the ongoing settlement process with the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to the public. The 63-member commission is made up of groups organized on a regional basis and is active in the country's seven regions.

In a bid to resolve the country's terrorism problem, at the end of last year the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government launched negotiations with PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who is incarcerated on İmralı Island in the Sea of Marmara. In past months, Öcalan, who, despite his 14 years in prison, still wields enormous clout over PKK terrorists as well as millions of nationalist Kurds in Turkey, has called on PKK terrorists to lay down their arms and leave Turkey.

In line with the terrorist head's call, PKK militants began withdrawing from Turkey earlier this week.

According to worldwide-renowned scholar, achieving peace may not be easy, but he said "everyone should stand by peace." "We are going through a peace process. No one would like more blood to be shed [due to terrorism]. If you ask even people who question and oppose to the [settlement] process if they want more blood to be shed, they would say 'no.' So what is their problem?" Gülen asked, and said the problem raises from people's expecations for different methods to be applied as part of efforts to achieve peace in the country.

Gülen also said there are various factors that keep peoples of Turkey united. "Our God is one. So are our prophet and religion. All these factors require us to be one and in unity. All people should understand and feel this fact in their hearts," he stated.

In addition, Gülen offered his condolences for the victims of the Reyhanlı blasts.

He said the attack, which targeted Hatay, a symbol of a culture of peaceful coexistence, had unleashed a great sorrow. He said people will respond, while preserving common sense, to those who have targeted the moves that aim to restore social peace and brotherhood in Turkey.

Published on Sunday's Zaman, 12 May 2013, Sunday