November 29, 2013

KCK, Gülen, AKP: shifting alliances?

Mustafa Gürbüz

Regarding the heated prep school debate, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Ardahan Deputy Orhan Atalay explicitly spelled out the AKP- Gülen tension: “Just as the KCK [the Kurdistan Communities Union, an umbrella organization that contains the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)] is a parallel structure within the state; prep schools have become the same thing.” According to this view, (1) prep schools are considered the bastions of the Gülen movement, (2) the movement is a parallel structure within the state, and (3) the government's action against the movement stems from a national security concern.

Koç-defender Boydak's firm target of gov't audits

Central Anatolian conglomerate Boydak Holding, a firm whose vice chairman of the board criticized the government over a raid on another company over the summer, is now facing a round of tax audits of its three subsidiaries.

Tip of the iceberg

Beril Dedeoğlu

A significant allegation is circulating. Some people claim that the government wants to close prep schools because of a secret deal with the Kurds.

The AKP, Gülen and Feb. 28 coup

İhsan Yılmaz

The Taraf daily uncovered a secret national security document which revealed that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government in 2004 signed on to a planned crackdown on the Hizmet (Gülen) movement.

Old habits die hard in Turkey

Abdullah Bozkurt

One of the major criticisms directed towards the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government is its persistent avoidance of institutional changes to deeply entrench the democratic reform process in Turkey.

Education as a political tool

Tuğba Aydın

For two weeks, the whole country has been engaged in a debate surrounding the planned closure of prep schools -- the majority of which are owned by the Hizmet movement, inspired by Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen -- and the possible implications on the education system, with education professionals, legal experts, economists and politicians, among others, raising their voices against the precipitous closure of these institutions.

What are the basic principles of the Gülen Movement?

Prof. Doğu Ergil

The answer to this question cannot be separated from the fact that Fethullah Gülen is a man of religion. Gülen has committed his life to understanding the principles of religion, commenting on it, and sharing his religious teachings with others. In order to understand what he says and does, it is necessary to keep this perspective. Misguided people try to seek out things in Gülen and his movement, which are not present, from political ambitions to material gains. The person who tries the hardest to correct these misconceptions and who is the most offended by them is Gülen himself.

Food Security Summit convenes in Thailand

Aid and International Development Forum (AIDF) held Food Security Summit at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 26-27.

Turkish doctors save lives in the Philippines

The Turkish medical team keeps healing the wounds of Haiyan victims. Serving an average of 600 Filipinos daily, the Kimse Yok Mu team recently performed a surgery and saved a newborn inflicted with inflammation on head. Having lost their all to the typhoon, the infant’s once well-off parents had come to KYM team’s Tacloban facility and pleaded for help.