Islamic scholar Gülen offers condolences to Berkin's family

Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen offered his deep condolences to the family of Berkin Elvan, the latest victim of last year’s Gezi Park protests, in a statement issued late on Tuesday.

The scholar also voiced his dismay over the unconstructive language adopted by government officials as concerns social issues.

The government’s insistence on pursuing plans to raise the park and build in its place a shopping center was, according to Gülen, the biggest cause exacerbating the developments that culminated in the loss of young lives during the Gezi protests. The social unrest may have been defused and reduced had the politicians not chosen to use polarizing language that alienated significant segments of the society, said Gülen, pointing to the lack of common sense among the political establishment.

Full text of Gülen's statement:

We are passing through difficult days, days in which the state, which should be reinforced with common sense and reconciliation, is instead overcome by anger and rancor. This atmosphere of hatred threatens peace, tranquility and efforts exerted to understand one another, all of which society is in need of. It also reinforces a bellicose rhetoric through and through. Instead of taking steps to defuse the events sparked by an obsession to build a shopping center, polarizing language was used to incite them further, and this has caused the death of a number of our youth. Fifteen-year-old Berkin Elvan is the latest victim of this atmosphere.

I would like to offer my condolences to the family and relatives of Berkin. I ask God to give our Alevi brothers patience, for they have suffered a lot of pain but maintain their poise and dignity.

Published on Today's Zaman, 11 March 2014, Tuesday