Why Kimse Yok Mu probe may affect education in Nigeria

To some, the name Kimse Yok Mu might not ring a bell in Nige­ria, but to those that follow this secular charity organization, especially its scholarship program in Ni­geria that has made it possi­ble for many underprivileged persons to go to school, the NGO may simply be the best thing to happen in Nigeria’s education sector. This char­ity organization works in 130 countries, where it has been carrying out humanitarian services. For those that have not been following the politi­cal situation in Turkey as it is unfolding, it might be a rude shock that Kimse Yok Mu has been designated a terrorist organization by the administration of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

All over the world, the primary responsibility of any government as guaranteed by the constitution of each country is the protection of lives and property of its citizens. Any government that fails in this regard may be perceived as being weak. This appears to be the cur­rent situation in Turkey where the government is now resorting to tagging Kimse Yok Mu charity organization a terrorist group.

It is surprising that the govern­ment has orchestrated attacks on Kimse Yok Mu and even some journalists who try to keep him in check over the crackdown on persons and organizations that are against his policies.

If the Turkish authorities use baseless accusations to destroy this charity organisation, the impact that it would have on the Nigerian education system would be great. It is a known fact that Kimse Yok Mu organization has given scholar­ships to many Nigerians to study at Nigerian/Turkish Nile University. As at last year November, it was on record that over 17 percent of the 700 students in the school who per­formed excellently in JAMB and WAEC were offered full scholar­ships to study in the school, cour­tesy of Kimse Yok Mu.

In addition to that, top perform­ers at the International Science Olympiad get scholarships to study in Turkey. If we are not going to shy away from the truth, the label­ling of Kimse Yok Mu as a terrorist body or a financier of a terrorist or­ganisation is politically motivated to tarnish its image and also in­tended to take revenge.

As a matter of fact, this is anoth­er attempt to rubbish the good work of the organisation. It equally goes a long way to say that president is ready to expend resources of the to fight his political enemies. It won’t be out of place or out of point to say that branding individuals who have been critical of government as terrorists is another ploy employed by the government to tame people who have been critical of it and its programs.

A prominent Turkish author, Yavuz Bülent Bakiler, as quoted by Today’s Zaman, said the humani­tarian activities of charitable orga­nizations such as Kimse Yok Mu are very important for the present and future of society but that “some people motivated by political ideol­ogy are against such good work. … This oppression cannot continue.

Portraying Kimse Yok Mu of­ficials as if they were members of an armed terrorist organization and associating the sacrifice of animals for the Islamic holiday of Eid al- Adha with terrorism are the worst mistakes in the world. I fear some­one will soon accuse people of be­ing a member of a terrorist organization for just praying, going on a pilgrimage or fasting.”

Also, Turkish Opposition Na­tionalist Movement Party (MHP), who is also the parliamentary group Deputy Chairman, Oktay Vural, was quoted by Today’s Za­man, saying that, Kimse Yok Mu probe is entirely political and is in­tended to take revenge by destroy­ing the charity.

Kimse Yok Mu, who is inspired by the teachings of Turkish Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gülen and his association with the Gülen move­ment has made him a target in the battle launched by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) against Gülen. It is really mind-bog­gling that several pro-government media outlets have joined forces with the government by waging a smear campaign, accusing the charity of engaging in illegal fun­draising activities despite lack of evidence.

To hoodwink and deprive Kimse Yok Mu’s fair hearing in the probe allegation, the court ordered that the details of the investigation remain confidential, leaving its lawyers in the dark as they could not examine the contents of the investigation file. However, the al­legation leveled against the charity group became a public knowledge after the Ankara Chief Public Pros­ecutor, Musa Yücel sent a request to Kimse Yok Mu’s management asking the charity to send him in­formation about the organization's activities regarding Eid al-Adha in 2011.

His lawyers had to contact the prosecutor’s office to learn about the details of the investigation. They subsequently paid a visit to Ankara Courthouse and found out that the investigation includes charges of being an ‘armed terror­ist organization.’

According to Today’s Zaman, Mr. Yılmaz while criticizing the terrorism investigation being con­ducted against the charity, said that targeting a charity that has become the pride of Turkey with its chari­table activities around the world shows the extent to which the Turk­ish judiciary has deteriorated. He said that in the present day Turkey, the judiciary is no longer the hope of an average Turkish to seek jus­tice.

Reacting to the probe allega­tion by the Turkish government, as quoted by Today’s Zaman, the In­dependent İstanbul Deputy, Hakan Şükür, said: “If you (the govern­ment) are so crazy as to launch an armed terrorist organization probe against Kimse Yok Mu, then you have already reached the final point [in terms of persecution]. No one will even associate you with the Feb. 28 [postmodern coup era], be­cause your persecution has already exceeded the persecution conduct­ed in that era.”

Meanwhile, intolerance of criti­cism is now the order of the day in Turkey.

Published on The Sun, 30 April 2015, Thursday

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