Fethullah Gulen: Turkey, Terror, and Racism 

By: Amed Demirhan

Jan 19, 2005

Mr. Fethullah Gulen is a very interesting and powerful personality in Turkey. He has about five-six million followers and commands billions of dollars in Turkey and abroad. His followers’ control major news media, as well as schools and universities in many countries, including in the USA. However, in last few years the Turkish military has become uncomfortable with his growing power especially with his influence in the police force and police intelligence organizations, therefore he had to move to the USA in unofficial exile. Mr. Gulen has been presented as a tolerant, moderate, enlightened religious leader and involved in interfaith dialog, and a peaceful person. Nevertheless, his recent speeches are totally contradictory of this image, and one wonders if Mr. Gulen is showing his true face with his new remarks: racism, Xenophobia and anti-Semitism?  If it is so, it's very disappointing, but he is not alone with this type of remarks.  

In November 18, 2004 Mr. Gulen warned Turkey that "some foreign Intelligence organizations are preparing to turn Turkey in to a bloodbath. 'From now on mystery killings could occur.'"[1] This so called "mystery killing in Turkey", in 1990s about 20,000 citizens of Turkey, predominantly Kurds and some high ranking Turks and well known intellectuals, lost their lives and the murderer went free. Mr. Gulen went on claiming, “In last 300 years some secret organizations have been controlling this nation."  This is clearly a reference to "Shabbetai sect." The followers of Shabbetai Zevi (1625 - 1676) who were converted to Islam, by force of Sultan, from Judaism in late 1600s. However, some anti-Semitic groups claim this sect still practices Judaism in secret and never became Turk and Muslim and they are controlling the Turkish state and they have been the source of Turkish problem in last 300 years. In last two years Shabbetains become the target of many political groups in Turkey from old school Marxist to variety of Islamist, because of their Jewish ancestry.

Mr. Gulen not only warned the nation against foreign conspiracy and their fifth column in Turkey; he claimed: "If Turkish Intelligent Service (MIT), Police Force, and JITEM (Turkish Gendarmeries Intelligence Service) collaborates together they will over come these plots against Turkey." (HaberX 11/18/2004). It is very interesting that he names Gendarmeries Intelligence Service (JITEM) because this organization had been premier responsible for not so mysterious "mystery killing" in Turkey and protector and trainer of the Turkish Hizbullah which had been responsible for major terrorist attacks against Kurds, bombing Jewish and British targets in Istanbul, and many more.

I am not the only one who says JITEM has been primarily responsible for the mystery killings and founder and supporter terrorist Turkish Hizbullah organization, among many others the well known

Turkish journalist, writer, and politician Ms. Nazli Ilicak[2] has been writing about that for many years like me. In addition, many international observers, organizations, and the USA state department's human right reports have pointed out these relationships. It is a well-known fact by observers and researchers about Turkey.

 Mr. Gulen in a later interview with Turkish Daily Milliyet, and later published in his own web page, made some racist remarks about Kurdish intellectuals and politicians and demanded Ms. Leyla Zana, long time jailed Kurdish parliamentarian, apologize to the state for "making a mistake by signing a declaration for Kurdish human rights" (1/14/05).[3] In the same interview he claimed, "The trouble makers are not more than 500 people in South East" (Meaning Kurdistan). A euphemism for Kurdish patriots and human right activists, but most observers of Turkey could easily testify that Mr. Gulens' statements are baseless. The pro-Kurdish parties, despite all restrictions and government threats, get more than one million votes and it is the dominant party in Kurdistan area. One wonders why such knowledgeable and well informed person is making these kinds of statements? Mr. Gulen had been a student of a Kurdish thinker and philosopher Said-eKurdi (Later called Said-e Nursi) for years, but still this doesn't hinder him from racism.

Recently Dogu Perincek in his weekly journal "Aydinlik" claimed that the Worker Party of Kurdistan (PKK)/Kurdish Peoples Congress (Kongra Gel) will create provocations and terror on behalf of the USA[4]. Interestingly, Mr. Perincek used to closely cooperate with PKK during the most intense civil war in Turkey in 1991 - 1993. Later he claimed he was with PKK on behalf of Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and he is closely related to TAF, even though he was a Maoist and now a Kemalist. The head of Nationalist Movement Party (NMP- in Turkish MHP) and former Vice Prime Minister, Mr. Devlet, Bahceli in 1/15/05 issued a warning to Greek and Armenia Orthodox Christians in Istanbul, if they continue practice certain religious traditions, they will be target of the nationalist (Ulkucu). Mr. Bahceli's party is infamous for its terrorist past in Turkey, and even by many Turks it's considered a fascist party, but this

movement, too, has been related to TAF.  At least one Turkish Journalist Mr. Ismet Berkan in daily newspaper “Radikal” reacted to Mr. Bahceli’s treat. Mr. Berkan stated: “Is Bahceli want terror?” And he thinks Mr. Bahceli want terror.[5]

What make these peoples statements important? On the surface they are representing different ideologies, but all three of them, Mr. Gulen, Mr. Perincek, and Mr. Bahceli, are connected with different branches of the military and police, and their targets are Kurds, Armenians, Jews, Greeks, and of course foreign conspirators (America and Israel). Clearly they are preparing the ground for terror, especially with Mr. Gulen calling JITEM for duty, this is a call for civil war and not so mysterious "mystery killings".

 Why do they want to create terror in Turkey if they are related to the state? Historically, whenever civilian government and civil society gets strong in Turkey, terrorism and anarchy increases. Guess what? Then people need liberators to protect them from the terror and TAF is ready to take over directly or indirectly  in order to protect the "nation". Therefore, this author has been saying time and again that everyone who believes and want to transform Turkey into a pluralistic Federal Western style democracy should strongly and unconditionally be opposed to every kind of violence and terror in Turkey.

Amed Demirhan

e-mail: ameddemirhan@hotmail.com

Florida, USA

1 Fethullah Gülen'den ürküten uyarılar...
   18/11/0418  : 09:20 Am.

Türkiye'nin Tarafsız Haber Sitesi - http://www.haberx.com

 2[1] Ilicak, Nazli “BUGÜNÜ TANZİM EDELİM “ 12/11/04 Tercuman –Ilicak http://www.tercumangazete.com/hoku.aspx?yid=5159

 3[1] Gundem, Mehmet “Zana ve Arkadaşları Özür Dilemelidir”

Milliyet  1/13/05

http://tr.fgulen.com/a.page/basindan/roportajlar/gazeteler/milliyette.mehmet.gundemle/a12938.html

 4[1] Perincek, Dogu

 http://www.aydinlik.net/

 5[1] Berkan, Ismet  “Devlet Bahçeli terör mü istiyor?” 01/17/05

  http://www.radikal.com.tr/haber.php?haberno=140623