The Latest on Turkey – April 30
Another update from my contacts in Turkey.
This one is about the tensions tied to the election of the President, which is really complicated becasue of the Turkish Constitution, which requires a secular Turkey.
Here is the update:
Please pray for our Nation.
The number of participants in a Rally in Istanbul yesterday show the great uproar against events that loom ahead of us this week.
Another update from my contacts in Turkey.
This one is about the tensions tied to the election of the President, which is really complicated becasue of the Turkish Constitution, which requires a secular Turkey.
Here is the update:
Please pray for our Nation.
The number of participants in a Rally in Istanbul yesterday show the great uproar against events that loom ahead of us this week.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/index.php
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71941
Two phantom threats: Military Coup or Religious Dictatorship
Reason for this demonstration: Abdullah Gul has been nominated by the primarily AKP Parliament to be the new President of Turkey. Thousands of people are up in arms against this nomination, most significantly against his views represented by the fact that his wife is “covered.” This represents the nominee to be staunchly Islamic. Many fear that Turkey is going the way of Iran.
Because of the multi-party system, the system becomes inherently undemocratic. One Turk says it this way: AKP is using democracy to erase democracy. Modern Turks are most adamently against the President of Turkey being AKP, particularly because his wife would be the only “covered” woman to ever live at the Pembe Kosk (Turkish White House). As it is, these covered women are not permitted at government functions, and even the present AKP Prime Minister’s wife cannot attend these events. Wearing of a headscarf was legally banned by Ataturk, but now it is tolerated unofficially, but public officers cannot be covered, including school teachers, students, etc. It is most definitely a political statement to choose for your wife to wear a headscarf, preferring Islamic rule-of-law to Turkish Law.
Turkish military is historically VERY secular and representing the Kemalist views of the country (that is, supporting the separation of religion and state which Kemal Ataturk instituted in the establishment of the nation). The Turkish military issued a statement that it would not support an Islamic government (because ultimately it has to obey the President) and if the President begins “jihad”-type military actions it would nullify Turkey’s secular stance. Also, the Military was given a direct command by Kemal Ataturk to protect the secularism of Turkey at all costs.
In the past century, the Military has initiated a series of coups against the results of democratic process in order to maintain the Turkey that Ataturk wanted. Those were sad and hard times for the country.
The Military mentioned the slayings of our brothers in Malatya as one of the significant proofs of its case of what happens when a country has political ties to Islam. http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71925 (The excerpt that begins “Developments in our region” included that reference, but are taken out on this English excerpt article). It’s not just about the “headscarf,” they Military emphasized when giving its reasons: http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71924.
Yesterday the AKP party-government rebuked the Military saying it had no business meddling in these matters. Ultimately, the government said, the Military is under the Prime Minister and must support the PM.
Now the balance lies in the hands of the Constitutional Court. They will decide whether or not to annul Friday’s presidential elections. (details http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71935 ) The decision is set for Wednesday, May 2. The head of the Constitutional Court is an uncovered woman.
How does it affect the Christians? God knows. But according to the Military, Malatya killings are a direct result of a religious minority getting too much political control.
Pray for God’s will, and pray for wisdom for our leaders who will decide how to move in this event. Should they allow Turkey to democratically use a democratic loophole to move toward an Islamic state and negate its own Secular foundation?
———————–
Please read the following English articles and pray for our nation of Turkey.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71854
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=71863
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/excontent.php?htmlcon=government_lashes_out_the_military.htm
Also, if you are interested in more info on this, read the Turkish Daily News in the upcoming days.
