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December 05, 2003
Terror in Turkey Unrelated to Nation’s Cultural Conflict
The recent incidents of terror in Istanbul, the bombings of synagogues followed a week later by attacks on the British Consulate and a British bank, killing 58 people and injuring 750, are evidently not related to the cultural conflict inherent in the Turkish polity. Undoubtedly, they were of external origin and inspiration, though perpetrated by Turkish nationals. This is confirmed by the facts that have become available so far, particularly with regard to the identification of the criminals involved, DNA tests of their remains, and their likely links to Al Qaeda. No wonder, the havoc and the carnage were forcefully condemned by all sectors of Turkish society. No one has condoned them.
Islamic states and organizations all over the world have likewise condemned these obnoxious acts of the brainless terrorists.
Turkey has witnessed in the past terrorist acts perpetrated by Kurdish nationalists and Marxists but this is the first time that it has confronted such acts by self-proclaimed champions of Islamic causes, the so-called Islamic Great East Raiders Front.
Turkey is currently under the rule of Prime Minister Tayip Erdogan’s Islamic Justice and Development Party that has a strong Islamic bias and the widest base of support in Istanbul. Mr. Erdogan had been a very successful and popular Mayor of Istanbul.
If the attacks were calculated to fuel feelings of sympathy for the cause of the Muslims of Palestine and sentiments against Israel, US and UK, the actual outcome has been quite the contrary. Almost the entire Turkish press has pointed out in commentaries that the attacks will lead to even closer collaboration between Turkey, Israel and the West. Turkey is already the only Muslim country in the region with close diplomatic and military links to Washington and Tel Aviv.
The following comment in daily Turkiye epitomizes the general media feelings: “The message to Turkey and the world appears to be: ‘If you continue to cooperate with the US, you will suffer such misfortunes as caused by these bombings. You should adopt a clear stance against Israel and cease being interested in Iraq’. Such a message would actually have the opposite effect in Turkey. As we cannot make concessions to terrorism, we can only align our policy more closely with that of Washington. In addition, this anti-Semitic attack - something unfamiliar and alien to Turkey - will cause a greater rapprochement with Israel.”
Another popular paper, Hurriyet, said in a similar vein: “This terrorist action might include a warning for Turkey not to act alongside the US. However, these attacks may cause an opposite effect, because they could move Turkey further into the same axis as the US and Israel. Turkey will consider itself in the same boat as the US, which sees terrorism as its chief threat.”
As for Turkey’s relations with Israel and the Jews, the acts of terror will be similarly counterproductive. Although its population is overwhelmingly Muslim, Turkey has never been anti-Semitic. Nor has any other Muslim country been till the imposition of Israel in 1948 on Palestinian soil. The dispute has nothing to do with religion, as the two religions have closely coexisted. It is based on territorial claims.
It may be relevant to recall here that the Ottoman emperor, Sultan Beyazit II, accepted in 1492, following the fall of Muslim Spain, more than 100,000 Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition. The Jewish community has been ever since living and thriving in Turkey unhindered. Many of them still speak at home an archaic Spanish language
The Jews fleeing the pogroms in Eastern Europe and the Nazi terror were similarly allowed to take up residence in Turkey. A hardworking, gifted people, they contributed substantially to the enrichment of life in Istanbul, which had become a potpourri of different nationalities and cultures during the Ottoman period. Many Jewish scholars and historians applaud the treatment meted out to the Jewish community in Muslim societies, by the Ottomans in particular. They were treated as equal citizens without discrimination in any aspect of public life.
The present-day Turkey is struggling to rebuild its shattered economy and restore international confidence in its economic future. Its government led by an Islamic party is striving to project an image of a modern, progressive state exercising power without forsaking the secular principles enshrined in its constitution. Turkey’s ambition to join the European Union can hardly be achieved without the country achieving a stable economy and maintaining a secular polity.
No doubt, the country has been experiencing for decades a sort of tug-of-war with the ultra-modern sectors pulling it towards the West, Europe in particular, with the conservatives working for the retention of its Islamic complexion.
The conflict is embedded in the country’s geography and history. Geographically, Turkey straddles both Asia and Europe. The Turks of even the Ottoman period had always their sights towards Europe and their Western border extended up to Vienna in the sixteenth century during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent.
While geography has placed it crucially as the bridge between the East and the West, history has imparted a sense of pride to the modern-day Turks. The Ottoman Empire (1299-1923) held sway over vast areas of Asia, Africa and Europe for 624 years. The masterly monuments left behind by the Turks in Anatolia, South Asia, North Africa and Spain pay abiding tributes to their greatness. A student of history cannot help marveling at the institutions created by the Turks for the maintenance of law and order in such a vast empire, for the collection of revenues, administration of justice and for the defense of the country.
The pull of such a rich and exemplary history is bound to be felt by the present-day Turks. At the same time they want to join the ranks of modern states of Europe in keeping with the vision of their great leader, Ataturk. These conflicting pulls have triggered the political dialectics without a synthesis being reached anytime soon.
The incidents of suicide bombings in Istanbul are not suspected in any quarter to have been inspired by this on going cultural conflict. They bear clearly the signature of the obscurantist mafia of Al-Qaeda and deserve all round condemnation. (arifhussaini@hotmail.com November 27, 2003)
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