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MEHMET YILMAZ: TURKEY'S RULING AKP'S NEW STRATEGY TO SURVIVE
Hurriye
June 5 2008
Turkey
The statements of Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan saying that
the county's "Muslim majority also faces problems regarding their
religious freedom," is a not a simple slip of the tongue.
On the contrary it is the result of a deliberate political move.
This is also the reason for the prime minister's obvious support for
him regarding the issue.
This situation reveals the natural outcome of the administration's
lack of governing skills after its election success.
Most supporters of the ruling AKP are disappointed that the promises
made during the victory speeches on election night are not being kept.
The ruling AKP was again unsuccessful in managing the process after
the closure case was filed against them and this too resulted in a
decline in the power of the government in the eyes of voters.
As a matter of fact, the latest research study confirms this argument.
People generally tend to identify more with the sides of a society,
a community or a group that is "thought to be under attack".
The sense of the "oppression" becomes the common denominator of those
who think they share a common identity.
And it is the mission of the "struggling leaders" to channel "the
anger" of these groups towards a common target.
And those who believe they are "oppressed," firmly clamp in place
around these leaders.
This is the strategy developed by the ruling AKP in order to survive
the ongoing political situation it faces.
And in order to implement this strategy, they invented the line:
"Muslims in Turkey do not have religious freedom".
On Tuesday, Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli
called on the prime minister to explain "Which religious freedoms
can Muslims are not able to practice".
He is not likely to receive a response from the prime minister because
it is a very difficult diagnosis to be supported in Turkey.
This statement said in an outright attempt to form a solid connection
for those "victims"; not to expose that religious freedoms in Turkey
are hindered.
Hurriye
June 5 2008
Turkey
The statements of Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babacan saying that
the county's "Muslim majority also faces problems regarding their
religious freedom," is a not a simple slip of the tongue.
On the contrary it is the result of a deliberate political move.
This is also the reason for the prime minister's obvious support for
him regarding the issue.
This situation reveals the natural outcome of the administration's
lack of governing skills after its election success.
Most supporters of the ruling AKP are disappointed that the promises
made during the victory speeches on election night are not being kept.
The ruling AKP was again unsuccessful in managing the process after
the closure case was filed against them and this too resulted in a
decline in the power of the government in the eyes of voters.
As a matter of fact, the latest research study confirms this argument.
People generally tend to identify more with the sides of a society,
a community or a group that is "thought to be under attack".
The sense of the "oppression" becomes the common denominator of those
who think they share a common identity.
And it is the mission of the "struggling leaders" to channel "the
anger" of these groups towards a common target.
And those who believe they are "oppressed," firmly clamp in place
around these leaders.
This is the strategy developed by the ruling AKP in order to survive
the ongoing political situation it faces.
And in order to implement this strategy, they invented the line:
"Muslims in Turkey do not have religious freedom".
On Tuesday, Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli
called on the prime minister to explain "Which religious freedoms
can Muslims are not able to practice".
He is not likely to receive a response from the prime minister because
it is a very difficult diagnosis to be supported in Turkey.
This statement said in an outright attempt to form a solid connection
for those "victims"; not to expose that religious freedoms in Turkey
are hindered.