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WorldBulletin.net, Turkey
Oct 2 2010
Turkish gov't determined to eradicate problems of minorities
Turkish government wants the contribution of various minority groups
in the preparation of a brand new constitution for Turkey
Saturday, 02 October 2010 16:35
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, which has
been placed in a tough position due to various attacks on several
minority figures and groups in the country, has rolled up its sleeves
to resolve the long-standing problems facing minority communities in
the country and has prepared a roadmap to this effect.
In consideration of the fact that criticism from the EU and the United
States about the problems faced by minorities in Turkey reached a peak
in 2007, the government has decided to deal with the country's
problems one by one.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who met with representatives from
Armenian, Greek and Assyrian communities in İstanbul, listening to
their problems on Aug. 15, 2009, wanted a commission to deal with the
problems of the minorities as a whole formed.
Upon Erdogan's order, a commission was created with members drawn from
the Foreign Ministry, the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Interior
Ministry and the Education Ministry. The commission has prepared a
roadmap for the solution of all the problems facing minority groups.
The government's perception of minorities has undergone a big change
since 2008, and places of worship belonging to minority religious
groupings have been opened for services, mostly during the 2009-2010
period. So far, the government has allowed minorities to hold services
in 16 places of worship out of 1,173 that have the status of a
cultural entity.
The commission that makes the decision regarding religious services
for the time being would not consider granting further permission for
the hosting of religious services in other places of worship, on the
grounds that demands will be never-ending if they do not stop at a
certain point.
While St. Nicholas Church in Antalya was opened for Christmas Mass in
2008, the Sümela Monastery was opened for a religious service in
August and the historic Church of the Holy Cross in the eastern
province of Van hosted a religious ceremony, after 95 years, last
month.
Greek seminary surprise
The government's roadmap on the solution of the problems facing
minority groups foresees the reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki
Seminary on Heybeliada.
The Halki Seminary was closed to new students in 1971 under a law
which put religious and military training under state control and has
remained closed to date, despite international calls for its
reopening.
The government will decide on the status of the Halki Seminary after
meetings with the Fener Greek Patriarchate. In the past, the
patriarchate has turned down proposals of the former governments for
the seminary's reopening.
Following the general elections in 2007, Erdogan wanted the demands of
minorities included in the draft constitution prepared by a team of
jurists led by constitutional law expert Professor Ergun Ozbudun. When
the preparations for a new constitution failed in 2007, the government
decided to address the problems facing minorities as part of its
democratization initiative.
Although they do not have minority status, many of the Alevis'
problems `and the Roma- which were constantly brought to the agenda by
the EU, have been resolved as part of the democratization initiative.
Non-Muslims to contribute to new Constitution
The government also wants the contribution of various minority groups
in the preparation of a brand new constitution for Turkey. The AK
Party deputy leader, Huseyin Celik, and chief EU negotiator, Egemen
Bagis, have been commissioned to listen to the problems and demands of
minorities before the general elections of 2011. The government hopes
to eliminate hurdles that prevent the realization of these groups'
demands during the preparation of the new constitution.
The government hopes to amend the Zoning Law to make construction of
new places of worship for minorities simpler. Although it does not
have minority status, the Turkish Protestant Church has been demanding
the expansion of the 2,500-square-meter limitation on area to
construct a place of worship on.
Through certain amendments to the law made in 2009, the government
fulfilled most of the demands from the Jewish minority. Jewish
students and staff at institutions of higher learning have been given
time off during their religious festivals in line with their demands.
The government also aims to annul a board, which was established in
the aftermath of the May 27, 1960 military coup, that deals deal with
minorities' problems. This board was opposed to the reopening of the
Halki Seminary in a secret report it prepared in 2000.
CHA
From: A. Papazian
Oct 2 2010
Turkish gov't determined to eradicate problems of minorities
Turkish government wants the contribution of various minority groups
in the preparation of a brand new constitution for Turkey
Saturday, 02 October 2010 16:35
The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government, which has
been placed in a tough position due to various attacks on several
minority figures and groups in the country, has rolled up its sleeves
to resolve the long-standing problems facing minority communities in
the country and has prepared a roadmap to this effect.
In consideration of the fact that criticism from the EU and the United
States about the problems faced by minorities in Turkey reached a peak
in 2007, the government has decided to deal with the country's
problems one by one.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who met with representatives from
Armenian, Greek and Assyrian communities in İstanbul, listening to
their problems on Aug. 15, 2009, wanted a commission to deal with the
problems of the minorities as a whole formed.
Upon Erdogan's order, a commission was created with members drawn from
the Foreign Ministry, the Culture and Tourism Ministry, the Interior
Ministry and the Education Ministry. The commission has prepared a
roadmap for the solution of all the problems facing minority groups.
The government's perception of minorities has undergone a big change
since 2008, and places of worship belonging to minority religious
groupings have been opened for services, mostly during the 2009-2010
period. So far, the government has allowed minorities to hold services
in 16 places of worship out of 1,173 that have the status of a
cultural entity.
The commission that makes the decision regarding religious services
for the time being would not consider granting further permission for
the hosting of religious services in other places of worship, on the
grounds that demands will be never-ending if they do not stop at a
certain point.
While St. Nicholas Church in Antalya was opened for Christmas Mass in
2008, the Sümela Monastery was opened for a religious service in
August and the historic Church of the Holy Cross in the eastern
province of Van hosted a religious ceremony, after 95 years, last
month.
Greek seminary surprise
The government's roadmap on the solution of the problems facing
minority groups foresees the reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki
Seminary on Heybeliada.
The Halki Seminary was closed to new students in 1971 under a law
which put religious and military training under state control and has
remained closed to date, despite international calls for its
reopening.
The government will decide on the status of the Halki Seminary after
meetings with the Fener Greek Patriarchate. In the past, the
patriarchate has turned down proposals of the former governments for
the seminary's reopening.
Following the general elections in 2007, Erdogan wanted the demands of
minorities included in the draft constitution prepared by a team of
jurists led by constitutional law expert Professor Ergun Ozbudun. When
the preparations for a new constitution failed in 2007, the government
decided to address the problems facing minorities as part of its
democratization initiative.
Although they do not have minority status, many of the Alevis'
problems `and the Roma- which were constantly brought to the agenda by
the EU, have been resolved as part of the democratization initiative.
Non-Muslims to contribute to new Constitution
The government also wants the contribution of various minority groups
in the preparation of a brand new constitution for Turkey. The AK
Party deputy leader, Huseyin Celik, and chief EU negotiator, Egemen
Bagis, have been commissioned to listen to the problems and demands of
minorities before the general elections of 2011. The government hopes
to eliminate hurdles that prevent the realization of these groups'
demands during the preparation of the new constitution.
The government hopes to amend the Zoning Law to make construction of
new places of worship for minorities simpler. Although it does not
have minority status, the Turkish Protestant Church has been demanding
the expansion of the 2,500-square-meter limitation on area to
construct a place of worship on.
Through certain amendments to the law made in 2009, the government
fulfilled most of the demands from the Jewish minority. Jewish
students and staff at institutions of higher learning have been given
time off during their religious festivals in line with their demands.
The government also aims to annul a board, which was established in
the aftermath of the May 27, 1960 military coup, that deals deal with
minorities' problems. This board was opposed to the reopening of the
Halki Seminary in a secret report it prepared in 2000.
CHA
From: A. Papazian