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MULTICULTURALISM
YUSUF KANLI
Hurriyet
Oct 26 2010
Turkey
Semantics and symbolism are important in this region. That is
a reality. What is done or said is often not as important as how,
where, when it is done, or where, when and how it is said.
At the same time, this country has some rigid rules and traditions.
For example, if the senior member of a family, or the leading or senior
member of a society speaks on a subject, juniors stop talking on that
issue because the time of discussion has come to an end. Even if what
is said might be wise and would perhaps serve the best interest of the
family or society, a word uttered after the final word is delivered
by the senior member can be nothing further than an act of insolence
which cannot be tolerated even if it is a product of good intention.
Culture is a complex phenomenon and as German Chancellor Angela
Merkel has recently confessed not all societies can manage to attain
multiculturalism. Multiculturalism, of course, requires the atmosphere
of cultural tolerance that allows the harmonious existence of various
groups of people with different ethnic, religious, linguistic and
cultural backgrounds.
Merkel has confessed that despite all its efforts, Germany has so
far failed in attaining multiculturalism. That was indeed a brave
statement. Since Germany cannot abandon multiculturalism dictated upon
it because of the existence of so many minorities, including the not
that small ethnic-Turkish and ethnic-Kurdish populations from Anatolia,
admitting failure means at the same time delivering an assurance that
more efforts will be spent by the federal government to help nourish
multiculturalism. Particularly in a land where one of the worst crimes
against humanity was committed in very recent history because of the
past failure to attain multiculturalism, the confession of Merkel
was a very courageous one which, rather than a simple confession of
failure, was very much like a policy statement instructing federal
authorities at all levels to work harder to achieve multiculturalism.
This country has been proud of its cultural diversity. Never ever
in the history of this nation has there been a statement delivered
admitting failure or difficulties in nourishing multiculturalism.
Turks love the cliche description that this country has a population
that is over 99 percent Muslim. Yet, is that "over 99 percent
Muslim population" monolithic? Is the entire "over 99 percent
Muslim population" composed of people subscribing to the Sunni Hanefi
religious school? Are there not people subscribing to some other sects
or religious groups in this country? What about the Alevi people who
according to some estimates make about 25 percent of the population
of this country but somehow in population statistics it is difficult
to find any mention of them.
Right, Turkey might not have any multiculturalism problems and might
be proud of nourishing over the past centuries a multicultural Turkish
society. That is why despite local Council of State as well as European
Court of Human Rights verdicts the government of this country is
still continuing compulsory religious courses at the public schools
and thus trying to assimilate non-Sunni Hanefi and non-Muslim kids.
Of course this country has no minority problems or problems related
to its minorities. When the republic was established some 20 percent
of the population of this land was non-Muslim. Right, an important
amount of our Greek Orthodox minority migrated to Greece - and many
Thracian Turks migrated to Turkey - within the framework of an exchange
of population deal provided by the Lausanne Treaty. The trauma suffered
by the Armenian and other non-Muslim minorities during the dissolution
years of the Ottoman Empire cannot be denied either. How can this
country ever forget the horrible and shameful Sept. 6-7, 1955, events
and the resulting mass migration of the Greek-Turkish minority to
Greece? Did we not rediscover only recently that there are some people
living in this land who identify themselves as Kurds, speak Kurdish
and want educational rights in Kurdish? Why are we living through so
intensely this secular-Islamist polarization in this country?
Yet, never ever has any Turkish leader delivered a courageous statement
admitting difficulties faced in nourishing multiculturalism.
Instead, all our leaders preferred to hide behind the rhetoric that
Turkey has been the land of tolerance all through the past centuries.
Multiculturalism requires self-confidence and courage, particularly
in the majority element of a society. Often, it seems tolerance is
nothing more than the gracious mercy of the absolute master toward
the lesser important ones, the minorities or the serfs...
Let's admit that not only Germany, but this country has also failed
at multiculturalism...
From: A. Papazian
YUSUF KANLI
Hurriyet
Oct 26 2010
Turkey
Semantics and symbolism are important in this region. That is
a reality. What is done or said is often not as important as how,
where, when it is done, or where, when and how it is said.
At the same time, this country has some rigid rules and traditions.
For example, if the senior member of a family, or the leading or senior
member of a society speaks on a subject, juniors stop talking on that
issue because the time of discussion has come to an end. Even if what
is said might be wise and would perhaps serve the best interest of the
family or society, a word uttered after the final word is delivered
by the senior member can be nothing further than an act of insolence
which cannot be tolerated even if it is a product of good intention.
Culture is a complex phenomenon and as German Chancellor Angela
Merkel has recently confessed not all societies can manage to attain
multiculturalism. Multiculturalism, of course, requires the atmosphere
of cultural tolerance that allows the harmonious existence of various
groups of people with different ethnic, religious, linguistic and
cultural backgrounds.
Merkel has confessed that despite all its efforts, Germany has so
far failed in attaining multiculturalism. That was indeed a brave
statement. Since Germany cannot abandon multiculturalism dictated upon
it because of the existence of so many minorities, including the not
that small ethnic-Turkish and ethnic-Kurdish populations from Anatolia,
admitting failure means at the same time delivering an assurance that
more efforts will be spent by the federal government to help nourish
multiculturalism. Particularly in a land where one of the worst crimes
against humanity was committed in very recent history because of the
past failure to attain multiculturalism, the confession of Merkel
was a very courageous one which, rather than a simple confession of
failure, was very much like a policy statement instructing federal
authorities at all levels to work harder to achieve multiculturalism.
This country has been proud of its cultural diversity. Never ever
in the history of this nation has there been a statement delivered
admitting failure or difficulties in nourishing multiculturalism.
Turks love the cliche description that this country has a population
that is over 99 percent Muslim. Yet, is that "over 99 percent
Muslim population" monolithic? Is the entire "over 99 percent
Muslim population" composed of people subscribing to the Sunni Hanefi
religious school? Are there not people subscribing to some other sects
or religious groups in this country? What about the Alevi people who
according to some estimates make about 25 percent of the population
of this country but somehow in population statistics it is difficult
to find any mention of them.
Right, Turkey might not have any multiculturalism problems and might
be proud of nourishing over the past centuries a multicultural Turkish
society. That is why despite local Council of State as well as European
Court of Human Rights verdicts the government of this country is
still continuing compulsory religious courses at the public schools
and thus trying to assimilate non-Sunni Hanefi and non-Muslim kids.
Of course this country has no minority problems or problems related
to its minorities. When the republic was established some 20 percent
of the population of this land was non-Muslim. Right, an important
amount of our Greek Orthodox minority migrated to Greece - and many
Thracian Turks migrated to Turkey - within the framework of an exchange
of population deal provided by the Lausanne Treaty. The trauma suffered
by the Armenian and other non-Muslim minorities during the dissolution
years of the Ottoman Empire cannot be denied either. How can this
country ever forget the horrible and shameful Sept. 6-7, 1955, events
and the resulting mass migration of the Greek-Turkish minority to
Greece? Did we not rediscover only recently that there are some people
living in this land who identify themselves as Kurds, speak Kurdish
and want educational rights in Kurdish? Why are we living through so
intensely this secular-Islamist polarization in this country?
Yet, never ever has any Turkish leader delivered a courageous statement
admitting difficulties faced in nourishing multiculturalism.
Instead, all our leaders preferred to hide behind the rhetoric that
Turkey has been the land of tolerance all through the past centuries.
Multiculturalism requires self-confidence and courage, particularly
in the majority element of a society. Often, it seems tolerance is
nothing more than the gracious mercy of the absolute master toward
the lesser important ones, the minorities or the serfs...
Let's admit that not only Germany, but this country has also failed
at multiculturalism...
From: A. Papazian