Hayrunisa Gul offers The Times tea and Turkish delicacies, smiles constantly,
laughs readily and talks enthusiastically about her children, her garden,
helping the disabled – about almost anything, in fact, except the deeply
controversial strip of floral-patterned silk that covers her head.
It is hard to believe that this lively and likeable woman is at the heart of
the political storm that has torn Turkey apart in the past month, pitting
the military against the Government, deepening the chasm between the pious
and the secular, bringing a million demonstrators on to the streets and
triggering an early general election to determine who really governs the
country.
Mrs Gul, 42, is the wife of Abdullah Gul, the Turkish Foreign Minister, who
was nominated for president by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister and
leader of the mildly Islamic AK party. Turkey’s “secular Establishment” –
the military, judiciary, bureaucracy, outgoing President and various
opposition parties – was appalled. It fears that if the AK party controls
the presidency as well as the Government and parliament it will sweep aside
the strict secularism of Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, and
implement a radical Islamic agenda.
As proof of that hidden agenda, and exhibit No 1, it points to Mrs Gul’s
Islamic headscarf. To hardline Turkish secularists this is not a pretty silk
cloth but a huge red rag, and the idea of her wearing it at official
functions in the presidential palace is unthinkable. The military, which
considers itself the guardian of Turkish secularism and has overthrown four
previous governments, threatened to intervene again.
Opposition parties boycotted the parliamentary vote on Mr Gul’s nomination,
then complained to the constitutional court – itself part of the secular
Establishment – that the vote was inquorate. The court agreed, even though
more MPs voted for Mr Gul than for Turkey’s three most recent presidents. No
previous prime minister had dared to defy the generals, but Mr Erdogan
declared that the military was answerable to the Government, not vice-versa.
He called a snap election for July 22, and is battling to change the
constitution so that the president is also elected by popular vote.
This turmoil is engulfing a country of 70 million people that is supposed to
be a bridge between East and West, proof that democracy and Islam can
coexist and a future member of the European Union.
Mrs Gul, speaking in the Foreign Minister’s palatial residence overlooking
Ankara, appeared bemused by the controversy swirling round her. If she has a
hidden agenda, “I’m still looking for it,” she joked in her first proper
interview with a foreign newspaper. Of her headscarf she would say only: “It
saddens me to face prejudice on an issue which I see as completely my
personal preference.”
As the Foreign Minister’s wife she had travelled to more than 50 countries and
played host to thousands of foreign guests without any problems, she added.
In a dig at Turkey’s secular Establishment, she said that her husband’s
reforming Government was seeking to create a “world-class democracy within
which everyone can live in their own style”, and continued: “We should use
our energy in the right way. We have a lot of work to do.”
Mrs Gul is unquestionably devout. She prays five times a day and took Turkey
to the European Court of Human Rights after she was barred from attending
university because of her headscarf. But she comes across not as a fully
paid up member of the Taleban, but as a modern, Western-minded woman who
practises a very tolerant form of Islam.
She was happy talking and shaking hands with a male reporter. Her oldest son
works for Merrill Lynch in London, her daughter trained as an industrial
engineer and as an apprentice with Rolls-Royce in Britain and her youngest
son spent two terms at school in New York. Not all her female entourage wear
headscarves, and she sought to discourage her daughter from wearing one so
that she could go to university.
Mrs Gul also believes strongly in gender equality. If her husband became
president, she said, she would work to promote the education of Turkish
women and make them more aware of their political and legal rights.
Foreign diplomats say that the battle over the presidency is in part a simple
power struggle, with the secular Establishment fighting to retain its last
bastion. The president can veto legislation, heads the Armed Forces and
appoints top judges, generals and university chancellors. But, they say, the
battle also reflects a very deep and real fear among Turkey’s predominantly
metropolitan secular elite that Islamic radicals want to turn Turkey into
another Iran.
Except for an aborted attempt to outlaw adultery the AK party has refrained
conspicuously from pursuing an Islamist agenda since taking power in 2002,
focusing instead on the social and economic reforms required for EU
membership. The so-called “white Turks” of Istanbul and Ankara still feel
threatened, however.
In recent decades they have witnessed a huge influx of pious, conservative and
increasingly assertive countrymen from rural areas, and consider the
headscarf the harbinger of an Islamic fundamentalism that will destroy their
relaxed Western lifestyles.
At Atatürk’s mausoleum in Ankara The Times witnessed the secularists’ paranoia
first hand. A group of middle-class matrons, pointed at head-scarved women
climbing the steps to the great man’s tomb.
“Cockroaches,” said one. “They are dirtying the place with their feet,” said
another. “Atatürk’s bones would be aching right now,” said a third. They
claimed that the AK Government was “in league with the Arabs” and planning
secretly to introduce Sharia. “With this Government anything is possible.
Behind their smiling faces they are monsters.”
At a time of rising Islamic fundamentalism around the world they cannot
understand the West’s failure to see the danger, and the EU’s lack of
enthusiasm for Turkish membership merely fuels their sense of abandonment.
If Mrs Gul’s interview showed her moderation, her husband used a separate
interview with The Times to play down the embarrassment of a military
intervention that gave further ammunition to those EU members – France,
Germany and Austria – most hostile to Turkish membership.
He was saddened by the events of the past month, he said, and felt they had
given the world a misleading impression of today’s Turkey. But he said that
the military was entitled to express its concern, and blamed opposition MPs
for creating the crisis by boycotting the vote and taking the matter to the
constitutional court. “It’s a political issue rather than a military issue,”
he said. “If the opposition parties were present in the assembly there would
not be any problem.”
He said that the Government had restored order by accepting the court’s
ruling, calling an election and seeking to have the president elected by
popular vote. “Recently there was a turbulence but now it is over. Democracy
is working,” he insisted. “We have damage control.”
Mr Gul, 57, who has led Turkey’s application for EU membership and spent two
years in Britain as a student, ridiculed the idea that his party had a
hidden Islamic agenda. If that were the case, why had it spent the past four
years reforming and modernising the country, he asked. “Why should we push
so hard for Turkey to enter the EU?” He supported secularism, he insisted,
but challenged the state’s right to curtail such basic human freedoms as
wearing a headscarf.
Mr Gul even suggested that the AK Party was Atatürk’s true heir. When he
founded the modern republic in 1923 Atatürk embraced secularism because he
considered religion an obstacle to progress. His goal was to modernise
Turkey and unite it with Europe. “We have been doing this,” said Mr Gul. “We
are fulfilling the target Atatürk showed us.”
Turbulent days
April 24 Abdullah Gul, a former member of an Islamist party, is
nominated by majority AKP party for presidency, effectively assuring his
victory
April 27 Military says it is “absolute defender of secularism”;
opposition boycotts a parliamentary vote on the presidency
April 29 Hundreds of thousands rally in Istanbul, with banners reading
“Sharia [Islamic law] shall not rise to the Presidential Palace.”
May 6 Mr Gul withdraws his candidacy, after a second parliamentary vote
that failed to get the required majority
Source: Times archives
Her scarf is as much of a threat to democracy as Dr Rowan's cross is to british democracy. She is a genuine person, so will people leave her alone.
Naveed Awan, London,
Although it may be difficult to many of us to understand the issue at hand here, we should take our own experience with the religious right, and maybe we will understand the Turks better.
Maybe some would like to dismiss, what's happenig in Turkey as paranoia. But look at what the conservatives have done in the US. They have ruined many of the things that made it great. Like forgoing the teachings of the theories of evolution ( for which there is cientific evidence) and instead teaching kids we come from Adam and Eve. They have gone as far as interfering with science, one of the things that gave us an advantege over the rest of the world. This is just one example, i could go on, like the stalling of stem cell research.
Truth is all religious parties, whether muslim or christian, have a hidden agenda. Because their basis is ideological. And especially in these 2 which promote their superiority over other religions.
Cesar Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Truth is many in AKP party, including Erdogan and Gul themselves were openly fanatical up until a few years ago. How come they've changed their stance so quickly?
They havent of course.
This said AKP party has done many things right. And they have capitalized their success on the poor and the ignorant. This is also the fault of past secularist goverments who failed their country by not having pushed wideranging reforms before, and improving the conditions of these people. Now AKP has their hearts and minds.
Erdogan and Gul knew full well, Gul's candidacy would be a hard pill to swallow for many, possibly causing political turmoil, as we all know it turned out. Yet they decided to go for it anyway. If they were really serving everyone, there would be no need to take such a risk, no need to take the presidency. What is it that they want to do, that requires them to alter the checks and balances of the state. AKP has been able to accomplish many things without the presidency. So why?
Cesar Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
And finally, in reply to Becky, there is no inferiority complex in Turkey about being muslim. There is no specific way to be muslim. I have many many friends who are secular and happen to pray from time to time, and dont touch pork. It is about what type of muslims they want to be, progressive or stuck in the past.
Turks are very hospitable Becky, thats different. But don't be surprised a female Dr. may decline to treat your father or husband. It's true.
By the way this is definetly a part of a larger global islamic movement. And this movement is creeping into Turkey. The Turkish brand of Islam, has always been very tolerant and flexible. Even during the Ottoman Calipahte, Islam was to serve the state, not the other way around. I agree with the people in the rallies, there is something at play here more complicated than just a power struggle between goverment and military. There are many influences and actors at play here. But definetly a power struggle. A big one.
Cesar Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
I would have to agree suspicions about AKP are founded. This veil is not in itself the controversy, it's what it represents, a symbol for many other things to come. To understand this you have to know a lot about Turkey, and i understand the writer of this article may not have had the time to do so.
As mentioned above by several readers, this veil is of the fanatical islamic type, of arab influence. Turkish veils, of which there are many styles depending on the region, more closely resemble their christian orthodox and/or iranian veils, in that they allow some hair to be shown. This veil they are wearing treats hair like as if it were a private part.
Mrs. Gul is fooling herself if she thinks the veil is a matter of personal choice. Maybe more secular minded turks would allow their daughters to wear one (although probably much to their dismay). But do not ever think a religious family would allow their daughter to go out uncovered, never. Who is she trying to fool?
Cesar Santiago, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Turks are really paranoid! I've met many women wearing headscarves when I was living in Istanbul and they were so tolerant, friendly, unprejudiced, great and cool people. They are being pushed away from universities, military compounds(even if they have a relative living there, they can not visit), parliament, presidential residence bla bla bla! I dont get this. Dont other muslim women in the world mostly cover their head? Why do these Turks act like these women invented something new? And what is their problem with their religion, why is there such a huge inferiority complex with themselves for being a muslim poppulation? Its unbelievable..
Becky, Chicago,
@ SC
It is an extreme approach to compare a secularist republic with Stalinism. USSR has never been a secular state. She banned religion and than behaved as if religion was not existing at all.
Secular Turkish Republic, on the other hand, gives people the right to believe or not to believe. Yet, the secular constitiution forbids people to impose religion on others.
In a country like Turkey, where huge majority of people are Muslim, a secular system is the sole base for a democracy. Unless there is a secular system,schools would teach biology according to Koran, undermining evolution. Sexist discrimination would be legitimate and even legal. We can show here a long list of possible impacts.
AKP is a party which pretends to be a moderate Muslim Democratic Party. The fact is, however, that they are following exactly the golden advice of Fethullah Gülen, the leader of Gülen Sect, living in USA and supported by USA. His advice to AKP leaders was:"Wait until you get presidency!"
Unifghtr, Ankara, Turkey
There's nothing funnier in this country than those rallies. A couple of milions of people protested the other millions of people that voted for the AKP in the Tandoğan Square which is named after Nevzat Tandoğan, governor of Ankara in 1940's, who is famous for his "elite" reaction against the rallying peasants: "You beasty Anatolians, what is nationalism or communism to you? If nationalism is necessary, we do it. If communism should come to this country, we bring it. You have only two duties: First, do farming and grow plants.And second, enlist when we draft."
What has been done in the name of democracy in this country is but an unsuccessful caricature of democracy. Sharia will never come to this country. Nor will democracy.
Metin, İstanbul, Türkiye
34% DOES NOT A MAJORITY MAKE!
34% of the popular vote went to AKP in the last elections. The so-called metropolitan secular elite or the secular establishment you speak of make up 66% of Turkey.
However pleasant a person Mrs. Gul is beyond irrelevant for the issue at hand - I do not understand what kind of journalism this is.
I would love to see Mrs. Gul shake some other male's (not related to her by blood or marriage) hand. These so-called feminists and moderates would not be able to help an injured man lying on the side of the road if the man were not related to them. So that is how far their feminism and humanitarism go.
By the way, is this so-called religous oppression the one and only problem that Turkey and the AK constituency has? The statistics would favor economic development, rights of minorities etc. Why is it that this party keeps blinding the West with this illusion?
Vildan Altuglu, New York, USA
The aricle mentions that the government only tried to criminalize adultery and did nothing else to show their desire to Islaminize the country. I gave several good examples of how 'maybe' the government in Ankara did not directly do this, but the local governments that take direction from the AK party are doing these kinds of things.
So when writing an article, these examples should also be given.
jk yolar, Los Angeles/Istanbul, California/Turkey
Quoted from wikipedia; 'Edogan shakes a woman's hand because he said "refusing would upset and damage the dialogue". However, after shaking hands with the opposite sex, he pray to God to forgive him.'
Does this sound like the voice of a secularist? This just proves the leadership beleives men and women shouldn't mix together. It seems obvious that under an AK government secular Turkey would not exist. Turkey would soon become another country oppressed by intollerable Sharia law.
Jon, Newport,
.."Trying to ban alcohol in the city limits"
Some people do not prefer to have drunk people shouting or fighting in their streets in the middle of the night. Many people supported alcohol zones. Besides you cant drink alcohol in the streets, this is the law for ages in Turkey.
"...trying to remove advertisements of bathing suits from the airport during the time people would travel to Mecca."
This is a very elegant type of respect to those people who go to Mecca for a month-long pray. well-done.
"Wanting to put another mosque in a public park, where there were 3 within a very consentrated area."
It was the people who wanted the mosque in Goztepe. Why should these people pray in the middle of the street on Friday because all other mosques are full.
"Recently they found some students praying in a empty room at their school."
Why shouldn't these student have the right to ask for a place to pray. Why should they pray hidden in the basement floor?
Maria, Portsmouth, UK-Istanbul
Hmmh, 34% of popular vote gets an overall majority in parliament - that also happens here in the UK.
It's all very well being secular, but officialdom (secular included) is in huge denial about the Amernian genocide, journalists killed, and it would seem that an army that may be like that in Algeria (also, as some journalist put it - good at killing Kurds, but no good for earthquake relief). Against all this, some frankly pathetic reasons given (being able to not drinking champagne with foreign dignitaries) for not having a Muslim prime minister. A woman wearing a headscarf is the least of Turkey's problems.
Adnan, Reading,
Sir,
Is it in the nature of the current Turkish nation, whether fanatically theist or fanatically atheist, to join a moderate inclusive Europe that respects the right of its citizens, acting as their servant and not their master?
I am quite surprised at the extreme nature of some of the defenders of Kemalist secularism, they appear to be for a fanatically atheist Stalinist Communism, than for individualist liberal democratic freedoms.
The top-down statist Kemalism seems like a relic of C20th atavism, a contemporary of Communism and Fascism e.g. all this talk about a first lady who MUST NOT wear THAT in the Presidential palace, as it is against the STATE'S "dress code".
Kemalist Turkey's problems with fanatical uniform codes, linguistic diversity, and hysterical reactions to the expression of individual freedoms of choice is embarrassing.
The touted "modernity" of the Turkish state is an antediluvian relic of a totalitarian model, now abandoned and obsolete in modern Europe.
SC, London, United Kingdom
I left Turkey 1969 to study in England, subsequently married/ settled in this country. After mid 1980 s onwards every time I visited my own country, I noticed more and more even my own close relatives covering their faces. Despite the fact that long motorways, big modern sky scrapers, massive shopping centres as good if not better than any european country, However I was and now I am very sad now that modern country that I was grown becoming more and more like IRAN. My advise to my country man/woman vote for AKP at forthcoming elections for parliament and vote none AKP for President.
VBoga, Leeds, England
Even moderate, islamism - as opposed to Islam as a private faith without political implications – is not compatible with democracy and the upholding of he rights of non-Muslims. Since the beginning of his tenure, Erdogan has made a number of declarations shocking from a leader purportedly eager to see his country become a part of EU. Those include “the Koran should takes precedence over European laws” and “Thanks God I support shariah ; one cannot be a Muslim and support a secular regime”. Says it all.
Magali, Taipei, Taiwan
Turkey is going to be a democratical country with the help of AKP in a islamic country. You have to realise that Turkey is a islamic country and therefore they are building mosques, not churches! There is no party like AKP in Turkey which can handle these political and cultural issues better than AKP does. Also other countries prefer to have Erdogan and Gul as partners than Baykal.
And AKP is the VOICE of TURKEY. They were elected in a democratical way and hence, they represent TURKEY. If you blame or dislike AKP, you dislike the turkish people.
We will see how Turkey will react at the election.
Stefan, Lyon, France
I'd be willing to bet that if Mr. Gul is elected president a lot more women will be wearing the head scarf along with Mrs. Gul.The Islamists will see to that.
ron, toronto,
The only thing the AK party did that one would consider "Islamic" was to try to make adultry a crime. Well as an American living in Turkey, I have noticed many other things that have been introduced, but did not suceed. Maybe the 'government ' directly did not try to do these things but it came down to local government, which were all appointed by the AK party. Trying to ban alcohol in the city limits....trying to remove advertisements of bathing suits from the airport during the time people would travel to Mecca. Wanting to put another mosque in a public park, where there were 3 within a very consentrated area. Recently they found some students praying in a empty room at their school, There are other examples but this must be enough to make the one who has not experienced these things understand a little bit more about what the AK party is trying to do. They are not as innocent as they say. ONe has to look deeper in the country to really understand just what is going on.
jk yolar, Los Angeles/Istanbul, California/Turkey
Mrs Gul wears the radical Islamist style headscarf. This style belongs to a sect. For every woman who wears Islamist headscarf willingly and happily there are thousands who are forced into it by their families - mainly by fathers and brothers - from a very young age. I lived in Turkey for 19 years and seen this happen.
Turkish civilian dress code promotes equality, especially for women - not just secularism. Other countries should try to see the point of it and even have a clear cut dress code themselves before they face the segregationist Islamists become a major issue.
Mrs Gul should adopt civilian dress as her husband.
Mimi, Brighton,
Turkey chose to be the tail of the lion rather than he head of the sheep as the saying goes.
Turkey as of today is a despicable country that deserves all the ridicule entitled to a country in which its citizens must emulate their foes to be considered successful.
You will be forever the shoeshine boys of the EU's with your present mentality
Joh Smith, New York, New York
Metin Korkmaz, Ankara, Turkey
Your problem is that you want to have your cake and eat it. At the moment there seems to be a strong movement in Turkey away from the secular state towards a more Islamic Republic, the philosophy behind a non-secular Turkey would not be acceptable to the rest of the states of the European Union (or a significant proportion of Turkish citizens).
Of course Turks are free to elect whatever type of government they want but if you choose the anti-secular road don't complain when the EU rejects you.
John Gresham, Liverpool, UK
Turkiye's first lady cannot be a woman with headscarf! Look at the previous first ladies of this country, they were all modern.
Zeki, Istanbul, Turkey
Countries that have entrenched human rights, equality for women and respect for all religions and beliefs coupled with democratic structures that provide for a loyal opposition to hold the goernment to account, tend to be more honest, more productive and not involved in military actions. For peace and prosperity, democracy and entrenched human rights are the royal road to fellowship.
Smnart men know that an equal wife can double a family's income.
Emma H. , Ottawa, CAN
If Mrs Gul is sincere about gender equality then she should be prepared to set aside her personal predudice and join those who seek to demonstrate that equality. If her husband is sincere about gender equality he should be encouraging her to do this. Either way they should not be smiling benignly and "failing to see the problem". Vicious bickering would be much more appropriate.
Ros, Upminster,
Dear Serdar from Ankara,
I dont know which elite that has dinner in Italy after lunch in Germany you are talking about but it is clear that you are missing the whole point here. The presidential palace should and will be above any political or religious views so that it can stay at equal distance to each and every citizen. Therefore there's no place to any one single belief or a symbol thereof at Cankaya. The first lady as well as the President of Turkey should and will be capable of both making a toast with a glass of champagne at an official dinner and being in an adequate dress while paying a visit to any temple. That is why hundreds of thousands rallied all around the country. So before making a comment I suggest you look around and understand what is actually going on around you. Dinner in Italy after lunch in Germany may be the privilige that a few enjoy, but trust me they were not among the ralliers.
can, istanbul,
Mrs. Gul may be a nice lady, a true believer, a wonderful housewife and a mother, she may even be as lively as the author suggests, but that is all she is. If she was worth also becoming the first lady of her country, she would have removed that scarf the moment her husband was nominated for presidency. If she could not even sacrifice a long obselete habit to avoid the unrest in her country, how can we expect her to be just and fair in more important issues?
can, istanbul,
I was amased about hatred toward Islam or Muslim faith in the name of Secular or democracy. What is wrong with being muslim and democratic? Is Bush not Born Christain? What about Germany's Christian party. Or France or Isreal. Why muslim faith is associated with negative images or something bad. If women choice to wear headscarf or not that is up to the individual's choice. The west will never stop hating muslims no matter what muslims do. They always hide behind democraticy or freedom. When it is not. Where is the freedom of being who you are with out judged by some one who does not agree with you. So don't apease anyone Show what muslims is all about. Help your country and do good deeds.
Guuleed, Africa, Africa
By the way there's no such thing as fanatic secularism. Secularism has clear enough a definition, there can be no fanatism of it. I believe its more like islamists trying to categorize what can not be categorized. Which is great too, as it shows how their minds work.
can, istanbul,
Dear Z Hussain from Rochdale,
You said:
"She is not covering her face in niqab which is something unncessary for anyone to do."
So, thats where you draw the line. Well, we draw the line where the first lady likely to be wears the scarf. It's not something for the EU to speak against. I wonder what the British would feel if Mrs. Blair suddenly decided to cover her head. Got it?
can, istanbul,
I appreciate the honest work the Times put in this article. This is obvious that radical secularists (not seculars, because nobody has a problem with secularism) want an oligarchic republic, not a democratic one. In a republic where only certain kind of people can be president, but the rest can't. This is not democracy. They can't say this, so they just use the word secularism. You see who has a secret agenda? Secularism has been abused extensively. It's been used to pressure religious people. 60 years ago, they were banning holy Quran. 30 years ago, they were banning all kind of religious activities. But Turkish people has changed. We are not slaves anymore. We are the equal citizens of Turkish Republic. We are tired of being second class citizens. We want our president to be elected by ourselves, not by military, or judiciary, or universities. And we want to be a part of EU.
Metin Korkmaz, Ankara, Turkey
One other comment on women having the right of wearing headscarves. I defend their right to do so, but I wouldn't accept a female medical doctor refusing to have male patients. When this becomes the case - and it did - I become suspicious about girls with headscarves going to a public University. I am not paying my taxes to finance their education to become doctors and then refuse me as a patient. I agree not all of them will do so but where do we draw the line? Sorry but it is also my right to refuse financing any discrimination.
can, istanbul,
If Mrs. Gul was a true defender of her country's well being, she would've removed that scarf the very moment her husband was nominated for presidency. I believe they do not have a hidden agenda as their agenda is already out in the open and they do not even try to hide it. There's no place in the Turkish presidential palace for any personal belief or a symbol thereof. The first lady should and will be capable of making a toast during an official dinner as well as wearing whatever is customery while wisiting a temple.
can, istanbul,
Those, who claim that this kind of head-scarf is not a political symbol, should look at visual archives... They will see that lots of Turkish women had chosen to cover their heads for hundreds of years, BUT NOT LIKE THIS.. This style of tying the headscarf started to emerge after 1990's and it is not a traditional style.. My own grandmum wears a headscarf, as many other elderly ladies around me do but none of them ties it like AKP supporters do.. Exactly, this is our case when we say it is a political symbol..
Please don't be fooled by their words and actions (like Mrs. Gul shaking hands with a man, what a deal)... I am 30 years old and I've never seen a government so determined to change bureucracy, according to their politic views... Especially in public sector, you have no chance of getting your job done, unless they believe (and definitely will know) that you ARE one of them... They did not learn to change, as they claim... They just learned to hide their true faces..
Emre, Ankara, Turkey
I can't understand how people know or see what is in someone's head. This is a prejudice, which is not fair at any place or any situation in the world. In Turkey those who think that they are the defenders of the republic, the secularism and the democracy never tell the truth. Turkey achived great developments whenever there was a single party in power. In many areas during the AK party's power there were achivements; such as economy, education, trade, health etc. By the media foreigners are informed negatively. I have never heard that a member of the AK party ate somebody, so we can't say they are monsters. We must accept indivuals as they are and tolerate each other. Let's work for the sake of our country all together. We have to learn to live together within the limits of the democracy.
Huseyin Yigit, Manisa, Turkey
Turkey is a good country which has a young democracy. Some people seem to be happy whenever the democracy is in danger. Turkish people will decide and elect their representatives who will govern the country on July 22. I wonder how some people have the ability to see what is behind my mind. How do they read what is invisible? If this not prejudice, what is it? Whenever there was a single party in power, this country made great achivements and reforms in almost every area of daily life. Being opposition doesn't mean to oppose everything what the party in power does. Haven't they done anything good so far? Let's work together for the sake of our country and tolerate each other. We all are on the same boat, we all need democracy, not an anti-democratic action. Let's be aware of the tricks of the enemies.
Huseyin Yigit, Manisa, Turkey
Until now, only the secularist side of prtoesters was highlighted. But, as the interview with Mr. Abdullah Gül confirms it, the millions of protesters also reacted to the collaboration of the government with EU and USA who have strategic plans to divide Turkey into a Turkish and Kurdish states. This is a plan which pretends public opinion as if there was a division between "believers" and "secularist Kemalists" in Turkey. But in reality, the majority of people in Turkey, secularists or true believers whatever, are against US and EU aims to divide Turkey into two parts: A Turkish moderate Islamic state which leads and unites other Muslim countries in favor of US interests; and a Kurdish state united with the puppet administration in northern Iraq, which will serve as military operation base to control the region for the US. So, if we talk about "a hidden agenda", it's not only an agenda of Gül or AK Party, but it is definitely a hidden agenda (which is becoming visible in last days) of USA.
Unifghtr, Ankara, Turkey
As long as people have freely elected their government, I dont see what the fuss is all about. This hatred for a female's headgear is something that is totally unncessary. When a parliament block a candidate for presidency just because his wife choses to cover her head is something that EU should speak against. Catholic nun cover themselves in a modest dress. They are criticised for their choice. Why should a wife of Turkish Foriegn Minister? I think Hayrunisa is not forced to wear any dress and she looks very elegant in her a scarf. She should not be pressured to take it off. She is not covering her face in niqab which is something unncessary for anyone to do.
Z Hussain, Rochdale, UK
Religion and state should remain seperate. It then remains to the citizens whether to follow religion or not. If somebody is practicing a religious ritual, its his own matter and should not be interfered in. This is what freedom and equality dictates.
Shiraz Mehmud, Karlskrona, Sweden
This is NOT headscarf issue. Turks have right to be suspicious AKP, because there are AKP practices where religion and politics get mixed up. Generations of Turks have been brought up with the values which keep religion out of politics. An appropriate candidate for Turkey's president must be someone majority of the Turks are comfortable with. AKP can not push a president with a parlimentary majority which is gained with only 34% of the popular vote. It is also totally inappropriate to label secular Turks as urban elites. Millions rallied against Islamic movement and there were women among them with headscarf. Those millions are not anti religion. They don't want relion to be a political tool.
Levent Nuhoglu, Sydney, Australia
The government is not perfect of course. There is still corruption in the appointment of the civil servants and and awarding the state jobs to private companies. We have corruption in the justice system. We have many problems in this country but there is no problem in wearing the headscarf. People are interested in better jobs, better cars, better flats, better education. These are the real problems of Turkish people. But there is a group of rich elite in Turkey who are fed up. They don't have any financial problems. They can have a dinner in Italy after having lunch in Germany. Some of them are paranoacs and they claim that our secular system is in danger. That is not true. They have to understand that girls are not wearing headscarf as a political sysmbol and they have a personal right to wear it while studying at the university. The so called secular elite has to learn respect other people. The secularism is not a tool for them. It is necessary for everybody!
Serdar, ankara, turkey
Paranoic Africans united with fundamentalist christians supporting secular Turks, what an interesting world is this.
Turkey is not Africa, nor Arabia. Turks have ruled the world with their tolerance to different faiths. They have not been opressed, they are free and liberal and the richest people in their region. They do not have any reaction to West because they have not been colonised and they are competing with the West economically, unlike the other Islamists who use terrorism.
Joshua, Chelsea-London, UK
Agree with our fried Obvious from Nigeria very much , behind their smile anything is possible. They are Nazi's in headscarfs, wearing silk headscarfs. They are liars and want Sharia law, we say in Turkey , religioun has to stay at home.
Havva, Van , Turkey
I think you missed a point Mr.Martin Fletcher. You haven't been to Turkey many times, neither you lived there as I did and I would inform you that every Islamic politican's wife in Turkey would shake a hand with a male western jurno, but the rest.....? This AKP govrnment has done lots of nasty work to establish Islamic state. But, Alas, Turks are actually secular -70%. Hence the protests by the millions. It is ridiculous electoral system that translated 34% of popular vote to 67% of parliament seats.
DOWN WITH ISLAM! LONG LIVE TURKISH REPUBLIC!
Franz, Bangalore,
You wrote it. They claimed that the AK Government was “in league with the Arabs” and planning secretly to introduce Sharia. “With this Government anything is possible. Behind their smiling faces they are monsters.”
Obvious, Lagos, Nigeria
Already she has crossed the line, by shaking hands with male journalists, so why cling to the head scarf.
The scarf makes her look like a peasant farmer's wife from the Anatolian high-land.
Imagine Cherie Blair dressed in a peasant outfit dating from the mid 1800's. Angela Merckel in an ankel length frock with full apron and laced hood?
Gerald B., Aarhus, Denmark
The key point stated is that Gul "supported secularism". This is not enough for secularist Turks, he must embrace and defend secularism. His true loyalties clearly fall towards promoting Islamic principles. The military cannot and will not ignor this.
Martin Budd, IZMIR, TURKEY
I feel saddened by your one view journalistic views and that you have not written an objective article but a very subjective article. If you would only research more properly before writting articles you just may be able to see both sides of the story. What you have written is just a one aspect of many things the AKP has done that has made the population very weary of them. I find that nearly all articles concerning Turkey are one sided and suffer from a lack of research, if you are going to continue your careers as journalist/correspondants i suggest you try harder and be more objective than subjective.
Taner, Istanbul,