Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt was seemed to be in shocked when a journalist asked Turkish president if Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's hate speech against the Hizmet movement is not contradicting with Turkish authorities' fight against Islamophobia in the Europe.
During Turkish President Abdullah Gül's visit to Denmark on Tuesday, Schmidt and Gül held a joint press conference in which the two answered questions on bilateral relations.
A member of the press asked Gül, “The hate speech directed by Turkish prime minister against the Hizmet movement, such as using words like “organization, gang, agent, virus”, are not even used by Islamophobic circles in Europe. Wouldn't such speeches harm Turkey's fight against Islamophobia in Europe?”
While listening to journalist's question to President Gül, PM Schmidt was seen shocked and looked Turkish president for him to give a reply.
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However, President Gül avoided the question with a short answer. “One of these [conditions] is about hatred towards foreigners in countries which have Muslim minorities. It's the Islamophobia concept. The other is a political issue in Turkey, it about a problem we face in Turkey. I believe these two should be taken into account separately,” Gül said.
Speaking on a TV program last week, Erdoğan complained that AK Party deputies are keeping a low profile in the row with the movement and Gülen, and not adopting a harsh stance or using the same insulting language as the prime minister -- epithets like evil, assassins, traitors, viruses, mafia and parallel structure. Erdoğan claimed that deputies and some ministers have refrained from voicing fierce criticism against both Gülen and the movement because they don't want to offend certain segments of society, adding that he expected AK Party deputies and ministers to tow the line and push his message.
During the same program, Erdoğan reprehended journalist Mustafa Karaalioğlu for not calling the movement “the organization” when he asked Erdoğan a question on the issue. “Why are you afraid of calling them ‘the organization'? Do not use ‘cemaat' [movement] again in your definition of them.” Stunned by Erdoğan's outburst, Karaalioğlu then used the word “formation” instead of cemaat, but this term also failed to satisfy Erdoğan, who interrupted Karaalioğlu and insisted he use the word “organization,” adding, “Cemaat is reserved for those who work for the benefit of the country.”
The intentions behind Erdoğan's aggressive stance against the Hizmet movement are being questioned, with many analysts claiming his rhetoric is part of a wider strategy of stifling a graft investigation that went public on Dec. 17 when police conducted an operation against prominent businesspeople, officials and the sons of several ministers suspected of bribery and corruption. Veteran journalist Nazlı Ilıcak has said that Erdoğan aims to deflect attention from the corruption scandal with his insulting discourse, while AK Party deputies and the party's rank and file are more careful with their words, suggesting that many party members aren't buying into the “parallel state” and “traitor” rhetoric deployed by Erdoğan and members of his inner circle.
Published on Today's Zaman, 18 March 2014, Tuesday
During Turkish President Abdullah Gül's visit to Denmark on Tuesday, Schmidt and Gül held a joint press conference in which the two answered questions on bilateral relations.
A member of the press asked Gül, “The hate speech directed by Turkish prime minister against the Hizmet movement, such as using words like “organization, gang, agent, virus”, are not even used by Islamophobic circles in Europe. Wouldn't such speeches harm Turkey's fight against Islamophobia in Europe?”
While listening to journalist's question to President Gül, PM Schmidt was seen shocked and looked Turkish president for him to give a reply.
However, President Gül avoided the question with a short answer. “One of these [conditions] is about hatred towards foreigners in countries which have Muslim minorities. It's the Islamophobia concept. The other is a political issue in Turkey, it about a problem we face in Turkey. I believe these two should be taken into account separately,” Gül said.
Speaking on a TV program last week, Erdoğan complained that AK Party deputies are keeping a low profile in the row with the movement and Gülen, and not adopting a harsh stance or using the same insulting language as the prime minister -- epithets like evil, assassins, traitors, viruses, mafia and parallel structure. Erdoğan claimed that deputies and some ministers have refrained from voicing fierce criticism against both Gülen and the movement because they don't want to offend certain segments of society, adding that he expected AK Party deputies and ministers to tow the line and push his message.
During the same program, Erdoğan reprehended journalist Mustafa Karaalioğlu for not calling the movement “the organization” when he asked Erdoğan a question on the issue. “Why are you afraid of calling them ‘the organization'? Do not use ‘cemaat' [movement] again in your definition of them.” Stunned by Erdoğan's outburst, Karaalioğlu then used the word “formation” instead of cemaat, but this term also failed to satisfy Erdoğan, who interrupted Karaalioğlu and insisted he use the word “organization,” adding, “Cemaat is reserved for those who work for the benefit of the country.”
The intentions behind Erdoğan's aggressive stance against the Hizmet movement are being questioned, with many analysts claiming his rhetoric is part of a wider strategy of stifling a graft investigation that went public on Dec. 17 when police conducted an operation against prominent businesspeople, officials and the sons of several ministers suspected of bribery and corruption. Veteran journalist Nazlı Ilıcak has said that Erdoğan aims to deflect attention from the corruption scandal with his insulting discourse, while AK Party deputies and the party's rank and file are more careful with their words, suggesting that many party members aren't buying into the “parallel state” and “traitor” rhetoric deployed by Erdoğan and members of his inner circle.
Published on Today's Zaman, 18 March 2014, Tuesday