Turkey
Turkey.
Thought for the day
The un-secularisation of the country now begins with the recent announcement that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan premier is calling for the lifting of the ban on women wearing head scarves, particularly in universities. His argument is that it deprives many women from higher education. The call for the lifting of the ban is also supported by the President Abdullah Gul both of whom are members of the AK party. They and their party are noted for being the protectionist Islamic and are denying that they want to move to a religious state.
Although Turkey is currently a secular democratic country, so far backed by the weight of the armed forces; with this move there could well be problems ahead. Turkey is a large Muslim albeit secular country with a large population of which a majority are actively pro Islamic. The country has the superficiality of being westernised in its outlook and is still looking to become a member of the EU even though behind the gloss of modernism lies a vast under class that may not share either in the wealth of the modern economy or believe in the equality of the sexes.
It may seem that the repealing of the ban will appeal to some women who adopt a dubious Islamic dictate but are excluded from public service because of it or indeed help those that may have chosen not wear a head covering thereby extending their ‘freedom of choice’ too or any others that have been forced not to attend universities because of family pressure and the ban, as it infringes religious doctrine but the ‘freedom’ offered from lifting of the ban will be short lived.
In looking at the culture of Turkey the most obvious point that cannot be avoided is that Turkey as is currently formed is a young state. It does not have the ingrained secularist ethos that the rest of Europe has gained over a long period of time. It is still a patriarchal society, Muslim with a strong undercurrent of religious domination of modes of behaviour and still treats females as second class citizens. It has a large peasant type population that is held in position by the tension of political powers that play for control balanced between the two opposing systems of secularism and religious doctrine
Far from being seen as a move to aid the freedom of choice in whether to wear or nor wear a head scarf, in a surprisingly little time it will become compulsory to wear one and from that will spring the movement of greater Islamic control of the population with the raise of fundamentalist actions and opposition.
If the EU is intent on completing Turkey’s membership of the EU, it would be as well if it looks closely at what is moving in Turkey and if possible help shape the ground to maintain a secular movement. It cannot afford to ignore this seemingly innocuous development of lifting the ban, a process that also looks to re write the Turkish constitution. As a country and a people, having Turkey as a full member of the EU has much to recommend it but this move by the PM and president will fall into the hands of power that will be very troublesome. To use a metaphor it looks like the west will see the first turkey to celebrate Christmas and pluck itself in preparation.
21.9.07
© Renot 2007
Thought for the day
The un-secularisation of the country now begins with the recent announcement that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan premier is calling for the lifting of the ban on women wearing head scarves, particularly in universities. His argument is that it deprives many women from higher education. The call for the lifting of the ban is also supported by the President Abdullah Gul both of whom are members of the AK party. They and their party are noted for being the protectionist Islamic and are denying that they want to move to a religious state.
Although Turkey is currently a secular democratic country, so far backed by the weight of the armed forces; with this move there could well be problems ahead. Turkey is a large Muslim albeit secular country with a large population of which a majority are actively pro Islamic. The country has the superficiality of being westernised in its outlook and is still looking to become a member of the EU even though behind the gloss of modernism lies a vast under class that may not share either in the wealth of the modern economy or believe in the equality of the sexes.
It may seem that the repealing of the ban will appeal to some women who adopt a dubious Islamic dictate but are excluded from public service because of it or indeed help those that may have chosen not wear a head covering thereby extending their ‘freedom of choice’ too or any others that have been forced not to attend universities because of family pressure and the ban, as it infringes religious doctrine but the ‘freedom’ offered from lifting of the ban will be short lived.
In looking at the culture of Turkey the most obvious point that cannot be avoided is that Turkey as is currently formed is a young state. It does not have the ingrained secularist ethos that the rest of Europe has gained over a long period of time. It is still a patriarchal society, Muslim with a strong undercurrent of religious domination of modes of behaviour and still treats females as second class citizens. It has a large peasant type population that is held in position by the tension of political powers that play for control balanced between the two opposing systems of secularism and religious doctrine
Far from being seen as a move to aid the freedom of choice in whether to wear or nor wear a head scarf, in a surprisingly little time it will become compulsory to wear one and from that will spring the movement of greater Islamic control of the population with the raise of fundamentalist actions and opposition.
If the EU is intent on completing Turkey’s membership of the EU, it would be as well if it looks closely at what is moving in Turkey and if possible help shape the ground to maintain a secular movement. It cannot afford to ignore this seemingly innocuous development of lifting the ban, a process that also looks to re write the Turkish constitution. As a country and a people, having Turkey as a full member of the EU has much to recommend it but this move by the PM and president will fall into the hands of power that will be very troublesome. To use a metaphor it looks like the west will see the first turkey to celebrate Christmas and pluck itself in preparation.
21.9.07
© Renot 2007
posted by Renot at 6:24 am
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