These remarks are not those said for show. It is not an easy task to advocate tolerance and reconciliation in a society where conflicts and quarrels are popular, particularly among its politicians. Today, the prominent figures of our society are largely from the generations of 1968 and the 1980s, which were once pitted against one another. It is not easy to make the transition from established confrontational identities to democratic maturity.And among us, the democrat identity of Muslims is very important, as they appeal to the widest audience. The democratic quality of Muslims is important both for Turkey and the world. The tutelary system in our country as well as in the international system is the result of a ruthless mentality of colonialism. I do not want to go into a deep analysis, but Muslims all around the world have fallen victim to reactionary movements against colonialists and totalitarian and repressive systems for several centuries.
There is arrhythmia, as Mr. Fethullah Gülen nicely put it, in reactionary movements. They are transient. They may advertise hope today, but they soon fade away. They are easy to infiltrate, manipulate and turn into bad examples, thereby becoming tools preventing efforts to disseminate the beauty of Islam. Therefore, the first thing Muslims should do is to get rid of reactionary movements.
Second, they should correctly interpret the world. Today, borders are becoming indistinct as capital, information, technology and culture easily spread globally. In such a world, resorting to crude force can never be advocated as a solution. In a world where human beings and human values are becoming increasingly esteemed, the elites who regard themselves as the actual owners of the country and the mentalities which disregard the civilian will are doomed to collapse.
In this new world, you can find a solution only by paying respect to diverse positions. In this way, you actually pay respect to the ideas of other people. Giving examples from the Quran, Mr. Gülen stresses our human side: “We are first human beings and then Muslims. In the Quran, God swears by man.” This is actually a reference to our traditional approach, “I love what is created for the sake of who has created them.”
Currently, the main demand is for more democracy: Human beings and human values are important. The state exists for the sake of the society. The state must be equidistant from everyone’s identities and beliefs. The earth is roomy enough; we must be respectful to everyone’s positions and the rule of law and accountability should rule.
A Muslim should not have any problem with any of this. Therefore, “Muslim democrats” should make their weight felt in the basic problems of the country.
The Ergenekon trial process shows that every one of us and every institution is being tested for democratic values. Some act in an unprincipled manner as they cannot be sure how the contention between tutelage and democracy will end. For instance, there are businessmen who do not publish their advertisements in Taraf, a unique paper with a principled and brave stance in the democratization process. “The Ergenekon process may backfire and the military may make a comeback,” they say. You can find them in the bureaucracy, the high judiciary and in the media as well. What can we say of them? Everyone acts in a way that suits them.0
There is something I must say about the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The executives of the AK Party have matured to defend democracy. If Muslim democrats are in executive positions, what befits them is to proceed with modesty and avoid polemics. The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has a special place with respect to counterterrorism and democratization. Please, prime minister, do not call Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu but pay him a visit. Congratulate him for being elected chairman and establish the dialogue the society is expecting.
We are going through a period where those who make sacrifices for the sake of a solution will win.
