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Turkey

How Turkey Wound Up Fueling Islamophobia Instead Of Fixing It

Jan. 14 protests in Istanbul against the publication of Charlie Hedbo cartoons by daily newspaper Cumhuriyet
Jan. 14 protests in Istanbul against the publication of Charlie Hedbo cartoons by daily newspaper Cumhuriyet
Tayfun Atay

ISTANBUL — Instead of discussing the Paris massacres and the ties between Islam and terrorism, Turkey has instead been focused on "Islamophobia." Someone not following the news could mistakenly believe, based on the debate here, that there had been a violent attack against Muslims in France instead of a jihadist terrorist attack against journalists, Jews and police officers.

It seems the Charlie Hebdo attack has become a tool for us to discuss rising racism in even the most multicultural and pluralist countries — hate crimes against Muslims, the growing Pegida movement in Germany, and the mosque torchings in Scandinavian countries where democracy is strongest.

The collective emphasis seems to be that Islam and Muslims are unwanted in the West, and that the West is afraid of growing Muslim populations. In short, every Muslim has become a target.

So what do we do or suggest apart from expressing what we believe are the new realities? What has been put in front of the West in terms of "secularist" Islam experiences, practices and attempts during the time between 9/11 and Charlie Hebdo? What is out there as significant as the Charlie Hebdo massacre to prevent Islamophobia?

Every violent action, whether it be by or against Muslims (remember Israeli terror in Gaza, the coup in Egypt, and the massacres in Myanmar), leads us to determinations of racism, neo-Nazism, Muslim hatred and the clash between Western and Eastern civilizations. Islamophobia on one side, Islamic fascism on the other. Is there no middle ground?

Actually, there could be a middle ground, but that opportunity has been squandered.

Not long ago, then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the Arabic Middle East and North Africa (Maghreb). It was September 2011, and he gave a very meaningful speech directed at the countries that were experiencing hard times in light of the Arab Spring. Our prime minister, giving a lecture on secularism in the Maghreb...!

Secular Islam, before the shift

In short, his speech emphasized that the state (not the individual) should be secular. It should keep its distance from all religions, a vital principle for Muslim countries today. Remember who was disturbed most by this speech? The Muslim Brotherhood, the most effective organization in the Sunni Arab world, which Erdogan was visiting.

[rebelmouse-image 27088541 alt="""" original_size="800x533" expand=1]

Erdogan and Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Larayedh — Photo: Magharebia

Some Islamic groups and individuals in Turkey were critical of Erdogan's pro-secular speech. But the prime minister persisted with this same rhetoric in the United States, which he visited next. He even pointed to the U.S. as the best example of a secular government.

Then what happened? Turkey's foreign policy shifted. Its efforts to become more effective in the Arab Spring while simultaneously acting as stakeholder in the Syrian civil war brought domestic changes in culture, identity and lifestyle.

The relationship between Islam and politics dramatically changed over the course of a year or so. Those who went to "sell" secularist Islam to the world returned home with Salafi Islam on their backs. Secularism was abandoned out of the desire to be the Muslim world leader, which brought a Salafist mentality — knowingly or not. And that put Turkey in a position to fuel Islamophobia.

But Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) had an opportunity to provide hope against Islamophobia, especially for the West. The AKP at one point represented secular Islam, which is in harmony with democracy, liberalism and most importantly, global capitalism.

And because of this, the international community once supported the AKP. George Bush was an ally. Abdullah Gül and Tony Blair were united on the path to Turkey's full membership to the European Union.

But that was all before.

Secular Islam here has been crushed by Salafism and its imperialistic greed in the Middle East. The result is a loss for Turkey and the world's despair in the face of Islamophobia.

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Economy

Lex Tusk? How Poland’s Controversial "Russian Influence" Law Will Subvert Democracy

The new “lex Tusk” includes language about companies and their management. But is this likely to be a fair investigation into breaking sanctions on Russia, or a political witch-hunt in the business sphere?

Photo of President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda

Piotr Miaczynski, Leszek Kostrzewski

-Analysis-

WARSAW — Poland’s new Commission for investigating Russian influence, which President Andrzej Duda signed into law on Monday, will be able to summon representatives of any company for inquiry. It has sparked a major controversy in Polish politics, as political opponents of the government warn that the Commission has been given near absolute power to investigate and punish any citizen, business or organization.

And opposition politicians are expected to be high on the list of would-be suspects, starting with Donald Tusk, who is challenging the ruling PiS government to return to the presidency next fall. For that reason, it has been sardonically dubbed: Lex Tusk.

University of Warsaw law professor Michal Romanowski notes that the interests of any firm can be considered favorable to Russia. “These are instruments which the likes of Putin and Orban would not be ashamed of," Romanowski said.

The law on the Commission for examining Russian influences has "atomic" prerogatives sewn into it. Nine members of the Commission with the rank of secretary of state will be able to summon virtually anyone, with the powers of severe punishment.

Under the new law, these Commissioners will become arbiters of nearly absolute power, and will be able to use the resources of nearly any organ of the state, including the secret services, in order to demand access to every available document. They will be able to prosecute people for acts which were not prohibited at the time they were committed.

Their prerogatives are broader than that of the President or the Prime Minister, wider than those of any court. And there is virtually no oversight over their actions.

Nobody can feel safe. This includes companies, their management, lawyers, journalists, and trade unionists.

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