Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA09428 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 20 Jan 2002 15:21:59 GMT Message-ID: <001101c1a1c6$95234e00$c9a0bed4@default> From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be> To: <kennethvanoost@myrealbox.com> References: <NEBBKOADILIOKGDJLPMAGENKCJAA.debivort@umd5.umd.edu> Subject: Re: Turkey (renamed) Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 16:24:04 +0100 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2314.1300 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: Lawrence DeBivort <debivort@umd5.umd.edu>
> If I understand correctly, the Turkish military views itself as the
> protector of Ataturk's legacy, and so intervenes in favor of keeping the
> modernist government in power when the rural-based traditional parties
> become an electoral or legislative threat.
Hi Lawrence,
Just trespassing on Scott 's turf I know, but yes, that is the main picture.
Ataturk's idea about a lay- state where religion and politics are due to be
seperate is indeed protected not only by the military, but also IIRC, by
special installed laws and orders.
In my country, Belgium, where about 100.000 Turks are living, the
general picture of what a Turk really is, is completely misformed.
Most people think that a Turk is an Islamite, that due to the way by
which woman are treated, and due to the way by which woman are
dressed. Wearing the traditional scarf has been the basic for many
discussions over here, because wearing such is a way expressing one's
religion.
Belgium law is very ferm on the fact that the photo on our identity card
must be at all time without any head- gear. You see the problem if those
woman demand their right to express their belief...
But, back to your question, the ' same ' thing happened in Algery, where
the FIS were to win the election and where the government and the army
intervened. A civil war was the result, but speculations that the government
had a hidden agenda never ceast....
Another point that maybe is of interest, last year a very hard discussion
went on here in Belgium as to remove all ' catholic crosses/ symbols '
out of the Courts of Law that due to the fact that a catholic cross can be
seen as symbol of partiality by some.
The same point can be taken as due to the manner by which the inau-
guration of the President ends. ' So help me God ' implies partiality, pre-
judice and being part of some majority...
Regards,
Kenneth
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