Hizmet has solid foundation based on different value set and principles. If I understand Gulenist and Hizmet philosophy little bit, I trust coups are contrary to their dogmas.
Politicians have always been increasingly complicit with manipulating, procreating circumstances and misdirecting fluid and ambiguous general temperament to espouse causes that gratify their vested interests.
Politicians have since long back started drifting from being leaders and recently, we see an upsurge of these class of so called civilian (naive call them leaders, we should differentiate them as politicians, like teratoma).
The struggle obviously is between secularist and Islamist. It’s a class divide, similar to Brexit, where the educated, elite and socially well placed have embraced a form of Islam (religion with open mind) that is outward looking…. As compared to Erdogan’s AKP, which mainly has a base amongst the underprivileged, young and traditional Islam values. Over a period of 14 years, we see that disenchantment and discontent simmering between this groups and the rift is widening.
How does Turkey matter to US and the world?
It’s strategic location – both current and historical, between the west and the east, it’s historical moderate stand amongst the Muslim nations and it being part of NATO and recently the EU. Some major global political activities, such as Syrian crisis, are happening right next to Turkey. Each of these factors have an impact on the outcome of the cascading events in current geopolitical dynamics. That makes Turkey important to HK bal event, especially to NATO and US.
Who is Gulen and whats Hizmet?
Hizmet is a global initiative inspired by Gulen, who espouses what The New York Times has described as “a moderate, pro-Western brand of Sunni Islam that appeals to many well-educated and professional Turks.” Nongovernmental organizations founded by the Hizmet movement, including hundreds of secular co-ed schools, free tutoring centers, hospitals and relief agencies, are credited with addressing many of Turkey’s social problems (CNN, Failed coup in Turkey: What you need to know http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/middleeast/turkey-failed-coup-explainer/index.html).
A great simile runs between Dalai Lama and Fethullah Gulen. Both are spiritually driven political movements that a abhorred by their respective establishments, both have social transformation as a common agenda and both are nonviolent movements that have strengths arising from spiritual awakening. Naturally, they are denounced.
(The above blog was written on July 18, 2016 and posted here in Oct 2016)
Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet Movement (Primary Observations on Gulen and Hizmet)
Profile: Fethullah Gulen’s Hizmet movement (BBC Dec 2013)
Turkey coup: What is Gulen movement and what does it want? (BBC July 2016)
Gulen movement sympathizers committed to interfaith dialogue, charity and nviolence
Why Is Turkey Targeting Hizmet? Questions about Erdoğan’s Post-Coup Crackdown
mymilieu.org 