Alawism is a unique faith in Turkey
Harold's List
Erdoğan Aydın, author of the book entitled 'Aleviliği Ne Yapmalı?,' says: 'Alawism is the oldest faith in this land. It is the faith of 20 million citizens. Writing about Alevism is as natural as writing about any topic of importance for the country.'
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
Erdoğan Aydın, author of a book entitled “Aleviliği Ne Yapmalı?” (What Should Be Done About Alawism?), says: “Alawism is the oldest faith in this land. It is the faith of 20 million citizens. Writing about Alawism is as natural as writing about any topic of importance for the country.”
According to Aydın, the Turkish Republic, which claims to be secular, must not favor among the faiths of its citizens and leave the meaning of the concept of worship up to the believers of that particular faith.
Aydın says the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trying to create an impression that it is more liberal and democratic than other parties, but its understanding of religious freedom applies to a certain section of society. “The AKP government claims to be more liberal, egalitarian, secular and democratic than past governments, yet denies and opposes demands from the Alawis just like former governments. Its attitude on compulsory religious courses, cem evleri (Alawite houses of worship) and other demands from the Alawis shows that they are secular, egalitarian and liberal just for their own faith.”
Aydın said statements from the Directorate of Religious Affairs that cem evleri are unique cultural centers and not regarded as places of worship must be interpreted through the perspective of a secular state.
“First of all, it must be expressed that a state that claims to be secular in its Constitution must interpret the problem of a certain section of society according to the norms of universal law and not through the views of religious officials. How the Alawis see cem evleri is as a problem of people who want to build cem evleri, not the problem of the officials of the Sunni-Hanefi-run Religious Affairs Directorate. What a secular state must do is to accept unconditionally that certain groups of people want to open their own places of worship. It is a clear violation of global law to oppose this legal demand from the Alawis. Furthermore, the state's attempt to legitimize this view through the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which represents a certain sect, shows that Turkey acts like a religious state rather than a secular one. As long as the Islamic government of the AKP and the Religious Affairs Directorate, an official institution of the state, persists with this attitude, neither will Turkey be fully secularized nor will Alawis have freedom of faith and conscience.”
EU Adjustment Law:
Aydın says that laws that were amended by external pressure were not put into effect because of the traditional attitude of the state.
“From the beginning of the Reform Declaration in 1839 until the recent European Adjustment Law, the state has never kept its promises about banning torture and lifting restrictions on the freedoms of different faiths. Even if laws are amended, lack of implementation won't change. For example, despite the government substituting the phrase ‘place of worship' for ‘mosque,' the lack of implementation is still the same. Also, the state has started a campaign against missionaries in spite of the phrase ‘place of worship.' And, more importantly, it hasn't retreat from its assimilative attitude towards Alawism, which is the most authentic faith in Anatolia. Deep powers of the state that are trying to incite us by saying that secularism is dying prevent attempts of Alawis from opening new places of worship. The state violates not only the principle of secularism in the Constitution but also the EU Adjustment Law that substituted the phrase ‘place of worship' for ‘mosque'.”
Legal approach to cem evleri:
Aydın said the Directorate of Religious Affairs opposes cem evleri by referring to history.
“Cem evleri were banned in the Ottoman Empire because they represented a theocratic state in line with the Sunni-Hanefi sect. Alawis never entered mosques and recognized the five pillars of Islam. As a matter of fact, Alawism is a unique faith and cannot be pigeonholed into Islam. Accordingly, what a secular state must do is respect cem evleri like it recognizes places of worship of other religions. This Sunni state, which recognized churches and synagogues under pressure from the European Union, still persists in opposing places of Alawite worship. But Alawis and the democratic and secular public opinion must exert pressure to remove this attitude. Turkey's secularism depends on this. It is no longer possible to forcefully assimilate Alawis on the way to the EU. Let's accept this and make our own democratic and secular restoration without the EU's impositions.”
Aydın stresses that the state must not interfere in faith and offers the following about what should be done:
“Religious needs must be met by the citizens for themselves. It is evident that the state's interference in religion does not increase secularism but supports the status quo. This is why cem evleri must be recognized as places of worship; academic courses on religion must no longer be compulsory; the Directorate of Religious Affairs must be restructured and the current secular system must be liberalized. I must stress that these demands can be fulfilled after a meeting with Alawis and leaders of other social segments.”
Erdoğan Aydın, author of the book entitled 'Aleviliği Ne Yapmalı?,' says: 'Alawism is the oldest faith in this land. It is the faith of 20 million citizens. Writing about Alevism is as natural as writing about any topic of importance for the country.'
ISTANBUL - Turkish Daily News
Erdoğan Aydın, author of a book entitled “Aleviliği Ne Yapmalı?” (What Should Be Done About Alawism?), says: “Alawism is the oldest faith in this land. It is the faith of 20 million citizens. Writing about Alawism is as natural as writing about any topic of importance for the country.”
According to Aydın, the Turkish Republic, which claims to be secular, must not favor among the faiths of its citizens and leave the meaning of the concept of worship up to the believers of that particular faith.
Aydın says the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trying to create an impression that it is more liberal and democratic than other parties, but its understanding of religious freedom applies to a certain section of society. “The AKP government claims to be more liberal, egalitarian, secular and democratic than past governments, yet denies and opposes demands from the Alawis just like former governments. Its attitude on compulsory religious courses, cem evleri (Alawite houses of worship) and other demands from the Alawis shows that they are secular, egalitarian and liberal just for their own faith.”
Aydın said statements from the Directorate of Religious Affairs that cem evleri are unique cultural centers and not regarded as places of worship must be interpreted through the perspective of a secular state.
“First of all, it must be expressed that a state that claims to be secular in its Constitution must interpret the problem of a certain section of society according to the norms of universal law and not through the views of religious officials. How the Alawis see cem evleri is as a problem of people who want to build cem evleri, not the problem of the officials of the Sunni-Hanefi-run Religious Affairs Directorate. What a secular state must do is to accept unconditionally that certain groups of people want to open their own places of worship. It is a clear violation of global law to oppose this legal demand from the Alawis. Furthermore, the state's attempt to legitimize this view through the Directorate of Religious Affairs, which represents a certain sect, shows that Turkey acts like a religious state rather than a secular one. As long as the Islamic government of the AKP and the Religious Affairs Directorate, an official institution of the state, persists with this attitude, neither will Turkey be fully secularized nor will Alawis have freedom of faith and conscience.”
EU Adjustment Law:
Aydın says that laws that were amended by external pressure were not put into effect because of the traditional attitude of the state.
“From the beginning of the Reform Declaration in 1839 until the recent European Adjustment Law, the state has never kept its promises about banning torture and lifting restrictions on the freedoms of different faiths. Even if laws are amended, lack of implementation won't change. For example, despite the government substituting the phrase ‘place of worship' for ‘mosque,' the lack of implementation is still the same. Also, the state has started a campaign against missionaries in spite of the phrase ‘place of worship.' And, more importantly, it hasn't retreat from its assimilative attitude towards Alawism, which is the most authentic faith in Anatolia. Deep powers of the state that are trying to incite us by saying that secularism is dying prevent attempts of Alawis from opening new places of worship. The state violates not only the principle of secularism in the Constitution but also the EU Adjustment Law that substituted the phrase ‘place of worship' for ‘mosque'.”
Legal approach to cem evleri:
Aydın said the Directorate of Religious Affairs opposes cem evleri by referring to history.
“Cem evleri were banned in the Ottoman Empire because they represented a theocratic state in line with the Sunni-Hanefi sect. Alawis never entered mosques and recognized the five pillars of Islam. As a matter of fact, Alawism is a unique faith and cannot be pigeonholed into Islam. Accordingly, what a secular state must do is respect cem evleri like it recognizes places of worship of other religions. This Sunni state, which recognized churches and synagogues under pressure from the European Union, still persists in opposing places of Alawite worship. But Alawis and the democratic and secular public opinion must exert pressure to remove this attitude. Turkey's secularism depends on this. It is no longer possible to forcefully assimilate Alawis on the way to the EU. Let's accept this and make our own democratic and secular restoration without the EU's impositions.”
Aydın stresses that the state must not interfere in faith and offers the following about what should be done:
“Religious needs must be met by the citizens for themselves. It is evident that the state's interference in religion does not increase secularism but supports the status quo. This is why cem evleri must be recognized as places of worship; academic courses on religion must no longer be compulsory; the Directorate of Religious Affairs must be restructured and the current secular system must be liberalized. I must stress that these demands can be fulfilled after a meeting with Alawis and leaders of other social segments.”
posted by Marko at 10/21/2005 07:59:00 PM
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