Things I've Learned...

Yesterday I learned something about Turkey that I didn't know before...two years ago, young girls who cover themselves as part of their practice of Islam were not allowed to go to university.  They were forced to uncover themselves if they wanted to attend classes.  (Today, they have been granted permission to freely practice their religion and continue their education at university).  Also, covered women are not allowed to work in any public offices if they are covered.  I find this to be very interesting in a country where the percentage of Muslim people is 99% of the population (2011 population estimates around 74.7 million people...)

Here's a short video I found about the injustice towards covered women in Turkey:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCjAYd1OgcU - "Injustice - Turkish Government Style"

There are many things that confuse me about Turkish government.  All in all, they are trying to do things to help the people, but every once in awhile, things that I learn shock me.

For example, Turkey considers itself to be a secular democratic republic.  I had to look up these words to make sure I understood them correctly - as I thought, secular still means "not overtly or specifically religious" according to Webster's Dictionary and democratic means "favoring social equality" (Webster's again).  But, citizens are not given the opportunity to express their own opinions.  If you speak out against Islam or a government policy for example, you face the risk of incarceration. 

Fasil Say, one of the most well-known and most controversial Turks (he's a classical pianist for those who don't know who he is!), recently questioned whether Islamic heaven is a brothel or a pub on Twitter - because, in the Qu'ran it says that for those worthy enough for acceptance to heaven there are rivers of drinks and bountiful beautiful women.  This was not well received within the government here!  Also, there are scores of journalists and activists who have been in jail without charges for writing what they believe in.

If you have never heard him play please watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U5if44LYKs&feature=related - "Beethovan's Tempest Sonata"

Here's an interesting article I found from the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/03/turkeys-jailed-journalists.html

In the article, the author briefy mentions that more than half of these jailed journalists are also part of the Kurdish minority.  Here's a whole other problem that faces this country and its government.

Here is an article from Time Magazine to summarize the problem:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2089602,00.html - "Why Turkey's Kurdish Conflict is Making a Worrying Comeback"

The term Kurd was used for nomads since the 7th century BC and is translated roughly to "ferocious fighter" or "warrior" in Kurdish. The Kurdish people are indigenous of the Middle East and are concentrated in an area which includes Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.  The exist on the borders of these countries and see themselves as a people without a state - existing between and across borders.  They have a population of about 30 million.  In Turkey they enjoyed equality and rights until 1923.  It was at this point that the Republic of Turkey was created and everyone was essentially "forced" into becoming Turkish.  The Kurdish language, Kurdish rights, and even Kurdish names were banned by the new government.  The vision at the time was to have unity - one language, one religion, one people.  And the new governement meant to achieve this vision any way it could.  Talk about democracy!  The Kurdish people in Turkey are still fighting to achieve some measure of equality and freedom.  In 2002, they won the right to publicly use their language again (although Kurdish names are still banned...).  The Kurdistan Workers Party (or PKK) is their newest way of fighting back.  The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by the US and NATO.  The hide in the mountains of Eastern Turkey (where most of them were forcibly relocated after the creation of the Republic - out of sight out of mind?) and use violence and force to try and win their independence and a free Kurdish State.  Since the 1970s, there has been an autonomous state called Kurdistan in Iraq.  Iran and Iraq recognize their Kurdish minorities, why doesn't Turkey?

Here are some videos about "The Kurdish Problem" for those of you who might be interested in more information:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRsw5s28jxY - "Guerrilla Girls of the PKK"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF5B13U4dA0&feature=relmfu - "In the Grip of Generals - Turkey"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeaGHBL06rc&feature=fvwrel - "Law and Reality - Turkey"