Headlines:
- Caliphate Supporters Rally in Istanbul
- Turkish President Erdoğan Signals for Early Election
- Turks need to confidence once more: WB Director
Caliphate Supporters Rally in Istanbul
Members of the Turkish branch of the outlawed Hizb utTahrir rallied in Istanbul Friday, calling for the creation of an Islamic caliphate and denouncing the West.
Some 2,000 supporters marched from Fatih mosque to Sarcaneye Park, both on the European side of the city, waving black banners and chanting “Allahu Akbar” and “Caliphate, Caliphate” as they passed such signs of Western influence as the fast food restaurant Burger King.
Despite the group’s legal standing, police did not interfere with the rally.
Hizb ut-Tahrir usually keeps a low profile in Turkey, last holding a pro-Caliphate rally in 2005. The pan-Muslim organization, active in some 50 countries, publicly advocates peaceful change, but has been banned by several nations on suspicions of plotting violent overthrow of non-Islamic governments.
At Friday’s rally, Mahmut Kar, a Hizb ut-Tahrir official, read a 25-page statement, condemning Turkey for “illegal activities.” He also argued that Western countries are against Islam and consider those trying to establish a caliphate as enemies.
Critics of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accuse his Islamist-rooted AK party of turning a nation founded on secularism toward Islamism. [Source: Voice of America]
Firstly Western media mislead the facts and numbers as usual. There were more than 10,000 people at the rally. Secondly there is no sense talking about “signs of Western influence”, those signs points out nothing but Western culture influence and exploiture in the Muslim world. Thirdly Erdogan does nothing toward Islamism, in contrary he does everything to strengthen secularism. And finally whatever they do to cover Hizb ut Tahrir’s activities they will never be able to stop the ultimate call and establishment of the Khilafah Rashidah coming.
Turkish President Erdogan signals for early election
“If politicians are unable to find a solution [to coalition deadlock], then the only authority that can solve it is the people,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his speech on Sunday at the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM), implying that Turkey might have to hold another general election until the voters get it right.
Turkey’s general election on June 7th was a great setback for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), where it emerged unable to form a one-party government for the first time since it took power in 2002. Now with four parties having made it to the assembly, though none with a parliamentary majority, Turkey will either have to cobble together a coalition administration or head towards early elections.
During Sunday’s speech Erdogan had said it was essential for Turkey to establish a coalition government quickly, “I don’t believe that Turkey can tolerate wasting its time. And so I hope for a coalition to be established as soon as possible. If [politicians’] egos come to the forefront, then this process will take even longer.”
He added that no one had a right to bring deadlock to the system just because of the new balance brought on by the election, “The consequences of reducing Turkey to a country that cannot establish a government will be heavy indeed.” [Source: BGN News]
Opposition parties are still nor aware against preventing themselves to promote Erdogan’s popularity. Whatever they do serves to Erdogan. Their structure will never allow them to be able to establish a coalition. So every time they say that they cannot work with any of the other opposite parties, AKP becomes more popular for the sake of stability.
Turks need to confidence once more: WB director
You said Turkey felt more confident before. What went wrong? ….
The World Bank has been saying Turkey’s success can inspire others. What are the do’s and don’ts that others should know?
On the do’s: Turkey’s economic integration with Europe and also with the international economy; it was not afraid and it was a success. Do that; open up your trade; open up your financial markets. Regulate them well. Turkey has done that too after learning the hard way what happens when you don’t.
Turkey is a good example for the power of European integration. It’s the best way to get to high income.
Do work on integration within the country. Turkey’s urbanization is a good example for that. Let the people move where the jobs are; don’t try to take the jobs where the people are.
It’s OK if Istanbul grows to 20 million if the jobs are here. What you make sure is that they have public services and that they don’t live in slums. Find the ways to accommodate them when they come. Turkey has done that well too.
And connect the rural part of the country by investing in infrastructure, by investing in roads and railways so that people that cannot move are still connected to the dynamic centers of the country. Bring health and education services to them. Do all that by having a sound public financial framework.
On the don’ts, I would not formulate it as don’ts but to do’s for Turkey. If you have to get to high income, you need to transition from discretion to rules. You can’t have politicians wanting to decide every issue themselves because the way high-income countries works is that there are rules that constrain politicians.
Turkey learned that lesson in 2001, and it established those rules but it was uncomfortable with it. That’s been the source of anxiety for investors; don’t let investors start doubting your commitment to rule-based governance if you want to become a high-income country.
Another “to do” is make sure economic opportunities are available to everyone. There has seen great expansion already, but there is much, much work to do, whether we are talking about women entering the labor force or we are talking about everyone having access to quality education. [Source: Hurriyet Daily News]
World’s number one pawnbroker foundation’s director advises Muslim countries to have confidence in them, as it was not them sinking Muslim world’s economies.