|
Senior Turkish general warns against fundamentalism |
 |
 |
 |
|
Written by NTVMSNBC
|
|
Tuesday, 26 September 2006 03:59 |
|
Turkey needs to be on the alert against a rising tide of religious fundamentalism, the commander of the country�s land forces said Monday.
Speaking at the opening educational year at the Land War Academy, General Ilker Basbug warned that the threat posed by fundamentalism was growing.
“I have to sadly say that the fundamental threat has reached concern provoking dimensions, even if some circles may not accept that,” Basbug said.
The Land Force Commander said that some circles intentionally, patiently and in a planned manner were trying to tarnish the republican revolution. Basbug said that some significant progress had been made in this direction, adding that he could not understand why an effort was being made to open debate over the issue of secularism.
Basbug also said that as a result of the weakening of the social nature of state that the public was being pushed towards tariquats (religious groups) which had in turn became the focus of movements against the principles of the republic, even though these tariquats were banned under law.
The Turkish Armed Forces has always been and would always on the side of protecting the nation state, the unitarian state and secular state, the general said.
Basbug also responded to a statement by the European Union’s Representative to Ankara, Hans Jörg Kretschmer, saying that the Armed Forces see themselves as the guardian of the Turkish Republic. Last week, Kretschmer said that the military in Turkey was too much involved in politics.
Basbug said that the army could not disregard attacks made on the unitarian and secular aspects of the state. The protection of the fundamental principles of the republic were not related with domestic politics but was a duty given by law, he said.
“Soldiers do not have the choice or luxury of whether or not to carry out duties that were handed to them by law,” Basbug said. |