TURKEY'S RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE DOWNPLAYS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001122 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/18/2018 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU SUBJECT: TURKEY'S RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE DOWNPLAYS "PROPER CONDUCT" CONTROVERSY REF: ANKARA 1043 Classified By: A/Political Counselor Kelly Degnan, reasons 1.4 (b),(d) ¶1. (C) Summary and comment: A senior official from Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) called news reports the Diyanet posted a list of sexual do's and dont's on its website (reftel) "irresponsible." The official told us reporters had cherry-picked several items out of a "quite progressive" 1999 book the Diyanet posted on its website in ¶2002. The reports distracted attention from the Diyanet's positive works, according to the official, and were concocted to capitalize on the current tense political environment. An academic expert critical of the Diyanet for its "Sunni-centric" views, said the press had hit the Diyanet "below the belt." Though this particular controversy has died down, such incidents fuel suspicions of Turks who fear a creeping Islamization of Turkey, and make discussions of the appropriate role of religion in society even more difficult. End summary and comment. -------------- -------------- Diyanet Distances Itself from "Proper" Conduct Controversy -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Diyanet Vice President Mehmet Gormez told us several "irresponsible" newspapers had created an artificial controversy. The Diyanet published a two-volume book in 1999 called "Basic Principles of Islam," Gormez explained. The thousand-page book articulated modern and "advanced" interpretations of Islam that Gormez insisted would have drawn ire had they been posited in the Arabic world. Turkish press created the impression the Diyanet had posted a religious edict (fatwa) of sexual do's and dont's on its website. In reality, one passage in the section "Women and Family" stated Western-style Feminism was not necessarily appropriate for Muslim countries; it did not say "Feminism was wrong or immoral." Gormez conceded the text refers to "adultery" as sacrilegious, a notion in line with the teachings of all other major religions. While the text also states any action that prepares the basis for adultery could be considered adulterous, Gormez said it does not equate dating with adultery, as charged by the press. ¶3. (SBU) Gormez believes some "irresponsible" media and politicians are using religion to attack one another in the tense political climate. He claimed the papers covering the story were the same ones that presented copies of the book to readers for Ramazan in 1999. Gormez said the incident detracted from the Diyanet's positive, progressive work, including the effort to reinterpret the Hadith, or teachings of Muhammad, within their historical context and planned outreach to Muslim communities in the U.S. When the story broke, Diyanet President Ali Bardakoglu was on an outreach trip to Van, during which 81 muftis met to discuss ways to improve the climate in the Southeast. At the conference's conclusion, the group issued the Diyanet's twice-yearly declaration, which likens the practice of marrying girls at an improperly young age to "assassination" and says polygamy contradicts the principles of Islam -- two traditions still prevalent in parts of Turkey. -------------- -------------- Alevi Scholar Says Press Attacks of Diyanet "Below the Belt" -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) Middle East Technical University Professor Aykan Erdemir, an expert in religious minority issues, told us the press had "hit Diyanet below the belt." Erdemir emphasized he is strongly opposed to the Diyanet structure and teachings that are "Sunni-centric" and ignore and belittle the beliefs of Alevis and other minority groups. Though Erdemir believes most Diyanet officials believe many of the things the press reported (that unmarried women should be wary of being alone in a room with a man),he criticized the press for focusing on out-of-context material from an old book instead of confronting them on the merits of their actions. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey WILSON