TURKISH GOVERNMENT CRITICIZES DECISION TO CENSOR

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SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH GOVERNMENT CRITICIZES DECISION TO CENSOR
DARWIN


1. (SBU) Summary and comment: Fierce reaction to the recent
decision of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Studies
Institution (TUBITAK) to pull a planned cover story about
Charles Darwin has led GOT officials to speak out against the
decision. Following a protest organized by the University
Councils Association in front of TUBITAK offices, where
demonstrators chanted, "Stop the enemies of science," and
"AKP withdraw your hand from science," as well as criticism
by politicians and civil society that the decision smacked of
blatant censorship, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and
State Minister Mehmet Aydin issued sharp public rebukes to
TUBITAK. A wide array of our contacts believe the incident
is a direct result of ongoing efforts by the ruling Justice
and Development Party (AKP) to place its loyalists in
leadership positions in nominally independent bodies,
including the Radio and Television Monitoring Board (RTUK)
and Higher Education Council (YOK). Although pulling the
Darwin story is a stain on TUBITAK's reputation, the quick
reaction of two senior GOT leaders demonstrates the growing
ability of civil society to affect the government, and the
continuing pragmatism of AKP. End summary and comment.

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Darwin Censored
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2. (U) The Turkish Scientific and Technological Studies
Institution (TUBITAK) attracted headlines March 11 after its
14-member Scientific and Technological Research Council
vetoed a planned cover story about Charles Darwin for the
March issue of its respected "Information and Technology"
magazine. Turkish press reported that TUBITAK's
editor-in-chief Dr. Cigdem Atakuman had planned the Darwin
cover story to commemorate Darwin's 200-year birthday and
UNESCO's declaration of 2009 as the "Year of Darwin." When
TUBITAK Vice President Professor Omer Cegbeci learned of the
project, he reportedly replaced the cover story with one
about global warming, and removed Atakuman from her senior
editorial job.

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Outcry Against Decision
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3. (U) Reaction from politicians, academia, and civil society
was immediate and strong. Turkey's main opposition
Republican People's Party (CHP) filed a parliamentary motion
to censure TUBITAK that asked, "Isn't it a kind of censorship
to intervene? How was the decision made?" The University
Councils Association organized a March 11 demonstration in
front of TUBITAK's Ankara office, across the street from the
Embassy. About one hundred demonstrators chanted, "Stop the
enemies of science," and "AKP withdraw your hand from
science." The group claimed to reporters covering the event
that a pro-Fethullah Gulen mindset had infiltrated the
government and state institutions. The Chamber of Electrical
Engineer's released a statement reading, "freedom is about
more than freedom to exercise your religion and faith."


4. (U) "Milliyet's" Semih Idiz called the move "stunning and
unacceptable censorship," and wrote sarcastically that it
would now come as no surprise if TUBITAK banned discussions
of Galileo and Copernicus. Turkish daily, "Zaman," known for
close ties to the government, downplayed the incident by
writing that Atakuman decided on her own to circumvent
already agreed upon plans to devote the March cover to global
warming.

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Government Responds
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5. (U) Late March 11, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan,
speaking to reporters, said suppressing Darwin was the wrong
decision, and said TUBITAK should have been "more sensitive
on the issue." Speaking March 11 at the opening of TUBITAK's
Aegean research and development day in Izmir, State Minister
Mehmet Aydin said, "You cannot censor such a renowned
scientist. This is not TUBITAK's mission." Aydin also said
that TUBITAK had assured him that Atakuman was not removed

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from her editor-in-chief post. TUBITAK President Huket YETIs
was present at the opening but did not answer questions on
the issue. Neither Cebeci nor Atakuman have responded to any
press inquiries.

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Creeping Politicization
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6. (SBU) Many believe the incident demonstrates that TUBITAK,
a nominally independent institution, has become deeply
politicized following President Gul's 2007 appointment of its
current President Nuket YETIs, and August 2008 amendments to
its charter that gave the PM the right to select 7 members of
the 14-member board. "Hurriyet's" Yusuf Kanli wrote, "Ever
since AKP came to power, like all other government agencies,
gradually TUBITAK was occupied with people with almond
mustaches on their faces or in their heads, scientific
independence was brushed aside, and independent-minded people
employed there were encouraged to leave." METU Professor
Aykan Erdemir likened the politicization of the nominally
independent body to "AKP's steady takeover of once strongly
secular Higher Education Council (YOK),the Radio and
Television Monitoring Board (RTUK) and other nominally
independent government bodies."


7. (SBU) Several contacts decried the censorship but praised
the GOT's quick response. Human rights activist Orhan Kemal
Cengiz called TUBITAK's move "blatant censorship" but said he
was consoled somewhat by Speaker Toptan's and State Minister
Aydin's quick response. EU poloff Sema Kilicer told us that
she is skeptical that the government's response will quell
the growing support for creationism in Turkey, evidenced by
the immense and still growing popularity of Adnan Oktar - a
religious sect leader who promotes intelligent design in
Turkey and worldwide, and who has filed numerous lawsuits in
Turkey against his opponents, resulting in court orders to
shut down prominent websites, such as YouTube and Word Press.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey

Jeffrey