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Anti-Semitism in Turkey
By: Amed Demirhan
KurdistanObserver.com
May 2 2005
Historically anti-Semitism all most always has been related to general
intolerance, racism, and xenophobia. In modern Turkey this elements
have the main ingredients of foundation of the Turkish Republic. In
republican era there have been up and down with anti-Semitism and some
times high-ranking government officials have been speaking positively
about Jews and Israel and even claming to be protectors of the Jewish
minority in Turkey. However, in recent years anti-Semitism and racism
become very dangerous, and not just targeted to small minority of
Jews in Turkey but to the "Donme" the Jews that were converted about
300 years ago to Islam and "Turkism", and to Jews in general.
In the past Jews were forced to relocation in 1924, forced to pay
higher taxes or forced to bankruptcy by force of government, for
example in 1942 infamous "Wealth Tax" that directed to non-Muslim
minorities. In 1955 they were targeted in Istanbul together Greek
and Armenians. In late 1980s and in 1990s Jewish or "Donme" business
people were subject of "Ulkucu Mafia" a state sponsored extreme
rights group was taking money from Jews by force and illegally. Some
Jewish businessman had to move to the USA and Israel.
However, recent anti-Semitism is more dangerous, in the past it was
limited to small marginal leftist, Marxist, Islamist, and fascist
groups, and all most of them were controlled by the state; now
anti-Semitism is becoming a mass movement like 1930s Europe. Some
people seemed surprised to see Hitler's book become best seller,
in reality there are many more anti-Semitics books and articles
recently have been published and they are more dangerous than
Hitler's book. For example, the Dr. Yalicin Kucuk a former Marxist
his book titled "Tekelistan" about Jews and specifically about
donme, it has more conspiracy in it than Hitler's book. This book
become so popular he had to write several other books and among many
other Pan-Turkist/Pan-Islamists become Dr. Kucuk's main readers. In
addition Yalcin Soner's book about "Done" was one of the best seller
in Turkey for long time. Mr. Soner's book is comparable with Dr.
Kucuk's book. All major newspapers are daily full with anti-Semitic
remarks. These conspiracies includes Jews or "hidden Jews" been
in charge of the Turkish state, been behind separatist movements,
Islamist movements, been in charge of America, or Israel Zionist
conspiracy to take over South Eastern part of Turkey. The type of
conspiracy dependent to the ideology of the writers, for example
if an Islamist write like Sevket Eygi he will claim Turkey's ethnic
conflict is invention of the Jews, Kemalist-nationalist will claim
Jews are in charge of America and they try to divide Turkey, and
so on. Fighting against ant-Semitism is as important as fighting
against Nazism, neo-Nazism or any totalitarian regime or ideology. One
of the important ways fighting against anti-Semitism in Turkey is
defending freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of assembly,
and Western pluralistic democracy.
By: Amed Demirhan
KurdistanObserver.com
May 2 2005
Historically anti-Semitism all most always has been related to general
intolerance, racism, and xenophobia. In modern Turkey this elements
have the main ingredients of foundation of the Turkish Republic. In
republican era there have been up and down with anti-Semitism and some
times high-ranking government officials have been speaking positively
about Jews and Israel and even claming to be protectors of the Jewish
minority in Turkey. However, in recent years anti-Semitism and racism
become very dangerous, and not just targeted to small minority of
Jews in Turkey but to the "Donme" the Jews that were converted about
300 years ago to Islam and "Turkism", and to Jews in general.
In the past Jews were forced to relocation in 1924, forced to pay
higher taxes or forced to bankruptcy by force of government, for
example in 1942 infamous "Wealth Tax" that directed to non-Muslim
minorities. In 1955 they were targeted in Istanbul together Greek
and Armenians. In late 1980s and in 1990s Jewish or "Donme" business
people were subject of "Ulkucu Mafia" a state sponsored extreme
rights group was taking money from Jews by force and illegally. Some
Jewish businessman had to move to the USA and Israel.
However, recent anti-Semitism is more dangerous, in the past it was
limited to small marginal leftist, Marxist, Islamist, and fascist
groups, and all most of them were controlled by the state; now
anti-Semitism is becoming a mass movement like 1930s Europe. Some
people seemed surprised to see Hitler's book become best seller,
in reality there are many more anti-Semitics books and articles
recently have been published and they are more dangerous than
Hitler's book. For example, the Dr. Yalicin Kucuk a former Marxist
his book titled "Tekelistan" about Jews and specifically about
donme, it has more conspiracy in it than Hitler's book. This book
become so popular he had to write several other books and among many
other Pan-Turkist/Pan-Islamists become Dr. Kucuk's main readers. In
addition Yalcin Soner's book about "Done" was one of the best seller
in Turkey for long time. Mr. Soner's book is comparable with Dr.
Kucuk's book. All major newspapers are daily full with anti-Semitic
remarks. These conspiracies includes Jews or "hidden Jews" been
in charge of the Turkish state, been behind separatist movements,
Islamist movements, been in charge of America, or Israel Zionist
conspiracy to take over South Eastern part of Turkey. The type of
conspiracy dependent to the ideology of the writers, for example
if an Islamist write like Sevket Eygi he will claim Turkey's ethnic
conflict is invention of the Jews, Kemalist-nationalist will claim
Jews are in charge of America and they try to divide Turkey, and
so on. Fighting against ant-Semitism is as important as fighting
against Nazism, neo-Nazism or any totalitarian regime or ideology. One
of the important ways fighting against anti-Semitism in Turkey is
defending freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of assembly,
and Western pluralistic democracy.
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