Islam: The Religion of Peace?

[TurQ]

1.5M
Those are not taboos in Turkey. Being cherkez, laz, bosnian, albanian, arab, kurd, lezgi,gurcu(georgian muslims) and so on have always been expressed. It is not like people disconver their roots in suprise. They already know it. The thing is they have always indetified themselves with Ottoman/Turkish culture in history.
You know the Serbs and Croats call Bosnians as Turks. They know Bosnians are not Turks but they still call them Turks, because Turk became the name of all non-arab Ottoman muslim nations.
Even Christian Arabs in South America are called as el-Turco because of their Ottoman heritage.
As far as I have observed non-Turkish immigrants of Caucusia or Balkans easily identify themselves as Turks while they maintain their own culture. "Turk" is more than an ethnic label for Turks and Ottoman origin Muslims.

There is much more to this story then this single account BTW. Suffice to say that Circassians suffered horribly. As to where the "missing" Cicassians are now...well look around you Sythian...I for one continue to meet more and more Turks who claim to be Circassian or part and such - now that the taboos in Turkey are lifting for folks to identify themselves as such I think we will easily find these numbers among the 80 or so million "Turks" in Turkey today...

[ScythianVizier]

There is much more to this story then this single account BTW. Suffice to say that Circassians suffered horribly. As to where the "missing" Cicassians are now...well look around you Sythian...I for one continue to meet more and more Turks who claim to be Circassian or part and such - now that the taboos in Turkey are lifting for folks to identify themselves as such I think we will easily find these numbers among the 80 or so million "Turks" in Turkey today...

1.5 Million,

I agree with TurQ. There were always Cherkess (Cerkez) Bosniak (Bosnak), Albanian (Arnavut), Pomak (Bulgaristan Turku), Laz (Gurcu), Kurd (Kürt), Tatar (Kirim Tatari), Arab (Arap), Assyrian (Suryani), Muslim Armenian (Hemsinli) identities existed in Turkey. Of course, people were not very interested in their ethnical background until it did appear as a necessity as a consequence the prolonged problems related to the Armenian, Rum, and Assyrian peoples. Respectfully, the Turk is the common identity that all these people share as a consequence of the Ottoman Muslim Heritage inherited together with the Muslim Millet identity that evolved to form today's modern Turkish Identity.

The problem is most of those people are the ones who also suffered tremendous losses prior and after 1915. For the Balkan Christians, Bosniaks are the Turkish leftovers that must be cleansed off. Albanians are the Albo-Turks who mixed with the Turks and lost their European heritage. That is why, there are many Bosniak and Albanian towns in various places of Turkey. In fact, the emigration of muslims started as early as the II. Vienna Campaign. Following the Ottoman retreat in Vienna, the Austrians came as close as Bosnia, and burned many villages there. As a consequence, the first migrants from Balkans arrived and settled in Istanbul around Unkapani suburb. Later, Crimean Tatars of Ukraine, Crimea, Moldova and Romania were deported and were killed in masses. In 19th Century, the Turks and Muslims (mostly Albanians) of Morea were forced to migrate to Anatolia after the Greek Independence. After the Crimean War, more Tatars arrived. In 1878, another wave of 1.5 million people arrived from Balkans following the Russo-Turkish War. After the Balkan Wars, millions of Balkan Muslims migrated to Anatolia. Even after the establishment of Turkish Republic, more than 2 million people migrated to Turkey from Balkans mostly from former Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, some from Greece and Romania.

Similarly, Caucasus had some identical trend. In the beginnig of the 19th Century, Russia moved to Caucaus and started ethnic cleansing campaigns. Later, those campaigns were coupled with forced migration targeted Ingush, Chechen, Adyghe, Karachay, Balkar, Kumyk, Nogar, Tatar, Laz (Georgian), Abkhaz, and Azeri peoples. Just in 1860s, more than 1.5 million Circassians arrived to the Ottoman Empire, another wave of 500 thousands arrived in late 1880s, and millions in between early 1900s and 1920s. Interestingly, the ones who were settled in Balkans were later forced to migrate during the Balkan War. Today, it is estimated that more than 5 million people of North Caucasus origin live in Turkey. On top of those, it is believed that about two million muslim Georgians (like Tayyip Erdogan) live in Turkey who migrated to Turkey after the Russo-Turkish War of 1878. Hence, it is believed that some other 400-500 thousand Abkhaz people of Caucasus also live in Turkey. Finally, it should be noted that the migration wave from Caucasus even continued after the establishment Turkish Republic.

Today, near Istanbul, there is place called Cerkezkoy (Circassian Town) at where the Circassians from Balkans were settled the after 1878. That is why, this place is known as Cerkezkoy. Similar settlements exist as Yeni Bosna (New Bosnia) and Arnavutkoy (Albanian Town). Nevertheless, Anatolia is full of places of evidencing the great ordeal experienced by all those ethnicities that used to form the "Ottoman Muslim Millet". In general, it is believed that at least 20-25 per cent of the population of Turkey are the descendants of migrant families who arrived to Turkey after 1855 (the year that the Ottoman Government established the Migration Office). As one could envisage, the forced migration applied against the Ottoman Muslims sealed the fate of the Ottoman Empire, Within last 70-80 years, the Ottomans allocated enourmous amount of funds to relocate the migrants arrived from Balkans, Crimea and Caucasus. The result was a disaster since the amount allocated was even more than the whole Ottoman Debt occurred due to wars, loans and penalties paid to the civilized "Western Governments". Nevertheless, the demographic changes in Crete is a good example of what happened. In 1821, there were 160.00 Muslims and 129.000 Christians, however in 1911, the Christian population was 307.000 where as the muslims was only 28.000. Similar trend is also applicable for Greece, Former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Madedonia, Romania, Crimea, and Caucasus. Of course, it should be stressed that such trend had some reverse effects in Anatolia related to the Christian Armenian and Rum peoples.

[Gavur]

Kiss warning to Malaysia tourists

By Jonathan Kent
BBC News, Kuala Lumpur



The couple is said to have been kissing near the Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur's mayor has reassured tourists they will not face harassment if found kissing in public.

The comment comes after Malaysia's highest court said city officials were right to prosecute a local couple for allegedly holding hands and kissing.

The couple's lawyer warned foreigners may face up to a year in prison if they too behaved affectionately in public.

Ooi Kean Thong and Siow Ai Wei were charged with disorderly behaviour almost three years ago.

Officials claimed the couple were locked in an amorous embrace in a park beside the landmark Petronas Twin Towers.

Ms Siow said she was playing the violin while Mr Ooi read her a letter.

In England, those acts are acceptable to the people of that country, but is kissing and hugging acceptable to Malaysian citizens?

Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz

The case has yet to be decided, but on Tuesday the federal court rejected a challenge to the city's decision to prosecute.

Chief Justice Ahmad Fairuz commented that hugging and kissing might be "acceptable in England", but he said it was open to question whether Malaysians took the same view.

But a warning from the couple's lawyer that tourists could find themselves hauled up before the courts prompted Kuala Lumpur's mayor to play down the ruling.

Mayor Roslin Hassan told the BBC that officials would simply advise people rather than arrest them if their behaviour was inappropriate.

He says holding hands is OK, but couples should not kiss too passionately in public.

TV censure

Malaysia has a Muslim majority, but people of all religions are broadly conservative in their outlook.

Local television channels reflect this by censoring kissing so viewers are left to fill in the gaps when characters about to embrace suddenly appear in different parts of the room looking shocked or emotional for no apparent reason.

The Malaysian government has had to step in to stop a number of organisations from forming private snoop squads to spy on the public and report immoral behaviour.

[Gavur]

Miss Iraq Tamar Goregian Quits 'Cuz Of Death Threats

Sploid (satire)
April 10 2006

A young Iraqi-Armenian woman has relinquished her hard fought crown
as the sauciest lady in all of Iraq after only four days because of
numerous death threats.

When Tamar Goregian was crowned Iraqi Queen of Beauty on April 6 she
told the crowd, "Maybe beauty is the final step to end violence and
preach world peace after all."

Nope.

On Friday, April 9, Goregian told pageant officials she could no
longer wear the crown. She was scared away by death threats from
religious zealots who called her "Queen of the Infidels."

"I respect her decision. The country is undergoing rough times,
and we understand her desire to protect herself and her family,"
said the pageant's director.

This was the first year that the Miss Iraq pageant had been held in
Iraq after four years in Kenya. It had been deemed far too dangerous
to hold the contest in Iraq. It appears it still is.

Inexplicably, Gorgian's runner-up, Maiden of Beauty," Mona Hilmi,
has agreed to take over the duties. She's alleged to be "equally
intelligent and beautiful."

Hilmi hopes to be the first Iraqi to represent her country at the
Miss Universe pageant since 1972, when Wijdan Sulyman attended the
cattle call in Puerto Rico.

http://www.sploid.com/news/2006/04/miss_iraq_abdic.php

[TurQ]

Happy easter for Christians(Catholic + Protestant)

Orthodox Easter is next week also happy easter to them

[Gavur]

'Apprentice' star Donald Trump calls new Miss Iraq "very brave"

UPI News Service, 04/14/2006


Miss Universe pageant owner Donald Trump says he is considering a tribute to the newly crowned Miss Iraq, who has been hiding amid death threats.



"She is very proud to have won, and now she is in a very tough position," Trump told Friday's New York Post. "She is extremely brave."

Silvia Shahakian, 23, a Christian of Armenian ancestry, was crowned Sunday when the original winner stepped down after receiving threats from extremists.



Shahakian told ABC's "Good Morning America" she was going into hiding, but the Post said it is believed she is still in Iraq.

Trump said there may be a special salute to Shahakian during the Miss Universe pageant July 23 in Los Angeles.

"We've had countries in the contest before where it was not the most popular thing to do, but never like this," he said.

[Gavur]

One killed, 3 hurt in Egyptian church stabbings

Saturday, April 15, 2006



CAIRO: Three Egyptians killed a Christian worshipper and wounded three others on Friday in knife attacks in three churches in the coastal city of Alexandria, security and police officials said.

“We believe the three men were working together to carry out the attacks,” said a security official, who did not want to be named.

He said all three were captured after the attacks and a fourth man was apprehended before he could carry out a similar attack on a fourth church in an area called Sporting.

The officials said Mahmoud Abdul Galil, a former government employee who was removed from his position because of mental illness, killed a 67-year-old worshipper at Saint George Church in the Hadra area of Alexandria.

Mohammed Salah Eddin, a recent university graduate, wounded three worshippers in the Saints Church in the Sidi Bish area of Alexandria and an unknown man attacked worshippers in the Virgin Mary Church in the Fleming area, the officials said. No one was hurt in the Fleming incident, they said.

Alexandria was the scene of violent protests in October over a church play demonstrators said was offensive to Islam. Three people died when the protesters clashed with police.

Relations between Muslims and Christians in Egypt are generally peaceful but there are occasional outbreaks of sectarian violence, notably in 1999 when 22 people were killed in the southern village of Kosheh. Reuters

[Gavur]

Clashes follow Egypt Copt funeral

The funeral procession turned into a protest
Clashes broke out between Muslims and Coptic Christians in Alexandria in Egypt after the funeral of a Coptic worshipper killed in church on Friday.
Police fired tear gas and tried to separate the groups, who threw stones and attacked each other with sticks. Fifteen people were arrested.

The unrest followed the funeral of Nushi Atta Girgis, 78, who died in one of three knife attacks in Alexandria.

Christians have accused the government of failing to protect them.

Mourners shouted anti-government slogans as the funeral procession - attended by an estimated 3,000 people - turned into a protest outside the church where the funeral was held.

At least 15 people were injured and four vehicles were burned out, an interior ministry source said.

The ministry said those arrested were both Copts and Muslims and included "some fanatic extremist elements".

'Crushed by Muslims'

The government has said a "deranged" man was arrested for carrying out all the attacks at the three churches, but some Copts believe they were carried out simultaneously as part of an anti-Christian plot by extremist Muslims.

A judge has remanded the arrested man, Mahmoud Salah-Eddin Abdel-Raziq, 25, in custody.

"Certain papers speak of a madman. I don't believe a word. It is propaganda to silence us and to make us believe it is an individual incident," said Karim, a 78-year-old Copt at the funeral.

"We have always been peaceful, but we are always crushed by the Muslims," said 30-year-old Girgis Mina. "If the state does not protect us, we will do it ourselves."

Christians make up 10% of the Egyptian population and have complained of harassment and discrimination.

Some Copts argue that previous attacks on them have gone unpunished or have drawn light sentences.

Most Christians in Egypt are Copts - Christians descended from the ancient Egyptians.

Their church split from the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches in 451AD because of a theological dispute over the nature of Christ, but is now, on most issues, doctrinally similar to the Eastern Orthodox church.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4912966.stm

[Gavur]

Egypt Holds 15 in Coptic-Muslim Strife

The Associated Press
Saturday, April 15, 2006; 9:09 PM


ALEXANDRIA, Egypt -- Fighting broke out Saturday between hundreds of Coptic Christians and Muslims at the funeral of a man knifed to death in an attack outside a church.

Egypt's Interior Ministry said 15 people were injured Saturday and security forces used tear gas to quell a disturbance that damaged several shops and left two cars on fire. Fifteen people were arrested.



An Egyptian Coptic woman mourns the death of her relative during the funeral procession of 78-year-old Nushi Atta Girgis in the city of Alexandria, Egypt, Saturday April 15, 2006. About 3,000 Christians gathered Saturday at Saints Church to mourn Girgis, slain there the day before, as church leaders blasted the government for its failure to protect Egypt's Christian minority. (AP Photo) (Str - AP)







On Friday, a knife-wielding man attacked worshippers at three Coptic churches in Alexandria, killing the 78-year-old man whose funeral was held Saturday.

The Interior Ministry said the attacker, who also wounded five people, suffered from "psychological disturbances."

At the Saturday funeral procession, police arrested "some fanatic extremist elements who provoked skirmishes and threw stones at each other," the Interior Ministry said in a statement. It said that the detainees included Copts and Muslims.

Coptic Christians make up 10 percent of Egypt's 73 million people and generally live in peace with the Muslim majority, though occasional sectarian clashes occur.

The United States urged the Coptic and Muslim communities of Alexandria to exercise tolerance.

Christians complain that they suffer job discrimination, particularly in the high ranks of the civil service.

[Gavur]

Egypt arrests 15 in Christian-Muslim clashes

By ASSOCIATED PRESS


Egyptian police Saturday arrested 15 people in the aftermath of sectarian clashes in Alexandria that the Interior Ministry said were instigated by "fanatics" who "duped" people into participating.

Fights broke out among several hundred Coptic Christians and Muslims at the end of the funeral procession for Nushi Atta Girgis, 78, who was slain Friday outside Saints Church in the Mediterranean city following a prayer service.

Police arrested "some fanatic extremist elements who provoked skirmishes and threw stones at each other," said a statement from the Interior Ministry. It said that the detainees, who included Copts and Muslims, "went too far" when they set two cars on fire and damaged several shops.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1143498859415&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull