Gülen's New Step for the Southeast

Last Updated on Thursday, 29 November 2007 03:41 by Hüseyin Gülerce, Today's Zaman Wednesday, 28 November 2007 21:00

The Gülen movement is a movement of love. Its quintessential aim is to awaken the world to humanity again, unite around universal human values for a new human revival and establish peace instead of conflicts.

The movement advances in two directions: education and dialogue activities. It builds isles of peace, bridges of peace and breakwaters both at home and in the world at large in the name of global peace. Wherever there is a fire -- is there a single country or region that is not burning? -- the warriors of this army of love immediately run to the spot as "spiritual firemen."

Our East and Southeast are also aflame. Following recent terrorist attacks last month, the fire was almost going to engulf the entire country. Funerals of martyrs that took place one after the other precipitated a flurry of protests by civilians. But there was something else: provocation aimed at sparking a Kurdish-Turkish conflict and the targeting of some business places.

Fethullah Gülen was aware of this danger decades ago. Under his guidance and advice, educational activities were launched in the East and the Southeast of the country 20 years ago. Private schools have been opened in the region, particularly in Van and Diyarbakır. Students in the tens of thousands, too poor to afford a decent education, are helped with their studies financially and educationally, the latter realized in reading halls opened in many of the abovementioned private schools. Students from the East or Southeast studying in Turkey's west in particular have their study and accommodation needs taken care of.

It is so easy to speak of brotherhood or separation, but both are hard to comprehend. Mr. Gülen has issued a new call for unity following recent terrorist attacks. During his talk on Nov. 12, 2007, he recalled once again the importance of winning hearts and mentioned some new dynamics.

He advised those with ample means to go to the country's East and Southeast and spend the upcoming Feast of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) there. He stated that distributing the meat of sacrificed animals to poor people by directly going to their doors would greatly help soften their hearts and he mentioned something new: "Let's deepen our friendship by hosting all of the people we have so far helped and reached as part of such organizations. Let's enter their hearts. Let's establish ties between western and southeastern and eastern towns and villages and declare sister towns and villages. Going to the East is not a big deal. Today cities such as İstanbul, Mersin and Gaziantep are full of people from the Southeast. Maybe we should first reach these people."

Mr. Gülen is making a call for a new kind of mobilization. He wants efforts to grow and accelerate. We need a quicker intervention in the fire. These aid organizations and acts of heroic generosity would have a great impact on the region's people. Of course, we will use weapons against those who use weapons to divide this country and Parliament will take its measures against those who praise crimes, criminals and murderers. However, the lasting solution is winning hearts, educating coming generations and providing them with opportunities to further their studies. This is the way that will help us win the people of the region permanently. Winning hearts means winning trust. What sort of parents would want their children to go to the mountains? But they would readily entrust their kids to these warriors from the army of love and education. This is the way to stopping those kids from going to the mountains to join a terrorist group. Arms brokers take delight in seeing us separated -- and so do drug dealers. Those who make external plans to divide Turkey want to see us divided. Those who want to prepare the right ground for operations also push Turkey in this direction.

People of the region have adopted an attitude against terrorism in the latest elections and openly declared that they want service and peace. Both the government and volunteers should take advantage of this historic chance.