Fethullah Gulen (FETO) Organization Structuring isSocio-Cultural Terrorism
Musaf Kizilkaya
Following 1980s, the population flow from rural areas to large cities increased and thisin turn, boosted the number of people joining the Organization, which allowed the organizationto solidify its position and operate on a greater scale in major cities. The excitement towardsthis enhancing organization expanded and people from the conservative sector who were setback by the state greatly benefitted from the newly opened areas. Taking advantage of thesuitable background, the organization grew bigger and bigger, similar to a snowflake turninginto an avalanche. The conservative and nationalist conservative people living both in Turkeyand abroad have become familiar with the organization and participated in its activities.The religious prolepsis of the organization has been the reference point of theconservatives who got to know the organization and considered themselves to belong to itfundamentally. Since the focal point of the activities led by the organization has been the so-called Islamic religion, the organization widened the sphere of its influence and presented newopportunities especially for those having low incomes. Receiving even bureaucratic and politicalsupport, it expanded to such a great extent that it lost its capability to control itself.There is no doubt that the presence of the intensive population of Turks living in almostevery part of the world except for the African continent has provided the necessaryenvironment for the organization. The homesickness of those living abroad as well as theirreligious sensitivity were the two main factors that the organization benefitted from the most.
The arguments were predetermined: “we are dedicated
souls; our ultimate target is ilahi-
kelimetullah”
(Islamic ideology) and their most critical starting point was the future of thechildren who were going to be born and be raised abroad. The total budget of the organizationwas increased to an unbelievable extent, owing to the financial support provided to the schoolsoperated by the organization by the parents who wanted their children to stay in the religiouspath and their spiritual feelings to be updated on a perpetual basis. Even the left-wingers, whoare nowhere close to the conservatives from an ideological standpoint, chose to send theirchildren to these schools due to the high-quality education and cultural wealth provided eventhough they actually abhorred the organization itself.While continuing their actions abroad, the main area the organization concentrated on was toattract people by stealing questions because human investment was by far the most prominentinvestment that could be made, and the organization achieved its goal by conducting it verysystematically. Some of the trained people were sent to educational institutions abroad. Thosewho stayed in Turkey have been placed in the selected corners over time. The ultimate goalwas to take the bureaucrats and politicians under control, in other words, having a say on the
representatives elected by the public and they were of the opinion that everything is allowableon their way to achieve this goal. They planned to accomplish this goal by stealing questions forAllah and accepting the answers to the questions for Allah again, by not participating in theFriday prayers as a precautionary measure, by uncovering the head scarf of those wear them inorder to prevent detection and by promoting marriages advised by superior sisters andbrothers. But the diffusion was supposed to be reversed over time...The ringleader of the betrayal network settled in the United States in 1999, which marked thebeginning of the global expansion of the organization. By using eye catching slogans such as"Modest Islam", "Interreligious Dialogue" and so on, Feto had gained the financial support ofthe majority of the people from the conservative sector and by using phrases like "Turk -Turkiye", "Turkish Coffee Night" in the events organized, they managed to have their influenceon a number of different areas. In many states and cities of the United States, there is at leastassociation affiliated with Feto. Being in touch with the established networks in the countrywhich involve academics, journalists, bureaucrats, political circles and businesspeople, theyreceive the necessary support whenever needed. Thanks to these associations, they are incontact with school representatives, municipalities, police stations and the most importantfigures of the bureaucracy and by introducing themselves as the only representatives of Turkey,they have created a prestige in their way.This prestige has enabled the organization to have 155 affiliated schools in the USA today. Theorganization has reached the people with intense religious and spiritual feelings living indifferent states, and they should have surely used the sensibilities of those innocent people by
telling them that “We are going to wave the Turkish flag here,
you also support us and sign for
the sake of Allah, be a leader”
- in order to achieve their own treacherous goals.By helping Feto, wealthy businessmen created a spiritual refuge for themselves and theyconsidered themselves free from the responsibilities as knew that they sent their children to areligious school and that their children were in good hands. There was nothing to worry aboutfor them anymore, nor they had an alternative. In their mind, there could not be anything thatwould make them happier than seeing a black man to sing the rose color song
–
the wholeworld was speaking Turkish. Moreover, what harm could these innocent people who pray eachand every day cause? What harm have we ever suffered from these people that have beenaround us all the time? The truth is that, the people around us were those who only caredabout the worship part of the Betrayal, Trade, Worship chain...I am not going to talk to you about how Feto contributed the election campaign of HilaryClinton with a large amount of money which was gathered by deceiving innocent people. I amnot going to talk to you about the monetary help that Feto sent to Israel, which was collectedfrom innocent people through the Rain Drop association or, about the signatures collected fromsenators and influential people in a meeting claiming that no freedom of expression in Turkey,nor I am going to talk about the ignorant, insensible attitude for 15 July and the 248 martyrsexhibited by the same people who protested the closing down of the newspaper named Zaman
in the city of Philadelphia. We all already know those in detail. I tried to give you an explanationof what I optically saw in my observations of the socio-cultural dimension of the issue. Forsome, seeing is an ideological action rather than an optical one. I want to share my a fewhumble pieces of advice that is on my mind:
Under the control of the state, the money that was given to the organization in thename of favor should be requested to be returned immediately. The state shouldprovide free advocacy on this matter and encourage the citizens to request their moneyback in accordance with the confidentiality principles. Only a bottom-up economic wavelike this one will cause a deep turmoil within the organization.
The state can enact a law of
“If you regret, report yourself” for those who are unlawful
Feto members. This would make it possible for members of organizations who are notinvolved in any crime and action to have a penalty remission. This way, I think that thenumber of people leaving the organization would increase as well.
Both the state and our society should treat the people leaving the organization in asensitive manner to make sure that they are not subjected to alienation. I think that thethought of being externalized and alienated from both sides would have a discouragingimpact on those who want to leave the organization.