Amid all these debates, it seems that the small Protestant community's own voice is not heard by the Turkish public and state officials. There is no forum or tool whereby the community could effectively respond to allegations, or take part in a meaningful discussion, involving all Turkish citizens, that might contribute to clarification and allow for the Protestant perspective to be heard. In addition it lacks the resources to respond to everything that is said in public about it. The voice of Turkey's other smaller religious communities also needs to be heard by our fellow Turks.
While it is difficult to remain hopeful about what the future might hold for Turks in general and religious or belief communities in particular, it is vitally important to continue to strive for better protection of freedom of religion or belief. In this context I believe four concrete steps which would have the effect of better protection for all belief communities are essential.
The first step in the right direction would be for relevant state officials and institutions to engage in dialogue with leaders of believers of both religions that have existed in Turkey for centuries and those groups that are new. This would of course also include atheists and agnostics, as freedom of religion or belief is also a right for non-believers. Such a dialogue would enable individuals and communities to voice the difficulties they encounter in the exercise of their right to freedom of religion or belief. It would also send a strong message to Turkish society that the secular State is "equally close to all religions", as the authorities like to proclaim. Such a dialogue would also enhance the prestige and societal acceptance of groups that now face intolerance.
The vital second step would be to engage in long-term educational efforts to foster pluralism, the equality of individuals with different religions and beliefs, and a culture of democracy that would encourage and teach discussion of different ideas without resorting to violence. This would also include reforms in public education of religion which would bring it up to a standard reflecting true freedom of religion for all non-Muslim groups, as well as various groups within Islam such as the Alevis. Extreme nationalism is a major obstacle to this within the educational system.
Thirdly, there is in Turkey great controversy around the term "missionary activity." Some use it as a negative term, while others recognise that everyone being able to share their beliefs in a non-coercive way is inseparable from everyone's freedom of religion and belief.
In 2005 a parliamentary motion was brought to the Ministry of Interior about missionary activities in Turkey. The response of the then Minister of Interior Abdulkadir Aksu named three groups as engaging in missionary activity: Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses and Baha'is. He stated that this activity is watched closely in the interests of national security - even
though this is in international law an unacceptable reason to limit freedom of religion and belief.
Sadly, such comments are common from both politicians and officials. So Turkish society needs to discuss what is meant by "missionary activity": if it is different from exercising one's religion or belief, and maybe examine what is proper and improper proselytism. It is my opinion that Turkey would gain much from a genuine public debate on this, based firmly upon respect for pluralist democracy and tolerance.
Finally, the fourth important step - and one that needs to be taken immediately - is for the state to enact measures to remove imminent threats of attacks against places of worship and religious leaders. Doubtless finding and punishing the perpetrators of previous attacks would have a deterrent effect on those who contemplate further such attacks. The authorities must strongly condemn such threats and attacks and do their utmost to enforce laws protecting members of belief communities who are vulnerable to such attacks. It is important that such attacks are condemned by the whole of society, so that the perpetrators will not have the perception that they will be received as heroes by a significant group in
society.
If Turkey wishes to seen as a republic genuinely committed to a secular pluralist democracy, it is necessary for our government to: have an open public dialogue with all religious communities, as well as non-believers; initiate long-term educational efforts to foster pluralism and the equality of all citizens; have a public discussion on what missionary activity actually means in a pluralist democracy; and, most urgently, take steps to remove imminent threats of attacks against places of worship and religious leaders, as well as punish those who have committed attacks. For if we do not, we will not have started to genuinely address the causes of the three murders whose first anniversary we are marking this week.
Güzide Ceyhan's commentary was written for Forum 18 News Service www.forum18.org and re-printed in Christian Today with permission.
