Press Release: Stop abducting people illegally.

Fatih Keskin, the Turkish citizen, and director of Richmond Park Bihac College, who has been carrying on his education and training activities in Bihac in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 15 years, was first summoned to Una-Sana Canton Police Station and then taken to the Immigration Center and taken into custody.

Fatih Keskin, who could not be explained why he was arrested even by the arrestors, was subjected to maltreatment in a cold environment without heating in severe winter conditions. It is against international human rights to be subjected to maltreatment that is not worthy of human dignity.

We know that hundreds of Turkish citizens that are members of the Hizmet movement have been abducted and tortured after July 15, 2016 by Erdogan regime both in Turkey and abroad. Educator Fatih Keskin, who worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 15 years, is also demanded to be subjected to abduction by the Turkish government’s witch hunt with similar procedures as other abductions. We hope that the administration and the judiciary of Bosnia and Herzegovina will not be the object of the Erdogan regime.

As International Broken Chalk Association, we invite Bosnia and Herzegovina’s administration and judiciary to comply with its own constitutions and international law, and we demand that Fatih Keskin be released as soon as possible.

We also hope that the United Nations Human Rights Commission, the European Court of Human Rights, and other organizations and human rights defenders will be the followers of the unlawfulness suffered by Fatih Keskin and will make the necessary initiatives.

As Broken Chalk, we will follow the issue.

Sincerely announced to the public.

Signed by Broken Chalk

5th December 2019.

Ahmet Burhan Atac: The Story of the Child Who Got Killed Collectively*

From September 24, 2018, when he was diagnosed with cancer until May 7, 2020, when he died, the story of two years of resistance, suffering, and persecution.

Ahmed Burhan Atac, the children of Zekiye-Harun Reha Ataç, was diagnosed with bone cancer on September 24, 2018. When he was diagnosed, his father was under arrest. Ahmet’s 2-year struggle for his life reflects Turkey’s recent grim years.

On February 20, 2018, while Ahmet was playing games with his friends in the nursery school. His mother, Zekiye Atac, his father Harun Reha Atac, and his little sister were taken to the police station. Ahmet was only six years old. Mrs. Atac, who was laid off during the state of emergency, was detained for 14 days. She was released after being detained for another 2.5 months. Mr. Atac was banned from teaching with a statutory decree. After being arrested for 13 days, he was arrested on charges of being a member of a terrorist organization. One of the reason was, he was a director in a private dormitory which was affiliated with the Gulen movement. The period Ahmet has been without his parents for three months coincides with the onset of his cancer.

NO DISCOUNT FOR YOU!

Harun Reha Atac, who was on trial at the Adana 2nd High Criminal Court, was sentenced to 9 years and nine months in prison. Two months after his son was diagnosed with cancer. On November 30, 2018, according to the medical reports, Ahmet was diagnosed with cancer and started chemotherapy, were submitted to the 2nd High Criminal Court of Adana, and a legal request was made regarding Mr. Atac’s release pending trial until the Supreme Court decision. Adana 2nd High Criminal Court President ruled on Harun Reha Atac’s detention by saying, “I have no remission whatsoever for you.”

Ahmet was taken to treatment at Cukurova University Hospital. When he did not recover with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he had an operation in July 2019, and the tumor in his shoulder blade was cleaned. However, during controls performed in September 2019, it was determined that cancer spread to his lung.

Mother Zekiye Atac said, “We had an interim evaluation this week. A tumor of 4 cm. in size was detected in the lung. Doctors were also shocked to see such growth and spread in such a short time. I am helpless. My son is dying before my eyes. ” Following the mother’s comments and Ahmet’s emotional video in which he wished his father was by his side, the story of Ahmet attracted attention on social media.

LET HIM BEAT CANCER WITH HIS FATHER

A campaign was launched on social media for Ahmet’s father to be tried without arrest and to be with his son during the treatment process.

Mother Zekiye Atac said, “We had a phone call in the morning with his father in prison, but Ahmet did not want to talk to his father on the phone. Because he couldn’t stand it, but then he asked me, “What did my father say?”. Please, Lord, let him come on his own, not on the phone.” Thousands of social media users showed support with hashtags like “Let Him Beat Cancer With His Father,” and Ahmet’s story got recognized on a national level.

AHMET’S MOTHER GOT DETAINED

While the sharp criticism over the court order against Mr. Atac’s release continued, Mrs. Zekiye Atac was detained for the second time on October 15, 2019. Ahmet was left without a father and a mother. Zekiye Atac was accused of being a ‘member of the terrorist organization’ because she accepted the donations for the treatment of his son, said Mrs. Atac’s relatives. Zekiye Atac was released on bail the next day, after public outrage regarding her detention.

A HOPE OF TREATMENT ABROAD

As Ahmet’s disease progressed, his doctors directed the family to Germany, saying that he could be treated at the Immuno-Oncology Center in Cologne, Germany. Upon contacting the clinic, it was stated that Ahmet could be processed, provided that he is transferred promptly. The family did not have the economic power to cover the expenses. Only after it was announced that a business person would cover the costs of the first stage of the treatment, Ahmet flew to Germany on January 20, 2020. Mrs. Atac could not accompany his son because of her overseas travel ban. Gülsüm Atac, Ahmet’s 70-year-old grandmother, accompanied him.

 

FUNDRAISING IN 24 HOURS

Human Rights Defender Arlet Natali Avazyan, who closely followed Ahmet’s case, stepped in and started a charity campaign on Twitter on January 24, 2020, for treatment expenses. The required 50 thousand euros was raised within 24 hours.

 

MRS. ATAC EXPRESSES GRATITUDE

Mother Atac stated that raising the money necessary for the treatment under 24 hours was very moving. She added: “I would like to thank Mrs. Natali and all those contributed for their financial and moral support. Now I believe more firmly that my son will be treated. I think he will recover and be with us again. “

He was saying that her husband, who is in prison, is pleased that Ahmet went to Germany for treatment. Mrs. Atac added, “I will inform him that the money needed for treatment is raised during our phone call tomorrow. He will be pleased with that. Because all he thinks about is his son”.

APPEAL AGAINST THE OVERSEAS TRAVEL BAN

Mother Atac intensified her attempts to lift the overseas travel ban and to get a passport. However, the prosecution did not raise the ban.

But Ahmet, apart from his mother in Germany, was always crying. His mood was very poor, and therefore he did not respond to the treatment at the desired level. Mete Atakul, a businessman who hosted Ahmet at his home in Germany, said that Ahmet did not even eat properly because of his grief.

TRIPLE TRAVEL BAN

Thanks to intense public pressure, Zekiye Atac’s ban on overseas travel was lifted by court order in February 2020. However, upon the objection made by the prosecutor’s office, the court re-imposed the ban for the second time.

After Mrs. Atac’s failed attempt to meet Ahmet in Germany, Ahmet returned to Turkey to see his mother on February 8, during the two-week break of his treatment.

As a result of the attempts made by Natali Avazyan and HDP MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, Mrs. Atac’s ban on overseas travel was lifted again on February 21, 2020. The German Embassy quickly issued a visa to Mrs. Atac.

On March 2, 2020, Zekiye Atac was stopped once again while flying to Germany from Istanbul Airport with Ahmet. Mother Atac learned at the airport that this time, the 7th High Criminal Court of Mersin issued a travel ban for the third time.

“YOU ARE KILLING MY SON COLLECTIVELY”

Zekiye Atac posted a video on her social media account with the note “You are killing my son collectively”: “We are in Istanbul now. We flew from Adana to Istanbul this morning for our connecting flight to Cologne. Still, unfortunately, the police confiscated my passport. Passport and visas had been issued, but unfortunately, they re-imposed the ban the next day. Ahmet should be in Cologne tomorrow. He needs to catch up with his treatment. His condition is not well. Please, I want this dilemma resolved!”

AHMET FLIES TO GERMANY WITH HIS MOTHER

Ahmet and his mother stayed at the airport to solve the problem. Public outrage sparked over social media. Singer and philanthropist Haluk Levent announced that he had talked to Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu. The next day, on March 3, 2020, the travel ban was lifted again, and Ahmet flew to Cologne with his mother.

IT WAS TOO LATE

Time lost because of judicial processes worsened Ahmet’s health. He had many fractures in his leg bones, his blood test values decreased, and he did not respond to treatment.

Doctors in Cologne stated that Ahmet’s blood values ​​were critically low and that his body could not bear the treatment, and it was too late.

Ahmet and his mother moved back to Turkey on March 11, 2020.

Mother Atac said that the doctors informed her that Ahmet’s blood values ​​have fallen too low since the first treatment. He should gather strength to continue the second stage of the procedure.

PHONE CALL BETWEEN FATHER AND SON

A campaign was held for the father to be tried without arrest. On March 27, 2020, the record of a telephone conversation between Ahmet and his father was published.

During the conversation, Ahmet wants his father to ‘come.’ He cries: “Come here now. I can’t stand it anymore.” His father, Harun Atac, replies: “My son, I can’t come. I want to go as well, but I can’t, son. They don’t let me out, my baby. “

A MEETING OF 5 HOURS

After the massive effect of the record, the same day prosecutor’s office allowed Mr. Atac to meet Ahmet for 5 hours for the first time. For a 5-hour meeting, father Harun Atac came to the hospital where Ahmet was.

After meeting his father, photos of Ahmet sleeping with a smile on his face in a long time were published.

All the appeals for Mr. Atac’s release pending trial were subsequently denied.

THE SECOND CAMPAIGN TO BOOST MORALE: I LOVE AHMET

Arlet Natali Avazyan started a new campaign to boost Ahmet’s morale. Social media users said, ‘I love Ahmet’ with the videos and messages they shared. The hashtag campaign launched by Avazyan on social media grew immensely. Celebrities and famous social media users shared supportive videos.

INTENSIVE CARE: FATHER NOT ALLOWED

Ahmet’s condition worsened every day, and eventually, he was taken into intensive care on May 6, 2020. Doctors put Ahmet to sleep.

Permission was asked from the prosecutor’s office for the father Harun Reha Atac, who was detained in Tarsus Prison to see Ahmet for the last time. Those who accompany the family said that Harun Atac was not allowed to be with his son on that night when Ahmet was in intensive care, but only the following day.

SUCCUMBED TO CANCER

At the end of his battle against the bone cancer he was diagnosed with under the conditions of ’emergency state,’ Ahmet had three heart failures. During the early hours of May 7, 2020, Ahmet passed away…

 

*Translated by Broken Chalk team from https://aktifhaber.com/gundem/el-birligiyle-oldurulen-cocuk-ahmet-burhan-atacin-hayati-h145081.html

Contributions of Gulen (Hizmet) Schools in the World to the CULTURAL DIMENSION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION

 

 

Fethullah Gulen* defines the importance of culture with the following words. “Culture is a stable mix of such fundamental elements as language, education, tradition, and art, all of which form a community’s structure and lifestyle. It is a kind of blindness to ignore the reality that these fundamental elements have (and ought to have) unique features, and different characters and temperaments, for they reflect the people to whom they belong.”

FEBRUARY 2020

Content

Introduction

Points from UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)

True Story: Gulen (Hizmet) Movement Schools

Language vs Culture

International Festival of Language and Culture

Recommendations

 

Introduction:

 

When the results of scientific studies in the field of Educational Sciences are subjected to a re-evaluation process by meta-analysis or meta-synthesis method, it is seen that the focus is braided around the man and his needs and problems.  It can be said that the source and solution point of both worldly and peripheral problems is human.

Science, education, and culture are integral parts of human life. Those who neglect education and culture are considered dead while they are alive. 

When educators think about diversity in the classroom, culture may be one of the characteristics that cross their minds. But as they select their curriculum and develop their lessons, most teachers are not accounting for how culture will impact a student’s ability to participate and learn, says Almitra Berry-Jones, Ed.D., nationally recognized speaker, author, and consultant on the topic of culturally and linguistically diverse learners at-risk.[1]

According to the Berry-Jones, Culture is a social construct, not genetic, and most students have at least three: home, peer, and school. Students are influenced by variables such as language, religion, ethnicity, social class, and region.

The value judgments and social norms of individuals with completely different backgrounds try to survive in the same environment, bring serious communication and compliance problems, and even lay the ground for problems that make the solution difficult over time.  This situation disrupts the political, social, economic and cultural balances of the countries.

Having established the definition of culture, we can now analyze the unquestionable link between cultural rights and the right to education. Indeed, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights stresses that “The right of everyone to take part in cultural life is also intrinsically linked to the right to education (arts. 13 and 14), through which individuals and communities pass on their values, religion, customs, language, and other cultural references, and which helps to foster an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect for cultural values”.[2]

Therefore, the study on the “cultural dimension of the right to education” to be submitted to the UN human rights council is a very appropriate decision.  I think that it would be better to formulate this subject in terms of both direction and detailing.

Points from UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC):

 

Nearly all the countries in the world are agreed on 17 Global Goals[3] in 2030 under the umbrella of the UN in 2015. Education was the fourth in this list after no poverty, zero hunger, and good health. The World Leaders wanted everyone to have access to inclusive, equitable quality education.

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[4], cultural rights is one of the requirements for human beings to enjoy freedom.

In the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), November 1989, the Preamble section following section indicates the importance of the culture for the child’s education.

Taking due account of the importance of the traditions and cultural values of each people for the protection and harmonious development of the child, Recognizing the importance of international cooperation for improving the living conditions of children in every country, in particular in the developing countries.[5]

In the UN CRC,

Article 20 (children unable to live with their family):

If a child cannot be looked after by their immediate family, the government must give them special protection and assistance. This includes making sure the child is provided with alternative care that is continuous and respects the child’s culture, language, and religion

Article 29 (goals of education):

Education must develop every child’s personality, talents, and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment

Article 30 (children from minority or indigenous groups):

Every child has the right to learn and use the language, customs, and religion of their family, whether or not these are shared by the majority of the people in the country where they live.[6]

As observed from the above statements cultural aspect of education is a right for the child and guaranteed by the UN. But international organizations and governmental departments’ efforts may not be enough to give this right to human beings. Apart from the government policies, there is a need for the stakeholders and NGOs to put effort to achieve this.

True Story: Gulen (Hizmet) Movement Schools:

 

The following text is written by Mayge Kaag[7] as a piece of brief information on the said schools:

“So-called Turkish schools have popped up in many African countries (and elsewhere in the world) over the last one or two decades. These schools are linked to the Gülen movement. Fethullah Gülen is a Turkish Muslim intellectual, who developed a philosophy of education that aims to reconcile religion with science [20]. He distinguishes between teaching and education, the latter being more than just transferring knowledge. By contrast, his understanding of education is “the illumination of the mind in science and knowledge, and the light of the heart in faith and virtue” (Gülen quoted in [20]). The Gülen schools are private, secular schools. While Gülen’s inspiration is clear in Islam, the Gülen schools do not offer Islamic education, but a kind of universalistic moral education focused on values. The strategy is not da’wa, proselytizing, but setting a good example [21]. These good examples are provided by the teachers who are followers of Gülen. Their commitment to the educational cause is called hizmet, a religiously inspired service to the community.”[8]

The following statement is taken from Dagu Erkil’s[9] book named Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement in 100 Questions.

Today, the Gulen schools are operating in vast geography extending from Central Asia to Japon, from the Far East to the United States of America. Looking back, 35 years have passed since the beginning of Gulen and his followers’ interest in the field of education.

As a result of perseverance, selecting the right individuals, a quality curriculum adapting to the political structure and the local culture, and maintaining an educational level desired by the students’ parents have resulted in amazing achievement and success.[10]

In this report, our focus area will be Gulen (Hizmet) movement schools all over the World which achieve great success to give the right of cultural dimension to her students.  The teachers who are teaching in such schools are mostly not aware of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child but they were giving all the rights to their students, with the effect of that they had a great success of uplifting the child in both characteristic and academic views.

When a person searches on google as a “cultural dimension of the right to education” he/she can find many books,  articles, and reports about the topic. After studying, those he/she can produce a wonderful report on the issue. Then the number of articles will be plus 1 on google. But humanity needs a true story who succeeds in that field. Then the content of the article should be how those people got that achievement, make let the others aware of a working solution. Then the researchers write on the to stories of achievement and add include their experience to make the working solution better.

Because of the above reason, this report will take the Gulen (Hizmet) Movement schools’ contribution to the CULTURAL DIMENSION OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION as a sample.

In the Nigerian education system, there is a religious knowledge lesson for both Christians and Muslims separately. A state in Nigeria called Yobe has 99% Muslim population. A Gulen (Hizmet) movement school in that state has only 1 student in some classes who are Christian but still manage to arrange Christian Religious Knowledge lessons and Sunday ceremonies for her students.

The following example is from one of the Gulen (Hizmet) Movement schools in Turkmenistan but the words belong to a Student from Kyrgyzstan.

A Kyrgyz Student, who studied in such schools, said that he prefers the school as it develops his morality and a positive attitude to religion. Turkish teachers want to serve Turkmenistan/Kyrgyzstan; they identify with and adapt easily to the common language and culture of the learners. Parents support the school because of the high academic standard, and dedication of the teachers who share a common culture with them.[11]

In today’s World, developing countries have more respect for Culturel Dimension of Right to Education, and also in UN CRC mainly take the attention of developing countries.

In the Gülen (Hizmet) Movement School, the Muslim child maintains an Islamic identity in a secular environment. This is not possible in the liberal state school, where religion or moral values are not respected and encouraged; nor is it possible in the Islamic private schools, where a Muslim laager mentality is nurtured, making it difficult for them to adapt to secular culture and pluralistic context. It is this balance between preserving moral values of an Islamic identity, (but which are also shared by pupils of other religions) and adapting to a secular school context, that attracted many parents to send their children to these schools.[12]

In such schools, in as much as Turkish teacher share their Turkish culture with the pupils to open doors for them to learn their student’s culture. When the students starting to learn a different culture, then all the pupils in the school start to share their own cultural identity.  The schools are recognizing not only all the cultural events within their region but also students from different regions.

Language vs Culture:

 

An article published at www.ukessays.com on the relationship between language and culture has a conclusion as follows.

Form this study, it is clear that linguistic relativism is an evidenced theory. The relationships between language and culture are bilateral.

Language is created to fulfill human needs. Therefore different society created their languages in different ways. The traits of a language are shaped by the culture of a society that created the language. The communication styles, vocabulary, grammar of a language, are all able to reflect a unique culture of a place. Language can be the epitome of culture and even society.

Language is a tool to express human thought and spread culture. The traits and limitations of a language affect the thinking style and cognitions of its speakers. When time goes by, it can shape the culture of a single place.[13]

International Festival of Language and Culture:

 

In those schools, the local language has great importance with their culture. When the students will themselves as if they are in their environment teaching and learning become easier.

This school organized the International Festival of Language and Culture for more than 15 years annually throughout the World. IFLC gives a short definition on their web site as

IFLC is a premier organization for promoting world languages and cultures. It is dedicated to cultivating artistic self-expression among youth and creating a platform from them to share their cultural heritage with peers around the world.

The International Festival of Language & Culture (IFLC) is an annual celebration of language diversity that showcases talent from across the globe.

The IFLC first started in 2003 with only 17 countries participating. As of today, over 2,000 performers and production members from more than 160 nations have taken part in our events.

Onstage, young students offer a song, dance, and inspiring storytelling around themes of compassion, respect, and mutual understanding. Offstage, in every city we visit, our performers enjoy opportunities to engage with members of the local community, explore unique educational experiences, and build lasting friendships. It’s the IFLC way of raising hopes for world peace[14]

Recommendations

 

  1. Ensuring educational equality for all individuals and including different cultures in the learning environment,
  2. Combining different cultural heritages, establishing a connection between students’ learning and real-life experiences in a multicultural environment,
  3. Providing students to learn common value judgments and social norms,
  4. It is foreseen that the value judgment, which is aimed to be brought to the individual, is the same in the family, school, society and mass media, and the programs are structured according to this perspective,
  5. Recognizing that systematic change is a developmental process,
  6. Bringing the concepts of dialogue, tolerance, self-sacrifice, sacrifice and other spirituality to individuals, which will enable the development of the multicultural environment,
  7. Democracy and universal law norms, which are effective in communication and interaction among individuals, are practiced by experts by individuals.
  8. Although the structure, function, and goals of each Organized Education Mechanism are different, its common goal is to help the individual develop and socialize his personality.
  9. In the educational institutions and organizations providing formal education, the education, training, and implicit programs prepared are planned in a way that will bring the cultural identity of the individual to the cultural identity he/she lives in without abuse,
  10. Having the knowledge, skill, attitude, experience and psychological structure of the specialists who will apply the programs, as well as the ability to develop flexible programs suitable for scientific development and differentiation in the individual,
  11. Introducing different cultures to the individual, and determining the points that will connect with the social culture in which they live,
  12. Establishing the link between new learning and existing experiences and experiences,
  13. Programs are designed in a pedagogical approach to meet the needs,
  14. Both the multicultural environment and educational programs prepared are designed to cover the subjects that will enable the individual to develop in different fields,
  15. Implementing programs carried out informal education institutions based on cooperation and coordination with non-formal education institutions.

 

* Gulen is a Turkish Muslim preacher, writer and activist who has inspired the foundation of more than one thousand schools in many countries around the world, as well as dormitories, universities, and educational, cultural and interfaith dialogue centers (Ebaugh 2010)

[1] BY STACEY PUSEY, https://www.eschoolnews.com/2018/04/17/culture-impact-ability-learn/

[2] THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION – A CORNERSTONE OF CULTURAL RIGHTS by ALFRED FERNANDEZ & IGNASI GRAU I CALLIZO

[3] https://www.globalgoals.org/

[4] https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

[5] https://www.ohchr.org/documents/professionalinterest/crc.pdf

[6] https://www.ohchr.org/documents/professionalinterest/crc.pdf

[7] Mayke Kaag is a social and political anthropologist interested in processes of change and continuity in West and West-Central Africa., https://www.ascleiden.nl/organization/people/mayke-kaag

[8] https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/2/496/htm

[9] Dogu Ergil has worked with various NGOs on developing more effective leadership, conflict management, and creative problem-solving. He has won awards for his work in international organizations promoting peace and democracy.

[10] By Dogu Ergil, Fethullah Gulen and the Gulen Movement in 100 Questions

[11] https://fgulen.com/en/home/1341-fgulen-com-english/conference-papers/contributions-of-the-gulen-movement/25891-the-educational-philosophy-of-fethullah-gulen-and-its-application-in-south-africa

[12] https://fgulen.com/en/home/1341-fgulen-com-english/conference-papers/contributions-of-the-gulen-movement/25891-the-educational-philosophy-of-fethullah-gulen-and-its-application-in-south-africa

[13] https://www.ukessays.com/essays/english-language/relationships-between-language-and-culture-english-language-essay.php?vref=1

[14] http://www.intflc.org/

A Refugee Turned Activist: FERIDE ÖZER*

Following the July 15 incidents, many people had to leave Turkey. Among them are a large number of university students as well. Feride Özer, a student of political science and public administration, is one of them. Feride Özer, who lives in a refugee camp in the Netherlands, is a young talent forced to leave her country. Feride has been in the Netherlands for nine months, and she recently came to the fore with her support for actions that brought human rights violations to the schedule.

 

Refugee activist Feride Özer told her story and her dreams to TR724:

“I came from Turkey, and I was a student of political science and public administration back there. I have been living in the Netherlands for about nine months. During the summer of 10th grade, my school Anafen Science High School was shut down by a government decree. My friends and I had to go through a transition period to new schools for weeks. During this period, we visited district national education directorates under the Ministry of National Education. Each of us was given different information during these visits. Officials talked about the fact that they are keeping a tab on us and that we will not be able to work in the future, and that they will probably send us all to the religious vocational high schools, strongholds of Erdogan regime and its doctrines, or that our education life would be completely over. Later, I switched to Anatolian High School. I spent two years there filled with pressure and social isolation. At the end of this period, I came to realize that my chances in Turkey are on thin ice and that I have no future there. So I decided to leave Turkey and come to the Netherlands.

 

Dutch people always welcomed us warmly and sincerely. For that, I’m forever thankful. Yet I am saddened as there are still many prisoners in Turkey that are not released even when there is a new coronavirus threat in prisons. My former teachers, neighbors, some of my relatives are within this group of imprisoned people. I hope these tough times end in their favor as soon as possible. With the demonstration we organized on March 8, we tried to make the voices of female prisoners in Turkey heard all over the world. If only this were the last protest we had to organize, but so long as the Erdogan government continues the state oppression and social genocide, we will continue to stand up to these persecutions.”

‘SOCIETY NEEDS TO STAND UP TO THE INJUSTICE’

 

“If our people do not remain silent and stand up to injustice, it will affect the government because governments go in the direction of the people. The rest of society should say no to injustice.”

Feride Özer thinks that she would return to Turkey if and when things get back to normal there: “I’d like to get back to Turkey and work towards a plan to prevent Turkey from going back to such dark times. Public education is essential in this regard. These sorts of tough times keep happening every 30-40 years in Turkey. I will do my best to prevent this from happening again. Finally, the recent bitter news I learned is Ahmet Burhan Atac’s death. Ahmet was a child who was abandoned to a terminal disease before the eyes of everyone in Turkey. Maybe if he had the opportunity to access early treatment or if at least he had his father by his side, his morale would have been higher, and we would not have experienced this pain yesterday. The life of a child is not that cheap. I hope those who caused this death will get what they deserve as soon as possible. A kid who had been barred from going abroad for medical treatment had passed away similarly in the past. This is a challenging period to go through. May Allah give patience to his parents and family. These events should come to an end now.”

 

 

Feride Ozer is one of the young and active member of Broken Chalk.

Translated by Broken Team from https://www.tr724.com/bir-multeci-aktivist-feride-ozer/

UN UPR 2019 TURKEY REPORT: Forcibly Shut-Down Private Educational Institutions And Violations Of Rights Of Their Founders

On the night of 15th July 2016, the so-called/theatrical coup took place, and even though it was at its initial phase and no judicial decisions had been made yet, President Erdogan came out on national television and alleged The Hizmet Movement is the responsible party for what has taken place. He called on the people to go out into the streets and defend their democracy. He targeted the members and institutions of the Hizmet movement as coup plotters, and on that same night, the masses he called to the streets attacked the Hizmet Movement affiliated institutions and, in particular, the movement’s educational institutions. Many educational institutions were set on fire, causing substantial damage.

The institutions which were shut down by Emergency Decree Law (KHK) has been turned over to TMSF (Savings Deposit Insurance Fund). TMSF was given the authority to liquidate and purge these transferred companies, should TMSF deem it to be necessary. Through such practice, in other words, by making decisions regarding the personal assets of the shareholders without their consent, the Government has deprived of their right to own property.

The financial damage of companies and educational institutions following 15th July 2016, accumulated as follows: the total value of real estate belonging to the educational institutions serving under more than 350 companies is 3.115.265.000 (three billion one hundred fifteen million two hundred and sixty-five thousand) Euros. The total amount of the recorded inventory of the companies and the educational institutions is 300 million euros. Apart from this, these companies’ facilities, buildings, and lands value billions of Euros. The Turkish Government has confiscated all assets of the aforementioned company owners, reaching billions of Euros.

An arrest warrant was issued for shareholders of the companies, most of whom were taken under custody and sentenced to 7 to 22 years in prison.

There are several people among the company owners that could not endure imprisonment and torture, went through psychological problems, lost their family integrity, committed suicide, became sick and passed away because they were not able to receive proper treatment.

Recommendations

1. Only due to holding the ownership or being a part of Gulen affiliated schools, hundreds of people have been prosecuted, unlawfully labeled, exposed to false claims to be a member of a terrorist organization, sacked from their jobs, held custody longer than usual, arrested without any predicament and even tortured to death. Constitutional rights should be immediately reinstated. Unlawful arrests and custody should end immediately. Turkish Government should be urged to comply with the international human rights treaties.

2. Teachers, academics, and other employees whose right for an agreement were taken away as their institutions were unjustly shut down and whose employment authorizations were canceled, thereby being restrained from conducting their profession should be rehabilitated. All damages until today, with default interest, should be compensated to them. The unpaid monthly payment of those who have been retired should be paid back, including the severance pay interests.

3. The criteria of compliance with the laws should be met in the proceedings of confiscations of properties due to financial offenses in the eye of public authorities and law. The confiscation of the school owners’ properties should be removed, and the property should return to initial owners. The prohibition of the school owners and teachers to operate should be uplifted without any reservations or annotations. The seized assets of 1,605 private schools, more than 800 private teaching institutions, 848 student dormitories, and 361 other educational institutions, if possible, should either be returned to initial owners or compensated by paying the statutory damages.

UN UPR 2019 Turkey Report: Shutdown Of Educational Institutions With Emergency State Decrees: Effects On Students and Parents

138.000 students were affected by the shutdown of more than 2.300 educational institutions including tutoring centers, high schools, dormitories, and universities associated with the Hizmet movement after the failed coup attempt in July 2016. These students and their parents were blacklisted, designated as terrorists, and in some cases dismissed from their jobs, arrested and tortured. All the assets of closed institutions were confiscated without any court decision.

Children’s education prospects and their rights were disregarded by the authorities. On the contrary, a booklet that shows the Hizmet Movement as a terrorist organization was distributed to primary school students aged between 5 to 10. The students transferred to public schools were bullied and felt severely distressed. The teaching licenses of 22.474 teachers were revoked.

The students who graduated from the closed universities could not get their diplomas and were discriminated against at their new universities where they were transferred.

33.128 teachers; 5.328 academics and 1194 administrative staff working under the Ministry of National Education (MoH) were expelled from their jobs with the State of Emergency Decrees. In the same period, 24.490 teachers were suspended unlawfully. 1194 administrative staff have been dismissed which paralyzed the organizational structure of the school system.

Given the current shortage of teachers reaching 144.000, the expelling of 33.000 teachers and 1194 administrative staff and the additional 138.000 students transferred to public schools has caused profound problems in the education system.

Recommendations

  • Member states should take necessary measures to ensure the physical, mental, and social development of children and preserve the dignity of them accordingly.
  • Shut-down schools should be reopened and their damages should be duly compensated.
  • The students’ right to education has been severely deprived, it should be reinstated with no reservations and annotations.

UN UPR 2019 Turkey Report: Report For The Victimization Of Employees Of The Institutions Shut Down By Emergency Decrees

There were around 2.300 educational institutions associated with the Hizmet movement in Turkey including high schools, universities, tutoring centers, and dormitories, which were well-regarded and preferred by large segments of the society. These institutions received respected international prizes at both national and international levels in the areas of mathematics and social and natural sciences.

The main reason behind this success was the high level of devotion of their staff. The government spuriously blamed the Hizmet movement for a failed coup attempt in July 2016 without any evidence and designated it a terrorist organization. After that, the private educational institutions associated with the Hizmet movement were unjustly shut down without a court decision and their assets were confiscated.

In this aftermath, 1.065 were private high schools, 361 tutoring centers, and 848 were private dormitories were shut down. Employees of those institutions, a total of 22.474 people, were dismissed and their teaching licenses were also

The employment prospects for these teachers in the formal sector are extremely limited as they were labeled and blacklisted by authorities and their professional experience and background do not fit any area but education in which they were banned to work.

 

Press Release for 5th October World Teachers’ Day

Today, 5 October is commemorated as the World Teachers’ Day. As the International Broken Chalk Platform and Victim Educator Platform, we are here not only to celebrate the World Teachers’ Day, but also to be the voice of the teachers who have been exposed to torture, put in prison, exiled, and lost their lives as a result of oppression and persecution in Turkey and in the other parts of the World. We would like to draw attention to the victimization that Erdogan Regime has created in Turkey and around the world.

Turkey’s Erdogan Regime has put into practice its aimed dictatorial regime with more confidence day by day with the help of the so-called coup attempt on 15 July and the State of Emergency, which are followed by many unjust practices. By violating the principle of separation of powers, impartiality and independence of the jurisdiction, the Erdogan Regime desires to control all the opponents, especially Kurds, Alevis, Liberals and Hizmet movement. Moreover, with unprecedented hatred and cruelty, the Erdogan Regime declared the Hizmet Movement as ‘terrorist’ and cracked down innocent people by using all the means of the public and private institutions.

A huge number of people from almost every profession group were dismissed from their jobs with a series of decree-laws by the Erdogan Regime. For example, more than 126,000 people were expelled from their positions in public institutions. And, 34.000 of those people were teachers and 6.081 were academicians.

 

Again, with those Decrees, 15 universities, 1,065 primary schools, secondary schools and high schools, 980 preparatory schools, 848 dormitories were closed down. As a result of this, over 35,000 teachers and more than 30,000 personnel have been left unemployed. In addition, public unions as well as unions of employers and employees, namely EKASEN Employers Union (EKASEN), PAKEĞITIMSEN Union and AKTIFSEN Union, were closed.

The Interior Ministry has revealed that the Erdogan Regime initiated a criminal investigation over 511,000 people. More than 125,000 people have been detained for allegedly being a member of a terrorist organization, and there are currently more than 31,000 people kept in prison for the same reason. Within the scope of these investigations, almost all teachers were subjected to investigation with false accusations of being a member of a terrorist organization.

 

The detainees were also subjected to single cell application, long detention and unlawful trials. Apart from these practices being insulting punishment in itself, the victims were exposed to torture and inhumane treatment. 40-50 people have been kept in the wards normally designed for 8-12 people, and even the basic human needs have not been offered.

There are 54 documented, suspicious death incidents in prisons. Those were apparently caused by torture and lack of medical care. For instance, Gökhan Açıkkollu died under detention due to torture. His medication was not provided, and the images of his death were published on social media.

Due to unlawful and injustice practices of the current government, oppression of the society, cancelation of teachers’ diplomas, work permits and passports, hundreds and thousands of people had to leave their country illegally by risking their lives. However, some of them, including babies and children, lost their lives during their journeys across the Aegean Sea and Evros River. Some examples include the Maden family, the mother and father were teachers, who died in the Aegean Sea with their three children. Doğan and Abdulrezzak families died in the Evros river with their children, and Halil Dinç, who was also a teacher, died of a heart attack in Athens, Greece. Most recently, a boat carriying 19 educators including academics fleeing from Erdogan regime in the Aegean Sea was capsized last week, and 7 people died in total: 1 infant, 4 children and 2 women.

 

Since 2016, there have been 29 abduction incidents in Turkey so far and some of those who were abducted are teachers and academics. The conditions and locations of the victims have been unknown for months. It is almost certain that they have been exposed to torture and other kinds of ill-treatment.

Abductions operated by Erdogan Regime are not limited to the borders of Turkey; they have been others targeting the educators living abroad. The Turkish Foreign Minister have been boastful about the abduction of 100 people from 18 countries by the Turkish National Intelligence Agency. These people are known to have been exposed to severe torture. Teachers and other professionals have been abducted in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bulgaria, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan and Qatar.
Esteemed public and press members, we are educators and their families who have come to your country as refugees. We would like to thank you for accepting us to your country and providing us with opportunities.

 

Turkish teachers who are normally supposed to be together with their students in schools are kept in prisons today. Unfortunately, some of them already died in difficult conditions in Turkey or in exile, and some others died in suspicious ways. However, as dedicated teachers, we are determined to continue to educate students and contribute to society and humanity wherever we live. We will also express the unlawful and fascist practices of the Erdogan regime anytime, anywhere, and will continue to claim our rights through the national and international judiciary. We believe that we should pursue this for the sake of the 868 babies and their mothers who are currently kept in prisons. We should do this for the innocent educators who have unjustly been branded as ‘terrorists’. And, finally, for our friends who passed away during these hard times.

 

We wish all the teachers in the world a happy Teachers’ Day!

Respectfully announced to the public.

Broken Chalk

5th October 2019

Broken Chalk: Not Only Prepare the Reports but Also Follow Them Up

As Broken Chalk volunteers, we did not only submit the reports but also followed up.

Our actions were,

We attended the 35th UPR Pre-Session Turkey in December 2019 in Geneva. Try to get in touch with the permanent missions of each country that are present in the meeting. We present our factsheet to the permanent missions. Moreover, give more information on human rights violations in Education in Turkey. We had a short meeting with some countries like Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg.

We send an e-mail to all permanent missions of UN member countries about our submissions.

We attended the 35th UPR Session Turkey in January 2020 in Geneva to see the effect of our works on the recommendations of each country. Moreover, we had a meeting with some countries such as Germany, Iceland, Denmark, Fiji, Croatia, Norway, Italy, and many more countries. We handover our factsheets directly over 30 countries.

In the end, Turkey received 321 recommendations from 124 countries and did not accept 19 of the recommendations.