{"id":27765,"date":"2015-08-05T19:19:23","date_gmt":"2015-08-05T19:19:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/?p=27765"},"modified":"2015-08-05T19:19:23","modified_gmt":"2015-08-05T19:19:23","slug":"turkeys-new-fault-lines-which-side-are-you-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firdevstalkturkey.com\/turkeys-new-fault-lines-which-side-are-you-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkey\u2019s new fault lines – which side are you on?"},"content":{"rendered":"
In Turkey, President Erdo\u011fan and his caretaker government\u2019s authoritarian turns are worrying enough but the present explosion of nationalism, hatred and bigotry in society is even more disturbing.<\/p>\n
After the 12 year-long rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), with its leaders orchestrating antagonism towards their political opponents, Turkey has already become a deeply polarised country.<\/p>\n
Incessant emphasis on Sunni Islam has deepened religious fault-lines. Frequently targeted by politicians, not least the President himself, atheists and Zoroastrians have become not only \u201cthe others\u201d but the enemies too.<\/p>\n
But as irresponsible and divisive the AKP rule may have been, the increasingly difficult-to-ignore presence of nationalistic, essentially supremacist attitudes cannot be exclusively laid at the government\u2019s door.<\/p>\n
What we are witnessing today is a nationalistic realignment; it is not only corroding the foundations of a democratic, pluralistic society, but more importantly, threatening the country\u2019s future unity.<\/p>\n
One of the most worrying aspects of the recent flare up of violence by the PKK and the authoritarian reflex of the government, is the growing use of discriminatory language towards the Kurdish-affiliated The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) and its supporters.<\/p>\n