Democracy in Turkey
There are certain facts Mohammad Auwal overlooks or misrepresents (Commentary, May 5). Turkey is the only Muslim country in the world that has a secular government system and the Turkish people strive to keep it this way, as a democracy and a republic.
There is no restriction over anyone’s clothing in the society by the government. However, in the government offices there is an official clothing code to be abided by, just as in any official government office in any country in the world.
Kemalism is neither an official ideology nor a political system but just a philosophy that Turkish society in general accepts, as it is in the foundations of the Turkish republic. It is not true that Kemalism “mandates the military to topple a government that allows people to practice Islam.” Auwal is mixing practicing Islam in one’s private life with changing the secular government system and constitution into an Islamic one. The Turkish people showed that they did not want this option in an overwhelming majority in the last elections.
Auwal will wait in vain to see Turkey turn into another fundamentalist Islamic state, since the democratic system in Turkey works well, with plenty of freedom of choice.
KUDRET OYTAN
Consul of Turkey
Los Angeles
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