Hizmet a civilian movement, has no political ambitions

The Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV), whose honorary chairman is well-respected Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, released a statement on its website on Thursday explaining the stance of the Hizmet [service] movement inspired by Gülen as a civilian one with no political ambitions. The full story from Today’s Zaman can be found here.

The association’s statement comes in response to recent allegations in the Turkish media that the movement is in the midst of a power struggle with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government and that members of the movement are “infiltrating” top state institutions.

The statement from GYV said:

Hizmet, which is inspired by faith and which strives for a culture of living together within the framework of universal humanitarian values, is a civil society movement consisting of volunteers. Hizmet is a civilian movement. And as a civilian movement it is not related to or complementary to any official program, politics or agenda. Similarly, this civilian movement is not against any specific political party either. Regarding Hizmet as the implicit supporter or opponent of a political party is something that is unacceptable according to the basic [principles] of Hizmet.

The statement added, “Contrary to what is claimed, the Hizmet movement is on no side in this crisis.”

The complete statement from Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV) in its English translation can be found here.

Posted in: Fethullah Gulen, Gulen Movement, Hizmet Movement, Journalists and Writers Foundation, Politics, Turkey