Ozgür Der: Commission Report is Hypocritical

Ozgur Der argued that people in Turkey who would like to practice their Islamic beliefs and identities, have been under intense and systematic pressure since the February 28 incident. The association said the report ignored this fact.

In a press statement, Ozgur Der said the commission's report focused on the freedom of beliefs but "talked only about the problems and limitations faced by non-Muslims and the non-Sunni communities, and especially Alavites, in practicing their beliefs."

The following are criticisms by Ozgur Der:

* The report criticizes the Turkish state, saying that the belief and education rights of these groups are limited, or violated. It calls for urgent improvement of the situation.

* How interesting it is that, while the report pays so much attention to the minorities' freedom of belief, it does not mention the pressure and violence on the religious majority in Turkey.

* On the contrary, it can be understood from the EU commission's report that the people who wrote it, since they only talk about rights violations of the non-Sunni, think the rights of Muslims are not violated.

"The progress report, because of so many elements it includes, deserves to be called 'hypocritical,'" said the statement by Ozgur Der. "But especially because of its ignorance of Muslims, it is an unconvincing and inconsistent document." (YS/EA/YE)