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[AWE]

Report lambasts N. Cyprus gov't for attacks on Quran schools
A report issued by a leading community organization in Northern Cyprus revealed the raids conducted against summer Quran schools by Turkish Cypriot Schoolteachers' Union (KTÖS) last month were carried out with the full knowledge of the police authorities.

Yet, the report claims, the police had done nothing to prevent the raids and both the government and Education Ministry remained silent over the incident.

Acting on the request made by Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Democratic Rights and Beliefs Platform (DHİP), a loosely structured entity representing 20 community organizations in Northern Cyprus, prepared a detailed report investigating the incident and what really happened during the course of the raid. The report notes that the police had done nothing to stop the raid even though it had prior information of the attack.

Turkish Cypriot teachers want authorities to stop optional Quranic lessons for schoolchildren, which they say threaten their community's secular culture. Education officials, however, allowed these courses to run during the summer and let families decide if they would like to enroll their children in the classes.

Üstün Bol, the head of Ankara branch for the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUMDER), told Today's Zaman that any violation and disruption of the right to learn and teach religious values goes against fundamental human rights. He said any infringement of this right does not serve well the goal of integrating Northern Cyprus with the modern world.

Officials at the embassy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) in Ankara did not return Today's Zaman calls.

The head of the Religious Affairs Directorate in Cyprus, Yusuf Suiçmez, was quoted as saying in local papers that lessons regarding religious tutoring are held on an entirely "legal" basis and they are under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.

In the meantime, about 100 people in three villages where the raids took place have protested against the union, accusing them of disrupting perfectly legal courses. They also petitioned the prosecutor's office and the police department, complaining that the attacks have had a negative impact on the psyche of the residents.

The report argues that the teachers' union targeted values of faith with the intention of creating a division in the community. It also complains that the union acted with impunity and that the authorities have not taken any legal action against the perpetrators.

According to the timeline detailed in the report, KTÖS first attacked the Quran courses in the village of Akova, where Turkish immigrants are settled, on Aug. 3. Acting on the community's information, Suiçmez petitioned the police department the next day, saying the authorities needed to take precautionary measures to prevent the possibility of further attacks. He asked them to take appropriate measures against members of the union.

Yet a short time later, the union members raided two more villages, Değirmenlik and Alayköy. During class hours, perpetrators forced their way into the classrooms and removed both students and teachers from the property. Copies of the Quran and other religious textbooks were damaged and thrown out to the ground. While all this was happening, the police failed to act to prevent the rampage, the report claimed.

The strange thing is that while the police had warned the village residents against possible attacks in advance, they failed to intervene or to act immediately upon the report of the incident. The police did not stop skirmishes and quarrels between the attackers and the village residents. What is more shocking, the report states, is that the police and authorities have not started an official investigation into the incident after almost a month despite numerous complaints and petitions filed by residents.

The report accuses the government of the National Unity Party (UBP) and Education Ministry of keeping silent over the incidents. It also lambastes state television BRTK broadcasting company for allegedly trying to portray the Quran school as illegal even though they were operating properly under an Education Ministry license.

The report stresses that religious education is protected under the constitution of Northern Cyprus and cited among fundamental rights and freedoms. The report concludes that the people demand a religious education for their own children. “It is an optional course and is not obligatory for anybody. Everybody is free to enroll their children in these classes if they wish to do so,” it states.

The union is demanding that Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu stop these lessons and is vowing to continue their struggle against what they call reactionaryism and religious fanaticism. If it is any indication, however, Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoğlu's close attention to the matter was interpreted as disapproval of the authorities' attitude. It may very well invite the wrath of Ankara upon the Turkish Cypriot government if the situation remains unsolved.

A copy of the report was submitted to the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Lefkoşe.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news- ... hools.html

[insan]

The report stresses that religious education is protected under the constitution of Northern Cyprus and cited among fundamental rights and freedoms. The report concludes that the people demand a religious education for their own children. “It is an optional course and is not obligatory for anybody. Everybody is free to enroll their children in these classes if they wish to do so,” it states.

There r some circles in TRNC that have nothing to do in their free times but make plots to use as a trumpcard for their self-interests. It seems to me they will fail this time and their little, influential baronage will be destroyed forever.

[Christine Toskos]

Isan:

TCs hate Turkey. They know if the Turkish finally leaves the Greek island of Cyprus they too will be free. They will have a decent education, a good economy among the Greeks. However, they are enslaved by their "Masters". If the TCs had free elections they would vote: Turkish army out of Cyprus. Settlers to leave with them. Greeks to return to their homes and they return to their own homes and villages. One Cyprus for real Cypriots not the Turkish army nor settlers scumbags that came after the invasion and occupation. Once that happens Cyprus will be the Jewel of the European Union.

[Christine Toskos]

Why do Muslims hate Christians? Especially, Greek Orthodox Christians. On the Israeli tv, showed Muslims destroying Greek Orthodox Churches in Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Bosnia, Albania and Turkey. What are Muslims so afraid of? Why did the Mullah of Iran say "Death to Cyprus"? What did Cypriots do to the Iranian people? Especially, Greek Cypriots?

[Christine Toskos]

Isan:

Why do you have a picture of a naked girl? I thought Islam prohibits this!

[insan]

Isan:

Why do you have a picture of a naked girl? I thought Islam prohibits this!

It's one of your hundreds of misperceptions abt everything. But questioning is good... by questioning the things u can't understand, u may begin to understand them in near future or long term.

[Kikapu]

Report lambasts N. Cyprus gov't for attacks on Quran schools
A report issued by a leading community organization in Northern Cyprus revealed the raids conducted against summer Quran schools by Turkish Cypriot Schoolteachers' Union (KTÖS) last month were carried out with the full knowledge of the police authorities.

Yet, the report claims, the police had done nothing to prevent the raids and both the government and Education Ministry remained silent over the incident.

Acting on the request made by Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Democratic Rights and Beliefs Platform (DHİP), a loosely structured entity representing 20 community organizations in Northern Cyprus, prepared a detailed report investigating the incident and what really happened during the course of the raid. The report notes that the police had done nothing to stop the raid even though it had prior information of the attack.

Turkish Cypriot teachers want authorities to stop optional Quranic lessons for schoolchildren, which they say threaten their community's secular culture. Education officials, however, allowed these courses to run during the summer and let families decide if they would like to enroll their children in the classes.

Üstün Bol, the head of Ankara branch for the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUMDER), told Today's Zaman that any violation and disruption of the right to learn and teach religious values goes against fundamental human rights. He said any infringement of this right does not serve well the goal of integrating Northern Cyprus with the modern world.

Officials at the embassy of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) in Ankara did not return Today's Zaman calls.

The head of the Religious Affairs Directorate in Cyprus, Yusuf Suiçmez, was quoted as saying in local papers that lessons regarding religious tutoring are held on an entirely "legal" basis and they are under the supervision of the Ministry of Education.

In the meantime, about 100 people in three villages where the raids took place have protested against the union, accusing them of disrupting perfectly legal courses. They also petitioned the prosecutor's office and the police department, complaining that the attacks have had a negative impact on the psyche of the residents.

The report argues that the teachers' union targeted values of faith with the intention of creating a division in the community. It also complains that the union acted with impunity and that the authorities have not taken any legal action against the perpetrators.

According to the timeline detailed in the report, KTÖS first attacked the Quran courses in the village of Akova, where Turkish immigrants are settled, on Aug. 3. Acting on the community's information, Suiçmez petitioned the police department the next day, saying the authorities needed to take precautionary measures to prevent the possibility of further attacks. He asked them to take appropriate measures against members of the union.

Yet a short time later, the union members raided two more villages, Değirmenlik and Alayköy. During class hours, perpetrators forced their way into the classrooms and removed both students and teachers from the property. Copies of the Quran and other religious textbooks were damaged and thrown out to the ground. While all this was happening, the police failed to act to prevent the rampage, the report claimed.

The strange thing is that while the police had warned the village residents against possible attacks in advance, they failed to intervene or to act immediately upon the report of the incident. The police did not stop skirmishes and quarrels between the attackers and the village residents. What is more shocking, the report states, is that the police and authorities have not started an official investigation into the incident after almost a month despite numerous complaints and petitions filed by residents.

The report accuses the government of the National Unity Party (UBP) and Education Ministry of keeping silent over the incidents. It also lambastes state television BRTK broadcasting company for allegedly trying to portray the Quran school as illegal even though they were operating properly under an Education Ministry license.

The report stresses that religious education is protected under the constitution of Northern Cyprus and cited among fundamental rights and freedoms. The report concludes that the people demand a religious education for their own children. “It is an optional course and is not obligatory for anybody. Everybody is free to enroll their children in these classes if they wish to do so,” it states.

The union is demanding that Prime Minister Derviş Eroğlu stop these lessons and is vowing to continue their struggle against what they call reactionaryism and religious fanaticism. If it is any indication, however, Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoğlu's close attention to the matter was interpreted as disapproval of the authorities' attitude. It may very well invite the wrath of Ankara upon the Turkish Cypriot government if the situation remains unsolved.

A copy of the report was submitted to the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Lefkoşe.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news- ... hools.html

Why do I get the feeling, that this whole thing was orchestrated by the Turkish Military in the north and their cronies in the north's "government" to prevent these Islamic practices and had nothing to do with secular TCs at all. Since the TC police force is under the control of the TM, may well explain the reason why they did nothing to stop these "attacks" on those wishing to practice the Quran readings, which is their Human Rights to practice anything they want. This has nothing to do with secularism what's so ever, since they were not practicing Quran readings in the “government”, but only in schools. The TM would like to keep the occupied areas as morally corrupted as possible with Casinos, the Whorehouses and Human Trafficking to benefit themselves financially and all the morally corrupted politicians also.!

[Christine Toskos]

Isan:


You did not answer my question. Moslem women in America cover up. You only see their eyes. Even the Turkish women cover up. But you have a Western woman naked. Why?

[Christine Toskos]

See-- Even Turkish Cypriots in Northern Cyprus aren't free. While, the Turkish Cypriots in the South, who live with us, can practice their religion without fear. So why do you need the Turkish army for protection?

[insan]

Isan:


You did not answer my question. Moslem women in America cover up. You only see their eyes. Even the Turkish women cover up. But you have a Western woman naked. Why?

Not all muslims r how u percieved, Christine. There r different type of muslim societies all over the world. In my muslim society, using a naked woman illistrutaion as an avatar is neither a sin nor something to be embarassed.