“There is no justification for the appalling violence used by the state against the protests in Turkey. What has happened there is incompatible with fundamental European values.”
This was emphasized by Frieder Otto Wolf, President of the Humanist Association of Germany, on Wednesday morning in Berlin. Wolf called on the organizations gathered in the Coordination Council of Muslims in Germany to take an unequivocal stand against the violence and the authoritarian course of the Turkish head of government. “It is not enough to formulate general appeals for calm and peacefulness when peaceful protest rallies in a country with a large majority of Muslim believers are met with massive state violence,” continued Frieder Otto Wolf. He was shocked by the images of the people in Turkey, who have been recording the events in the country for over two weeks. Wolf: “All European Muslims who consider the fundamental ideas and principles of our community of states to be binding must react to Recep Erdoğan’s policy with disgust and horror.” It is therefore essential that the representatives of Muslims living in Germany also take a clear stance against the actions of the Turkish government. “Silence does not create trust here when the leadership of a society that is strongly influenced by Muslim religious culture treats people who are clearly dissatisfied with the situation in this way.” Finally, he also reminded the audience that the events currently unfolding in Turkey are, among other things, a reflection of fundamental crises. “When thinking about the causes of and solutions to the alarming processes, we should not overlook the fact that the newly growing global need for simplified views and the aversion to liberal conditions is a result of social conditions for which people simply lack understanding.” According to Wolf, people of faith and non-believers alike are called upon to prevent societies from relapsing into the dark ages. “Above all, however, it is now necessary for Recep Erdoğan’s brothers and sisters in particular to resolutely demand an end to the repressive measures against critics of the Turkish government. This is the only way to maintain the basis for a dialog between the communities. Those who lose unconditional respect for human rights will find it difficult to demand respect for their convictions.”
