Abant and Alevism
The Abant Platform recently tackled the issue of Alevism, the first time a public forum in Turkey has done so. During the two-day meeting in İstanbul the topic that first came on the agenda of the Abant Platform board months ago was discussed at length.
We were excited and hesitant just as we were before the first Abant meeting in 1998. It was an issue open to misunderstandings and provocations. Some might want to sabotage the discussion and cause a quarrel. However no unpleasant event took place except for a single person's intentional friction.
It was understood from the first minutes that the atmosphere was open to misunderstandings. Abant Platform President Professor Mete Tunçay, in his opening address, said the Foundation of Journalists and Writers, of which Fethullah Gülen is honorary president, gives only logistical support to the platform and the responsibility falls to believers together with nonbelievers to make democratic, libertarian and tolerant progress. Some of the Alevi participants criticized him, claiming the word "nonbelievers" referred to them. We all said that Professor Tunçay was referring to himself by this word, because in his opening address to the Cairo Abant meeting nearly three weeks ago he had said "I am not a believer." They were ultimately convinced. The participants got to know and appreciate each other later during the tea and lunch breaks. People started to whisper about each other, saying "I did not know he/she was so sensible." The difficult threshold was overcome. We felt almost the same atmosphere during the first Abant meeting.
We are in need of dialogue and more dialogue. I wrote last week that "telling, understanding and reconciling" is important. As people who have coexisted for centuries, we can certainly see the futility of arguing when we try to listen to and understand each other. It is obvious that the key is dialogue, and it has a vital importance because dialogue means removing the gulf between people. It is impossible to do anything without establishing dialogue. "Fanaticism is a problem whatever its origins," Mr. Gülen had said while telling us about the importance of dialogue. Dialogue is also a way of preventing the harms of fanaticism. Handling one of the most important issues of Turkey in a calm, tolerant and sensible way, during the very difficult period the country is going through, is a milestone for our future and history will bear witness to this.
What encourages us is the appreciation and the support of the sensible majority, namely the silent majority. "What a good thing is being done for our country, this beyond our imagination," a friend said, excited and touched, during the very first hours of the platform, and these words only earn value when we take millions thinking alike into consideration. There were no efforts to define Alevism during the Abant meeting on Alevism, as some had claimed. Respecting a person's way of self-expression is a basic condition of dialogue. The issues of supporting the cem evleri (meeting houses for the Alevis), reinforcing them with libraries and social facilities, protecting and maintaining the Alevi identity against the danger of degeneration and assimilation caused by urbanization, enabling the Alevis to have written resources and raising Alevi religious men were basic points agreed on during the meeting.
We know that we will make more progress as we continue on our way with the courage given to us by the Abant Platform. The participants of the meeting reached a consensus on continuing this first step and this has obviously given hope to those who want love, dialogue and tolerance.
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