"Gülen's Views Should be Communicated to the Future"
The first Indonesian president that came to power through democratic elections, former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, hailed the success of Turkish schools.
Fethullah Gülen's views opened new prospects, Wahid said, "Young altruists are needed to advance his views beyond the present."
Speaking to Aksiyon weekly news magazine, Wahid said Gülen's views would improve bilateral relations between Indonesia and Turkey as well.
Wahid came to office following the general elections on 20 October 1999 and was deposed from office by the Indonesian parliament in 23 July 2001. During his time in office, Indonesia risked disintegration as East Timor separated from the country, coming round thanks to the efforts of the government headed by him.
The one time Indonesian president is also the leader of the Nahdat-ul Ulema (The Resurrection of the Scholars), one of the foremost Islamic groups of the country, which is active in the country since the year 1926.
As he thwarted the danger of inner conflict in the country with his moderate and conciliatory personality, he was not as successful in developing the reformist policies that could satisfy public expectations.
Noting Ottomans is a true source of inspiration and strength for Indonesia, Wahid relates that during the 1940's in many mosques people prayed for the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamit. "I am certain that good relations will be established between Indonesia and Turkey." This will be affected by the youth in Turkish schools. Wahid says they needed the Turkish schools.
"Their number over here is very low. If only there could be one in every district. I had traveled to Australia. There I saw that Christian parents, who serve in the state cadres, sent their children to the Turkish schools in the region. They preferred both the educational and the moral standard of the Turkish schools."
Asked about how he would define Turkey, Wahid says: "According to me, Turkey is a country where real Islamic mien is manifested. Turks have ingested Islamic mien into their behavior. The situation in Indonesia is like that as well."
Wahid drawing attention to the similarities between the two countries notes: "Both Turkey and Indonesia are ruled by just and humane governments with Islamic sensitivity. Just as it is the case in our country, your government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan is such a government. That is, they are geographically very distant from each other but they move towards the same goal."
The former president thinks Indonesia's peculiarity lies in its following for along the path of such forerunners as Fethullah Gülen.
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