US embassy cable - 03ANKARA6683

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006683 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2008 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, TU 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES RELIGIOUS ISSUES WITH MINISTER 
 
 
REF: ISTANBUL 1395 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Eric S. Edelman; reasons 1.5 b 
and d. 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: In an October 20 introductory meeting with 
the Ambassador, State Minister Mehmet Aydin (in charge of 
religious affairs) said the ruling AK Party's higher 
education bill has been distorted by critics who view Islam 
as a threat to the State.  He said the bill would remove 
disadvantages faced by graduates of all vocational schools, 
not only religious schools, in the university entrance exams. 
 Aydin also said a longstanding official ban on Islamic-style 
headscarves in universities and government offices has turned 
the headscarf into a controversial symbol.  End Summary. 
 
 
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Controversy Over Religious Education 
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2. (C) The Ambassador noted the recent controversy 
surrounding the AK government's higher education bill 
(reftel), and asked Aydin for his views.  Aydin -- who 
oversees the Diyanet, the GOT office in charge of Muslim 
religious facilities and education -- said the public debate 
has distorted the substance of the bill.  Critics in the 
military and other elements of the bureaucracy are focusing 
on the impact the bill would have on Turkey's imam hatip 
(preacher) schools.  But the bill would affect all vocational 
schools, only a small percentage of which are imam hatip 
schools, by eliminating a scoring system that disadvantages 
vocational school graduates in the university entrance exams. 
 Aydin said the controversy at heart is an ideological debate 
between arch "secularists," who view Islam as a potential 
threat to the State, and those who want to create more space 
in Turkish society for religion.  Critics of the bill would 
like to eliminate the imam hatip schools; since they cannot, 
however, they want to make sure imam hatip graduates are not 
able to rise to positions of authority.  "They don't want 
Turkey's diplomats and army officers to be educated this 
way," he said. 
 
 
3. (C) Aydin noted that the GOT created the imam hatip 
schools for the supposed purpose of training imams 
(preachers), but the number of graduates far exceeds the need 
for imams.  Most parents send their children to the schools 
not to be imams, but to be lawyers, doctors, diplomats, etc., 
with some knowledge of Islam.  (Note: Imam Hatip schools 
provide religious instruction in addition to the complete, 
standard curriculum.  End Note).  The wide demand for 
religious education became evident when the imam hatip 
schools were created -- many Turks not only enrolled their 
children, but also donated money and supplies.  Regular 
schools in Turkey provide minimal education in religion, far 
less than what pious Turks want.  The demand for imam hatip 
education would drop significantly if the State would provide 
substantial religion courses in the regular schools. 
 
 
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Aydin: GOT Ban Made Headscarf a Symbol 
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4. (C) The Ambassador said the Turkish State's ban on 
Islamic-style headcovering in university classes and 
government offices is hard for an outsider to understand.  On 
the face of it, students and government workers should have 
the right to wear a headscarf.  However, supporters of the 
ban argue that the headscarf is a political symbol for 
fundamentalists, who would pressure others to wear the 
headscarf if the ban were lifted.  Are these fears grounded? 
Aydin said it is difficult to predict how people would react 
if the ban were suddenly lifted.  Many young women from rural 
families wear the headscarf as part of their cultural 
tradition, more than their religion.  When they leave their 
families and villages, many choose to stop wearing the 
headscarf.  On the other hand, a critical mass of female 
students wearing the headscarves could create pressure to 
conform.  The State created the controversy in the first 
place by banning the headscarf, and thereby turning it into a 
potent political symbol. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EDELMAN