Erdoğan takes fight against ‘parallel structure’ to Africa
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned African countries against a “threat” from “dangerous structures that look like nongovernmental organizations or education volunteers,” saying his administration is ready to cooperate with African governments against such structures.
The “parallel structure” is a term invented by Erdoğan to refer to followers of the Hizmet movement that was inspired by Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, particularly followers within the state bureaucracy. He made the elimination of the so-called parallel structure a priority after a major corruption scandal involving people in his inner circle erupted with a wave of detentions on Dec. 17, 2013. The president, who was then prime minister, framed the corruption investigation as a “plot against his government” by the Hizmet movement and foreign collaborators. At the same time, the government introduced laws to expand its grip on the judiciary and ban Twitter and it dismissed thousands of judges, prosecutors and police officers, including those who were involved in the investigation.
Turkish schools affiliated with the Hizmet movement have been opened around the world over the past several years, including in many countries in Africa. A charity group that is affiliated with the movement, Kimse Yok Mu, was also active on the continent until its license to collect donations was rescinded in Turkey, apparently as part of the government's fight against the “parallel structure.”
“We hope that heads of state and government will be more alert regarding these organizations, which create clandestine structures in every country they operate in and whose spying activities have lately become more visible,” Erdoğan said at the 2nd Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit in the capital of Equatorial Guinea, Malabo.
He said Turkey is ready to cooperate by means of every sort of intelligence sharing against these organizations which, he said, “constitute a serious threat in every country they operate under the guise of education and humanitarian aid.”
Erdoğan has said he would fight the “parallel structure” by all means, even if this means a “witch hunt.”
The European Union and the United States have expressed concern over the measures the government has taken in the wake of the Dec. 17 corruption investigation, saying the graft allegations should be investigated thoroughly and in a transparent manner. They also criticized measures restricting the freedom of expression and undermining judicial independence.
Until recently, the AK Party government has promoted international Turkish schools for years, saying they successfully represent Turkish culture abroad.
Secret arms transfer to Nigeria
The government has also long-promoted closer diplomatic and economic ties with countries in Africa, but a voice recording leaked on Twitter in the wake of the Dec. 17 detentions placed strain on relations with Africa. The recording, allegedly featuring a conversation between a Turkish Airlines (THY) official and an adviser of Erdoğan, suggested at a secret arms transfer to Nigeria, with the voice alleged to be the THY official expressing concern over the supposed shipment, saying he does not know whether the arms "will kill Muslims or Christians."
THY quickly denied the claim that it was involved in any transfer of arms to Nigeria, saying it abides by international law and International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations in the shipments of arms and military equipment.
$5 million to Ebola fight
In his speech, Erdoğan also announced a Turkish contribution to efforts to fight the Ebola outbreak, saying Turkey has allocated a $5 million fund to be used to that end.
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