- National Will Defeated Coup Attempt
- Muslim Unity to Face Menace
- Enemies of Islam Commit Terrorist Actions
- Turkish Parliamentarians Risked their Lives to Defend Democracy
- Coup Attempt A Movement Against National Will
- Stand Against Coup is Great Value for Development
- Democratic System Based on Rule of Law
- Muslim Unity Crucial For Solving Problems
- Helping Palestine is Our Mission

PUIC Bulletin No.19 Summer 2017

Introduction:
In the interview with the “PUIC”, His Excellency Mr. Ismail Khahraman, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey addressed several significant issues, notably, the failed coup attempt in Turkey; Muslim unity; confronting existing problems in the Islamic arena; extending support to the Palestinian struggle; and creating an effective mechanism to combat terrorism and extremism.Following is the text of the interview:

Resisting Putschists
“PUIC”: First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the occasion of the great victory achieved by the Turkish people and their democratic institutions over the failed military coup d’état. In this respect, I ought to praise the role of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in protecting democracy by convening a meeting while acting to defeat the failed coup under the air attack on the parliament building. Would you tell us how the call for the meeting was made and how the deputies were able to access the parliament building during those crucial hours?

Mr. Kahraman: Thank you. As you’ve mentioned, our nation did rebuff this attempt which was against our state, democracy and national will in a body, and it had June 15th as a Festival of Democracy written in gold letters. As soon as the coup attempt was heard, our deputies bade farewell to their families as if they were going to the war front and they gathered under the roof of Veteran Assembly, and they swore to protect national will at all cost. The general assembly convened under my presidency and continued its work under bombs and massive fire. Availing this opportunity, I express my gratitude as the Speaker of the Veteran Assembly to the ones who came to the Assembly putting their lives at stake and did resist against traitors and putschists as if they were hero commanders of castle.
This democracy watch had continued on the following days, and according to Article 93 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the Rules of Procedure, as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly Turkey I called an emergency meeting, and read a Joint Declaration, prepared by the participation of the four political parties.  

Lessons Learned
“PUIC”: The military coup was directed against democracy. This is why the criminals targeted the Assembly Building, the symbol of democracy.
Would it be possible to tell us, in brief, the lessons learned from your experience in preserving freedom, democracy, constitution and good governance?

Mr. Kahraman: This malicious attempt was a movement against the will of our nation. Therefore, our Assembly which is the heart of the will of nation, was one of the first targets. However, evil-intentions and treacherous plans fell into decay, and the Assembly of the nation and our deputies protected the nation’s trust. The Veteran Assembly duly protected the national sovereignty with its strong stand.
Our Assembly maintained a dignified stance against the coup as being one heart with courage, and it gave as good as its get to the putschists, and gave message to the World.
The determination that the Turkish Grand National Assembly showed against the treacherous coup attempt is of great value for development and the establishment of democracy in Turkey.
Everyone must know that any movement against our nation, national will and the Veteran Assembly will be precluded by the steely will of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.  
The evident lessons taken are as follows:
In the democratic parliamentary system which is running based on the principle of the rule of law with its institutions and rules, the sense of protecting the system and national will is directly proportionate to proper reflection of the national will to the Parliament. Interfering with democracy by oppression and menace is left behind. There is no problem which cannot be overcome with a nation which protects its national will, an Assembly consisting of deputies who are aware of their responsibility and authorization by the power vested in them, and a constitution which takes form by civil authority.

Confronting Problems
“PUIC”: What, in your view, are the most important issues and problems prevailing in the Islamic World? How is it possible to confront such problems and achieve solutions that satisfy the aspirations of peoples, and help in overcoming the predicament which troubles all countries?

Mr. Kahraman: Islamic world, lies in a geography that has witnessed attempts to divide, split and capture for many centuries. Therefore, the ones who have plans on this geography try to control it by causing some disadvantages and letting them deal with those problems until they reach their goals. Not only the administrative, or social, but also economic problems have never left the Islamic countries in peace.
The solution to all these problems is that nations must protect their national wills, beliefs and cultures, carry them into future and to act in manner of Muslim dignity and consciousness. After providing all those, another solution would be, for the societies that lived together and had the same belief and culture in the history, acting in unity against internal and external menace. In this respect, Turkey awaits for pulling its weight about leading, maintaining the unity with the awareness of leadership spirit comes from the past and its strategic position.

Muslim Mobilization
“PUIC”: How is it possible to mobilize the parliaments in Muslim states in order to resolve existing problems?

Mr. Kahraman: First and foremost, there is a need to pay a great regard to justice. The state must seethe with nation. Constitution must be set up with people oriented. Government must be an organization which is subservient to the nation. The will of the nation is the future of the nation. Citizens do not merely form a community from which the government collects taxes, but an individual who is governed by the deputies elected by his free will.

Supporting Palestine
“PUIC”: What are the steps which may be taken to expedite extending support to the Palestinian people to realize their ambitions and face the plight they are suffering until they are able to form their own independent state with Al-Quds as its capital?

Mr. Kahraman: Palestine is our friend. We have feelings in common. We wish there would be good consequences in struggle for many years. PUIC Standing Committee on Palestine is established under the guidance of Turkey as well as other brotherly countries and held its first meeting hosted by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in 2012 in ?stanbul. The expectation of our Palestinian brothers and sisters from us and the duty undertaken by us, by Allah’s will, is putting an end the oppression and gaining Palestine and Islamic countries a dignified life. There is a great mission of us expected by the World and we will be merit of it. As an immediate example of our determination for this issue, in an international meeting, the whole World has witnessed that Honorable Recep Tayip Erdo?an shouted the tyrant’s cruelty to his face.

Fighting Terrorism and Extremism
“PUIC”: How do you envisage an effective and agreed mechanism in the Islamic framework to confront the phenomena of terrorism and extremism?

Mr. Kahraman: First of all, we must state that it is a crucial mistake to use the terms ‘’Islam’’ and ‘’terror’’ in the same context. However, unfortunately, some people and enemies of religon, who manipulate the faith which is one of the must of people, have caused this situation.
If you create an environment in which people can learn their religion faithfully, you can keep them out of discord. In this context, I would like to point out that we will provide the nation which carry the Islamic banner follow the footsteps of their ancestors by recognizing them. In any community who knows and consciously behaves considering the fact that their ancestors have transported ships through the ground and today the grandsons of them drove through the tunnels underwater, who have always brought justice to everywhere they have ever gone, embrace the millions escaping from cruelty, neither any terrorism, nor instigation attempts can take place.