Campaign Against Kavakci: Neglect of Women's Rights
May 10, 1999 - 0:0
TEHRAN For the past few weeks a young Turkish woman has been the focus of attention of the secularist Turkish military strongmen, media and politicians. The story began when a 31-year-old Turkish woman, Merve Kavakci, who was elected by the people in a free and fair election in which the Nationalist Action Party of Prime Minister Blunt Ecevit won the largest votes was elected to the Turkish Parliament. As usual, Kavakci, out of conviction attended the swearing-in ceremonies with her headscarf on.
The mere wearing of a headscarf led to a ballyhoo in the Parliament delaying the ceremonies for 90 minutes. The Turkish military strongmen and secular parties maintain that wearing a scarf in the Parliament is against secular tenets of the Turkish society. In a democratic , open society every individual should be allowed to enjoy right to personal freedoms such as choosing ones attire.
In a secular society the government should not force the scarved women to remove their scarves. But it is not so in Turkey. The agony of Kavakci did not end in her deprivation from the swearing-in ceremonies which forced her to resign. A coordinated move began in the U.S. and Turkey to undermine her merely for wearing a scarf. Is a scarf really so dangerous for the foundations of the Turkish society? If this is so, then either the scarf should be an extremely powerful weapon or the Turkish government must be extremely weak.
However, according to an AFP report, U.S. authorities have issued an arrest warrant on kidnap charges for Kavakci. The arrest warrant was issued by a court in Dallas, Texas, in 1998 after Merve Kavakci's former husband, Ali Ahmad Abushanab, lodged a lawsuit against her. He alleges that she refused to hand over the couple's two daughters after he was appointed their legal guardian, the reports said.
The reports added that Kavakci would be arrested immediately if she set foot in Texas, where bail was set at 50,000 dollars. The warrant was issued in 1998 but it surfaces now at a time when Kavakci is struggling for her legal rights. The Third World expected the U.S., Europe and other countries to support Kavakci enabling her to fight for her legal rights as a Muslim, a woman and a politician.
Alas, the world is too cruel to care for women's rights. In slogan the West is outspoken about the women's rights, freedom, equality, etc., but in practice when it comes to a Muslim woman, all possible legal and illegal means are employed to deprive her of her rights.
The mere wearing of a headscarf led to a ballyhoo in the Parliament delaying the ceremonies for 90 minutes. The Turkish military strongmen and secular parties maintain that wearing a scarf in the Parliament is against secular tenets of the Turkish society. In a democratic , open society every individual should be allowed to enjoy right to personal freedoms such as choosing ones attire.
In a secular society the government should not force the scarved women to remove their scarves. But it is not so in Turkey. The agony of Kavakci did not end in her deprivation from the swearing-in ceremonies which forced her to resign. A coordinated move began in the U.S. and Turkey to undermine her merely for wearing a scarf. Is a scarf really so dangerous for the foundations of the Turkish society? If this is so, then either the scarf should be an extremely powerful weapon or the Turkish government must be extremely weak.
However, according to an AFP report, U.S. authorities have issued an arrest warrant on kidnap charges for Kavakci. The arrest warrant was issued by a court in Dallas, Texas, in 1998 after Merve Kavakci's former husband, Ali Ahmad Abushanab, lodged a lawsuit against her. He alleges that she refused to hand over the couple's two daughters after he was appointed their legal guardian, the reports said.
The reports added that Kavakci would be arrested immediately if she set foot in Texas, where bail was set at 50,000 dollars. The warrant was issued in 1998 but it surfaces now at a time when Kavakci is struggling for her legal rights. The Third World expected the U.S., Europe and other countries to support Kavakci enabling her to fight for her legal rights as a Muslim, a woman and a politician.
Alas, the world is too cruel to care for women's rights. In slogan the West is outspoken about the women's rights, freedom, equality, etc., but in practice when it comes to a Muslim woman, all possible legal and illegal means are employed to deprive her of her rights.