The ban, whose roots date back almost 90 years, has kept many women from joining the public work force. PHOTO: REUTERS
The ban, whose roots date back almost 90 years to the early days of the Turkish Republic, has kept many women from joining the public work force, but secularists see its abolition as evidence of the government pushing a religious agenda.
The new rules, which will not apply to the judiciary or the military, were published in the Official Gazette and take immediate effect in the majority Muslim but constitutionally secular nation.
"A regulation that formally intervened in freedom of clothing and lifestyle - a source of inequality, discrimination and injustice among our people - has become history," Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said on his Twitter account.
The debate around the head scarf goes to the heart of tensions between religious and secular elites, a major fault line in Turkish public life.
Critics of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan see his AK Party as seeking to erode the secular foundations of the republic founded on the ruins of an Ottoman theocracy by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923.
Erdogan's supporters, particularly in the country's conservative Anatolian heartlands, say he is simply redressing the balance and restoring freedom of religious expression to a Muslim majority.
The lifting of the ban, based on a cabinet decree from 1925 when Ataturk introduced a series of clothing reforms meant to banish overt symbols of religious affiliation for civil servants, is part of a "democratisation package" unveiled by Erdogan last week.
The reform programme - in large part aimed at bolstering the rights of Turkey's Kurdish community - included changes to the electoral system, the broadening of language rights and permission for villages to use their original Kurdish names.
An end to state primary school children reciting the oath of national allegiance at the start of each week, a deeply nationalistic vow, also took effect on Tuesday.
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The beginning of the end of Ataturk's republic, one that has served Turks very well for the last 90 years, one may add. Soon Turkey will join the ranks of Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
@hmm: That's how it all starts. Lift the ban, then impose it on everyone after a decade or two.
@Siddiqui: "If some people uses the name of Islam to their own discretion and prerogative with their bigoted and jingoistic views than the religion Islam should not and cannot be blamed."
sir, unless some room is available in Islam , Sunna / Hadith to use the discretion/ interpretation with bigoted views none can interpret the way which you call distorted version of Islam. Moreover when majority keep quiet ( do not oppose it ) on the so called distorted version of Islam the same so called distorted version becomes the authentic and accepted version and will be viewed by the global community accordingly.
@Murad Malik:
r u crazy?
Why only women in burkas? What about men? Let policemen in burkas patrol the streets, let burka clad men teach students etc.
@saadat: Self-willing burkha? You NEED to open your eyes. I come from a family that is religious but do not ALL wear headscarves. My aunt chose to wear the burkha and niqab out of her own choice, no one coerced her in to it one bit. She wanted too. She believed it was her duty towards God. It was her choice. She could easily stop wearing it. People in Western countries are fighting for their right to wear it and guess what, it's mainly women who are not forced to wear it. I am not denying that all women wear it because they want too, a lot probably don't want to and that's wrong to be forced in to it HOWEVER I am replying to your argument that no one is her self right would want to wear it. Stop arguing over what a woman wears, argue over what a man makes a woman to wear, if it's telling her to don a small dress on because otherwise she is ugly or unsexy if she doesn't or if it's telling her to be locked in her house and covered from head to toe when she doesn't want too do it. Stop dictating what a woman can wear. It's getting irritating now. Of course I personally wouldn't want my wife walking out in a short dress but I also wouldn't want to force her in to wearing something she doesn't want too. We need to stop our attitudes, and that's exactly what needs to be changed, not the burkha, but others attitude towards it. If it's a man forcing his wife or women to wear it, or the other side of the argument.
@syed minhaj uddin:
I fully agree with you and shall go a step further. Those who call themselves are Evil in disguise! In Europe we have secularism in terms of administring the affairs of the Government and that of the religion separately, namely the religion affairs by the church or Vatican for catholics and by the parliaments made up of elected representatives of the people to manage the administration of the Government.
This was introduced by Hitler and Mussolini concord with the Vatican, which is still vali. The constitutons of the countries however reflect the values of the mjority religion and certainly not Atheism..
Rex Minor
Assalam o alaikum to all Muslims and Salam man tabay alhuda to all non Muslims! First thing if some one is muslim than he can't be secular because reciting kalma means central idea that I will obey what ever are commandments of Allah Pak and will act each thing as Nabi Salallaho alaihaiwasallam... And Allah Pak has bought the lives of Muslims in reward of Jannah so slave has no point of view .. Slave act whatever his master commandments. Allah Pak give hidaya to all of us!!!
Good decision. That's true democracy
@Citizen Kane: So you mean in Pakistan, only sadiq and ameen are holding public offices? thats an information for me. Which institute did u visit btw? Corrupt Policemen who arrange all robberies and take monthlies from even prostitutes? Bribe demanding Patwari/Govt officials/Clerks? Corrupt, sold out judges, politicians, Zardari? Where are the clerics?
@Someone: Just to add some weight to your arguments, the very meaning of the Islam is 'peace' coming from 'salema' meaning salamti, peace and purity. If some people uses the name of Islam to their own discretion and prerogative with their bigoted and jingoistic views than the religion Islam should not and cannot be blamed.
@Murad Malik: Freedom to remain naked but no freedom to choose your clothes. Is this secularism ??? Ridiculous.
@Someone: I have no problem with any religion, but I do have a problem with bigots like you. You attribute all your actions - good or bad to religion. You kill in the name of religion, burn places of worships in the name of religion and use the blasphemy laws to terrorise and kill the innocents. You are the same people who garlanded and threw rose petals on the killer of Salman Taseer and who never raised the voice against religious fundamentalists in your country. It is because people like you the religious fundamentalists are holding your country to ransom and the world has lost faith and trust in you. I am not a coward. I think you are a coward that's why you are using the name of "SOMEONE". I would welcome you to debate on the contents that I have posted, instead of shooting from your hat! ET, pls publish this as I have a right to response. Thank you
Banning something which is a personal choice of someone and which doesn't cause anything wrong and has no bad designs on anyone itself is a form of extremism. Talking about banning, India should ban the female infanticides, for instance, few would realize that 2.8million girls in India have gone missing in the last 20 years. More than 12 million female abortions in the last 30 years. The statistics are just unbelievable and mind-boggling, says so much about discrimination based on caste, creed and now gender.
The links below makes interesting readings.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/namrata-poddar/female-infanticide-indias-unspoken-evilb2740032.html http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-loses-3-million-girls-in-infanticide/article3981575.ece
The main problem with the Muslim Countries is that they cannot become secular states.
In non-Muslim countries, if the Church cannot influence the Government than in Muslim Countries, the Mosque cannot influence the Government as well.
But in either of the cases, when there is a clash of religion among the different faiths and believers, the Church and the Mosque both become dominant on the respective Governments.
By lifting ban on head-scarf or imposing the idea that all women must wear Burqa cannot change the individual mindset of a women.
In non-Muslim countries women have more rights than in Muslim countries, but now-a-days the rate of divorce in Muslim Countries is coming very close to non-Muslim Countries, as women in Muslim Countries, more particularly those living in the cities are become more demanding and wants more freedom of expression, with few exceptions.
@Mohammed Yusuf: If you have a problem with Islam, you're very welcome to stop hiding behind a Muslim name like a coward and come up with a different name.
@Manjit Singh: Sir jee, millions of Muslim women wear headscarves and they wear it as part of their religious obligation and out of their choice. Obligation is in front of God only, not humans. The sooner you get out of your whole, the better.
@rome: i agree to your point of view that yes being MUSLIMS you are required to wear a certain amount of modesty! the problem comes when the state imposes that level of modesty! there are people who might agree with you and there are others who will not! your thinking about modesty will be completely difrent from an anothers point of view!so in countries like iran and saudi where this imposition is in place is not something to be proud of!are these countries any rape free? a woman without a scarf and a woman without one both know perfectly well what islam says. similarly a man without a beard and a man with a beard know very well about islam. u dont need to pus it down their throats.,
@Zavia - Keep quiet .. u terrorist nation.
@s.rehman: Have you seen any one walking naked or topless anywhere, except at nudist colonies? If not then refrain from comparing apples with oranges. In the Western countries, there is a clear separtion between religion and the state. You cannot wear your religion on your sleeves, what you do at home is your personal business. Even British Airways had warned one of their staff for wearing a pendant of a cross around her neck.
The religion of Islam does not stipulate the dress culture for the believers; they are based on traditions and for some have symbolic values. The prohibition which was xercised by the Kemalists has lead, in my opinion, to the promotion of this culture especially by those who are anti-Kemalist to its remaining unnecessarily with the turks for a prolonged period; whereas in the christian majority Europe women have dropped it more or less, with the exception of those who are in the service of church!! I say well done the current Turkish Government for maintaining a neutral role in terms of traditions and culture.
Rex Minor
Haha! Extremist liberals at their best, making all sorts of baseless comments!
@Zavia: Thank you for giving India the honorific of a "Rapist nation". If you go through ET for a week, you will notice that there were more rapes in Pakistan compared to India. Example, two sisters raped, school girl raped and killed in Karachi, cleric rapes child; girl kidnapped and raped for a month... the list is endless. And these are just reported cases. Just imagine how many cases go unreported! Whereas in the case of India, when a rape case is registered at a police station, the whole nation and the media take up the case as one. That is because India wants the rapists to be punished. In Pakistan, the poor girl gets punished and the rapist walks free. That's the difference between "rapes" in Pakistan and in the "Rapist nation of the world".
@saadat: Please correct you information, Having a Hijab is mandatory clearly ordered in Qura'an Majeed.
@bharatvarsh: Keep Quite, you Rapist Nation...
So its ok to walk around naked,or topless but you cover your head then its a problem..thank god that the better sense prevailed and turkish govt lifted this extremely nonsensical ban..
@Umair: @Islam is very peaceful religion which itself is secular (provide equal rights to non-Muslim)." Indeed very peaceful - just like in Pakistan where the non-Muslims, including the Shias and Ahmedis, are peacefully blown to pieces! And have you forgotten about the Dimmis and Jaziya which the non-Muslims had to pay to the Ottomans. And what happened to the Armenian genocide in which millions of Armenian Christians were killed by the Turks. And by the way also find out who the jannizarries, the fighting force of the Ottoman Turks were? They were the Christians boys from the Balkans who were orphaned after their parents were killed and recruited as cannon fodder. No doubt they were the best fighters as that was their only way for survival. ET PLS PUBLISH MY COMMENTS
@Umair
Yes we see the PEACE spread around on a daily Basis.. well.. just read ET and you will find out HOW PEACEFUL you guys are
Turkey's downfall has began. All this is against Ataturk's vision for modern Turkey.
in islamic state all women has to Wear the islamic codedress(covering her body) when she is outside her home. period, thats it. thats the law. I dont have to justify this view. im a muslim and proud of seeing women wearing burqa. why dont the muslim starting seeing their actions from an sharia point of view. The non-muslim view all their actions on the Foundation of thats its free to do it or not. A muslims view should be on the Foundation of what sharia(Allah`s law) permits me to do or probihit me from doing. If a muslim feel ashamed of this view then he has no selfrespect and is just talking after the western people without having any knowledge. Actually a wannabe liberal which the real liberal also is disgusting abt when seeing and hearing them, behind their back offcourse.
@ Murad: I'm not too sure if you actually know what it means to be a liberal? The ban on head scarf was an extreme form of secularism to the point that it was another kind of extremism (covered by a fascist secular constitution). Nobody talked about it much, at least not the "liberals" in our country as long as it suited their idealogy. Pretty sad state of affairs really.
@Asif: I don't think it is an appropriate analogy. No matter how incoherent and illogical it may be, India-obsessed Pakistanis (such as yourself) will use any argument to bring India into the picture. While the Sikh turban was never an issue for any Indian Government - India's prime minister is a turban-clad Sikh -- it applies only to men. Women in India are not required to - nor prevented from -- wearing any head covering. It is a secular, modern and free country. The ban on the wearing of head scarves in Turkey applied to women who were urged from the days of modern Turkey's founding father Attaturk not to wear it and come out of the shelf created by mullahs for their own male-dominated orbit in the name of Islam. But Turkey, unlike Pakistan, has highly sophisticated women who occupy positions of enormous power in politics, industry, culture, etc. Turkish women are some of the brightest women intellectuals in the region, thanks to the encouragement given by Attaturk and successive leaders. The present crop of politicians headed by Erdogan are what many modern Turks say "Islamists in secular clothing". You will recall that Erdogan faced riots earlier this year against his religious agenda, although it was an escalation of a spark provided by his controversial construction project that inflamed tempers of environmentalists.
As someone speaking from inside Turkey, you all should know that we are against this, because it is a way for the ultra-fascist and extremist AK Parti and Erdogan to promote their religious propaganda. Our country was built on the foundations of secularism, and we like it that way. You have no right to comment on what's good for our country and what isn't. You don't know what its like to live under a government that kills its own people and tries to ruin the country by making it more like Saudi Arabia and Egypt under the brotherhood.
Erdogan is a sheep in wolfs clothing and will be remembered as the Democrat who took Turkey away from its secular leanings. Very unlikely that Turkey can ever become a member of the European Union. Maybe another Iran in the making.
@Mohammed Yusuf: See this news in absolute terms. If you go out of the context and start comparing countries, you will end up nowhere. I'm not saying Saudi Arabia is right in doing that, but yeah, one thing at a time please?
@Citizen Kane:
Lets not be so "scared" of Islam. Islam is very peaceful religion which itself is secular (provide equal rights to non-Muslim). Besides, the decision is just lifting the ban from wearing scarf. This ban was itself non-secular (as it stopped number of people from wearing the dress they want to). We should not start concluding that it is going to lead Turkey in becoming hub of religious extremists.
Well done Turkey!
It was a question of choice for Erdogan to take Turkey the Pakistan-way! It is just matter of time we start seeing the "fruits" of a "great visionary's" initiatives. Declaration of Caliphate is not faraway!
@saadat: There are millions of Muslim women around the world who wear a headscarf and they wear it out of their own will. I don't know how you distinguish the Sikh turban. Your argument is retarded.
@Usman Masood:
Thank you Mr Massod. The hypocrisy of some people knows no bounds.
"They won't let us live the way we want to" so lets cry foul completely disregarding that for decades the Murad Maliks did exactly the same to them. Well atleast we've got something straight. Its only wrong when "they do it" much like the Nuremberg Trials where a war crime was defined as something the Allies had not done but the Nazis had...
Interestingly army inference is also only frowned upon when it happens in Pakistan; but since Turkey's army stands for secular beliefs, there actions are all kosher.
And you correctly pointed out the progress of Turkey that people like him talk about coincidentally did not happen during the years of "secular army takeovers in Turkey" but during Erdogans era.
@Murad Malik:
You cry foul like a man who just lost his whip to the man he was beating and now claims "you see him, he has the whip, how do I know he is not going to beat me with it now."
Quite contradictory, aren't you know?
The ban on the headscarf was fine cuz it was a freedom taken by force from "them" but we must all worry that they will not let us breathe like we want to? How do you justify imposing your values on others and taking away their freedoms but crying foul when they are in power and take some of your freedoms from you?
Lets not all stand on a higher pedestal: the secularists imposed their values and banned parts of the lifestyles of the muslims when in power; if the muslims do the the same now that they are in power it would just be fair and square: not right but definitely more of the same, just the other way round.
And mind you the people in power came in not by force but by elections...
The Ban itself was non-secular and against the principle of personal liberities. Govt. should not regulate regilous practices whether it be headscarves, Sikh Turban or jewish cap. Ban and being Liberal doesn't fit in the same equation P.S to all the confused Pakistani Liberals: Lifting ban is a liberal Idea so please think before you rant away
if secularism means no religioius matter is states reign of concern, how can a state tell what to and not to where! i am a secularist liberal and progressive pakistani muslim!if any one wears a scarf or a bikini, it should not be of ANY concern to the state!the state can not decide how it wants the society to change or not to change!the society decides by itself!
@FoY: What about Saudi Arabia? Will they too lift the ban and allow people to dress as per their freedom without the interference of the state?
@Murad Malik: Your actually retarded.
@Murad Malik You do know that Turkey is only progressing after Erdogan took power right?
You sound like a mad man. To you if I even talk about Islam, I am clearly a "bad" person. You have got to be one of the most narrow minded hypocritical person i've ever seen. In your eyes I can't preach my religion, but you can preach your hate against me for doing so.
The Turkish people elected and chose a conservative party for a reason. And the same will happen again in Pakistan. Deal with it.
Finally some sense.
@Citizen Kane... Murad Malik... The decision shows that Turkey at last is coming back to it original stance which is a great sign for Muslim world. The rules which you people follow now were followed by Turks for 90 years and now they are reverting back.. I hope you people realize this and stop following the west agenda blindly..
It is funny how liberals are bashing Erdogan for lifting this ban which was against the principles of liberalism by itself. The same so-called "radical" Erdogan paid back every penny of IMF debt that was burdened on Turkish shoulders by their fellow liberal regimes of the past. Appreciate where it is due folks!
Way to go Turkey !! A slap in the face of all liberal fascists.
@Asif: Sikh turban is will of sikh mens... it is not imposed by anybody or sikh women. but its different in your case, that burkha is imposed by men like you on our women. dont give me any example of self willing burkha girl because it shows that you need to prove something which no one asks for sikh men. try to understand difference.. you bigot.
kudos Mr.Erdogan..! imposing a ban on scarf has nothing to do with secularism rather it is an act fascism..!
@bharatvarsh: keep dreaming perverted dreams...thats what you can do.
@Murad Malik: I know how you're a wannabe liberal and all, but really sir, I suggest you stop pretending to be one as your intellectual level doesn't really fit
@bharatvarsh: How about you ban the Sikh turban in your country instead giving us lectures on burqa and hijab etc.?
@bharatvarsh: How about you block the Sikh turban in your country, it is repressive and forces men to grow long hair. When men cut their hair, they are ostracised by other Sikhs. Please don't give us lectures, your country's existence and identify is a contradiction
Stupidity has reached a new level today after the comments by liberal trolls above
@Feminist Well.. its not the women who are deciding.. its their Mullahs who brainwash them into deciding what she wears .. what she does and where she goes..
@Murad Malik.. very well put.. its time to speak up against this.. one Step forward 90 years ago.. 10 steps back today
Progressive Pakistanis want to emulate the Turkish model. Guess who the turks are trying to emulate now: Pakistanis and Saudis!
Mandatory burqa, four male witness for rape and public flogging comming soon to turkey under erdogan.
THAT is what I call freedom!
How this is seen as a threat to secularism? They lifted the ban, not made it compulsory. I never get these so called liberals! confused lot.
This is the beginning of the end of the secular, liberal and progressive Turkey. Religion will soon creep back into the state machinery and society and then only those considered religiously upright (sadiq and ameen) will have the chance to hold public office. This will pave the way for clerics. And those clerics will drag Turkey down to Pakistan's level.
Bans like these are illogical and pointless in the first place. What clothing one chooses to wear should not be a matter of the state. Whether a dupatta, scarf, hijab or whatever, let women decide what they want to wear.
About time, the ban was ridiculous. Can India ever think of banning the Sikh turban?
Mashallah .. Long live Ardogaan !!
And this is how it begins, this is how Islamist will take control, they will play our own values against us, they will manipulate and ask for equality and freedom, and we would capitulate, but does anyone really thinks, when their time comes to power, will these same Islamist let us breathe and live us we want to? case in point Egypt under Muslim Brotherhood. Anyhow to the secularists in Turkey i would like to say,"So long comrades, very soon they will suffocate you."