Official Pressure To Fast During Ramadan
A comment from a reader alerted me to this article (in Turkish) that discusses plans by the State Planning Organization to close its employee restaurant and cafeteria for the month of Ramadan. More serious is the administration’s request for those who are unable to fast “for medical reasons” to give their names. They will then be able to eat in a smaller cafeteria that will remain open (presumably only to those on the list). This has caused some outrage as no provision is made for people who do not wish to fast. Employees say the institution should find out the number of people wanting to eat, not collect their names. The article lists a number of other government ministries that will close their lunch facilities, as well as a few that will not (like the Foreign Ministry). (click here)
This is sure to feed the debate in Turkey over increasing “community pressure” to cover, to fast, avoid alcohol, and otherwise take on an Islamic lifestyle. This pressure is said to have intensified since AKP came to power.
Oh I was being 1/2 sarcastic. Every Ramadan especially the Dogan group publishes such newspieces and that was just an example of one of those. The pressure to fast has existed for as long as I remember and while now there might be officials who push it somewhat more officially this is not new at all. Among the general public in Istanbul the pressure is lessening actually. It used to be that people who don’t fast would refrain from, say, smoking or eating simit in public partly out of respect and partl;y out of fear — now that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Asking for such lists of names might appear to be a great way to get the names of people who are negligent/irregular in their practice of the fast and/or Alevis but these people would be known anyway unless they are careful to fake it. A great experiment woul be to compare the before/after attendance of the Friday prayers among the civil servants if the AKP ever loses power. People tend to know what behaviour is expected of them by their official superiors and comply.
I am going to take issue with “people who are secular and do not fast.” In an ideal world, you’d have secular muslims who do fast, you know.
Bulent, if what you’re saying is correct (which I assume is) re: non-observant people being more cavalier, do you think it is a sort of reaction? Some corruptive effect of mixing religion and politics?
Well, actually as much as i can see the situation shows variation depending on the place you live in (cities with conservative community or cities with secular community like izmir or antalya) and depending on work you do as well. If you don’t fast it is nothing to do with community but if you are working at an istitution governed by AKP (just like me) then you will be black listed not obviously but you will be kept in your directors mind….
Nihat, I don’t know. I cannot figure these things out just yet. I am going by my own behaviour (picked up in the 70’s up to mid-80’s) as compared to the behaviour of my friends who were brought up in much the same way but diverged while I lived abroad. Of course if I ask, it sometimes provokes a reaction like “yobazlardan mi korkacagim? Sanki ben hic oruc tutmadim? Herkesin orucu kendine. Allah Allah?” I understand this to be some kind of overcompensation for the ‘oh crap, I forgot, he’s right, shame on me’ feeling.
This country must be a gold mine for a social sciences, but I lack the background to identify and name the things I notice.
Bulent, thanks. I too have my behavior to go by, but that’s pretty much it. Noone to compare to. So, not only do I lack the said background, but my excursions (if they can be called that) into social sciences are based on the mantra “kisi, herkesi kendi gibi bilirmis.”
The erosion of respectful restraint by non-observant people that you mentioned was quite striking for me.
This may interest you both, Jenny and Bulent:
“Telukulak? haber yapanlara dava” (click)
I am not sure of the veracity (or the truthiness of the tone) of this Radikal news (I’ve been hearing quite an earful about Dogan Media at izlenimler.net), but I am disturbed anyhow. A free and independent press, even if partisan, is crucial. To me, the case against these journalists smacks of some ham-handed intimidation, rather, attack at our right to be informed.