Turkey: Successor to Negus or Shadow of the Oppressor?

Are We Becoming Pawns of the Oppressed in Global Chess?

 

For centuries, Turkey has been the last haven for the oppressed. While embracing everyone regardless of religion, language, or race, the questions from ordinary citizens, "Are we becoming pawns on the global chessboard?", are not just words; they are the bitter truths that darken our future and keep us awake at night. Is Turkey's noble mission a bargaining chip in the international arena, or truly the last voice of conscience?

 

The Legacy of Negus: Where Did Justice Go?

There are real events rising from the dusty pages of history: it was the just stance of Negus, the King of Abyssinia. To the Muslims fleeing the persecution of the polytheists, Prophet Muhammad said, "Go to the country of Negus, there is a just head of state there." Negus protected them despite all pressures, and his generosity was remembered for centuries. Turkey's tradition of being a refuge for the oppressed was nourished by this legacy. But where is that legacy today? Why are consciences so silent?

 

Surrender of the Oppressed to the Oppressor: Returns Smelling of Treason

The extradition of Egyptian educator Muhammad Abdulhafiz Hussein to Egypt in handcuffs left a deep wound in our hearts. His wife's cry, "I fear most that he will be forgotten. Muhammad, whose whereabouts are still unknown, has lost his sanity from the torture he endured," echoes in our ears. While the unbelievable prison scenes in Syria are fresh in our memories, every life handed over to the clutches of dictatorial regimes like Egypt detonates Turkey's reputation among the oppressed.

In the face of the inhumane practices of oppressors, why is Turkey's stance so ambiguous? Turkey should embrace everyone, whether Muslim, non-Muslim, Turk, or Arab, who seeks refuge. Oppressed nations trust the Turkish state and nation and seek refuge in our country.

 

Millions from Syria: Part of a Secret Project?

Turkey, which embraced millions of victims from Syria, "even though the emptying of Syria was a project to open up space for Israel," without distinguishing between women and children, "because human life must be protected," is experiencing events that we find difficult to understand these days. Conscientious people worldwide are protesting Israel with millions of people. Demonstrations are being held in prestigious universities, especially in the USA. The protests of the Greek people against the crimes against humanity in Gaza, and their refusal to allow Israeli tourists into their country, have been revealed.

 

The Cry of East Turkestan: The Secret of Fleeing to Europe

Our Muslim Turkish brothers and sisters from "the forgotten nation" of East Turkestan, who sought refuge in our country, do not feel safe in Turkey and are heading to Europe, some even leaving Turkey. Why are the voices of the oppressed, who live in fear of extradition to Communist China, not heard?

The whispers of "Go to Syria" in bureaucratic corridors, are they part of some dark scenario? Labels like the Boraltan Bridge tragedy, "consenting to oppression, betraying their brothers who sought refuge," must never be hung around our necks again. For East Turkestanis, Turkey should be not just a refuge, but a true homeland. This is not just a humanitarian duty, but a matter of national honor.

 

Gaza's Hunger and Regional Contradictions

While the world's conscience rebels against the human tragedy in Gaza, a more active role is expected from Turkey for the innocent dying of hunger. Those with understanding know which country does what and what it cannot do. Is Azerbaijan's sending fuel to Israeli planes, which we boast of as a "brother country, two states one nation," not a move that upsets regional balances? What will be Turkey's stance against this? The contradictions make Turkey's foreign policy stance and regional leadership claims questionable.

 

The Dual Citizenship Enigma: A National Security Threat?

Strong allegations that Jews living as dual citizens in Turkey are fighting in the Israeli army and are complicit in genocide crimes against the people of Gaza pose a serious test for our internal security and justice system. Demands for the denaturalization and prosecution of these individuals, said to be around five thousand, are not just a reaction, but a requirement of our national sovereignty, deeply affecting Turkey's international standing and internal peace.

Recently, public officials who engage in practices unbecoming of Turkey should not take advantage of the situation and allow images that do not suit the history, faith, and culture of our noble nation.

 

Secret Operations and Turkey's Destiny

The noble Muslim Turkish nation and state have become a great nation and a great state because they stood firm by the oppressed. Turkey is certainly not a place where "anyone who breaks loose shows off"; on the contrary, it is a refuge for the oppressed and the homeland of all oppressed people, especially our East Turkestani brothers and sisters. However, it is clear that Turkey, which has overcome difficulties and the tricks and deceptions played against it with the prayers of the oppressed, is today facing much more complex and secret operational plans.

For the Muslim Turkish States and Nations, it must lead more effectively and quickly on the path to becoming "One State, One Nation." Unity and solidarity mean strength, and all oppressed people need strength.

If the oppressors have gone too far and made the world uninhabitable, the only nation and state that will stand against this and prevent it is seen as Turkey, and indeed it is! In this period when we, as Turkey, are going through historical necessity and historical mission days, it is essential to gain conscious awareness and take action. Otherwise, the destiny of our geography will be surrendered to insidious plans drawn in dark rooms.

 

HALİS ÖZDEMİR

 

Important Update Note: Our sources indicate that Turkey did not send Muhammad Abdulhafiz Hussein to Egypt, but that he went to a country with which Egypt does not have an extradition agreement. (27.08.2025)