WHY NOT BECOME GEOGRAPHICAL UNITY AFTER LINGUISTIC ASSOCIATION ?
With the collapse of the Soviet Union, five countries in the old Turkistan region which were isolated from external world had suddenly found themselves in the center of international arena... For a period longer than seventy years had these five republics been seriously deprived of national, economical and military force. Old Turkistan region’s national states with modular structures, whose defence and education are far from national perspective in the context of full independence; Kazakhstan, Kirghizistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan... Five republics which have been instilled the idea that they are distinct people and they have nothing to do with Turkishness by adressing them with names such as "Kazakh”, "Kirghiz”, "Uzbek”, "Tajik”, "Turkoman” and "Azeri” instead of Turk, and which have been founded over micro nationalism making them the "other” to each other. It was Stalin who took over after death of Lenin, the father of this idea. Satellite state modelling with a sectional model which Bolsheviks turned into fault pieces over cultural fault lines divided as much as possible in 1920s and 1930s mostly affected Turkistan region... They were, with artificial nation modelling which makes sub-identities come to the fore, in the center of heartland in Eurasia, where Stalinist government made Turkish people in the old Turkistan region "oppressed nation”. Stalin first formed in the region autonomous republics having no borders with foreign countries, and he forced Turks to emigrate to the region, whom he made undesired people in the West Urals and the Caucasus. They were alienated within themselves together with Russians he brought to the region for governing in burgoeis status, and autonomous republics had been moulded into the Union Republics at a time dynamic structure had been made passive. However, Ceditilik (Reformist) movement was given a political character by nationalist enlightened persons after 1905s. Through the political period these intellectual persons were divided into two as liberals and socialists. But, one particular point they never lost lies within their being nationalist. For instance; the first newspaper published in 1925 in today’s Uzbekistan was called Turkistan. Diagnosis is correct, unifying elements are language and geography. Representatives of Nationalist Movement, which maintains Cediti (Innovative) customs and becomes systemized for the sake of national socialism and whose leader was Sultangaliyev, were liquidated from political life by Stalin. Political liquidation of elite persons mentioned had also included an ethnic liquidation quality in Idil-Ural region, and between years 1923-1938, Cediti (Innovative) generation bequeathed to the voluntary and loyal communist-proletarian generation. Yes, this is Pax-Turkistan. Years ago, with the statement of a Kazakh student in my class like "I can never understand that Turkey is a republic like us, too, we can be a republic, but you are a state like Russia”, Soviet Socialist Republics were founded... Artificial bonds of this model, which used brute force in the fearful and biased region after the fall of bloc system, with the center had been broken. With the destruction of the Soviet Union, like Mustafa Kemal Atatrk stated with a great foresight on 10th anniversary of the Republic, these republics Russia "had the complete command of” were left all alone. They could not find any diplomat, any representative to send abroad. These five countries who cannot be expected to form a foreign policy they will lead all on their own had begun the last decade of XX. century in such a situation. They had entered the last decade of XX. century before experiencing the process of nationalizing country defence and education. So to say, they had startled the process of search for independence before they could nationalize the defence and education they had been awarding to Russia for years.
They began their independence adventures with a structure in which they could not control
their own borders, in which they had a very limited dominance over their economies, and which did not have the capability to protect citizens against foreign threads... They began their fight for survival with structures under control of bureaucratic bodies formed during the Soviet Union times, with structures that became united wholes with Presidents and with structures that were given a bodily form in presence of Presidents... Within the problematic borders that were always ready for reciprocal conflicts, especially Valley Fergana, the necessity that the rights of Russian minority usually intense in cities are guaranteed became the principal duty of governmental administrators. However, nationalist movement supported by internal dynamics brought along with it for instance, in Kazakhstan immigration of Kazakhs abroad, immigration of Kazakhs and refugees into the country and internal immigration concept. In 1994, 480.839 people left Kazakhstan, a population of about 70.000 entered the country. Of those who left Kazakhstan, 283.000 are Russian, 92.000 are German and 37.000 are Ukrainian. Afterwards with the process of Independent States Community, a structure in which the colonizer and the colonized were brought together under the same roof, and all mechanisms ensuring the colonizer’s economic superiority were protected… This new formation took the attention of China, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, China taking the lead as she had the East Turkistan within her own region. Turkistan Republics, which made their fifteen-year independence balances with their accuracies and faults, have come to a point that were put forward by Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, with the name of "Central Asia Republics Union”. It is Pax-Turkistan expressed with Nazarbayev’s words: "Our economic interests, historical-cultural roots, language, religion, ecological problems, and foreign threats are common.” And President of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev’s suggestion for "Common Market and Common Currency” is a reflection of European Union for Central Asia whose foundation is indispensable in Turkistan platform. "Union of Countries Speaking the Turkish Language”, so to call Pax-Turcica brought Turkish people, who had been turned into others within themselves, closer as a crucial factor but could not be sufficient. Today’s accomplishment is Pax-Turkistan option, with which the geography is described. Within the scope of Eurasia scenarios produced by dynamics of the Grand Game for the region, it was seen that there was no chance for options from moderate Islam to radical Political Islam to settle in the region under the name of becoming democratic imposed on Turkish republics. Within the context of this declaration, Pax-Turkistan option again, which were put forward in the first half of XX. century but is at the same point today, will be considered at length and suggestions about cultural and national awareness-raising will be tried to make.
ALPHABET IS THE PROCESS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LANGUAGE AND THE LANGUAGE IS FOR THE NATIONAL IDENTITY.
Through a general definition, one of the distinct features of Turkish identity is that they are proud of establishing many countries. Yet, having established many states means to destroy all states except the last one. In my opinion, it is not something to be proud of. Actually how it is not something to be proud of such as establishing many states, changing alphabet is also not worth to be proud of. Turks, as much as covered until now, has seen 13 alphabets in their 1300 year written history. Köktrk, Soğd Uygur, Mani, Brahma, Tibet, Sryani, Arap, Ermeni, Grek, Jewish, Latin, Cyrillic alphabets... five of them; Köktrk, Uygur, Arab, Latin ve Cyrillic alphabets have been used prevalently. How a language do matter for the development of nationl identity, alphabet takes also very important place for the development of the language and its integration with the world. Köktrk alphabet was used by Köktrk and Uygur communities during VIII and IX centuries. In the first half of the VIII century, the texts carved into the stones were done by this alphabet. Uygur alphabet was used by Uygur Turks in IX and XVII centuries. In the second half of the XI century, Kaşgarlı Mahmut has scribed that 18 letter Uygur alphabet was used in all Turkish languages and Turkish writings were done with these letters. This indication This script denotes that Uygur alphabet has become a national alphabet used by Turks in XI century.
Arabian alphabet was used from XI century till the end of 1920s. For over nine hundred years, this alphabet has become the alphabet of the Islamic Turkish World. At the end of 1920s, Turkish Republics in the Soviet Union and Republic of Turkey has changed their alphabet to Latin. Today, in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and East Turkistan region, Arabian alphabet is used.
Azerbaijan Turks has published Latin lettered newspaper by the year 1922. Around 1926, Latin Alphabet has become widely used between Caucasian Turks. In the Turkology Congress convened between February 26 and March 6,1926, a decision to advise the Latin Alphabet to Turkish republics and communities was taken. The new Turkish alphabet started to be worked on in 1926 and officialized in May 11,1927 was accepted as "Integrated new Turkish Alphabet” on June 3 to 6, 1927 in Baku. In 1927-28 education year of Azerbaijan, with the effective law by November 1, 1928, and by January 1, 1929, in Turkey they were accepted as the Latin Alphabet officially. Other Turkish republics and communities has adopted the Latin alphabet until 1931. Upon the positive and integrative process of Latin alphabet in the linguistic panism, Stalin management directly intervened this. As a condition for separation and Sovietization, all Turks in the Soviet Union were forced to adopt different Cyrillic alphabet. The main point was not to understand each other but not to let understand Turkish communities each other. Similarly, the adoption of Turks living in East Turkistan was also decided, yet due to the degradation in the Soviet - Chinese relations, Latin alphabet practices were initiated in this region. Another of degrading effects of Linguistic panism is the changing of common language developing in the urban by the nomadic Turkish accents spoken in the rural lands. In other words, the transition into Cyrillic alphabet, nomadic language spoken in the rural lands has been used as the education language. Another important aspect is the language spoken within purification is the changing of words with Russian ones instead of purifying the language by the extraction of Arabic and Persian words. What is done is the bombardment of undeveloped nomadic language within nomad culture and nature by the Russian urban culture and technology.
This situation is also the same for East Turkistan, officially called as Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Following a six-year transition period, Latin alphabet was officially accepted by East Turkistan in 1965, but both Arapic and Latin alphabets had been used simultaneously. In the context of national identity, after observing the positive effects of Latin alphabet, the decision about the use of only Arapic alphabet was passed on the date of 23rd September, 1983, and then implementation of this decision became compulsory after the date of 1st January, 1984.
The reason behind rapid changes in alphabets dictated by both Russian and Chinese hegemonies (resistors were forced to migrate) is that language is the essence of the national identity and the way to express culture.
When Turkish language is considered as a cultural element, it is obvious that Turkey can be considered as a core state. Principal tool of the linguistic panism is Turkish language, in other words Turkish language unity. It is observed that Turkey that has focused on daily problems fails to follow long-termed plans. However, it is compulsory for Turkey, with its all citizens in any class, to follow long-termed plans, rather than short- and medium-termed plans. In long-termed perspective, Turkish Language and Alphabet Unity or "United New Turkish Alphabet” should be considered as a vision.
DID FUNDEMANTALIST ISLAM CONSTITUTE AN ALTERNATIVE IN RECONSTRUCTION OF CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES?
Development Period of the Turkish Moslem Model
After Turks became Moslems, they integrated their own values to Islamic values, thus a new Turkish Moslem concept was constituted in Buhara and Samarqand provinces. Contrary to the general belief, the spread of Islam among Turks was not inherited form the Central Asia. Teachers of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, 2nd Beyazit and the first Turkish sultan of the Caliphate, Yavuz Sultan Selim, were born in Buhara and Samarqand. As a result of integration of Islamic values into traditional values and structures of the Turkish culture, a development plan with cultural solidarity was accomplished. While Islam was spreading in the Central Asia, Turks integrated their beliefs and life styles before Islam into this philosophy. Within the context of this integration, they developed a populism model that can be evaluated as democracy. It is an advanced version of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and Narodnik (Populism) adopted early times of the Soviet Union or Narodniestvo (halkseverlik) adopted by intellectuals. After this integration, the period in which Islam was tried to be spread by force by Arabs is changed to the period in which rational and solidarity behaviors were adopted. Spread of Islam was increased after the latter philosophy. Buhara and Samarqand Madrasahs had played important roles in the institutionalization of this development. Besides, it is found out that the university system that attaches importance to positive siences and was seen towards the end of the middle Ages was greatly inspired by Buhara and Samarqand Madrasahs. Detoration was started when the enlightenment philosophy developed by positive sciences in these madrasahs was changed to bigotry of intelligence and positive sciences. Thus, the dynamic structure, achieved by intelligence and science, had been turned into a static and stochastic structure. Social and economical problems accompanied by this static structure resulted in the initiation of the Ceditilik Movement. As in the other parts of the Islamic World, the main target of these movements was also religious reform by means of revolution in education in Turkistan. While people in favor of Ceditilik in Islamic societies other than those in the Central Asia accused colonialists, people in favor of Ceditilik in Central Asia accused themselves. They evaluated that the decline in economy and national conditions had been caused by unskillfullness of national and political groups, high level of illiteracy of the society, negligence of Islamic leaders and out of date education methods applied in the Islamic institutions. Furthermore, they saw religion and information other than religious one as only way against national problems, especially exploitation. They thought that a Moslem become informed of the problems and educated does not accept such exploitation. While Endican revolt of 1898 can be given as an example to political and social movements of religious orders in Islamic countries, large rebellion of 1916 shows the mistakes of Russian colony policy in the Central Asia and gives clues of the future revolution in the Central Asia. People in favor of Ceditilik did not have enough time to develop political and national ideology, but they played important role in modernization of education institutions. Occupation of the Central Asia by Bolshevik and Soviet Empire’s dominance over the Central Asia is the most deterrent and dramatic impact on the history of the Central Asia. In the second period started with the disintegration of Soviet Union, Turkish Republics had been faced all kinds of Islamic fundamentalism fed by bigotry, rather than rationalistic alternatives developed by People in favor of Ceditilik. This situation continues in present.
General Rule in Fundamentalism: "Bigotry”
The Christianity, in the early times of, was subjected to heavy pressure of state power. For this reason, early Christians continuously wanted "liberty of conscience” from the state. After the Christianity was accepted as official religion of the Roman Empire, Christians had not applied "liberty of conscience”, once they wanted, to others. Aurelius Augustine, who developed the first principals of Middle Ages Christian Philosophy (354-430) revealed the principals of bigotry philosophy with these words; "When you have control over us, we want you to apply your own rules and give us full liverty. When we have control over you, naturally we will apply our own rules and not give you liberty.” Augustine clearly admitted that fundamentalists in any religion will apply forcibly their own rules after having control over the country. This constitutes a base for doctrinal approaches in the religious world. Nowadays, Fundamentalism is again started to be discussed in due to forming cliques, vicious struggle for power and politicians with no patience with each other by means of a democratic platform. For this reason, the possibility of large-minded fundamentalism, rather than narrow-minded fundamentalism, in Turkish Republics in the period of transition to democracy is discussed. However, it is well-known fact that intellectuality and science is only way for humankind to find out solutions for its problems, but this period is a very long process.
The Current Situation, Discussed Fundemantalist Islam
In the Eurasia Summit of Davos Economic Forum of 2002, the possibility of power of fundamentalist Islamic movements over Turkish Republics in the Middle Asian was discussed. Another important point of the issue was that the sensitivity of democracy, in other words Free World, to this possibility. Did Political Islam constitute an alternative in reconstruction of Central Asian Countries? Or is it a imposition? Could political Islam gain importance in the dynamics of 21st Century? The obvious answer of these questions is that "no, unless being imposed and supported”… This preposition is strengthened by the fact that Taliban movement settled in Pakistan in the period of occupation of Soviet Union over Afghanistan and fundamentalist Islamic organizations in the Fergana Valley had been supported by United Nations. However, this situation was dramatically changed after 11th September. Due to mega power of United Nations, Uzbekistan, which had been problem with fundamentalist Islamic organizations in the Fergana Valley, opened their lands and bases to United Nations Army after military intervention of United Nation Army into Afghanistan. Besides, regional powers have clearly stated this situation in their policies against the Central Asia. The reflection of the power of the support made by Bush’s government in the Central Asia can be seen from that Kerimov did not attend the Euroasia Summit after visiting to Washington. Kerimov with the support of America can be evaluated as core state selected to plan in the center of Euroasia in the future policies. However, this core state should not be supported or selected by a big country, rather should be accepted historically as a core state by the other countries in the region. Competition between the Central Aisa Republics prevents the possible cooperation between the three powerful countries; Kazakhistan, Uzbekistan and Turkistan. In order to make use of the underground and surface (re)sources efficiently in the near future for the benefit of public, vicious competition based on conflicts should be stopped and cooperation should be constructed between the countries in the region. Thus, current economical problem will be diminished.
When the Islam is used as an argument for cultural principal in the region, a powerful Moslem Federation or Union can be a solution to current problems. Religon was used as a principal cultural element in participation of Afghanistan into CENTO, which was established by the Republic of Turkey, Pakistan and Iran in 1960. The principal elemenet of the Economical Cooperation Organization that gathers 10 Moslem, but not Arabic countries, is also religion. However, authentic Islamic structure in this organization is also divided into three models; Fundamentalist Shi, Fundamentalist Sunni, and Temperate Islamic… In this organization model, while the effects of the fundamentalist shi model under the control of Iran and the fundamentalist shi model under the control of Afghanistan before the 11th September attacks, and currently Pakistan are seen in the national policies of such countries, the temperate Islamic model created in the Republic of Turkey, supported by United Nations, is tried to be imposed to the region. Although it expresses itself as Sunni Hanbeli, Suudi Arabia supports Vahhabilik in the region and pays maintenance and repair costs of mosques and tombs and visits and pilgrimage to Mecca. There is a limited finding about development of Suudi Arabia, whose most important power is money. Temperate Islamic movement is clearly evaluated by Euroasia countries as a Turkish policy patented by United Nations. It is obvious that when Turkey tries to export "temperate ıslamic movement” to the region, it has to apply this model of Political Islam in Turkey. It is the most sensitive aspect of this policy and cannot be neglected.
COULD TURKISH NATIONALISM BASED ON RACE NATIONALISM BE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR THE REGION?
As in the Islamic concepts in the field of politics, Turkish nationalism concepts are concepts that neglect the countries of Euroasia other than Turkish countries. Many intellectual with high level of education had migrated from Russia to Turkey at the end of the 18th Century and at the beginning of 19th Century. They closely followed Turkology studies in Russia and learn the importance of nationalism by contacting with west culture. The article with the title of "Ü Tarz-ı Siyaset”, which is a milestone of "Trklk” movement, was published in a magazine called "Trk” in 1904 in Kahire. The writer of this article is Yusuf Akurin (Akuraoğlu Yusuf), borther-in-law of İsmail Gaspıranski (Gaspıralı), who was one of Eurasia Moslem Cediti and had supported unity utopia in language, business and ideal. According to Charles Warren Hostler, "this article played the same role for Trkler as the Communist Manifesto played for Marxists in 1848.” Another important characteristic of Yusuf Akura is that his political, social and economical beliefs are based on teh Turkish history. When the said belief system was integrated with the rationalist and realist approach of Mustafa Kemal, it had constituted a target of Turkey. However, when biological elements based on race nationalism are added into this model, it passes to a different dimension. The Model of "Turkish Nationalism Model based on Race Nationalism”, used as argument in the region of Turkistan had been in the first line for a long time and sometimes could be implemented. When this model based on Race Nationalism is tried to be applied with the leadership of Turkey to the region of Turkistan, Rusia and China did not accept the model. This model has caused problems not only for Turkish Republics, but also Turkey. Insistence in this model had also incited ethnical structure in Turkey. In this context, the Soviet Union in the period of Samuel Huntington evaluated Turkey as country to be divided into parts or even torn. Partial implementation and content of "Turkish Nationalism Model based on Race Nationalism”, which is found in the part program of a fundamentalist nationalist right party, which had been as a minority for a long time and participate in the parliament as a government partner after the election of 1999 should be explained as above.
CONCLUSION
The integration of "Great Turkish Union” within the ideal of Pax-Turkistana, may not only provide stability in the region, but also means a structure hindering the potential conflicts and stir-ups. As the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev stated, he suggested a similar unity for cultural concerns about a century ago. He had determined the future of Turkish World. If this meaningful foresight of his could have been applied continuously.In the mean time, "Central Asian Republics Union” put forward by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev is only one of the rings to shape future. Next step is to have Turkmenistan and Tajikistan join this union. After this meaningful participation, Turkish Utopia must turn into "Turkish Union” just like "European Union” modeling which is unified by geography. Like Nazarbayev stated, "EU (European Union) did not even imagine this many common points.” EU’s process into United States of Europe should be the grand utopia of the Turks as "United States of Turks”. The Middle Asia Union establishing the east axis of the world of Turks along with Turkey and Azerbaijan integration forming the west axis will balance this part of the world as well as it will constitute a strong base for the world of Turks.
Nursultan Nazarbayev, "Orta Asya Birliği Kuralım (Let’s Found Central Asia Union)”, Addressing the Nation Speech, Almatı, 20.02.2005
Remembering The Orly Attack
