President Erdoğan: We work to establish global solidarity in combating Islamophobia

 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a speech at the 12th Session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers of the OIC (the Organization of Islamic Cooperation) in Istanbul.

Highlighting the main theme of “Combating Disinformation and Islamophobia in the Post-Truth Era,” President Erdoğan said: “I regard it to be highly felicitous to raise these two fundamental problems which affect the entire humanity as well as Muslims.”

“MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD SUFFER TODAY BECAUSE OF LIES, FAKE AND DISTORTED NEWS”

Noting that the diversification of news sources, particularly the further expansion of social media in people’s daily lives, have brought about vital risks as well as many advantages, President Erdoğan said: “Information pollution and disinformation stand out among these threats. Unfortunately, millions of people across the world suffer today because of lies, fake and distorted news. These media, where there is no limits, morals, ethical values or self-control, have become apparatuses of operation that set people against one another, increase polarization and escalate the fire of hatred as opposed to instruments of communications.”

“Digital terror poses a clear threat not only to democracy and social peace, but also to countries’ national securities,” President Erdoğan said.

“WE ARE SUBJECTED TO UNSCRUPULOUS ACCUSATIONS”

Underlining that disinformation has become a frequently-used tool in hybrid warfare, President Erdoğan said: “We as Türkiye face this reality in numerous areas from politics to diplomacy, from public order to social events. Türkiye is one of the countries that suffer the most from fake, fabricated and ill-intended news in the world. Researches conducted by international institutions also show this fact.”

Noting that Türkiye is targeted by a wide range of anti-Türkiye circles from the FETO to the separatist terrorist organization, from marginal structures to international media outlets, President Erdoğan said: “Especially our country’s rightful fight against terrorist organizations is tried to be undermined by completely fake and nonsensical news. Although we are the only country that fought hand-to-hand against DAESH and won a victory, we are subjected to unscrupulous accusations to the contrary. Today, evidences and court rulings reveal that those, who slandered us in the past, actually did business and trade with DAESH, transferred millions of euros to terrorists. When I personally told them how the French cement giant called Lafarge supported terrorist organizations in the north of Syria, how it helped them, how it dug tunnels for them and poured cement with mixers, the French did not understand it. I personally told these things to French President Macron. But now, they called Macron to account for Lafarge in the French parliament. Lafarge has become one of the most important topics on France’s agenda. Lafarge is now fully exposed as one of the most important institutions supporting terrorism.”

Stating that such examples show much more clearly who has supported this brutal organization, which shed the blood of tens of thousands of innocent civilians and Muslims, President Erdoğan said: “We know that the same hypocritical attitude is displayed towards the PKK, PYD and FETO terrorist organizations. These organizations are supported and protected despite the civilian blood on their hands.”

“Fake news and support to terrorist organizations on one side, Islamophobia and xenophobia on the other, are the two faces of the same coin,” President Erdoğan said.

“MEDIA OUTLETS SHOULD AVOID SLANDERS AIMED AT BESMIRCHING A SEGMENT OF THE SOCIETY”

“Racist attacks and hate speech against Muslims are on the rise across the world,” President Erdoğan said, and further stated: “Muslims’ sphere of movement is being narrowed through fascistic regulations, anti-democratic legislative efforts, and their right to freely practice their religions is being limited. Interferences in headscarves, beards, robes and hijab are tried to be normalized. These processes, conducted by the hand of parliaments and governments, are aimed at institutionalizing Islamophobia.”

Underlining that this grave picture necessitates joint action against interventions in media with the aim of Islamophobia, President Erdoğan said: “Media outlets should act with the same sense of responsibility, and should avoid slanders aimed at besmirching a segment of the society. We as Türkiye attach great importance to combating Islamophobia and work to establish global solidarity with regard to this issue.”

Stating that a significant step has been taken on the basis of his call in his address to the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, and also during the term presidency of the Summit, President Erdoğan said: “The UN General Assembly has declared March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Now, we must work together to further raise this awareness.”

“Similarly, it is imperative that we defend the Palestinian cause, which is the reason for the establishment of our organization, in a stronger manner. We must better explain the occupation and deprivation of rights of our Palestinian brothers and sisters on their own lands to the whole world. We must more effectively support the efforts for a political solution to help the Syrian people get rid of the spiral of conflict, humanitarian crisis and terror they are in. We cannot overcome the attacks targeting the Islamic world without increasing our cooperation on all fronts from Palestine to Kashmir, from Cyprus to Western Thrace. In this direction, your support for our organization's initiatives in the field of media is of utmost importance,” President Erdoğan said.