A meaningful statement came from the Felicity (Saadet) Party regarding the recent debates over the ‘Istanbul Convention’, in which the Milli Gazete played an important role in its annulment with its persistent publications and private works. Saadet Party Youth Branch Chairman and Konya Deputy Abdulkadir Karaduman took the floor at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) General Assembly on the topic of ‘Problems Encountered by the Family Institution and the Istanbul Convention’. Addressing the deputies, Karaduman said that the Istanbul Convention is a Western imposition that legitimizes genderlessness and targets the institution of the family, and called for responsibility to the government and the opposition.
“WE HAVE NEVER BEEN DECEIVED OR CHEAT”
Stating that the Milli Gorus movement has been a movement that has defended the truth for 50 years, Abdulkadir Karaduman said, "The Milli Gorus movement has never been deceived or cheat in its 50-year political history. It has not been and will not be a partner in any sin, wrong or plague. Milli Görüş expresses the origin, belief and core values of this nation. As the Saadet Party, we did not take an attitude or position contrary to what we said. Just as we did not deny what we said today, the next day, we have never been on the side of those who fit hundreds of lies every day, who do not keep one word for another, who violate the material and moral values of this nation, who waste the riches of these lands."
“GENDERLESSNESS IS ENCOURAGED OVERTLY”
Drawing attention to the dangers of the Istanbul Convention, Karaduman added, “Today, the family institution is wanted to be destroyed, and a society without gender, identity and family is wanted to be created. TV channels, laws and practices are used as tools towards this goal, and unfortunately the institutions of the state are used as tools for this. Genderlessness is overtly encouraged and not even interfered with while being advertised. While the marches of the miners are prevented, those who seek their rights are beaten, the organizations that corrupt the generation are given the opportunity, the status of association, are funded by the West, are protected. The doctrine of Haim Nahum, which we have been expressing as Milli Görüş members at every opportunity for half a century, aimed to enslave our beloved nation into debt, to leave them unemployed and starving, and to drive them away from their faith.”
“THIS GLOBAL IMPOSITION IS CONTINUOUSLY HEATED AND PUT AHEAD”
Karaduman said, “While our nation is impoverished by collaborative governments, on the other hand, its faith is attacked without hesitation through global formations. The recent attempts to legitimize the increasing perversions and on the other hand, their moves to disrupt our family structure are close examples of this. The Istanbul Convention, which is a work of global imposition and brought before us by being heated, is the most concrete example of this. Preventing violence against women is the cover of the Istanbul Convention; using the woman as a shield, as a mask; ending both femininity and masculinity; Istanbul Convention is the name of destroying a society.”
“WOMEN ARE ABUSED BY THE ISTANBUL CONVENTION”
Abdulkadir Karaduman added, "Defending that the Istanbul Convention will prevent violence against women is the same as advocating that the United States (US) will bring democracy to Iraq. By defending the Istanbul Convention, you are not defending women, on the contrary, you are exploiting women. The reports are out there. While the number of transgender people has increased exorbitantly in the countries where this convention is best applied, violence against women has not decreased, but increased even more. Here, as our President Temel Karamollaoğlu said, ‘The Istanbul Convention does not want to abolish violence, it wants to abolish gender. This contract puts a bombshell at the bottom of the family institution.’ You cannot prevent violence against women without protecting the family. It is not possible to overcome this issue with only legal regulations. The causes of violence should be addressed in its entirety and there is a need to transfer our core values to the society.”
Calling on the deputies to act responsibly regarding the Istanbul Convention, Karaduman said, “We, as the Saadet Party, declare here that no mortal will be able to legitimize these perversions as long as we exist. We did not find this country on the street! From here, I appeal to the clear conscience of all our deputies and our beloved nation. Do not make the mistake of accepting a perversion that you do not want to happen to your own child, just because the dominant powers want it. The greatest responsibility here is that of the power that troubled us with this humiliation. It is not enough to abolish the Istanbul Convention, all legal arrangements that form the basis of it should be canceled and it should be implemented urgently by making arrangements in accordance with the faith of our nation. Nobody should try to accuse us of radicalism and reaction because we oppose the cultural invasion of imperialism. We will never subcontract to the global powers in this land and we will never give an opportunity to those who do. I appeal to everyone: How are we going to run this country if we are to obey the laws imposed on us by the West, even to prevent violence. If we cannot say, 'We do not need the laws of the West, we make our own laws', on whose behalf will we rule this country? How will we look at the face of our nation?”