The 5th of Turkmen Intellectuals Meeting Series was held at ORSAM

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ORSAM carried out the fifth Turkmen Intellectuals Meetings on 14 November 2009. Many Turkmen intellectuals and representatives of some of the Turken associations participated to the meeting titled “The Role of Turkmen Associations in the Turkmen Cause and Their Current Problems“ from various cities of Turkey”.

 At the beginning of the meeting ORSAM Director Hasan Kanbolat gave information about ORSAM.

On the main topic of the meeting; “The Role of Turkmen Associations in the Turkmen Cause and Their Current Problems” each of the presidents and representatives of Turkmen associations in Turkey made one presentation.  These were the participants:

 1- President of  Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association Mehmet TÜTÜNCÜ

2- President of Türkmeneli Human Rights Association Savaş AVCI

3- Türkmeneli Human Rights Association Honory President Dr. Nefi DEMİRCİ

4- President of Iraq Turkmen Union and Solidarity Association Dr. Kürşat ÇAVUŞOĞLU

5- President of Iraqi Turks Brotherhood and Culture Association Salman NALBANTOĞLU

6- President of Iraq Turks Justice and Solidarity Association Mithat İBRAHİM

7- President of Turkmen Intellectuals Association Fuat TİĞİN

8- President of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association Konya Branch Dr. İlham BEYATLI

9- President of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association Ankara Branch Mahmut KASAP

10- President of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association İzmir Branch Timur TAŞ

Firstly Türkmeneli Human Rights Association Honorary President Dr. Nefi DEMİRCİ has made a speech who has an important place in Turkmen cause. Demirci, while giving information about the foundation of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, mentioned the problems of the era. At the end of the speech, Demirci who gave a message to the youth, demanded that the youth should take this cause into their own hands.

 Secondly President of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association Mehmet TÜTÜNCÜ talked about the activities of Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association and mentioned that since 1991 all the Turkmen activities ranging from culture to politics have been managed by this association. Tütüncü emphasized that Iraqi Turks Culture and Solidarity Association has very significant place in Turkmen cause. He added that there are Works to bring all Turkmen associations under same the umbrella of same confederation.

 The Presidents of İzmir, Konya and Ankara branches gave informations after Mehmet Tütüncü. 

 The President of Ankara Branch Mahmut Kasap confessed that they lack the Works toward the region and mentioned that Turkmens in Turkey are indifferent to the activities of the associations. Kasap said that Turkmens from every level should participate to the activities and added that Turkmen decision makers have to be decisive and responsible. The head of İzmir Branch Timur Taş expressed that due to the gaps in infrastructure the association apply wrong policies and this cause great losses for Turkmens. The head of Konya Branch İlham Beyatlı emphasized that firstly the yare themselves the ones who should be responsile at first and added that the planned vision cannot be implemented properly.

 President of Turkmen Intellectuals Association Fuat Tiğin said that the founding aim of the association is to move the Turkmen cause to the international platform and to become the voice of the region and serves as a bridge between the region and Turkey.

President of Türkmeneli Human Rights Association Savaş Avcı in his speech, indicated that Turkmen associations must be one voice and the associations lack the capacity to announce the problems of Turkmens to the world. Avcı who further expressed that there is a disconnection among the Turkmen foundations, said that this can be solved through coordination and division of labor which can be provided by Turkmen a federation or confederation of Turkmen foundations.

 President of Iraq Turkmen Union and Solidarity Association Kürşat Çavuşoğlu emphasized the disconnection among the Turkmen foundations and said that civil society organizations must be activated and Turkmen cause has to be announced.

 President of Iraqi Turks Brotherhood and Culture Association Salman Nalbantoğlu said that they aim to strengthen the ties among Turkmens and to pronounce the problems of Turkmens to the world. Nalbantoğlu who mentioned that their association generally works for the education of the public, said that the association serves in social and cultural areas first and foremost in Kirkuk and in other places that Turkmens live. 

 Lastly the President of Iraq Turks Justice and Solidarity Association Mithat İbrahim mentioned that their purpose is to provide the participation of all Turkmens from every region to the cause and he attracted attention especially to their activities in health area.

 Later on the discussion started with questions of the audience. The participants, who mentioned their views about ORSAM, appreciated the Works of ORSAM and said that these works serve as a model for all. Besides they mentioned that ORSAM does a very important work and demanded that Turkmen associations abroad must be brought together in the same direction.