Travels are part of my life and I have been to many places and countries. But the trip to Turkey last month had been an entirely different learning experience. It was a journey which proved that you must not leave things which apparently seem impossible without making the last attempt, because if Allah wills, it definitely happens. I can’t still believe the fact that I was able to participate in the conference organised by International Conscience Movement on 20th February 2019 at Istanbul.
I received the call for my consent three weeks prior to the conference schedule. When I discussed the matter with our leaders, everyone said I must go. They had nothing to say except: “It would be a great experience” and “It’s going to be a good exposure,” etc. As far as my husband is concerned he has always been a great support to all such activities. So I didn’t think much. Sent the profile as they asked for it. The formal invitation and ticket to apply for visa came on 12th February. The travel was on 18th morning from Delhi. Prepared all necessary documents that day itself. Enquired all possible means to get the visa quickly. It requires at
least ten working days to get visa from Kochi. Discussed with those who had gone to Turkey earlier. They all said that it’s difficult to get the visa. Better you forget the matter. But the whole-hearted support of our leaders, especially T. Arifali and my own family, made things easier for me. Started for New Delhi on 13th and reached Markaz by night. Only three working days were left for us. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Arifali was very confident about getting the visa.
But I thought the travel to Delhi shouldn’t go waste. Can utilise the time for making my Urdu more fluent and exploring Markaz library. Thursday morning itself went to HWF office. Prepared some more documents from there and went to the Embassy of Turkey along with Dr. Rizwan Rafeequi. From there to V.F.S office as per their instruction. The experience of Dr. Rizwan and the consideration as woman made things easier. Got visa the very next day itself. After that only I told my colleagues and relatives about the journey. Brother Sabah Ali helped me a lot in the preparation of the trip from New Delhi.
Along with Dr. Juveria Farheen from New Delhi we started our journey on 18th February. It took seven hours to reach Istanbul. It was my first experience of Turkey airlines. The service was good, and the well-behaved cabin crew made the journey comfortable. Moreover, the T.V screen on the airlines provided us with documentaries on Turkey which helped us make a primary study of the place we were going to visit. Also, unlike in other airlines, apart from the Qur’an and movie channels, they had an educational channel with many useful programmes to help us utilise the time in hand.
The immigration procedure got completed without much delay at Istanbul. Brother Mucahit, a representative of the organisers, was waiting for us outside. It won’t be out of place if we describe him as an embodiment of patience and politeness. He welcomed us with good Islamic etiquette and took us to hotel Lionel at Byrampasa. It took around 30 minutes to reach there. The streets and roads were like those in Makkah with ups and downs and crowded with huge buildings. Many reputed hotels are situated there. Our return journey was on 22nd February. So we got enough time before and after the conference to explore Istanbul.
A journey to my roots
Having born in a Rawuthar family from Palakkad district of Kerala, which is very close to Tamil Nadu, the trip to Turkey means going to my own roots. Historians say that the Rawuthars who live in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are descendants of a group of Muslim soldiers, a mixture of Arabian and Turkish horse traders and Rajputs of North India who came to the South in the 12th century. The Rawuthars are also called Tulukkar or Turukkar probably derived from Turukkiyar, meaning Turkish, owing to their Turkish ancestry. By calling fathers ‘atha’, as the Turks do, and mothers ‘amma’, Rawuthar families retain their Turkic and Indian culture together. ‘Rabuthu’ in Arabic, ‘Ravuth’ in Telugu, ‘Rahootha’ in Sanskrit are terms connected with horse trading and caring. As far as I am concerned, my only familiarity with the word Turkey was the Turkish cap used by my ‘Atha’ (father) when I was a child. Because of that I was very much excited about my trip.
Usually whenever I am at the Harams of Makkah and Madinah, I find many ladies from Turkey looking exactly like my nannima (grandmother). The same experience I had at the masjids and markets of Istanbul. One day when I was taking a rest after prayer inside one masjid, one Turkish sister compelled me to eat with her, reminding me of those good old days with my grandma.
Istanbul: The Historical City
Istanbul, the former Constantinople, spread over two continents of Europe and Asia enriched by a rich cultural and historical heritage, is the largest city of not just Turkey but the entire Europe. Bosphorus Strait is one of the main attractions tourists love to visit. It is an internationally significant waterway located in north western Turkey. It forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia. In other words, it is the meeting point of the east and the west. This geographical feature has affected the culture of Turkey. It’s a combination of eastern and western cultures along with the Arab culture. The Bosphorus Strait joins Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara and is the narrowest strait in the world. The Bosphorus trip, arranged by the organisers as part of the conference, was an unforgettable experience.
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is the world’s oldest and one of the largest markets in the world with 61 streets and around 3000 shops. It is impossible to visit and see the entire bazaar in one go.
From the days of Byzantine rule to the era of Ottomans, most of the historical places in Istanbul are open to the public for viewing. We were able to visit the main attractions in Istanbul like Hagia Sophia built between 532 and 537CE, the Sulthan Ahmed Masjid or Blue Mosque built in 1616, Topkapi Palace, Panorama Museum and Sultan Ayoob Al Ansari Mosque.
Every building, especially masjids, is replete with architectural designs and art. It is said that it was the Turkish who taught the world architectural skills. We came to know that in order to protect the historic importance and ethnicity of buildings and places in certain areas, whenever an old building is to be renovated, they need to get special permission on the condition that they will be made exactly as how it was before.
Istanbul City has mainly eight bridges (Bosphorus Bridge, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, the Galata Bridge, Golden Horn Metro Bridge, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Ata Turk Bridge, Fil Bridge, Halis Bridge), five towers and 12 columns. It has the second position, next only to Moscow, in the number of tall buildings with as many as 269 skyscrapers. The city is also beautified and enriched by lakes and rivers. The 3D show at Panorama Museum, depicting the history of 1453, was a thrilling experience. I felt as though I was in the Battle of Badr or Uhud.
Travel Facilities
The travel facilities which make it possible for everyone, including women, to travel fearlessly and economically helped us explore Istanbul City without much hesitance. You can purchase an Istanbul card with 10 Turkey Lira (the Currency of Turkey) and recharge it and use for punching. Mini buses, Big buses, Metro trains, Trams are the main means of transportation. Yellow colour Taxis ply in abundance but we were advised to avoid relying on them.
Respect for women
The Turkish, just like other Europeans, give importance to their mother tongue and those who know English are not very common. Still we were able to travel alone thanks to the respect that they give to women. There are no reserved seats for women in public transports; but with no disparity between a native and a foreigner; the Turkish people readily leave their seats for ladies to sit. This consideration was seen in shops also. Women are given respectable, convenient and comfortable places compared to men in masjids. There is no restriction on dressing. Women can enter anywhere. We witnessed a Janaza (funeral) prayer at the courtyard of a masjid in which both men and women were standing for prayer without any separation. Women’s participation was seen in all fields including driving, business, education, health
services, administration and governance.
The Change that is surprising
In a country, where for around a century, all symbols and signs of Islam were forbidden and suppressed we can now see all of them in plenty at public places. The fact that most of the youth of Turkey are now interested in Islamic way of living and dressing gives hope to a believer. They also respect the believers of other religions and mingle and interact freely with them. Non-believers are also given chances to visit and watch the activities inside the masjids and are given copies of the Qur’an and other literature free of cost. I heard one British woman praising the practical aspect of Islam after visiting the masjid and museum.
Indian Students
Some students from Kerala and Tamil Nadu studying at Marmara University came to visit me at the hotel. From them I understood that there is very good scope for Indian students to study at Turkey universities with good infrastructure and of course with stipend. There are also girls doing higher education there. They seem to be content with their system.
The Conference
The conference was on 20th February. Delegates were from different countries, different religions, ideologies, languages, cultures and colours but with one thing in common that is HUMANITY. Just like one family we gathered there. Many behaved as though we had been knowing each other for years. The media crew were present one hour before the conference. They were taking interviews of delegates and participants, including us.
The call of the conference was “Release all Women and Children Prisoners in Syria unconditionally.” Adv. Gulden Sonmez, British Journalist Colin Stevens and Kuwait Rights Activist Aisha al‐Qassar read out the press release in Turkish, English and Arabic languages respectively. It is as follows:
INTERNATIONAL CONSCIENCE MOVEMENT
CONSCIENCE MOVEMENT FEBRUARY 20th CALL
Release all Women and Children Prisoners in Syria Unconditionally!
We, as the human family, are repeatedly warned by all religious and moral texts not to fight and in case of war to respect human, moral and legal rules.
Today the world has learned a lesson from the two world wars of the past century and remembers them with sorrow. These bloody wars led to the killing of millions of people across the world. Dreams of those people who lost their lives were filled with hope, their loved ones were dear to them, and every single one of them had precious lives just as we do. Countless war crimes were committed in these horrific wars which led to the outcries and prayers of almost every household, street, mosque, church, and synagogue to prevent this suffering to ever happen again; but neither did wars come to an end nor the suffering it causes…
Today the world is witnessing another cruel war which started in Syria in March 2011. Since the beginning of this ongoing war, more than 4,50,000 people lost their lives, even more people are still lost or wounded while more than 11 million were forced to leave their homes. Tens of thousands of people were imprisoned. Even storages, empty schools and warehouses are used as places of torture and prosecution by the Syrian regime. It was not possible to protect civilians in this war, even women and children were either killed or imprisoned.
Up until today over 13,500 women have been arrested and over 7,000 women still remain in these prisons, according to a great number of institutions. The Syrian regime has used rape as a weapon of war and continues to do so. The number of people held in unofficial prisons such as empty factories and warehouses are unknown in official documents. Some of these women were pregnant while they were arrested, giving birth in those prisons while some women were imprisoned together with their children. These horrible incidents have deeply upset and revolted those people around the world who carry a conscience.
The Conscience Convoy, which took place on the Syrian border on March 8, 2018, and brought more than 10,000 women from 55 countries together, continues its aim with the Conscience Movement. More than 2000 NGOs and thousands of people from 110 countries support the movement.
The CONSCIENCE MOVEMENT is an international initiative that has been established primarily for the release of women and children who were held in Syria since the war started in March 2011. It does not only work on the immediate release of Syrian women and children, but for the protection of all civilians in war and conflict zones.
The Conscience Movement will carry out various activities with NGO representatives, politicians, lawyers, academicians, activists, journalists, human rights activists, businessmen and women, artists, athletes, etc. with its thousands of representatives to end inhumane acts as soon as possible.
The relevant international conventions, in particular the Geneva Conventions, have introduced regulations for the non‐ destruction of the civilian population and the prevention of human rights violations in the conditions of war. However, neither international law nor international jurisdiction mechanisms prevent war crimes. We believe that the effect of the law and the manifestation of justice can only be possible if the action of PUBLIC CONSCIENCE and SENSE OF HUMANITY is activated.
We all know that peace is the best option for humanity‐ but it is easier to wage a war rather than build peace. Nevertheless, we want to have law in wars, to prevent brutality.
BECAUSE we are HUMAN and we want to do what is the rightful thing to do as HUMAN BEINGS,
We urge for law and morality in wars. For this reason, we came together from all over the world.
We are the conscience of humanity which hears the silent screams rising from Syrian prisons.
We are those who believe that people, regardless of their religion, language, race or colour, must live in a dignified and humane way without being tortured and persecuted.
We are the prayers rising from the hearts and lips of all people on earth who pray for the freedom of each imprisoned woman and child cruelly incarcerated during the Syrian war.
AS THE CONSCIENCE MOVEMENT WE:
- Call for the unconditional, immediate release of Syrian women and children from prisons without being part of any bargaining.
- Invite all people to take effective measures to protect women and children in wars.
- Invite all international mechanisms particularly the United Nations, including the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and leaders of all states, especially Turkey, Russia and to make efforts in this regard.
- We invite all those around the world carrying conscience to raise their voice right now until the last Syrian woman and child is released.
It was followed by solidarity talks and experience sharing. When the sisters who got released from Syrian prisons shared their experiences I really wondered: “Was it possible for humans to do so?”. For example, Sister Majed Sharbajy, who got released through Turkey government’s intervention, said: “Imprisonment actually means destroy in Syria. Nobody in my family knew where I was kept. 291 was my number. No matter who you are, you are only a number and no release of personal details. Only two square meter space in the prison. We had to take turns to sleep. I was exposed to torture anything you could imagine, electrification to beating. I was threatened with rapes. They removed my headscarf. For three months no bath and some of us got disease. They wanted us to remove the dead bodies of those who died due to torture and buried in unknown places. Pregnant ladies, cancer patients, children and elderly people were arrested. They haven’t committed any crimes. They only wanted peace….”
While listening to that, I was wondering the experiences I heard are terrifying and unbearable. Then what about those unheard? What about those who couldn’t come out of jails and narrate their experiences?
One sister was telling us: “My husband also was arrested. Now there’s no news of him. They must have finished him.”
Some of them shared that the elders in the family were beaten and tortured in front of children. They say they will not be able to recover from the impact even after three generations. Everyone spoke for very limited time‐ average five minutes. Still the message was clear and it facilitated the opportunity for many, including me, to express our opinions. Including the prominent personalities like Nermina Lakota, a representative of the Mothers of Srebrenica, Baroness Pola Uddin, a member of Britain’s House of Lords, Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, Ukranian MP Olga Bogomolets, Pakistan MP Monazza Hassan, Yusuf Abdulrahman‐ chairman of the supreme council of Kenya Muslims and the British journalist Yvonne Ridley and delegates from 45 countries participated. And 110 countries supported the movement, according to the officials.
Syrian Refugees in Turkey
Turkey has the maximum number of Syrian refugees in the world. As per the data of August 2018, they are four million. 20% of them live in Istanbul. They cannot be identified from their dressing or culture. Many have got assimilated with the Turkish culture. We met with many Syrian refugees working in shops which reminded the Muhajir and Ansar in Madinah. To my question “Are you happy here?” one Syrian brother answered: “It has been eight years since I left Syria. My parents live there. I can’t go there and visit them.” Apart from the Turkey government, many NGOs like IHH, are also engaged in activities for the welfare of these refugees.
In Short, it was a great trip which provided us with a lot of unforgettable experiences and taught many lessons. Peace should prevail in this world. Wars should be banned. This is what most of us want. Still why like this? In spite of being progressed, in spite of all the international organisations and regulations, why mankind of the 21st century can’t settle disputes without bloodshed, without ill-treating women and without children being chased or have to run out of their homes? Why all Human Rights that people talk about get limited to the Rights of only a selected few?