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P 271134Z NOV 06
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UNCLAS ISTANBUL 002109 
 
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SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY DELETING SECSTATE AS INFO ADDEE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV SOCI TU
SUBJECT: TESEV STUDY ON RELIGION AND POLITICS 
 
¶1.  Summary.  On November 21, TESEV, a leading Turkish NGO, 
released the results of a recent survey on Islam and 
Politics.  Some of the results were surprising, most notably 
the indication that the number of women wearing headscarves 
is declining despite a general belief to the contrary.  A 
majority of those surveyed think that the military has a 
right to criticize the civilian government but also believe 
secularism can be protected without the military.  According 
to the study, Turkish people do not view the headscarf issue 
as a priority although they increasingly self-identify as 
devout Muslims.  The study also showed that there is very 
little support for sharia law in Turkey and that terrorist 
attacks in the name of Islam are unacceptable to a great 
majority.  In his opening speech at the press conference 
TESEV President Dr. Can Paker said the urban, educated, 
well-off secular population and the rural, uneducated poor 
were converging due to urbanization and economic growth.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2.  The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation 
(TESEV) announced the findings of a recent survey on Islam 
and Politics in Turkey at a November 21 press conference 
attended by academics as well as representatives from 
diplomatic missions and some political parties.  TESEV 
President Can Paker's presentation was followed by a cordial 
question and answer session, notably different from previous 
TESEV meetings on more controversial issues that erupted into 
fist fights. 
 
Religion and Identity 
---------------------- 
 
¶3.  According to survey results, 48.5% of Turkish people view 
themselves as "Islamists" whereas 20% see themselves as 
"secular."  Also, the percentage of people who see themselves 
as "fairly religious" or "very religious" increased to 59% in 
2006 from 31% in a similar TESEV survey conducted in 1999. 
The study also showed that those who define themselves first 
as "Muslims" increased from 35.7% in 1999 to 44.6% in 2006 
while those who see themselves first as "Turks" dropped from 
20.8% to 19.4%.  Approximately 30% of the people define 
themselves first as "Turkish citizens."  The emphasis on 
Islam as an identity is more common among Kurds with 57% self 
identifing as Muslims, while only 19.8% identify themselves 
as "Kurds" first.  Islamic identity is lowest among Alevis 
with only 32.5% choosing Muslim as a primary 
self-identification. 
 
Headscarf: Fewer in Numbers, But More Visible 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The survey showed that the number of women covering their 
heads outside their homes went down from 72.5% in 1999 to 
61.3% in 2006.  However, 64% of the interviewees said they 
saw an increase in the number of covered women in daily life, 
despite survey results showing fewer women veiling.  48.8% of 
all women said they used traditional head covering whereas 
11.4% use the "turban," which is seen by secularists as a 
political style.  Prof. Binnaz Toprak from Bogazici 
University noted in her presentation that the percentage of 
covered women decreased as income levels and education levels 
went up, and that most of the decline in headscarf use came 
from the younger generation, especially among those between 
18 and 24 years. 
 
¶5.  When asked an open-ended question about the most 
important problems in Turkey, only 3.7% said the headscarf 
issue was a priority.  Economic problems such as unemployment 
and low income levels top the list at 38% and 12% 
respectively, followed by terrorism and education.  71% think 
that university students should be allowed to wear 
headscarves as school, but 65% say they would allow their 
daughters to uncover their heads so that they could attend 
university if the current ban on headscarves in university 
classrooms were sustained. 
 
Islam and Politics 
------------------- 
 
¶6.  Only 9% of the interviewees said they wanted a sharia 
state in Turkey, a significant decrease from 21% in 1999. 
61.3% do not think that Islamic extremism is rising, and 73% 
do not think that secularism is under threat.  Around 59% of 
the people think that the military should sometimes criticize 
the civilian government; however, nearly 53% think Turkey 
does not need the military's involvement to protect the 
secular nature  of society.  Poll results show that support 
for military involvement in politics is lower among Islamists 
and Kurds.  Also, 74% think that the next president should be 
a devout Muslim, while 51% say it is important that the 
President's wife not wear a headscarf. 
 
 
 
¶7.  Survey results show that violence and terrorism on behalf 
of Islam is not acceptable.  Only 20% of the people say they 
would approve suicide attacks against military targets if the 
 
country had been invaded (a worse case scenario).  Support 
for suicide attacks against civilian targets is only 8%, also 
under the invasion scenario.  Similarly, 83% disapprove of 
Israeli attacks against civilians in Palestine, while 73% 
disapprove of attacks on civilians in Iraq.  81% say such 
attacks are unacceptable in Islam. 
 
Tolerance vs. Sectarianism 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Despite some moderate results, the survey also reports 
increasing suspicion of those from different ethnic and 
religious backgrounds.  Those who think that people from 
other religions can be "good enough" went down from 89% in 
1999 to 72% in 2006.  55% believe the Jews run the world 
economy.  Also, 43% said they would not want a Greek couple 
as neighbors, while 66% would oppose a gay neighbor.  59% say 
missionary activities should be limited and only 26.6% 
approve of the reopening of the Halki Seminary.  Prof. Ali 
Carkoglu said in his concluding remarks that sectarianism was 
more common among those who defined themselves as "Islamists." 
 
¶9.  Comment:  The TESEV study results indicate a change in 
the understanding and definition of "religious conservatism" 
in Turkey.  Although people identify themselves as personally 
more religious, support for extremism is declining.  The 
results also show that people are more concerned about 
economic and standard of living issues than political issues 
such as headscarves at university.  Confidence in the secular 
system is very high, and although the military is respected 
it is not viewed as a necessary protection against an erosion 
of secular values in society.  However, a majority of people 
are increasingly suspicious of those with different religious 
or ethnic backgrounds and remain indifferent to the problems 
faced by minority groups.  End Comment. 
JONES