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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000373 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH GOVERNMENT CRITICIZES DECISION TO CENSOR 
DARWIN 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary and comment:  Fierce reaction to the recent 
decision of the Turkish Scientific and Technological Studies 
Institution (TUBITAK) to pull a planned cover story about 
Charles Darwin has led GOT officials to speak out against the 
decision.  Following a protest organized by the University 
Councils Association in front of TUBITAK offices, where 
demonstrators chanted, "Stop the enemies of science," and 
"AKP withdraw your hand from science," as well as criticism 
by politicians and civil society that the decision smacked of 
blatant censorship, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan and 
State Minister Mehmet Aydin issued sharp public rebukes to 
TUBITAK.  A wide array of our contacts believe the incident 
is a direct result of ongoing efforts by the ruling Justice 
and Development Party (AKP) to place its loyalists in 
leadership positions in nominally independent bodies, 
including the Radio and Television Monitoring Board (RTUK) 
and Higher Education Council (YOK).  Although pulling the 
Darwin story is a stain on TUBITAK's reputation, the quick 
reaction of two senior GOT leaders demonstrates the growing 
ability of civil society to affect the government, and the 
continuing pragmatism of AKP.  End summary and comment. 
 
--------------- 
Darwin Censored 
--------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Turkish Scientific and Technological Studies 
Institution (TUBITAK) attracted headlines March 11 after its 
14-member Scientific and Technological Research Council 
vetoed a planned cover story about Charles Darwin for the 
March issue of its respected "Information and Technology" 
magazine.  Turkish press reported that TUBITAK's 
editor-in-chief Dr. Cigdem Atakuman had planned the Darwin 
cover story to commemorate Darwin's 200-year birthday and 
UNESCO's declaration of 2009 as the "Year of Darwin."  When 
TUBITAK Vice President Professor Omer Cegbeci learned of the 
project, he reportedly replaced the cover story with one 
about global warming, and removed Atakuman from her senior 
editorial job. 
 
----------------------- 
Outcry Against Decision 
----------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Reaction from politicians, academia, and civil society 
was immediate and strong.  Turkey's main opposition 
Republican People's Party (CHP) filed a parliamentary motion 
to censure TUBITAK that asked, "Isn't it a kind of censorship 
to intervene?  How was the decision made?"  The University 
Councils Association organized a March 11 demonstration in 
front of TUBITAK's Ankara office, across the street from the 
Embassy.  About one hundred demonstrators chanted, "Stop the 
enemies of science," and "AKP withdraw your hand from 
science."  The group claimed to reporters covering the event 
that a pro-Fethullah Gulen mindset had infiltrated the 
government and state institutions.  The Chamber of Electrical 
Engineer's released a statement reading, "freedom is about 
more than freedom to exercise your religion and faith." 
 
¶4. (U) "Milliyet's" Semih Idiz called the move "stunning and 
unacceptable censorship," and wrote sarcastically that it 
would now come as no surprise if TUBITAK banned discussions 
of Galileo and Copernicus.  Turkish daily, "Zaman," known for 
close ties to the government, downplayed the incident by 
writing that Atakuman decided on her own to circumvent 
already agreed upon plans to devote the March cover to global 
warming. 
 
------------------- 
Government Responds 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) Late March 11, Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan, 
speaking to reporters, said suppressing Darwin was the wrong 
decision, and said TUBITAK should have been "more sensitive 
on the issue."  Speaking March 11 at the opening of TUBITAK's 
Aegean research and development day in Izmir, State Minister 
Mehmet Aydin said, "You cannot censor such a renowned 
scientist.  This is not TUBITAK's mission."  Aydin also said 
that TUBITAK had assured him that Atakuman was not removed 
 
ANKARA 00000373  002 OF 002 
 
 
from her editor-in-chief post.  TUBITAK President Huket Yetis 
was present at the opening but did not answer questions on 
the issue.  Neither Cebeci nor Atakuman have responded to any 
press inquiries. 
 
----------------------- 
Creeping Politicization 
----------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Many believe the incident demonstrates that TUBITAK, 
a nominally independent institution, has become deeply 
politicized following President Gul's 2007 appointment of its 
current President Nuket Yetis, and August 2008 amendments to 
its charter that gave the PM the right to select 7 members of 
the 14-member board.  "Hurriyet's" Yusuf Kanli wrote, "Ever 
since AKP came to power, like all other government agencies, 
gradually TUBITAK was occupied with people with almond 
mustaches on their faces or in their heads, scientific 
independence was brushed aside, and independent-minded people 
employed there were encouraged to leave."  METU Professor 
Aykan Erdemir likened the politicization of the nominally 
independent body to "AKP's steady takeover of once strongly 
secular Higher Education Council (YOK), the Radio and 
Television Monitoring Board (RTUK) and other nominally 
independent government bodies." 
 
¶7. (SBU) Several contacts decried the censorship but praised 
the GOT's quick response.  Human rights activist Orhan Kemal 
Cengiz called TUBITAK's move "blatant censorship" but said he 
was consoled somewhat by Speaker Toptan's and State Minister 
Aydin's quick response.  EU poloff Sema Kilicer told us that 
she is skeptical that the government's response will quell 
the growing support for creationism in Turkey, evidenced by 
the immense and still growing popularity of Adnan Oktar - a 
religious sect leader who promotes intelligent design in 
Turkey and worldwide, and who has filed numerous lawsuits in 
Turkey against his opponents, resulting in court orders to 
shut down prominent websites, such as YouTube and Word Press. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
Jeffrey