Turkey: Oligarchy in Turkey

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TDN: 06 Sept. 1997
 
                     Alevi businessmen set up CUSIAD
                                       
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    By Neslihan Ozturk / Turkish Daily News
    
   Istanbul - A new businessmen`s association is joining the ranks of the
   Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) and the
   Independent Industrialists' and Industrialists' Association (MUSIAD).
   Leading Turkish Alevi businessmen will soon set up an association
   called the Republican Industrialists and Businessmen's Association
   (Cumhuriyetci Sanayici ve Isadamlari Dernegi, CUSIAD).
   
   CUSIAD intends to become an alternative to the other organizations.
   CUSIAD already includes many business people such as Ibrahim Polat,
   Ali Tanriverdi and Cemal Canpolat. CUSIAD Coordinator Prof. Dr.
   Ibrahim Dogan has announced the following goals: "Cooperation among
   members; keeping alive national culture and ideals; improving the
   scientific and cultural values of Turkish society; providing
   scholarships for successful students; printing publications to provide
   communication among businessmen; establishing dialogue and channels of
   cooperation with other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that
   comply with republican principles; setting up new companies or
   supporting and participating in already running companies in order to
   achieve these targets."
   
   The chairman of the Cem Foundation, Prof. Dr. Izzettin Dogan said the
   idea of establishing CUSIAD came about because of the requests of
   Alevi businessmen who support Cem Foundation. "We`ve been getting
   reactions from the public who are asking 'Why, if everybody else is
   organizing, aren't the republic supporters doing so?' and from small
   and medium sized businessmen who are not represented by associations
   such as MUSIAD and TUSIAD.
   
   "CUSIAD has been set up to meet this need. Policies that ignored the
   Alevi masses ignited this enterprise." he said. Dogan also added that
   CUSIAD welcomed everybody without distinguishing whether they were
   Alevi or Sunni, spoke a different language or were of a different
   religion or origin. "The only principle we require is that of being
   faithful to the Republic. CUSIAD business people have no intentions of
   becoming richer. CUSIAD is being founded to help in the country`s
   development and provide support for people in need," he said.
   
  One hundred thousand dollars for the building
  
   CUSIAD is planned to open headquarters by the end of September. One
   hundred thousand dollars has already been put aside for the building,
   donated by founding members. The building will have modern high tech
   offices and will be in a central place such as Taksim or Mecidiyekoy.
   
   Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Dogan says CUSIAD will meet everybody`s needs. He
   adds "This association will be open to all business people who believe
   in Ataturk's principles, value human rights and comply with the basic
   principles of the Republic. The purpose here is not to be separated
   into different camps, but to help raise enlightened republican
   children in our country, based on the power we will create with our
   own means."

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Press Agency Ozgurluk
The Struggle for justice, democracy and human rights in Turkey and Kurdistan
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