Hagia Sophia Signals Danger for USA, Religious Minorities

Kate Cvancara on August 3, 2020

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s conversion of the Hagia Sophia into a mosque signals a dangerous political trend for religious minorities across the Middle East, according to Dr. Aykan Erdemir.

Hosted by the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) on July 22, the former member of Turkish Parliament and current Senior Director of the Turkey Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyzed Erdogan’s motives behind Hagia Sophia and forecasted Turkey’s political climate. Erdemir argued that the Hagia Sophia’s conversion into a mosque symbolizes the return of the conquest mentality where religious minorities resume second-class citizenship, hostility increases towards Western countries, and extreme Islamist nationalism provokes clashes throughout the Middle East.

The Hagia Sophia is important because in the 6th century it was the ecumenical seat of Orthodox Christianity. But after the Byzantine Empire fell in 1453, the conquering sultan converted the church into the grandest mosque in the Ottoman Empire.

It was not until 1923 that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk used the Hagia Sophia to symbolize Turkey’s transformation from a Sultan dictatorship into a secular Republic. Thus, the Hagia Sophia became a museum. “This was to be a signal,” Erdemir noted, “of Turkey’s desire to have cordial relations with western allies.”

The Hagia Sophia museum also signaled a domestic commitment to equal rights and protections of religious minorities. No longer seen as “conquered,” Turkish Christians and other minorities did not have to expect second-class citizenship.

But in recent years, Erdogan has driven Turkey towards militant Islamist nationalism. Helping Iran evade sanctions, funding war machines that cause the gassing of Syrian women and children, and publicly supporting Hamas are just a few examples that reveal Erdogan’s true values. “He doesn’t care about victims,” Erdemir observed, “and this relationship is detrimental to everyone, as people want to move on beyond brutal Islamist regimes.”  

In fact, only thirty percent of the Turkish people support Erdogan, and even after he joined the ultranationalist party for more support, Erdogan cannot top fifty percent. His aggressive nationalism, failing economic policies, and complete mismanagement of COVID-19 has betrayed the people’s trust. Erdemir argued that “with the presidential parliamentary elections coming up in 2023, Erdogan is looking for a way out.”

The Hagia Sophia is part of Erdogan’s escape plan. By converting the museum into a mosque, Erdogan will attempt to distract the public from his failures. The president announced this decision a week before the municipal elections knowing that the announcement would divert negative attention and “reframe Turkey’s problems as a clash between east and west” instead of internal corruption.

“When he failed to Islamize his people,” Erdemir stated, “he started Islamizing stones.” This uncovers how “Erdogan is losing the hearts and minds of the people.”  

However, Erdogan is still dangerous. Although the majority does not support him, checks and balances have dissolved into Turkey’s centralized regime, exposing the opposition to intimidation and criminalization. “The president thinks he can get away with anything,” Erdemir observed, “and the West appeases him.”

If this trend continues, religious minorities will be a “conquered class.” Erdogan’s use of the Hagia Sophia “incites violence against religious minorities” because it signals their dwindling status as equal citizens.

Globally, the conversion of the Hagia Sophia hurts Muslim-Christian relations even though “the vast majority of Muslims around world believe in free markets, human rights, and fair elections,” according to Erdemir.

Erdogan’s aggression also hurts Middle Eastern relations. If tensions increase between Egypt and Turkey, the clash between the two biggest states in the region will cause millions to suffer. Erdemir believes that “only one power can mediate and diffuse tensions between the Egypt and Turkey…and that is the USA, which requires a stronger presence in the Middle East.”

Erdemir challenged American isolationism by contending that Russia, Hamas, and other illiberal regimes will keep meddling after the USA retreats. “Isolationism is not in the USA’s interests nor in the Middle East or Africa’s,” Erdemir stated. “When there is a struggle against liberal democracies and illiberal supremacist regimes, we have to pick sides.”

But Erdemir holds onto hope, stating that “Turkey has held competitive multiparty election since 1950 and has a history of imperfect elections where the people have grown accustomed to electing and voting them out.” The people are resilient against the odds, and a secular Turkey might yet prevail.

Ironically, Erdogans’s power weakens him during the election as there is no one left to blame for Turkey’s condition except himself. Until the Turkish people can vote him out, we must keep spreading the true story behind Erdogan’s regime and stop the false narrative he is trying to fabricate using the Hagia Sophia.

  1. Comment by David on August 4, 2020 at 8:34 am

    Religion and politics are an evil mix. We might also look at India where non-Hindus are now being made to feel unwelcome. Turkey is part of NATO but increasingly sides with Russia. Dictators find other dictators more supportive than western democracies. Turkey has an urban/rural divide as does the US with conservatives out in the hinterlands. So far, the secularists have been outvoted.

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