Indonesia warns students in Turkey away from Gulenists

By Ainur Rohmah

TUBAN, Indonesia

One week after Indonesia was asked by Turkey to clamp down on organizations linked to United States-based preacher Fetullah Gulen, the country has warned its citizens in Turkey away from a Gulen affiliate.

Ankara has accused the Fetullah Terrorist Group (FETO) of orchestrating the attempted coup of July 15 in which FETO-linked military personnel attempted -- unsuccessfully -- to overthrow Turkey’s elected government, and asked countries worldwide to cease links.

Indonesia's national news agency Antara reported Tuesday that the government had asked around 300 Indonesian students in Turkey to temporarily stay away from their educational sponsor, the Pacific Nations Social and Economic Development Association (PASIAD).

On July 28, PASIAD was named in a statement by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Jakarta as FETO's umbrella organization in Indonesia.

It called for nine named affiliated schools to be shuttered, but Indonesia said Monday that it had carried out investigations and decided not to close them as they were no longer affiliated to PASIAD.

"There were no signs at all of violence or signs of terror," Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy was reported as saying by Kompas.com. "Until 2015, the schools were working with this organization, but such cooperation has ended."

The matter was not closed, however, with Indonesia's ministry of foreign affairs' director of citizens and legal entities, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, saying Monday that around 300 Indonesian students in Turkey received scholarships from PASIAD.

"We have made them aware through the Indonesian students association, as well as direct communication by the embassy, to stay away from the foundation and its people, who are either personally or politically affiliated with Fetullah Gulen," Antara reported him as saying.

He added that the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara or the General Consulate in Istanbul would give the students accommodation in the event of emergency.

"Internally, we have discussed it with the related ministries to create some scenarios to protect them and save their education if something untoward happened," he said.

On July 28, Turkey released an announcement wired by its embassies throughout the world that asked counterpart governments to shut down any schools believed to have connections with Gulen.

It also asked that the activities of the Gulen Chair within the complex of the State Islam University in Ciputat, Tangerang Selatan, Banten, be ceased.

"It is noteworthy to state that after the coup attempt perpetrated by the FETO terrorist organization, a number of countries decided to shut down the schools, affiliated to it," a statement by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Jakarta said.

It listed the countries as Jordan, Azerbaijan, Somalia and Niger and said that authorities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus had also decided to list Fetullah Terror Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETO/PDY) as a terrorist organization.

"We appreciate the true solidarity of these countries," it underlined.

At least 246 people, including civilians and security personnel, were martyred -- and more than 2,100 injured -- during the illegal July 15 putsch attempt.

Gulen and his followers are also accused of attempting to infiltrate Turkey’s vital state institutions -- especially the military, police apparatus and judiciary -- with the ultimate aim of creating a parallel state.