Ahiska
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A conference organized by the Massachusetts Ahiskan Turks Association (MATA) was disrupted by individuals identifying themselves as supporters of the Turkish government, who then attempted to occupy the stage after asserting that they were the real representatives of Ahiskan Turks.
During the third such conference, held at the University of New England, a group of individuals identifying themselves as supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) threatened members of MATA, demanding representation on the conference panel, according to Turkish media.
The Ahiska Turks were forced to leave their homes in the Georgian city of Meskheti in 1944, and have since been unable to return.
The intruders reportedly demanded that three of their group be represented as speakers on the panel, a request denied by the organizers of the conference, at which point the angry group was said to have issued threats to those present, demanding that the conference be disbanded.
One individual, who identified himself as the leader of the group, İslam Shakhbandarov, reportedly hurled accusations at the conference organizers, saying: “This is the work of the parallel structure. They're trying to divide us [Ahiskan Turks].” The parallel structure is a derogatory term devised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to denigrate the faith-based Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement. Shakhbandarov claimed to have driven 10 hours to the event.
Erdoğan and the AK Party government have launched a campaign against the Hizmet movement, inspired by the ideas of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, after a corruption probe went public on Dec. 17, 2013, incriminating senior members of the government, the sons of three now-former ministers and government-affiliated figures, as well as family members of then-Prime Minister Erdoğan.
When asked whether he had any documents proving the existence of the parallel structure, Shakhbandarov was unable to provide any. The intruders were ushered out of the conference hall by campus security.
During the third such conference, held at the University of New England, a group of individuals identifying themselves as supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) threatened members of MATA, demanding representation on the conference panel, according to Turkish media.
The Ahiska Turks were forced to leave their homes in the Georgian city of Meskheti in 1944, and have since been unable to return.
The intruders reportedly demanded that three of their group be represented as speakers on the panel, a request denied by the organizers of the conference, at which point the angry group was said to have issued threats to those present, demanding that the conference be disbanded.
One individual, who identified himself as the leader of the group, İslam Shakhbandarov, reportedly hurled accusations at the conference organizers, saying: “This is the work of the parallel structure. They're trying to divide us [Ahiskan Turks].” The parallel structure is a derogatory term devised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to denigrate the faith-based Gülen movement, also known as the Hizmet movement. Shakhbandarov claimed to have driven 10 hours to the event.
Erdoğan and the AK Party government have launched a campaign against the Hizmet movement, inspired by the ideas of Turkish Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen, after a corruption probe went public on Dec. 17, 2013, incriminating senior members of the government, the sons of three now-former ministers and government-affiliated figures, as well as family members of then-Prime Minister Erdoğan.
When asked whether he had any documents proving the existence of the parallel structure, Shakhbandarov was unable to provide any. The intruders were ushered out of the conference hall by campus security.
