Turkish Migrant Organisations after the 2011 Van Earthquake: Member Interests versus Humanitarian Principles

Abstract

This article applies organisational sociology to provide an empirical analysis of the roles that two different types of Turkish migrant organisations, headquartered in Germany, played after the 2011 Van earthquake in Turkey, and their different levels of commitment to the traditional humanitarian principles. It shows that the faith-based organisation, Islamic Community Millî Görüş, and the political organisation, Federation of Democratic Workers' Unions, engaged in various activities after the crisis in order to legitimise themselves to their members in Germany. It also demonstrates that their motivations, activities, roles, partners and, most importantly, their commitment to the traditional humanitarian principles diverged due to their different organisational characteristics. Finally, it discusses whether and to what extent humanitarian principles can promote coherence and coordination in the crowded and diverse world of humanitarian actors, especially at a time when the number of humanitarian actors, such as migrant organisations, is rapidly growing and their roles and impacts are becoming increasingly important.

Notes

¹ General Assembly Resolution 46/182 endorsed the principles of humanity, neutrality and impartiality while Resolution 58/114 included the principle of independence (Dijkzeul & Lieser, 2013).

² For DIASPEACE working papers, see https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/handle/123456789/36874 (accessed 12 January 2013).

³ Islamic MOs are often active in their countries of origin and in third countries because their faith motivates them to provide aid to those in need, especially to the worldwide Muslim community (ummah) (Sezgin & Dijkzeul, 2013).

⁴ Given the rapidly changing character of IGMG and its member organisations, the accuracy of these numbers could not be verified.

⁵ The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution is the German domestic intelligence agency. Its mission is to gather information on groups that challenge the democratic constitutional structure based on the principle of liberty (freiheitlich-demokratische Grundordnung).

⁶ Organised in the form of a political party, Erbakan's Islamist Millî Görüş movement in Turkey was banned and re-established several times.

⁷Adil düzen (“just order”) involved the rejection of capitalism, the development of heavy industry in Turkey, a state-owned banking system, the abolition of usury and the unification of Islam and society (Schiffauer, 2004, pp. 70).

⁸ The Festival of Sacrifice is an important religious holiday for Muslims, during which approved types of animals are slaughtered. One third of every sacrificed animal goes to the family who slaughters it, one third is given to relatives, friends and neighbours and the other third is given to people in need.

⁹ For detailed information on Cansuyu, see http://www.cansuyu.org.tr/ (accessed 6 January 2014).