Science may be in firing line in Turkey

manufacturing and exporting powerhouse. His critics, on the other hand, think he has become an autocrat who ruthlessly silences anybody who opposes him.

Last month, a cabal of disaffected generals tried unsuccessfully to unseat Erdogan. He has shown his autocratic hand by firing or suspending 6000 soldiers, 8800 policemen, 45,000 civil servants in the military and judiciary, 100 generals and 492 clerics at the Directorate for Religious Affairs.

Many Turkish academics have been asked to resign or be accused of treason. With 21,000 teachers losing their teaching licences and 1500 university deans fired, education has almost been brought to a halt. Erdogan’s government has ordered all universities to call back Turkish academics, including scientists, from abroad.

Under hastily enacted telecommunications law, 80 Turkish journalists have been arrested and many foreign journalists harassed or exiled. Twenty news websites critical of the government have been blocked and a new internet filter installed to ban separatist material on line. Twitter and Facebook have been turned off.

Turkish science has made good progress during the past 60 years, now boasting 180 universities and many other technical institutes, many very strong on engineering. Last year, Aziz Sancar won the Nobel Prize for his discoveries on DNA chemistry.

But some science is losing ground in Turkey as schools and universities are urged to ‘‘harmonise’’ science with the Koran. Of all European countries, Turkey is the most opposed to teaching evolution.

A few years ago, Ankara University’s Professor Kence tried to set up a bronze statue of Charles Darwin in front of his biology building. The prospect of the statue so offended Islamic fundamentalists that they targeted the professor in a vigorous crusade, mailing him the message: ‘‘Enjoy your final moments.’’

Anti-evolutionism has taken a weird form in Turkey, spearheaded by the debonair 60-year-old Adnan Oktar, a Muslim mystic, televangelist and latterday Hugh Heffner. Many of his followers believe he is the prophesised Mahdi, or redeemer of Islam.

Oktar, an Erdogan backer, wields considerable political power in Turkey, recently persuading Turkish courts to ban internet users from viewing evolutionist Richard Dawkins’ website.

Oktar’s private TV channel badmouths the pagan infidel Darwin in front of adoring audiences of scantily dressed, botoxed Versace-clad ‘‘kittens’’ – mainly wealthy socialites basking in anti-evolution chic. Scientists say that Oktar has no understanding of biology. His 800-page Atlas of Creation is full of absurd assertions and laughable errors. Scientists are among the many academics arrested for ‘‘spreading terrorist propaganda’’. Other scientists are feeling very uneasy as they don’t know where Erdogan will strike next.