Misunderstanding ’behind problem’
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 14, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - State Minister Mehmet Aydın said Friday his previous remarks on the change to the cover of a Turkish scientific journal were misunderstood.
"I did not intend to say TÜBİTAK should not study Darwinism," he said at a press conference Friday.
Aydın had previously said there are many people who are already "occupied with" Darwinism in Turkey and that the topic is not the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, or TÜBİTAK’s, issue. His remarks drew harsh criticism.
"A man who is known by everyone and covered in school books in Turkey cannot be censored in the 21st century to keep people from knowing him," Aydın said Friday. "Who does such a thing? It is impossible." Aydın also dismissed allegations that the journal’s planned cover story on Darwin had been withdrawn because of Islamic beliefs that reject the famous scientist’s theory of evolution, saying the cover change was an issue related to "business hierarchy."
"Since 2009 is the Darwin Year, an extended study on the topic continues and an issue on Darwin will still be published," he said. TÜBİTAK planned to cover Darwin and his theories in the March issue of its journal, but the organization’s vice president, Professor Ömer Cebeci, replaced the story with an article on climate change.
The journal’s chief editor, Dr. Çiğdem Atakuman, has reportedly been removed from her post for preparing the Darwin cover story.
TÜBİTAK said Atakuman was removed on the grounds that she breached her authority; a claim the former editor rejected in a written statement released late Friday. In her statement, Atakuman said Cebeci removed her from office.
Aydın had previously said there are many people who are already "occupied with" Darwinism in Turkey and that the topic is not the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, or TÜBİTAK’s, issue. His remarks drew harsh criticism.
"A man who is known by everyone and covered in school books in Turkey cannot be censored in the 21st century to keep people from knowing him," Aydın said Friday. "Who does such a thing? It is impossible." Aydın also dismissed allegations that the journal’s planned cover story on Darwin had been withdrawn because of Islamic beliefs that reject the famous scientist’s theory of evolution, saying the cover change was an issue related to "business hierarchy."
"Since 2009 is the Darwin Year, an extended study on the topic continues and an issue on Darwin will still be published," he said. TÜBİTAK planned to cover Darwin and his theories in the March issue of its journal, but the organization’s vice president, Professor Ömer Cebeci, replaced the story with an article on climate change.
The journal’s chief editor, Dr. Çiğdem Atakuman, has reportedly been removed from her post for preparing the Darwin cover story.
TÜBİTAK said Atakuman was removed on the grounds that she breached her authority; a claim the former editor rejected in a written statement released late Friday. In her statement, Atakuman said Cebeci removed her from office.