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Turkey's first lady snubbed by the military leadership

Turkey's new President Abdullah Gul attended the army's Victory Day celebrations on Thursday, but in a fresh snub the new first lady, who wears the Islamic headscarf, was not invited.

Gul, who was elected on Tuesday as strictly secular Turkey's first president with an Islamic background, sat between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chief of staff Yasar Buyukanit.

But the three men barely exchanged remarks as they watched the ceremony. First lady Hayrunnisa Gul, whose headscarf hardline secularists view as a symbol of political Islam, was absent, as was the wife of Erdogan who also covers her head.

Since Gul's election by parliament, the army has failed to accord its new commander-in-chief some of the traditional signs of respect, drawing criticism even from Gul's opponents.

Gul's wife was also absent from a traditional Victory Day reception hosted by the military in the evening, her name reportedly omitted from the invitation sent to the president.

The atmosphere there, however, has the appearance of being more relaxed as TV footage showed Buyukanit, Gul and Erdogan chatting.

Since the Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002, the military has always refused to invite the wives of government officials who wear headscarves but this was the first time a president's wife was snubbed.

A ban on the Islamic headscarf in Turkish government offices and universities is strictly enforced by the military.

Officers whose spouses cover up are not promoted.

Gul's election was a major victory for the AKP over army-backed hardline secularists who blocked his first presidential bid in April. Gul has repeatedly denied the charges and pledged loyalty to the secular system.

The generals sent an immediate signal of intent on Tuesday when, in an unprecedented gesture, they snubbed his oath-taking ceremony. The army had warned on the eve of Gul's election that "centers of evil" were seeking to erode the secular system.

On Gul's first full day in office on Wednesday, Buyukanit and other commanders pointedly failed to give him the customary salute as they mounted the podium during a graduation ceremony at an elite military academy.

Buyukanit and other generals also sat immediately after shaking Gul's hand, refusing to remain standing until the president took his seat as protocol requires.

"The person who is the army's commander-in-chief was not shown the respect he was due," the popular daily Vatan wrote.

"We understand why Gul is treated with suspicion ... [but] we hope the armed forces will correct their attitude in a way to help President Gul prove his commitment to the secular republic."
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