Turkish Community Activist Raises Alarm Over “Crisis of Representation” at Türkiye’s New York Consulate
A prominent Turkish American community activist, Ibrahim Kurtulus, has written to Türkiye’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Hakan Fidan, alleging a “crisis of representation” at the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye in New York under the leadership of Consul General Ahmet Yazal.
In the letter, Kurtulus expressed deep concern over what he described as unprecedented disengagement from the community by the Consul General, stating that such disconnect has not been witnessed in over four decades. He said the current situation fails to reflect the dignity and responsibility expected from Türkiye’s largest foreign mission worldwide.
Kurtulus criticized the Consul General for declining to attend the funeral of a highly decorated Turkish Korean War veteran earlier this year, an absence he said was sharply felt by the community and inconsistent with the high regard traditionally afforded to veterans in Turkish national memory.
He further noted that the Consul General did not participate in the annual Cumhuriyet Bayramı Turkish Flag Raising Ceremony in New York — a longstanding event attended by Turkish Americans to honor the Republic. According to the activist, this year’s ceremony proceeded without the nation’s top representative in the city.
The activist also condemned what he described as a “distressing silence” from the Consulate following the recent crash of a Turkish military aircraft that claimed the lives of 20 servicemen. Kurtulus said the absence of any condolence message from the Consulate — even as Türkiye and its Ministry of Foreign Affairs publicly mourned — was deeply troubling.
He added that on the day of the tragedy, the Consulate was closed and the Consul General appeared to be active only in sharing a social media post about a Turkish singer. “One is left to wonder whether walking his two dogs took precedence over expressing sympathy to the families of the fallen,” he wrote.
Kurtulus also raised concerns about what he called a “profound lack of grassroots engagement,” recounting a recent community event in Brooklyn attended by hundreds of Turkish Americans where only a few individuals greeted the Consul General. He contrasted this with the strong community ties maintained by several past Consul Generals and vice consuls who, he said, were widely respected and deeply connected to local Turkish Americans.
He described the present moment as “the weakest period of diplomatic representation in four decades,” arguing that the Consulate’s role has been diminished due to disengagement rather than lack of resources or capacity.
“This is not a personal matter,” Kurtulus stressed. “It is about representation, responsibility, and the sacred duty entrusted to anyone who carries the title of Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye.”
He urged authorities in Ankara to take notice and ensure that New York is served by a representative who demonstrates dignity, empathy, and genuine commitment to the Turkish American community.
The letter concluded with a call for the restoration of leadership that reflects the honor of the Republic, particularly at a time when Türkiye is grieving the loss of soldiers and Turkish Americans are seeking solidarity from their diplomatic mission.
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