Aid to Indonesia

Activities we have shown, within the scope of the permission obtained from Istanbul Governorship, with the aids collected for the disaster victims affected by the natural disasters experienced in the Far East countries especially in Indonesia:

May 2006 Quake (Bantul / Yogyakarta)

Our Centre commenced operations in city of Bantul in Yogyakarta province, the most affected area, to serve out basic essentials such as hot meal, food, nutrition and water to disaster victims and the local people in need of assistance.

We maintain the friendship and solidarity conception oriented towards our Indonesian brothers, which is initiated in the era of Ottoman Sultan Selim II.

21 September 1567
Imperial Decree Book 7, Decree 233

Upon Ache Sultan Alaeddin informing that the Portuguese attacking the Muslims and requesting assistance, Ottoman Sultan ordered fifteen galleys and two barchas to set sail from Suez Canal with adequate number of soldiers and war equipment to Ache, and appointed Kurdoğlu Hızır as commander of the ships and soldiers; and everybody obeys the mentioned person, the mentioned person serves as Sultan Alaeddin finds it fit, and punish the subordinates not obeying him.

This is the imperial order sent to Ache Sultan by Ottoman Padishah Sultan Selim II

Letter written addressing Ache Sultan

I inform the Ache Sultan Alaeddin that;

The letter you have sent through your vizier Hüseyin received by our supreme authority, the shelter of the Sultans. In your letter you indicate that you fight against the unbelievers in those regions day and night, you became desolated against your enemies and attacked by them all over, and request materials and campaigners in order to fight back.

You have indicated that there are twenty four thousand islands in that region and unbelievers captured these islands, and the Muslim people and Sultans sought shelter in your country, and the ships sailing for pilgrimage and trade from four of these islands were depredated and sacked by the unbelievers , and that the rulers of Ceylon and Calcutta near your country continuously fight against you, and you made oath of allegiance to our supreme authority through our Ambassador Lutfi, who was previously sent to your country, and should the Ottoman fleet arrived you would, with the help of God, rout your enemies completely and recapture those islands

Also, you have requested various cannons and ships, and royal order to be given to Egypt and Yemen governors and Jeddah and Aden rulers not to show difficulties to Ache ambassador on his return after buying horses, weapons and copper, and requested architects for building castles and galleys.

When you letter presented to our Authority, the only conduct befits the dignity of a superior Sultan like us is to accept your requests. Furthermore, to protect the Muslims and Islamic laws are amongst our most important duties. Therefore, royal order is given for fifteen galleys and two war ships to sail from Suez port, and a master cannon maker and seven gunners from Istanbul together with assigned adequate number of Egyptian soldiers, and adequate number of cannons, riffles and other war equipment for the fortresses are supplied, and we appointed the former Alexandria Captain Kurdoğlu Hızır as the commander of these soldiers. When the commander arrives, he shall Endeavour both in terms of fortresses to be captured and also in terms of the fight against the unbelievers to be overcome, and do not let him and his subordinates to disobey you. Commander is ordered to act as you deem appropriate. Should any soldier disobey you, you may get the better of them through the aforementioned commander. Also one year salary of the soldiers is paid.

What you have to do is as follows:

You have to do your best on the issues relating both to our religion and our state, and capture the fortresses of the unbelievers, and endeavour to remove the oppression on the Muslims and clean the area from those unbelievers with the help of God. In this way, the Muslims of that region would live in comfort and serenity during our sovereignty. God willing when the fortresses are recaptured and your country is saved, let the gunners return. Let us know the other matters through our official Mustafa Cavush. You can act in the direction of the orders I give afterwards about the Ottoman soldiers there.

At the times of receipt of your letter, my deceased father Sultan Suleiman was on Zigetvar campaign. When he died after capturing that fortress and many other places with the help of God, I acceded to the Throne. My intention is also to continue to fight against the unbelievers. Because, the situation of the unbelievers in your region is as you explained in your letter. Under all circumstances, the requirements of brotherhood and benevolence shall be fulfilled.

God willing, our soldiers shall always be dispatched to remove the evilness of the enemies of the religion, who captured those regions. It is expected that you shall continually send detailed information about the region.

The Ambassador you have sent duly performed his duties, and returned by requesting our permission.

Sultan Selim II Khan

Kosovo Aid
Large scale food and other humanitarian aids were provided to this region in coordination with Turkish Red Crescent during Kosovo war in 1998