Madam, - Regarding Turkey and secularity (Seán and Róisín Whelan, October 6th), Turkey is far more secular than the Republic of Ireland was as recently as 1970. As of today, Ireland and Turkey are comparably secular.
Turkey has a moderate Islamist government, just as Ireland has a Government that could be described as moderately Christian. The heterogeneity of the EU in terms of secular and Christian mores is matched by the heterogeneity of Turkey in terms of secular and Islamic values.
In terms of the Turkish communities in Sweden and Germany (Kevin Myers, October 6th), the position is probably less bleak than he suggests. I suspect that the immigrants to these countries included a disproportionate number of Kurdish Turks, a community particularly concerned to maintain its cultural identity, and from the most conservative south-east region of Turkey. The migration of poor Turks, both Kurdish and non-Kurdish, to Istanbul and other large cities also explains the appearance of headscarves that were not apparent in earlier times.
Finally, I see no evidence to support the view that many Turks, however devout, equate peace and freedom with Islamic law. - Yours, etc,
ALAN BARWISE, Ardeevin Terrace, Dalkey, Co Dublin.