Joint Declaration: Peace for Children Right Now

A picture drawn at peace workshops conducted by Tarlabaşı Society Center with children

SONSUZA DEK BARIŞ (PEACE FOREVER) 

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Over 50 organizations involving children and human rights organizations, unions, trade bodies, women and LGBTI organizations and civil initiatives gathering have requested the conflict to be stopped.

“We ask for the curfews that have been declared in 7 cities-17 districts where 1,300,000 people live in total as of August 16, the conflict lasting in the [southeastern] region, and especially children deaths related to these circumstances to be stopped”.

Children and youngsters

The organizations reminding that Turkey agreed to accept obligation of protecting rights and liberties of every child by signing United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, emphasized that this is not being actualized in these days.

“Unfortunately a polity crumpling children, youngsters and their families is hegemonic in our country nowadays.

“At least 44 children who couldn’t go to hospitals, nor find a chance to be born in their mothers’ belly or targeted by security forces have lost their lives since Suruç massacre on July 22”.

“Compensation education”

“We all know that, unlike what the officials say, impact of the war and violence is too deep to be resolved by ‘compensation education’ to be provided for children. The compensation of these difficult times is possible by peace, freedom and solidarity.

“All these are obvious proofs that what is being launched is not an operation but a war and an explicit violation of rights and freedoms included in the agreement”.

Conflict climate

The organizations interpreting the military deployment to the region as the signal of the continuation of the conflict climate voiced their concern.

“The children witnessing violence directly in the region, if by chance they don’t lose their lives, are being exploited in an environment in which they lose their relatives and cannot access their rights to education, medicine, raised in a safe environment, and shelter.

Traumatic effects

The statement expressed that the war climate will have short-term and long-term effects on children.

“The children being directly or indirectly exposed to war environment might feel emotions hard to deal with such as anxiety, sadness, anger, loss of trust, desperateness, hopelessness, alienation, and many others, which could negatively affect children’s physiology, psychology, and social development.

“We call for the society to support children and youngsters to live bright days of peace in which they can sustain their development in a healthy way”.

Urgent requests

The statement included a list of what needs to be done right away:

“We request the curfews to be lifted,

“The government to give up violence in living quarters,

“All sides to develop attitudes looking out for higher interests of all children,

“Resume negotiations on the basis of peace, freedom and democracy,

“Those who commit violations to be punished,

“Social, economic, psychological damage taken during this process to be fixed”. (YY/TK)