101 Grey-Haired Elders: Solution lies in a democracy alliance of all opposition forces
101 people from different segments of society, backgrounds and politics have made a joint call: “Young people, hear our voice. The promise of a bright future is in your hands. And, we, the grey-haired elders, would like to see its light in our life-time."
Calling themselves "Grey-Haired Elders," 101 people from different segments of society, backgrounds and politics have issued a joint statement.
Calling out to the opposition, they have said, "The solution lies in the establishment of democracy alliance of all opposition forces without delay."
In concluding their statement, the Grey-Haired Elders have also made a call to the young, stating, "The promise of a bright future is in your hands. And, we, the grey-haired elders, would like to see its light in our life-time."
Their full statement is as follows:
'A call from the grey-haired elders'
"We, the grey-haired elders, who come from different segments of society, backgrounds and politics; and who have weathered many decades, are calling on everyone in our country who deserves to live in peace and tranquility in a just and peaceful society, especially to the young people who are our hope. In light of our experience, we say:
Our country has never experienced darkness, inequity, lawlessness, injustice, disintegration of the social fabric, global isolation and disgrace such as the state we are in.
The constitution is effectively suspended; the judiciary, which is supposed to be independent and impartial, is under the command of the Palace; to the institutions of law enforcement. All institutions that guarantee the democratic underpinnings of the Republic have been rendered dysfunctional one by one.
In the current state of unmitigated arbitrariness and oppression, even the residual scraps of democracy and the rule of law are also being swept away.
The laws and practices – which threaten the security of citizens' life and property, completely disregard human rights and freedoms, annihilate our citizenship rights, make our professional organizations subservient to government, restrict our right to be informed, and truncate our freedom of expression – are hitting us on the head one after another, like a sledgehammer.
Following some dreams of expansionism and conquest, the principle of "peace at home, peace in the world" has been replaced by war, conflict and enmity with the whole world.
Even more seriously, we are being divided into camps. Conflicts are sewn, so that the religious and secular, Sunni and Alevi, right-wing and left-wing, Turk and Kurd, young and old cannot come together to collectively call for an "end" to this ongoing trend.
'We are all threatened'
"No one should fall into complacency - 'what does not touch me does not concern me'; we are all threatened. While we struggle against economic hardship, try to make a living and hold on to our jobs, each step taken by the rulers poison our air a little more, suffocating the entire society. The legal restrictions and policies that we may assume to have no effect on us do threaten not only our freedoms but also our work and livelihood.
"We warn those in power: The power of government is in your hands. Relying on that power, you try to rule through coercion, not consent. Masses of people are disgruntled, anxious, and restless.
"Their silence does not stem from what you believe to be their acquiescence but their fear and desperation. However, there comes a day when silent objections grow and reach the ballot box, where the electorate says no to this trend. Even if you do not see those days approaching, we do.
"We call out to the opposition: The AKP-MHP coalition gains strength from an opposition in disarray. Our desperate and hesitant people are looking for a solid alternative whom they can trust and count on.
"A wholesale threat can only be extinguished by a wholesale resistance. The solution lies in the establishment of democracy alliance of all opposition forces without delay, while maintaining their own entity and identity, but by joining around fundamental democratic principles.
'Young people, hear our voice'
"Accept our call, not as a patronizing advice or telling you what to do but as a synthesis of our years of experience in humbling regret for not being able to leave you the bright country that you deserve.
"We have never lost our hope. We still resist today our country's drift into the abyss, the confiscation of the future of our youth, the confinement of our people into poverty, the plunder of our resources, the destruction of the nature, and the imposition of a particular life-style on women, communities, and youth – as we have resisted in the past. You are our hope.
"Overcome the divisions, hostilities, and fake camps imposed upon you; unite and raise your voice. It is time to reclaim our freedoms, livelihood, and lifestyles, and demand our rights.
"The promise of a bright future is in your hands. And, we, the grey-haired elders, would like to see its light in our life-time."
101 signatories
Abdullah Nefes, Abdülbaki Erdoğmuş, Ahmet Aykaç, Ahmet İnsel, Ahmet Telli, Ahmet Türk, Ali Bayramoğlu, Ali Sirmen, Altan Öymen, Arif Keskiner, Atilla Dorsay, Aydın Cıngı, Aydın Engin, Ayşe Erzan, Ayşenur Arslan, Baskın Oran, Binnaz Toprak, Bülent Ortaçgil, Canan Arın, Celal Doğan, Cem Toker, Cengiz Aktar, Cengiz Çandar, Cihangir İslam, Coşkun Özdemir, Doğan Bermek, Ercan Karakaş, Erdoğan Aydın, Ersin Kalaycıoğlu, Ersin Salman, Ertuğrul Günay, Ertuğrul Yalçınbayır, Eşber Yağmurdereli, Fatma Gök, Fatmagül Berktay, Fehmi Koru, Fikri Sağlar, Filiz Ali, Genco Erkal, Gençay Gürsoy, Gökhan Akçura, Gürel Tüzün, Hacer Ansal, Halil Ergün, Hasan Cemal, Hayri İnönü, Herkül Milas, İbrahim Betil, İbrahim Sinemillioğlu, İlhan Tekeli, Kazım Güleçyüz, Korkut Boratav, Marta Kalyoncu, Mehmet Hayri Kırbaşoğlu, Melek Ulagay, Meral Tamer, Meryem Koray, Moris Gabbay, Murat Belge, Murat Karayalçın, Müjde Ar, Nadire Mater, Nazar Büyüm, Necmiye Alpay, Nesrin Nas, Nesteren Davutoğlu, Nurettin Sözen, Orhan Pamuk, Orhan Silier, Osman Ulagay, Oya Baydar, Öget Öktem Tanör, Ömer Madra, Peral Bayaz, Rakel Dink, Reşit Canbeyli, Rıza Türmen, Selçuk Erez, Serra Yılmaz, Süleyman Coşkun, Süleyman Çelebi, Şahin Tekgündüz, Şanar Yurdatapan, Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Şevket Pamuk, Şükran Soner, Şükrü Aslan, Tarhan Erdem, Tarık Ziya Ekinci, Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Turhan Günay, Tülin Dursun, Ümit Aktaş, Üstün Ergüder, Vecdi Sayar, Veysi Dündar, Yaşar Okuyan, Yücel Erten, Zeynep Oral, Ziya Halis, Zülfü Livaneli.
Volkan Konak, a prominent folk singer, died after suffering a heart attack on stage during a concert in İskele, Northern Cyprus late yesterday. He was 58.
Konak collapsed while performing and received emergency medical intervention at the scene before being transported to a hospital. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
According to a statement from Gazimağusa State Hospital, emergency services were alerted around 23.23, and a medical team was dispatched to the concert venue. “Initial medical intervention was carried out by doctors present at the scene, followed by the 112 emergency team,” the hospital said.
AA
Konak was intubated and transported to the hospital, where he was admitted as "ex duhul," a clinical term indicating arrival in a non-responsive state. He was immediately moved to the CPR unit.
“A team consisting of an anesthesiologist, emergency physicians, and internal medicine and cardiology specialists provided advanced life support for 25 minutes,” the hospital stated. “Despite all efforts, there was no response, and taking into account the clinical process, CPR was terminated at 00.42 and the artist was declared deceased.”
His body was transferred from Famagusta State Hospital’s morgue to the Forensic Medicine Unit at Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu State Hospital in Lefkoşa for an autopsy.
Following the autopsy, Konak’s remains are expected to be transported to Turkey by plane.
About Volkan Konak
Volkan Konak was a musician known for his fusion of traditional Turkish folk music with modern elements.
Born in the Yeşilyurt village of Maçka, Trabzon Province, Konak completed his primary and secondary education locally. In 1983, he enrolled at Istanbul Technical University's Turkish Music State Conservatory, graduating in 1988. He then pursued a master's degree in social sciences, focusing on folk music, at the same institution.
Konak's musical journey began in 1987 with his debut album, "Suların Horon Yeri," featuring compilations of regional folk songs. He gained widespread acclaim with subsequent albums, including "Efulim" (1993), "Gelir misin Benimle?" (1994), and "Volkanik Parçalar" (1996). In 1998, he established his own production company, Kuzey Müzik Prodüksiyon, releasing the album "Pedaliza."
His 2006 album "Mora" achieved significant success, earning a gold certification from MÜ-YAP, the Turkish Phonographic Industry Society. Konak was affectionately known as "Kuzeyin Oğlu" (Son of the North), a testament to his deep connection to the Black Sea region.
On the night of Mar 30, 2025, while performing in İskele, Northern Cyprus, Konak collapsed on stage due to a heart attack. Despite immediate medical attention, he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on Mar 31 at the age of 58.
Today marks the first day of Eid al-Fitr for Muslims around the world.
Celebrated at the end of the holy month of Ramadan each year, Eid al-Fitr is a time for visiting family and friends, with sweets and desserts traditionally offered to guests. In Turkey, the holiday is also commonly referred to as the "Sugar Feast" (Şeker Bayramı) due to this custom.
This year, the government extended the public holiday by declaring Wednesday through Friday as official days off, in addition to the first two days of the week. The decision created a nine-day holiday period, prompting many people to travel to their hometowns.
Meanwhile, 301 people, mostly students and activists, who were detained or arrested during protests that erupted after the detention of İstanbul's mayor will spend the holiday behind bars. (VK)
