What Needs to be Done by Who to Establish Peace?

Turkey meets September 1 Peace Day in an atmosphere of clashes, but, what needs to be done by who for the peace to begin as of September 1?

We addressed this question to rights defenders and 12 figures from circles struggling for peace; Eren Keskin, Arzu Çerkezoğlu, Merve Arkun, Celalettin Can, Lami Özgen, Pınar Aydınlar, Mehmet Tursun, Engin Gündük, Nebahat Akkoç, Burak Özgüner, Tarık Ege and İrem Güven.   

“Truce” 

Eren Keskin (İHD Central Executive Board Member): I want PKK to announce the truce in order for the hope for peace to actualize on September 1. What would disturb the state most is going to be that action.

Nebahat Akkoç (KAMER): Initially arms must be laid down for us to at least talk about the peace on September 1. We declared this to PKK first because HDP entering parliament by overcoming the threshold has caused an outcome paving the way for civil politics. Unfortunately Turkey’s NGOs and circles supporting HDP couldn’t enjoy it as right after it the clashes have begun. The state needs to put an end to this dirty war, which claims the lives of especially children, reminding of the 90s.

Celalettin Can (Wise Men Committee, 78 Generation Initiative): Conflicting parties must immediately lay down their arms. A nationalistic, alienating, libelous, and challenging language should be avoided during this period so that people can start dialogue and resolution after peace is established too.

“The process must continue”

Lami Özgen (KESK Chairperson): All conflicts must stop in our country, in the Middle East and all over the world. Dialogue and resolution process that began depending on Kurdish question must be unconditionally picked up from where it is left off. We have seen that we can solve all our issues by talking them out and no one died. Our country and the government should hold a stance towards their war policies over the Middle East by reviewing their foreign politics.

Arzu Çerkezoğlu (DİSK Secretary General): These conflicts must end. The resolution and negotiation process should resume with respect to democratic resolution for the Kurdish question and war policies should be abandoned. 

“Conscientious objection”

Merve Arkun (Conscientious Objection Association Co-Chairperson): We, as Conscientious Objection Association asks everybody to declare their conscientious objections and refuse to receive arms. This argument is being voiced by everyone unlike the previous war periods. Even though General Staff says that voluntary military service applications are on the rise, the number of conscientious objection applications is at its peak.  It is obvious that the ongoing war represents the will of “palace”, which is why people loudly express their unwillingness to take up arms.

Burak Özgüner (Animal Rights Monitoring Committee): First of all, as a beginning the state needs to take step for the violence and conflict to stop. War affects and slaughters every living being in this region. Aversion of this slaughter can be achieved by the pressure brought into life by social consciousness. Anyone who rejects fighting, violence, militarism may begin with declaring their conscientious objections on their behalves in order to voice their peace demands. 

Pınar Aydınlar (Independent Art Initiative): All peoples must fight together to establish peace. We defend art in opposition to fighting. We vow to use our art us  our weapon for freedom, peace and justice.

“Pro-peace media”

Tarık Ege (Antep Zeugmadi LGBTI): By taking into consideration the media’s influence in fuelling chaos and the fact that political leaders will not put away their pro-war discourses, NGOs and objective media organs need to take calming and unifier steps for the peace to begin as of September 1.

Even this common action will play a role in unifying people with the contribution of pro-peace media.

İrem Güven (LGBTI Peace Initiative): AKP must immediately stop its attacks against Kurdistan, allow municipalities to start works for the reparation of demolished cities and houses and take necessary measures for the treatment of wounded. Besides, the president should start to remain in constitutional boundaries. On the other hand, we should unite our voices and struggle together as pro-peace and pro-democracy people of this country. We should campaign together to speak up peace in an atmosphere in which media is muted.

“Agents of war can establish peace”

Mehmet Tursun (International Baran Tursun Foundation): Peace can be established by agents of war, whom are mothers of soldiers and guerillas. We, the İzmir Peace Block are going to go to the border as per Baran Tursun Foundation’s suggestion with mothers of 50 soldiers and 50 guerrillas. Soldiers’ mothers will be human shields by the military guard post and mothers of the guerrillas will be human shields on the falls across the post for their children.

Engin Gündük (Alewi Bektashi Federation Vice President): Starting from today, everyone should put away their egos, realize that our children are more important than anyone’s seats and posts, and uphold peace for the country to become a land where everyone can live together peacefully. (BK/ÇT/TK)

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