WTI Results in Knowledge, Hope, Solidarity

Following the Istanbul hearings of the World Tribunal for Iraq, the participants and the members of the Panel of Advocates talked to bianet about what the tribunal changed in their lives.

Journalist Mete Cubukcu said the important thing is to "prevent things that are known from being forgotten and to expose things that are not known." Professor Doctor Baskin Oran said it was "important not to cooperate with the U.S. and approve things by remaining silent."

Muge Gursoy Sokmen from the organization committee of the Istanbul hearings said she realized "how little is known about what's going on in Iraq." Sadun Sonmez said the documents of the tribunal would be very important for the future.

Cubukcu: I didn't see any harm in saying the war is dirty

"People's minds, their take on history is very weak so they tend to forget things easily," said journalist Cubukcu, who served as a witness at the tribunal. "We accept many disinformation and lies as the truth. Exposure is important."

Cubukcu expressed that there is a lot of disinformation about the Iraq war and added that many facts, numbers and statistics about Iraq would be revealed later.

He said he didn't feel very comfortable serving as a witness. "There is a question of whether a journalist should serve as a witness. Does that bring about partiality?... This is a dilemma for me. But I don't see any harm in saying 'I am against the war' when such an unfair and disinformative war and invasion is taking place," said Cubukcu. "I am comfortable, I didn't see any harm in saying that this is a dirty war."

Oran: We don't want other Vietnams or Iraqs

"The tribunal means not cooperating with or approving the U.S. by remaining silent," said Professor Doctor Oran who was a member of the Panel of Advocates and who made a presentation on the legal responsibility of the Turkish government. "We are fighting so that there are no other Vietnams or Iraqs."

Berktay: My relationship with the notion of justice has changed

"We tend to expect justice and decision from others," said Ayse Berktay, from the organization committee of the hearings. "The tribunal has completely changed my relationship with the notion of justice. Justice isn't only up to the state or lawyers."

Berktay has two wishes about the tribunal:

"I wish we could have separate hearings in different cities in Turkey. And I wish we had more time."

Hope, volunteering and solidarity

Muge Gursoy Sokmen and Sadun Sonmez from the organization committee drew attention to the hope and solidarity the tribunal resulted in.

"Although we found out very upsetting things, there was a great deal of solidarity," said Gursoy Sokmen. "There was great hope." ""We realized how little we knew about the Iraq war," she added.

"The tribunal wasn't just a conscious rejection," said Sonmez. "There was a lot of evidence which showed the illegitimacy of the invasion."

Berktay also drew attention to the resulting feeling of solidarity.

"The tribunal gave me a lot of hope," said Berktay. "There was a great feeling of solidarity." (TK/EU/EA/YE)