NGOs from Istanbul Call for Peace

Over 20 initiatives and organisations made a joint statement in Istanbul today, calling for a solution to the Kurdish problem.

The oranisations, which gathered under the name, Civil Society Initiatives, gave a press conference at Nippon Hotel. According to the speakers of the conference, the joint aim is to raise voice for peace in the west, as voices for peace have risen in the east.

"Solve this problem already "

The statement is as follows:

We all know the impact of the 25-year clashes on our citizens. Recently, this process has taken a new turn and fear and pain, which formerly affected certain segments and regions, are now threatening everyone. Besides, we have all seen that the methods that have been applied up until today to solve this problem have failed.

We, as people with different backgrounds but living in the midst of such a non-solution, have come together. We know that we have set off for a very difficult job. But our children, our youth, our people are dying, are becoming injured.

Our souls are becoming more and more wounded each day.

We don't have today, we don't have tomorrows.

We are not entering into long political discussions.

We are rather calling on the policy makers!

Stop the bloodshed.

Solve this problem already.

Find a solution that is fair for everyone before pain grows even bigger, and before we come to a point with no return.

Our call is open to every institution, individual, circle that is against death.

We have just begun and we are growing everyday. We will continue until we have our voices heard.

Associate Dr. Ferhat Kentel, actress Lale Mansur, musician Rojin, activist Banu Vardar of Followers of Justice for Children, journalist Balcicek Pamir, Neslihan Akbulut from the Women's Right Against Discrimination Association, and Ahmet Zeki Olas from the Istanbul branch of Solidarity Association for Human Rights and the Oppressed attended the conference as speakers.

The aim is to boost the call for peace in the west

"We have many different identities, but we are all demanding that the bloodshed stops," said Kentel after reading the statement. Kentel added that they aim to enable many people in the west to be able to go on the streets and say "we want peace." "The non-governmental organisations in the Southeast have called for peace one after the other. They raised their voices. We may do the same thing in the west," Kentel said.

Akbulut stated that the voices of those, who say "revenge of the bloodshed should be taken" are heard more and said: "Maybe, we, the pro-peace people are higher in number, but we still don't know it. The important thing is to uncover this and raise our voices."

Psychologist Vardar stated that they have observed permanent illnesses in families, who have sent their children to military service, as well as all young men, who go to military service. Military service is obligatory in Turkey. "We propose solutions other than death," said Vardar.

Mansur called on "everyone, who wants the bloodshed to stop, to support the platform."

"We are trying to prevent further war policy"

Vardar, who spoke to bianet after the meeting said: "We met for the first time in June. We have met seven times until today. We aim to put pressure on decision-making mechanisms; but we have no intention to come up with a solution on behalf of them. We are just trying to prevent the decision-makers to produce further war policies on behalf of us." (EK/TK/EA)