Over 200 Intellectuals Say Enough is Enough
The statement, coming in the footstep of an appeal made this week by the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) for the PKK to declare a new unilateral cease-fire, also called on the state to amend legislation and enforce new projects that would ensure public peace and the participation of everyone in democratic social life.
"We, the citizens who have undersigned, are concerned of the environment of violence and conflict that has recently intensified and say enough is enough" said the opening remarks of the statement.
Among those who signed the communiqué were leading intellectuals, jurists, human rights activists, unionists, academics, writers and journalists.
The names under the statement included those of Union of Turkish Physicians Chairman Prof. Dr. Gencay Gursoy, Diyarbakir Bar Association Chairman Sezgin Tanrikulu, Diyarbakir Chamber of Industry and Commerce Chairman Kutbettin Arzu, Revolutionary Workers Unions Confederation (DISK) Chairman Suleyman Celebi, Public Workers Unions Confederation executive board member Sevgi Goyce, journalists Murat Celikkan, Zeynep Oral, Ipek Calislar, academics Prof.Dr. Ibrahim Kaboglu, Prof. Dr. Melek Goregenli, Prof.Dr. Fatma Gok and Economic and Social Studies Foundation of Turkey (TESEV) Chairman Can Paker.
Included among the signatures were names of tens of jurists and trade and commerce chamber officials based in the troubled Southeast region as well as some former Kurdish politicians.
Concern over Turkish-Kurdish harmony
Starting off by voicing concern over the intensifies atmosphere of conflict in Turkey in the recent weeks, the statement said critical global and regional conditions as well as a continuation of conflicts showed that it was "becoming more difficult for the Turks and Kurds to live together in an environment of peace and security."
"We are worried of developments which might be impossible to reverse" it said.
The statement continued: "From whatever ethnic root they come from, we say 'no' to the killing of soldier-civilian youth and our children, for our rights to life, future, security, freedom to be placed under threat. We request peace for everyone in our country, justice for everyone.
"It is possible to solve problems that until this day were seen not to be solved through violence, through peaceful ways and this solution is in our hands only. We, who have lived on this land together for a thousand years, now want to leave a lasting peace for our children.
"Feeling the suffering of those we lost until this day in our heard, in order for no more lives to be darkened as of how, hopefully for the last time we are calling out: The PKK should unconditionally end its armed activities. Every form of violence should come to and end, the solution of problems through peaceful and democratic means should be facilitated.
"We also want all state institutions of the state to make the legislative changes and implement projects without losing time, for everyone to be able to participate in democratic social life and for social peace to be established. I belief that this is not a weakness but a duty and responsibility, we declare that we will follow up on our requests".
The new peace appeal comes almost a year after some 150 intellectuals including some of which signed this Tuesday's text, issued a similar statement calling on the PKK and the government to "silence the guns, end the clashes". A total of 264 Kurdish intellectuals had later issued their own statement in support of that communiqué. (KO/II/YE)