Annul the Motion for Women

"Women in Turkey, in this region, and in the whole world, have had their share of the wars. We do not want to live through such pains anymore, or hear about them. As TUBAKKOM, we demand that women's rights of equality, freedom, security and peace are overseen, that the motion is not used, and that Turkish troops are not sent to Iraq," said the statement.

"The United States of America (USA) is trying to get out of the quagmire it got into," added the statement, which also emphasized that the decision to send troops to Iraq is against the Constitution.

"The decision is against international law's legitimacy requirement, the philosophy of our Republic which favors 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World,' and article 92 of the Constitution," said the statement signed by Bar Head Nazim Kirik. The present situation in Iraq violates international law, added the statement.

"Because of the current balance of powers, the USA is having the luck and right to continue with its occupation of Iraq, which is clearly against law and human rights. (The occupation) violates the right of people to determine their own faith and the immunity of borders."

According to the statement, sending troops to Iraq, "will lead to hostility between Turkey and the Arab, Palestinian, Kurd, Assyrian, Shiite and Christian peoples." It could also mean "the creation of a irreparable gap between Turkey and these countries."

* Women are those who suffer the most in wars. It is known that there is no winner in a war. Women, in both the winning and the losing countries, cry. It is known that children, brothers, husbands lose their lives, become injured or lose their jobs in a war.

"Wars are violations of human rights and are also times when sexual attacks against women increase extraordinarily," said the statement. "But unfortunately war times are never investigated." (BB/EA/NM)