Assembly of the 100s Peace Declaration

On Saturday, January 25th, there was an uncommon peace event in Istanbul's most prestigious congress hall. The Assembly of the 100s, brought together 100 representatives from 20 professional groups (academics, writers, workers, artisans, engineers, lawyers, doctors, publishers and translators, cinema and theatre artists, business people, students, as well as 'the unemployed') for a poignant series of anti-war statements to be followed by a joint declaration for peace.

Read below the declaration:

We, as workers, the unemployed, employers, students, teachers, state employees, pensioners, men and women of science, doctors, pharmacists, men and women of law, trades-people, farmers, writers, musicians, artists, sculptors, cartoonists, designers, journalists, men and women of the tourism sector, architects, engineers, men of religion... hereby declare that:

We say NO TO WAR, with full awareness that it is the highest form of terror...

We know that this war has no legitimacy in international law, it has no moral, humanitarian or conscientious grounds. Submission to the arrogant pressures of global despotism under the pretext of overthrowing local despots will have as destructive consequences for our country as it does for the world as a whole!

As the productive, creative, executive and thinking people and occupational groups of Turkey, we say NO TO WAR. We denounce all bargains and negotiations over human life, freedom, independence and natural resources; we denounce the expansionist intentions harboured by the US; we refuse to go along with attempts to put the future of our country, region and the world at stake, for the sake of the interests of giant arms and oil companies.

The "Assembly of One Hundreds for Peace" hereby communicates the feelings and views of the overwhelming majority of the people of Turkey to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and to the Government.

Turkey must withstand this war which will bring about dismay, instability and crisis in our country, region and humanity as a whole.

In this period when efforts are underway to render international law ineffective, we appeal to the United Nations and the Security Council to take an active stance to prevent war and to heed the call for peace rising from Turkey.

If we do not say NO TO THIS WAR today, we, each and every one of us, each and every country, all institutions and establishments, shall, regardless of our reasons, be responsible and guilty before history and future generations. Yet, if we unite, as all the forces of peace who stand for peace, we can score a historic victory against this war.

As the "Assembly of the Hundreds" representing the people of our country, we warn all authorized bodies and institutions in the world and in Turkey:

Let Ankara be the capital of peace!

Let us prevent this war when there still is a possibility of reaching a peaceful solution.

Let peace and life prevail! (NM)