Conscientious Objectors Rallied for Peace

The Conscientious Objectors' Platform celebrated the International Conscientious Objection Day (15 May) on Sunday, 20 May with a march from Istanbul's Taksim Square to a nearby army base.

The demonstrators expressed their opposition to war, as well as their support for imprisioned objector Halil Savda.

Economic considerations

Ersan Ugur Gör drew attention to the fact that over 5 million dollars of Turkey's budget were spent on arms each year. Also, the Army Support Institution, with its monopolizing structures, represents an "coup to the economy".

He also repeated what he had said in 2004 when he decided to refuse to go to the army: "I want a world without classes, borders, exploitation, violence, hierarchy, and authority".

Now 13 female objectors

Özlem Mollamehmetoglu declared her objection at the meeting, becoming the 13th woman in Turkey to do so.

"Among men, I am a woman, among heterosexuals, I am bisexual, lesbian, gay, a transvestite, a transsexual. Among Turks, I am Laz, Kurdish, Armenian. Let us insist on peace among those who see the solution in fighting", she said.(AÖ/EÜ/AG/EÜ)