Published in major national dailies including “Le Monde" (France), “The Guardian” (UK), “Il Manifesto” (Italy).
The Kurdish question still remains unresolved, awaiting a just and democratic solution which would contribute significantly to stability and peace in the Middle East. But on the Kurdish question, Turkish authorities stay rigid; an uncompromising attitude which heightens tensions in society.
At this critical moment, a group of Turkish intellectuals has taken up the initiative, calling upon all sides of the conflict to stop immediately all military operations and bring to an end the atmosphere of violence. The Turkish government has been asked to take serious steps to solve democratically the Kurdish question.
For the first time, Turkish Minister President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly acknowledged the existence of the Kurdish question. Speaking after a meeting with a group of Turkish intellectuals in Diyarbakir on 12 August 2005, Erdogan admitted certain mistakes in Turkey’s policy towards the Kurds. In his speech, he supported a solution to the Kurdish question in the context of an extensive, democratic reform process in Turkey. We welcome such a constructive political move. It provides the opportunity for a basis for a solution. In the past these political gestures have remained mere rhetoric which must be left behind. Serious steps to end the violence are required from both parties in the conflict.
The current unilateral ceasefire declared by the Kurdish side which is to last one month is another such constructive move. This is an expression of an attitude of peace on part of Kongra-Gel (Kurdistan People’s Congress). The recent years of violence and tears have shown clearly that the Kurdish question cannot be solved by violent means. Such a perspective on the current situation is needed to deepen these processes which at some point will lead to a democratic path to lasting peace.
Recent developments in Turkey give reasons to be optimistic that the Kurdish question in Turkey can be solved in the foreseeable future. We, as European intellectuals, artists, representatives of civil society and various non-governmental organisations as well as individuals, demand that both parties in the conflict take the necessary steps so that the current process leads to lasting peace.
WE ARE CALLING UPON both parties to the conflict to push further the current political process in the spirit of peace, democracy and human rights in order to reach lasting peace. WE ARE CALLING UPON the European Union to assume an active role in this process by fostering the political dialogue required to initiate a proper peace process. WE ARE CALLING UPON all international institutions to support institutions and groups in Turkey which fight for democracy and peace.
Signatories of Peace and Dialogue Appeal
Danielle Mitterand (Fondation France Liberte), Massimo D'Alema (European Deputy of Socialist Group, Italy), Imre Kertesz (Nobel Prize Winner ,Germany), Dr. Norbert Blüm (former Employment Minister,Germany), M. Francis Wurtz (European Deputy and President of the Co Federal Group of GUE-United Left Group), M. Vittorio Agnoletto (European Deputy of the Co Federal Group of GUE, Italy), Luisa Morgantini (European Deputy of the Co Federal Group of GUE, Italy), Hugo Van Rompaey (Honorary Senator-Belgium), M. Hans Koschnik (Former Mayor, Germany), Jean Lambert (European Deputy- Green/ALE and vice presidente of PE-England), M. De Heer Jean-Luc Dehaene (European Deputy of PPE-DE-Belgium), M. Alain Lipietz, (European Deputy of Green Group ALE, France), Alyn Smith (European Deputy Green/ALE-England), José Bové (Via Campesina - World Confederation of Peasants, Spokesperson), M. Dominique Sopo (President of SOS Racisme, France) Samuel Thomas, (Vice-President of SOS Racisme, France), Alain Calles (Sociologist, France) Joël Dutto (Regional Councillor, Delegate for Humanitarian Mission, France) Bernard Granjon (Honorary President of Medecins du Monde), Sophie Roudil (Secretary General of Solidarite-Liberte Marseille, France), Gérard Boulanger (Avocat-France) Georges Sinibaldi (President, Solidarite-Liberte, France), Jams Beat (Deputy-Swissland), Annette Wettstein (Deputy-Swissland), Maya Heushmann (coordinator of Amnesty International in Swissland), Meyer Jurg (Deputy and Journalist, Swissland), Kleiv Fiskvik (Norwegian Trade Union Confederation (LO)), Thorvald Steen (Norvegian Writer), Erling Folkvord (Former Norwegian Socialist Party MP and Writer), William Nygaard (President of Norwegian Editors Union and Member of Executive Council of Norwegian PEN), Björn Jacobsen (Socialist Party Member of Parliament and Member of Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission, Norway), Knut Kjeldstadli (Professor of History, Oslo University), M. Kristin Halvorsen (Socialist Party President, Norway), M. Reza Rezai, (Socialist Party International Relations Secretary, Norway) M. Hallgeir Langeland (Socialist Party Member of Parliament, Norway) Esben Laukeland, (Journalist, Norway), Peter M. Johansen (Journalist, Norway), M. Per Petterson (writer-Norway), Lars Ohly, (President, Swedish Left Party ) Lotta Hedström (Swedish Green Party Member of Parliament, Committee for Foreign Affairs), Agne Hansson (Swedish Central Party), Siw Handros-Kelekay (Member of Kurdish-Finnish Peace Council and Cultural Solidarity Association), Elina Järvenpää (Engineer and Member of Kurdish-Finnish Peace Council and Cultural Solidarity Association), Kristina Koivunen (Researcher and Writer, Finland), Rune Lund (Red-Green Alliance Member of Parliament, Denmark), Lord Dholakia (House of Lords, Liberal Democrat, Germany) Lord Toby Harris, (House of Lords, Labour, , Green Group Deputy, UK) Lord Rea ( House of Lords, Labour, UK), John Austin (MP, House of Commons, Labour, UK), Hywel Williams (MP, House of Commons, Plaid Cymru, UK) John McDonnell (MP, House of Commons, Labour, UK) Hugo Charlton (Chair, Green Party of England, Scotland and Wales), Mark Thomas, (Comedian-UK), Nick Hildyard, (Policy Analyst, UK) Stewart Hemsley (Chair, Pax Christi, UK), Bill Speirs, (General Secretary Scottish Trades Union Council), Jacobo Venier, (Spokesperson for International Relations of Italian Communist Party), The Honourable Oliviero Diliberto, (Deputy and General Secretary of Italian Communist Party, Former Minister of Justice, Italy), M. Fausto Bertinotti (Deputy of left Europe Party and General Secretary of the PRC), M. Ramaon Mantovani (PRC Deputy), M. Giovanni Russo (Senator-Italy), M. Gennaro Nigliore (Responsible of PRC RI’s, Italy), Jan Beghin (Deputy Socialist Party Alternative, SPIRIT, Belgium) Lionel Vandenberghe (Senator, SPIRIT, Belgium) Mahfoudh Romdhani, (Vice- President of Brussels Parliament), (Jan Loones Deputy for Vlaamsblok in Belgian Parliament), Peggy Parnass ( writer end journalist) Dr Ulrich Gottstein (Administrator of the IPPNW) , Beate Roggenbuck (Secretary of the Helsinki Citiwens Assembly), Gunter Wallraff (Writer-Germany), Dietrich Kittner (artist-Germany), Professor Andreas Buro (IPPNW, Doctor’s againts atomic war, Germany, Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy, Germany, DGF-VK, Coordinator of Dialog-Reis),Hans-Peter Dürr (Emeritus Professor, Max-Planck-Institut, and President, Global Challenges Network), Gabriele Gillen (Author and redactor, WDR-Germany), Dr. Rolf Gössner (President, International League for Human Rights-Germany), Yavuz Karaman (Film Director and TV-Journalist-Germany), Heiko Kauffmann (Director of Pro Asy/Aktion Courage-Germany), Dr. Jürgen Micksch (Chair of German Intercultural Council of Germany) , Herbert Leuninger (priest-Germany), Fecilia Langer (witer and journalist-Germany), Dr. Gerald Mader (President, Austrian Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Germany), M. Thomas Schmidt (General Secretary, European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights, Germany), Manfred Richter (preist-Germany), Friedel Grützmacher (Member of Rheinland-Pfalz Regional Parliament, Germany), Dr. Rheinhard Voß (General Sekretary, Pax Christi -Germany), Dr. Professor Dr. Wolf-Dieter Narr (Germany), Professor Norman Paech (Germany), Mehmet Sahin Secretary, Dialog-Kreis, Germany), Kathrin Vogler (Speaker, Cooperation for Peace), Roland Appel (Germany), Professor Frank Deppe (German Peace Society - Conscientious Objectors, Germany), Gabi Kutsche (Regional Secretary of Niedersachsen Green’s, Germany), M. Enno Hagenah (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Ernst-Ludwig Iskenius (Refugio VS, Germany), Hubertus Janssen (preist-Germany), Ulla Jarusch (Public Appeal for Non-Violent Resistance to Arms and War, Germany), Wolfgang Jungheim (preist-Germany), Claudia Küchenbauer (ELKIB Worker for Non-Violent Conflict Resolution-Germany), Georgia Langhans (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Brother Jurgen Neizert (Franciscan Coordination for Justice and Peace, Germany), Dr.Gisela Penteker (Turkey representative International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Germany), Professor Joachim Hirsch, (IPPNW – German Section of International Doctors for the Prevention of Atomic War, Doctors for Social Responsibility, Germany), Filiz Polat (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Prof. Dr. Roland Roth (Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy, Germany), M. Bernd-Jürgen Salzmann (Pax Christi Ravensburg, Germany), M. Joachim Schaefer (Wetzlar Youth Network, Germany), Dr. Alexander Schubart (Germany), . M. Willi van Oeyen (Peace and the Future Workshop, Germany), M. Friedrich Vetter (preist-Germany), M. Stefan Wenzel, (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), M. Rudolf Wessler (preist-Germany), Professor Dr. Ernst Woit (Community for Human Rights, Sachsen , Germany)
At this critical moment, a group of Turkish intellectuals has taken up the initiative, calling upon all sides of the conflict to stop immediately all military operations and bring to an end the atmosphere of violence. The Turkish government has been asked to take serious steps to solve democratically the Kurdish question.
For the first time, Turkish Minister President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has publicly acknowledged the existence of the Kurdish question. Speaking after a meeting with a group of Turkish intellectuals in Diyarbakir on 12 August 2005, Erdogan admitted certain mistakes in Turkey’s policy towards the Kurds. In his speech, he supported a solution to the Kurdish question in the context of an extensive, democratic reform process in Turkey. We welcome such a constructive political move. It provides the opportunity for a basis for a solution. In the past these political gestures have remained mere rhetoric which must be left behind. Serious steps to end the violence are required from both parties in the conflict.
The current unilateral ceasefire declared by the Kurdish side which is to last one month is another such constructive move. This is an expression of an attitude of peace on part of Kongra-Gel (Kurdistan People’s Congress). The recent years of violence and tears have shown clearly that the Kurdish question cannot be solved by violent means. Such a perspective on the current situation is needed to deepen these processes which at some point will lead to a democratic path to lasting peace.
Recent developments in Turkey give reasons to be optimistic that the Kurdish question in Turkey can be solved in the foreseeable future. We, as European intellectuals, artists, representatives of civil society and various non-governmental organisations as well as individuals, demand that both parties in the conflict take the necessary steps so that the current process leads to lasting peace.
WE ARE CALLING UPON both parties to the conflict to push further the current political process in the spirit of peace, democracy and human rights in order to reach lasting peace. WE ARE CALLING UPON the European Union to assume an active role in this process by fostering the political dialogue required to initiate a proper peace process. WE ARE CALLING UPON all international institutions to support institutions and groups in Turkey which fight for democracy and peace.
Signatories of Peace and Dialogue Appeal
Danielle Mitterand (Fondation France Liberte), Massimo D'Alema (European Deputy of Socialist Group, Italy), Imre Kertesz (Nobel Prize Winner ,Germany), Dr. Norbert Blüm (former Employment Minister,Germany), M. Francis Wurtz (European Deputy and President of the Co Federal Group of GUE-United Left Group), M. Vittorio Agnoletto (European Deputy of the Co Federal Group of GUE, Italy), Luisa Morgantini (European Deputy of the Co Federal Group of GUE, Italy), Hugo Van Rompaey (Honorary Senator-Belgium), M. Hans Koschnik (Former Mayor, Germany), Jean Lambert (European Deputy- Green/ALE and vice presidente of PE-England), M. De Heer Jean-Luc Dehaene (European Deputy of PPE-DE-Belgium), M. Alain Lipietz, (European Deputy of Green Group ALE, France), Alyn Smith (European Deputy Green/ALE-England), José Bové (Via Campesina - World Confederation of Peasants, Spokesperson), M. Dominique Sopo (President of SOS Racisme, France) Samuel Thomas, (Vice-President of SOS Racisme, France), Alain Calles (Sociologist, France) Joël Dutto (Regional Councillor, Delegate for Humanitarian Mission, France) Bernard Granjon (Honorary President of Medecins du Monde), Sophie Roudil (Secretary General of Solidarite-Liberte Marseille, France), Gérard Boulanger (Avocat-France) Georges Sinibaldi (President, Solidarite-Liberte, France), Jams Beat (Deputy-Swissland), Annette Wettstein (Deputy-Swissland), Maya Heushmann (coordinator of Amnesty International in Swissland), Meyer Jurg (Deputy and Journalist, Swissland), Kleiv Fiskvik (Norwegian Trade Union Confederation (LO)), Thorvald Steen (Norvegian Writer), Erling Folkvord (Former Norwegian Socialist Party MP and Writer), William Nygaard (President of Norwegian Editors Union and Member of Executive Council of Norwegian PEN), Björn Jacobsen (Socialist Party Member of Parliament and Member of Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission, Norway), Knut Kjeldstadli (Professor of History, Oslo University), M. Kristin Halvorsen (Socialist Party President, Norway), M. Reza Rezai, (Socialist Party International Relations Secretary, Norway) M. Hallgeir Langeland (Socialist Party Member of Parliament, Norway) Esben Laukeland, (Journalist, Norway), Peter M. Johansen (Journalist, Norway), M. Per Petterson (writer-Norway), Lars Ohly, (President, Swedish Left Party ) Lotta Hedström (Swedish Green Party Member of Parliament, Committee for Foreign Affairs), Agne Hansson (Swedish Central Party), Siw Handros-Kelekay (Member of Kurdish-Finnish Peace Council and Cultural Solidarity Association), Elina Järvenpää (Engineer and Member of Kurdish-Finnish Peace Council and Cultural Solidarity Association), Kristina Koivunen (Researcher and Writer, Finland), Rune Lund (Red-Green Alliance Member of Parliament, Denmark), Lord Dholakia (House of Lords, Liberal Democrat, Germany) Lord Toby Harris, (House of Lords, Labour, , Green Group Deputy, UK) Lord Rea ( House of Lords, Labour, UK), John Austin (MP, House of Commons, Labour, UK), Hywel Williams (MP, House of Commons, Plaid Cymru, UK) John McDonnell (MP, House of Commons, Labour, UK) Hugo Charlton (Chair, Green Party of England, Scotland and Wales), Mark Thomas, (Comedian-UK), Nick Hildyard, (Policy Analyst, UK) Stewart Hemsley (Chair, Pax Christi, UK), Bill Speirs, (General Secretary Scottish Trades Union Council), Jacobo Venier, (Spokesperson for International Relations of Italian Communist Party), The Honourable Oliviero Diliberto, (Deputy and General Secretary of Italian Communist Party, Former Minister of Justice, Italy), M. Fausto Bertinotti (Deputy of left Europe Party and General Secretary of the PRC), M. Ramaon Mantovani (PRC Deputy), M. Giovanni Russo (Senator-Italy), M. Gennaro Nigliore (Responsible of PRC RI’s, Italy), Jan Beghin (Deputy Socialist Party Alternative, SPIRIT, Belgium) Lionel Vandenberghe (Senator, SPIRIT, Belgium) Mahfoudh Romdhani, (Vice- President of Brussels Parliament), (Jan Loones Deputy for Vlaamsblok in Belgian Parliament), Peggy Parnass ( writer end journalist) Dr Ulrich Gottstein (Administrator of the IPPNW) , Beate Roggenbuck (Secretary of the Helsinki Citiwens Assembly), Gunter Wallraff (Writer-Germany), Dietrich Kittner (artist-Germany), Professor Andreas Buro (IPPNW, Doctor’s againts atomic war, Germany, Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy, Germany, DGF-VK, Coordinator of Dialog-Reis),Hans-Peter Dürr (Emeritus Professor, Max-Planck-Institut, and President, Global Challenges Network), Gabriele Gillen (Author and redactor, WDR-Germany), Dr. Rolf Gössner (President, International League for Human Rights-Germany), Yavuz Karaman (Film Director and TV-Journalist-Germany), Heiko Kauffmann (Director of Pro Asy/Aktion Courage-Germany), Dr. Jürgen Micksch (Chair of German Intercultural Council of Germany) , Herbert Leuninger (priest-Germany), Fecilia Langer (witer and journalist-Germany), Dr. Gerald Mader (President, Austrian Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Germany), M. Thomas Schmidt (General Secretary, European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and Human Rights, Germany), Manfred Richter (preist-Germany), Friedel Grützmacher (Member of Rheinland-Pfalz Regional Parliament, Germany), Dr. Rheinhard Voß (General Sekretary, Pax Christi -Germany), Dr. Professor Dr. Wolf-Dieter Narr (Germany), Professor Norman Paech (Germany), Mehmet Sahin Secretary, Dialog-Kreis, Germany), Kathrin Vogler (Speaker, Cooperation for Peace), Roland Appel (Germany), Professor Frank Deppe (German Peace Society - Conscientious Objectors, Germany), Gabi Kutsche (Regional Secretary of Niedersachsen Green’s, Germany), M. Enno Hagenah (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Ernst-Ludwig Iskenius (Refugio VS, Germany), Hubertus Janssen (preist-Germany), Ulla Jarusch (Public Appeal for Non-Violent Resistance to Arms and War, Germany), Wolfgang Jungheim (preist-Germany), Claudia Küchenbauer (ELKIB Worker for Non-Violent Conflict Resolution-Germany), Georgia Langhans (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Brother Jurgen Neizert (Franciscan Coordination for Justice and Peace, Germany), Dr.Gisela Penteker (Turkey representative International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Germany), Professor Joachim Hirsch, (IPPNW – German Section of International Doctors for the Prevention of Atomic War, Doctors for Social Responsibility, Germany), Filiz Polat (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), Prof. Dr. Roland Roth (Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy, Germany), M. Bernd-Jürgen Salzmann (Pax Christi Ravensburg, Germany), M. Joachim Schaefer (Wetzlar Youth Network, Germany), Dr. Alexander Schubart (Germany), . M. Willi van Oeyen (Peace and the Future Workshop, Germany), M. Friedrich Vetter (preist-Germany), M. Stefan Wenzel, (Member of Niedersachsen Regional Parliament, Germany), M. Rudolf Wessler (preist-Germany), Professor Dr. Ernst Woit (Community for Human Rights, Sachsen , Germany)
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire