Declaration of
Writers, Nobel Laureates, and Artists
October, 1999
Editor's note: The following declaration was signed by a
number of prominent international writers and artists, including a number of
nobel laureates, all of whom demand a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish
Question. The letter will be distributed to heads of state at the OSCE
(Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) summit in Istanbul,
Turkey this November.
DECLARATION
The 20th century, one of the bloodiest centuries in
human history, is about to end. In these last days one question haunts people:
will the 21st century be as bloody as the previous one?
Our response is a categorical "no!" The new
century and the peoples of the new century have the obligation to reject every
imaginable discrimination, to show respect to anyone and everyone and to fight
for freedom.
We, writers and artists whose signatures appear below,
wish to see Turkey as an exemplary country in matters of human rights and
democracy in the new century. Turkey, which we see as an integral part of the
civilized world, is capable of taking important steps in pursuit of these
issues.
It is common knowledge that in the fields of human
rights and democracy, Turkey has serious problems. Even Turkish government
officials admit to this fact. The most important of these problems is the
Kurdish question. Because of her failure to solve this problem adequately,
Turkey can neither take the desired steps in matters of human rights nor
achieve full democracy. We believe that Turkey has the power to solve the
Kurdish problem in a civilized manner. None of the concerns of 1923, felt by
the young Turkish Republic, which rose over the remains of the Ottoman Empire,
are valid today. Today, the Kurds, numbering approximately 15 million in Turkey
only, are essential citizens of Turkey. The Kurds only demand to preserve their
language and cultural identity and to live within the unity of the Turkish
Republic as free citizens; to read and write and be educated in Kurdish; to
live, work and serve while preserving their distinct identity and culture.
It is well known that since 1923, Kurdish has been
outlawed as a language for education, teaching and communication; that the
Kurds have been consistently suppressed; that because of matters of language
and identity countless individuals have been arrested and punished; that
thousands, tens of thousands of towns, villages, hamlets, mountains, and
valleys and hills have had their names changed to render them as Turkish; that
since 1923 there have been serious political efforts in pursuit of Turkism;
that, on occasions, Kurds were called "Mountain Turks"; and that the
Constitution and other codes of law have supported these policies. It is also
known that none of these measures have been very effective, that Kurds did not
become Turks, that the Kurdish problem has not been resolved. The blood- soaked
and prohibitively costly events of the last 15 years corroborate these facts:
Violence is not a solution. Violence will neither transform Kurds into Turks
nor enable Kurds to attain their rights.
Now, in a democratic step that will be an example to
the whole world and the new century, Turkey must solve the Kurdish problem and
embrace her Kurdish citizens in their own right. We believe that such a
democratic and civilized step forward will immensely strengthen Turkey
economically, socially, and culturally. Kurdish is oneof the richest languages
of the Mesopotamian civilization. It has a rich classic literature as well as a
varied musical tradition and a blooming modern literature. The very ancient
history and cultural heritage of the Kurds belong to us all.
Instead of being denied or belittled, these riches
must be included as a dynamic part of Turkey's wealth. Kurds, who, throughout history,
have constituted a third of the mosaic of peoples of Anatolia, must no longer
face discrimination; they must be given back their human rights and dignity so
that Kurdish can, once again, become a language of education and learning. The
need for Kurdish radio and television must be recognized. The rights of Kurdish
language, culture and identity must be given constitutional guarantees. All
legal measures against Kurdish language, culture, music and identity must be
expunged. That is what the whole of the civilized and free world expects from
Turkey today.
Starting from the President, Prime Minister, the
parliament and the government, we appeal to all those in authority; please save
Turkey from its shame. While you tend to the wounds of the earthquake which has
saddened all of us, please tend also to the social wounds that have been
bleeding for over 70 years. Make Turkey, in the 21st century, a civilized and
democratic country, a country that respects human rights and cultural identity.
Yasar Kemal, Ahmet Altan, Zulfu Livaneli,
Orhan Pamuk, Mehmed Uzun
Adonis, Bibi Anderson, Homero Aridjis, Margaret
Atwood, Maurice Bejart, Ingmar Bergman, John Berger, Suzanne Brogger, Adriaan
van Dis, Mahmud Doulatabadi, Margaret Drabble, Kerstin Ekman, Richard Falk,
Moris Farhi, Lady Antonia Fraser, Costa Gavras, Nadine Gordimer, Juan
Goytisolo, Gunter Grass, Sir David Hare, Ronald Harwood, Michael Higgins,
Erland Josephson, Yoram Kanluk, Jaan Kaplinski, Nikos Kasdaglis, Gyorgy Konrad,
Jack Lang, Alberto Manguel, Adam Michnik, Arthur Miller, Kai Nieminen,
Elisabeth Nordgren, William Nygaard, Monika van Paemel, Harold Pinter, Herbert
Pundik, Claude Regy, Klaus Rifbjerg, Bernice Rubens, Arne Ruth, Johannes
Salminen, Antonis Samarakis, Jose Saramago, Kirsti Simonsuuri, Thorvald Steen,
Oliver Stone, Sigmund Stromme, Birgitta Trotzig, Liv Ullmann, Andre Velter,
Gunter Wallraf, Elie Wiesel, Per Wastberg, Georg Henrik von Wright