Yesterday in Amed and Istanbul, 564 people, including musicians, art critics, writers, directors, actors, painters, dengbêj and art academics, announced a declaration titled "Let's Be a Voice for Peace". In the declaration, it was emphasized that the issues in the country can be solved through negotiation methods and said: "One must be courageous for social peace. The government must give up the politics of oppression, isolation and war. They must not be afraid to establish dialogue and talk."

 

Musician Cevdet Bağca, art critic-painter Feyyaz Yaman, writer Fırat Cewerî, director Haşim Aydemir, director İlham Bakır, actress Jülide Kural, musician Mikail Aslan, documentary film director Nejla Demirci, photographer Özcan Yaman, painter Sevinç Altan, director Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Theater academic Süreyya Karacabey and composer-lyricist Şanar Yurdatapan were among the callers of the declaration.

 

Signatory writers and artists evaluated the declaration.

 

'WE WILL FIGHT FOR PEACE'

 

Celal Ekin, one of the signatory artists, emphasized that they wanted to "be a voice for peace" with the declaration. Stating that the Kurds have a demand for peace and that they have never stepped back in their demands, Ekin emphasized that for a permanent peace, the Imrali isolation must first be abolished.

 

Pointing out that the isolation is not only imposed on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the prisoners, Ekin said: "Isolation exists in every field such as politics, culture and language today. In order to break this isolation, everyone must express their demand for peace with conviction. The entire responsibility of this falls on writers and intellectuals. We want a permanent peace. Our struggle to end the war will continue. If necessary, we will fight for peace."

 

ARTISTS' REQUESTS

 

Another signatory artist, İlyas Arzu, pointed out that conflicts have been continuing for 40 years and emphasized that artists should stand against the war. Arzu said: "Women, children and people are always harmed in wars. That's why we are against war. The duty of the artist is to move society forward and pave the way for peace and tranquillity."

 

Stating that the isolation imposed on Abdullah Öcalan is imposed on everyone who wants peace and freedom, Arzu said: "A very harsh system is being implemented. We want peace to come, the beginning of a new process and the solution of the Kurdish issue. We do not want war. War is not the need of the people, the governments are creating this. We do not accept the isolation imposed on Mr. Abdullah Öcalan. We want our people to participate more strongly in these actions to ensure peace and freedom."

 

'WE CAME TOGETHER TO SOLVE THE KURDISH ISSUE'

 

Poet Önder Kızılkaya, who supported the declaration from Istanbul, said that politics in Turkey is blocked due to the lack of solution to the Kurdish issue. Kızılkaya said: "As artists who speak out against exploitation and inequality, we want to remind politicians of this language of peace. The Kurdish issue has been going on for years and a huge price has been paid. We have come together again to solve this problem. We will always come together until a solution is found on this issue."

 

'THE INTERVIEWS ARE IN PRISON'

 

Stating that people who will contribute to the solution of the Kurdish issue are in prison, Kızılkaya emphasized that the imprisoned politicians must be released. Reminding the "dialogue" process carried out between 2013 and 2015, Kızılkaya stated that political parties and intellectuals can contribute to the solution of the Kurdish issue and said: "The government needs to come together with the DEM Party, intellectuals and writers. The Kurdish issue has gone a certain distance in the solution process. It is necessary to talk again in order to revive this process."