Support for Academics from Paris

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Another support has come from academics from France for the academics releasing peace declaration titled “We will not be a party to this crime” calling for peace and resume of negotiations and have been facing investigations because of that.

Paris College of Social Sciences (EHESS) held a solidarity meeting yesterday (January 19) about “Academics for Peace”.

In the conference where Ahmet İnsel, Hamit Bozarslan, Ferhat Taylan, Etienne Balibar, Christian Laval and Vincent Duclert took place as speakers, the reasons that urged academics to sign this declaration and the consequences of it have become focal point of discussions.

In the conference organized by French representation of GIT Research and Education Freedom International Working Group, the government has been criticized for its harsh attitude against academics, increasing pressure and limiting liberties.

Academics analyzing Turkey’s constant state of war and the instable condition, stated that the country is being encouraged for chaos. They emphasized importance of international support specific to France.

Bozarslan: It is all citizens of Turkey being targeted

First speaker of the conference, historian and political scientist, Hamit Bozarslan has drawn attention to harsh wording of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan administration during this process.

Bozarslan stating opponents started to be defined as “enemy” with the change of state policies, expressed that today now an enemy is deliberately trying to be created.

“The ones targeted now are not only Armenians or Kurds, but all citizens of Turkey”.

Taylan: Support growing

The incidents claiming lives of hundreds of people and causing even bigger destructions as days pass as of 2015 elections have been summed up by conference’s second speaker, Ferhat Taylan.

Taylan noting the number of academics signing the declaration has doubled in one week, highlighted that international support for academics has been growing.

İnsel: PKK is not our addressee

One of the signatories, academic, economist and journalist Ahmet İnsel has commented on why especially this declaration has been made a target.

He drew attention to disproportion in President Erdoğan’s speech that mostly covered academics instead of bomb attack in Sultanahmet.

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İnsel emphasizing that an instability is deliberately being generated on society and this drives the people to chaos, expressed that Erdoğan has an incontrovertible share in this.

Another subject he brought up was the criticism that the declaration doesn’t touch Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

İnsel highlighting that PKK is a terror organization and they are against all terror acts stated that it would be wrong to put PKK and state in the same text.

“Locating state against PKK is to consider the state a terror organization. PKK is not our addressee but the state”, said İnsel.

“There are people clinging to their basic right and liberties against President Erdoğan”, İnsel concluded his speech.

Balibar: France should react more

Another speaker of the conference, Etienne Balibar after discussing terms such as freedom of expression and human rights, drew attention to significance of international resistance. Balibar noting this problem is not specific to Turkey stated that this situation directly affects Europe.

Christian Laval saying support of people from France might have substantial influence, has called for intellectuals from France. Laval who found silence of authorities from France “worrying and embarrassing”, stating more reaction is needed said unions and scientific institutions should find different course of actions.

Vincent Duclert, final speaker of the conference, expressed that this attack launched against free will is unforgivable and relentless. (Dİ/DE/NV/TK)