Artists join writer Turkali appeal for hunger strikers

31 October 2012 – ANF – Writer Vedat Turkali and many other will demonstrate in Taksim on 1st November. A group of prominent artists and authors in Turkey released a joint statement calling for the demands by prisoners on hunger strike to be met.

Artists will come together following the call by Kurdish writer Vedat Türkali. They will gather in Taksim Gezi Park on 1 November, Thursday, to call attention to hunger strike and to urge the government to find a solution. The prisoners are on their 51st day of fast. The artists’ statement on the demonstration was signed by many writers and intellectuals including author Murathan Mungan, Kardeş Türküler music band, director Kazım Öz, artist Ferhat Tunç, actor Erkan Can. We hereby publish the full text of the joint statement by artist calling on the Turkish government to meet prisoners’ demands:

“You may ignore the hunger strike but you already came within an inch of coming face to face with what you have ignored.

You are responding to the most basic demands with your boundless arrogance and you see this ability of yours as an accomplishment.

Do not ever let human death become a joy pleasing your arrogance.

For the sake of the right to live, stand by that whatever you believe in.

Put an end to your being an instrument to the policies of denial that have been followed for years now.

Never before has any government rejected so few and concrete demands.

Meet the highlighted demands.

Instead of loving yourself so much, give some of your love to people.

Understand it now that no government can remain standing against the human power of resistance.

There is nothing scary about being a human being.

You, temporary rulers of the government; please be decent.

Listen to prisoners and not be a slave to your arrogance.

Any single person suffering from hunger points to the resistance or death of humanity.

Do not be late.

We the signers shall continue to speak for justice, peace and freedom until the very last moment.

Do not stand so distant from us. Do not sadden, do not get sad. Do not die killing.”