Today is the 57th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is the International Human Rights Day. Unfortunately, there still are in the world, oppression, repression, wars, poverty and famine. Human rights and freedoms which are acquired through centuries-long struggles, are trying to be confiscated from the hands of mankind by making people of the world being doomed to the false dichotomy of security and human rights.
The U.S. – led ruling states regard no problem in employing every means for imposing peoples of the world the new world order that brings exploitation and domination in a global scale. Afghanistan and Iraq are still under occupation. New CIA ‘torture’ flights and torture centers were revealed to public opinion while torture exercised in prisons of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay is on the agenda. Neither the United Nations nor other international organizations have the power to say no to such practices.
While famine, poverty, inequality, injustice and exploitation are not regarded as threats for the world, democratic and peaceful actions against these problems were defined and regarded as “terrorist actions” and were repressed through use of violence. Instead of protecting and expanding the rights and freedoms defined in the International Declaration of Human Rights, ruling powers are trying to restrict existing rights and legitimize their so doing via a “terror” discourse. Human rights concepts were trying to be deprived from their meanings and were trying to be redefined with regard to the interests of global forces.
Being in parallelism with such policies in the global scale, particular states are employing similar policies of fear and regulations to restrict freedoms. Repressive policies, racism, xenophobia and discrimination against immigrants in European countries have reached to a dangerous level. Practices of discrimination and exclusion against foreign-nationals and immigrants in France have provoked a counter violence and have led to the sorrowful events of the recent weeks. A series of radical law amendments for anti-terror struggle are on agenda in the UK that would take away personal rights and freedoms. Similar approaches are also spreading in Italy, Denmark and other European countries.
Resources of the world are being consumed to the utmost, global warming and dangerous changes in world climate are threatening the future of world. The U.S., which has the biggest role in the emergence of these threats, still resists signing Kyoto Protocol that foresees preventive measures against these problems. Global neo-liberal economic policies are causing an increase in the level of inequality between developed and impoverished countries.
While almost no share is allocated towards establishing a world with just distribution of resources and with low poverty, one trillion dollar is allocating to armament per year.
The situation is no different in Turkey in the 57th year of the International Declaration of Human Rights. Instead of efforts for solving problems of implementation of human rights and rule of law, there are efforts to set a further limit to the existing rights and freedoms. Freedom of speech, which is one of the most basic rights of democratic order, is still under threat in our country. Scientists, writers, politicians and journalists are being tried and punished for their thoughts. Hrant Dink and Fatih Taş were sentenced and Orhan Pamuk and Ragıp Zarakoğlu are also facing with sentencing. New lawsuits were opened against Professor İbrahim Kaboğlu and Baskın Oran. Politicians are being sentenced just for saying “good morning” in Kurdish.
Poverty, unemployment inequality between regions and unjust distribution of income are still among the basic problems of our country. Instead of being spend for a better life for the peoples of Turkey, resources of the country are being allocated to maintain policies of violence
Instead of employing democratic and peaceful methods to solve existing problems, there is not even a slightest flexibility in the understanding that applies to violence and turns a blind eye to the essence of these problems. Kurdish question is still one of the basic problems of the country that is waiting for an urgent solution. The unitary structure of state in every field is resisting accepting ethnic, religious and cultural differences. Necessary steps for the democratization of the system are yet to be taken.
Exercise of torture is still continuing and perpetrators are still being protected. Isolation, torture inhuman and ill-treatment is still going on in prisons. There is no political will searching for a solution for the problems in prisons.
Legal and practical repression over human rights institutions and defenders that have been increased in 2005 should be ended immediately.
We came to know with the bomb exploded in Şemdinli that the Gang of Susurluk is still at work. Death penalty was lifted but police forces are killing peoples in unarmed and peaceful demonstrations. Despite being lifted legally, the regulations of Emergency Rule are still in practice. Unfortunately, the level of armed clashes in our country is increasing and causing our people to die in every coming day. This situation is inflicting pain to all of us. We as the Human Rights Association (İHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) are repeating again our belief in the solution of problems through democratic and peaceful meanings. We are demanding that illegal gangs and organizations within state to be broke up and those responsible to be brought to justice. We will continue to struggle against violence in Turkey and in the world. We will keep cooperating with national and international organizations in our struggle.
We call for the rulers and ruling countries of the world to abide by the principles of UN.
We, on the day of International Day of Human Rights are recalling our wishes for a peace and prosperity for all humanity.
LONG LIVE THE STRUGGLE OF PEACE, DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS
IHD TIHV
Yusuf Alataş Yavuz Önen
President President