Making Literature Travel

A group of writers in Turkey have condemned the police violence against innocent citizens in Turkey.

They write: ”We the authors who have signed this petition condemn police violence towards innocent citizens of Turkey. The authorities have so far failed to take necessary actions to protect civilians, neglected to hear the people’s demands, and gradually increased violence against citizens who are merely using their democratic right to protest the abolishment of a park in Istanbul.

We believe that the primary duty of the rulers of the state is to listen to the voice of the people who have chosen them as their representatives. It is also within the elected officials’ responsibilities to prevent any contention that may occur between the police and the people. We, therefore, call for the government to form an independent council to hear the people’s demands and immediately stop police brutality.”

If you are a writer or translator and you’d like to lend your support – please get behind their petition – which has so far been signed by the following writers plus many more in the last few days:

Stella Duffy, Kamila Shamsie, Gillian Slovo, Marina Warner, Mel Kenne, Barış Müstecaplıoğlu, AL Kennedy, Ahdaf Soueif, Alexandra Buchler, Linda Grant, Amanda Craig, Maureen Freely, Gordon Dahlquist, Andrew Ervin, Drew Chapman, Daniel Wallace, Rebecca Bazell, Stefan Kiesbye, James W. Fuerst, Rafi Zabor, Laurent Margantin, Danielle Carlès, Christine Jeanney, François Bon, Zulfu Livaneli, Ahmet Umit, Buket Uzuner, Ayse Kulin, Ece Temelkuran, Hasan Ali Toptas, Ali Cimen, Asli Tohumcu, Canan Tan, Ayfer Tunc, Onur Caymaz, Iclal Aydın, Mine Sögüt, Berrak Yurdakul, Deniz Gezgin, Kursat Basar, Hamdi Koc, Gulayse Kocak, Hikmet Hukumenoglu, Hatice Meryem, Demet Altınyeleklioglu, Unver Alibey, Hakan Bicakci, Ahmet Tulgar, Celil Oker, Irmak Zileli, Umay Umay, Yigit Karaahmet, Basar Basarir, Yigit Deger Bengi, Yalcin Tosun, Altay Oktem, Zeynep Cavusoglu, Lale Muldur, Vildan Cetin, Sezer Ates Ayvaz, Ismail Guzelsoy, Deniz Durukan, Karin Karakasli, Yasemin Yazici, Fatih Balkis, Dursun Gocmen, Merve Kucuksarp, Atalay Girgin, Leyla Ruhan Okyay, Selim Temo, Aslı Solakoglu, Firat Demir, Mehmet Said Aydin, Oray Egin, Oya Kozlu, Zeynep Oral, Nalan Barbarosoglu, Ayse Sarisayin, Selahattin Ozpalabiyiklar, Nazli Eray, Oya Baydar, Jale Sancak, Atilla Birkiye, Latife Tekin, Ozlem Kumrular, Alper Caniguz, Bedia Ceylan Guzelce, Dogu Yucel, Mehmet Murat Somer.

Find the petition here: https://www.change.org/petitions/turkish-government-hear-people-s-demands

A general petition to end the crackdown is also available to sign here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Erdogan_End_the_crackdown_now/?agErebb.

Find the petition here: https://www.change.org/petitions/turkish-government-hear-people-s-demands

A general petition to end the crackdown is also available to sign here: http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Erdogan_End_the_crackdown_now/?agErebb.

Here directors of poetry festivals and international promoters of poetry show solidarity for #ResisTurkey / #WeAreGezi – at the Berlin Poesiefestival, June 2013.