Remarking that they don’t have any reason for doing military service in Turkish army, conscientious objector youngsters will organize a march in Harbiye.

According to the statement made by the organization Patriotic Democratic Youth, youngsters will march in front of Istanbul Radio in Harbiye on 23 January at 13:00.

The statement said “The commanders of the ‘Supreme Army’ ignored our language-culture and neglected even our most humanitarian demands. Today, they want to give us arms and make us fight against our people. We have many reasons for our refusal but we don’t have any reason for doing military service in TSK.

Patriotic Democratic Youth stated; “We will not be the soldiers of Turkish army which is the main responsible for the massacre in Kurdistan, which burnt down our villages and forests, murdered our children, the imposer of denial and destruction, the maintainer of rape culture. To this respect, we refuse the compulsory military service. Regardless of race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation and thought, we are waiting all supporters of conscientious objection, all those taking a stand against war and death

to the conscientious objection march we will make”.

211 CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS IN A YEAR

The number of young people refusing to do military service in Turkish army within the scope of the campaign launched by Kurdish Conscientious Objection Movement is increasing day by day.

Compared to previous years, the number of young people declaring conscientious objection tripled in 2010. According to the figures obtained from Opponents of War website (www.savaskarsitlari.org) and ANF, at least 221 young people, 22 being women, declared conscientious objection in 2010 while this number was recorded as 86 between 1989 and 2009.

Translation: Berna Ozgencil