HDK and HDP's Culture and Art Commissions and Youth Assemblies said, "We will resist the government that targets peoples with assimilation, denial and annihilation policies and reduces culture and art into cages."
HDP and HDK's press statement titled "We Are Against Cultural Assimilation and Censorship!" and the street activity in front of the Avcılar, Istanbul on Wednesday, February 24, was blocked.
The text of the press release, which could not be read out public due to the police blockade, was shared with the public.
The statement by HDK Istanbul Culture and Arts Commission, HDP Istanbul Culture and Arts Commission, HDK Istanbul Youth Assembly, HDP Istanbul Youth Assembly reads as follows:
'LET’S RAISE THE VOICE OF A FREE AND NEW LIFE'
"Censorship and cultural assimilation are the basic policies of a monist understanding. We are here together to break the wall of censorship and to stand against cultural assimilation.
Let's expand our struggle for all peoples, cultures, beliefs and non-believers living in this country; Let's raise the voice for a free and new life.
Let's talk about the fact that the right to reveal cultural productions in mother tongue, to carry out scientific studies in mother tongue, to receive education in mother tongue, to produce in mother tongue has unbreakable ties with equality and justice.
No ethnic identity, language, culture or religion is superior to another on lands where different peoples and beliefs live together. The state has always aimed to make people forget what different peoples and beliefs lived in this land by destroying most of the cemeteries, schools and churches belonging to Armenians and Syriacs. The state ignored the Cemevis (Alevi place of worship) and changed the Kurdish city names. Recent criminalization and closure of cultural and artistic institutions that work in many disciplines are attacks on cultural memory. These cause people to lose their core values.
'WE WILL RESIST ATTACKS AS WE PRODUCE'
We know from examples in world history that destroying cultural memory is cultural genocide, a crime against humanity. First of all, acknowledging these crimes and facing the truths will help to build social peace. Only in this way will it be possible to establish an equal, fair and free future.
We will resist through art and culture. Our productions and values will always eliminate the walls of fear, pressure and attacks."
