'The struggle against cultural genocide should be promoted'
Stating that the Turkish state is a danger to the culture and language of the Kurdish people, artists from Qamishlo call for a united struggle against the attacks of the Turkish state.
The Turkish state, which continues its invasion attacks against Northern and Eastern Syria, is also arresting artists, intellectuals and politicians who are in solidarity with the Rojava. Artists from the northern Syrian city of Qamishlo who respond to the practices of the Turkish state emphasize the importance of unity of the peoples against the Turkish state.
'KURDISH CULTURE IN JEOPARDY'
Musician Tariq Mirza, a member of the Democratic Culture and Art Movement, points out that the peoples living in the region are known for their culture and that the Turkish state is trying to destroy the culture of the Kurdish people. Mirza adds that, “As Kurdish, Arab and Syriac artists, we stand against this cultural assimilation. Our resistance will continue until these inhuman attacks of the Turkish state come to an end.”
'KURDISH CULTURE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED’
Gulistan İbrahim, member of the Democratic Culture and Art Movement, emphasizes that the Turkish state is trying to destroy the culture of the Kurdish people in the person of artists. Expressing that the artists expose the crimes of the Turkish state, Gulistan adds, “All the artists living in Kurdistan should keep the culture of the Kurdish people alive through the arts they perform. This is the most basic duty of every artist."
Ehmed Çeteli, Co-Chair of the Democratic Culture and Art Movement, underlines that artists have been the target of the capitalist systems since they have protected the culture of the peoples throughout history. Stating that the Turkish state also targets artists, Çeteli points out that the Kurdish people are deeply connected to their culture.
Yasin Hisên, another member of the Movement, says; “When they want to defeat a people militarily, politically and culturally, they first try to corrupt that people culturally. They know that they can easily hold a people captive, whose culture it has corrupted. This is the reason why artists, intellectuals, journalists and politicians are detained in North Kurdistan (Turkey) today through political genocide operations.”
