Call for Global Sur and Hasankeyf Action Day

Ecological movements issued a common call for the Global Action Day for Sur and Hasankeyf on April 28.

Yesterday in Diyarbakir (Amed), ecological movements issued a common call for the Global Action Day for Sur and Hasankeyf.

We publish the full text of the call for Global Sur and Hasankeyf Action Day by The Platform Against The Destruction of Sur (Sur’un Yıkımına Hayır Platformu), Mesopotamia Ecology Movement (Mezopotamya Ekoloji Hareketi), Istanbul Sur Solidarity Platform (İstanbul Sur’la Dayanışma Platformu), Hasankeyf Initiative (Hasankeyf’i Yaşatma Girişimi) and Let Munzur Flow Freely Assembly (Munzur Özgür Aksın Meclisi).

“As a result of intensive discussions we made with numerous institutions, individuals, platforms and initiatives respectıng history, society and nature, it has been decided to declare April 28,2018 as the Global Action Day for Sur and Hasankeyf. We expect that a series of simultaneous actions and events will be held on April 28 in around one dozen countries.

By these actions, we will raise these demands;

Lift the Ban upon Sur, Let Sur Live. Let the People of Sur return to their homes!

Stop the Destruction and Relocation of Hasankeyf; Let the Tigris river flow freely!

'Stop the Historical, Political, Ecological and Cultural Crime in Sur and Hasankeyf!'

DO NO ALLOW THE MASSACRE OF CITY AND NATURE; DEFEND THE COMMON HISTORY, NATURE AND CULTURE!

In order to express our demands, various actions will be held on April 28, 2018 in one dozen countries and in many cities of Turkey with the invitation of Artists, Intellectuals, Authors, Ecology and Environmental Movements, Urban Movements, Women's Organizations, NGOs, Platform and Initiatives, Sensitive Political Parties and Unions, Professional Organizations and Chambers.

We would like to invite all sensitive circles and our people to participate in the actions and to embrace the ancient cities of Sur and Hasankeyf which have hosted humanity for thousands of years on the banks of the Tigris River. These cities are the common heritage of humanity and they belong to everyone. Therefore, it is all of our interest. For this reason, we invite everyone to take responsibility and embrace these cities to stop the destruction, relocation and sale of these cities. With these feelings and thoughts, we invite everyone to participate in these events in the cities where the events of April 28th will be held and to join this voice. We believe and we know that so many people are against the destruction of these cities. The way of revealing what we are against is through legitimate and democratic ways of supporting the scream of SUR and HASANKEYF.

We will also organize a number of events to support the ancient cities of Sur and Hasankeyf in Amed with our components and sensitive institutions on April 28th. These events will begin with a statement to the press and public including the opinions of the people of Sur, Hasankeyf, many other expertsand the people who are deeply committed to these cities in terms of expressing our suggestions and requests regarding the current situation of the two cities. The statement will be made at 12:00 in front of the Grand Mosque (Ulucami) in Sur. After the statement, a number of inspections will be held with the artists and delegations coming from other cities in Ali Pasha and Lalebey Neighborhoods where the urban transformation still continues. In the evening, poetry-music audition and documentary shows will be held about Sur.

So we say,

'Stop the Historical, Political, Ecological and Cultural Crime in Sur and Hasankeyf!'

STOP THE DECTRUCTION AND RELOCATION IN HASANKEYF; LET THE TIGRIS RIVER FLOW FREELY!

LIFT THE BANS UPON SUR, LET SUR LIVE, LET SUR PEOPLE RETURN HOME!

DO NO LET THE MASSACRE OF CITY AND NATURE; DEFEND THE COMMON HISTORY, NATURE AND CULTURE!

We invite everyone to become the scream of SUR and HASANKEYF."