Statement on the Peace Process in Turkey

[The following statement was issued by 280 academics from fifty universities in Turkey on 27 August 2013.]

We invite the government to take the necessary steps for peace and the public to be more alert to the process:

In the last month all Kurdish actors who have been participating in the execution of the peace and/or solution process have declared that the process progresses one-sidedly. They warned the public that therefore the process runs the risk of coming to a halt. The fact that the Turkish government refrains from giving clear statements that would inform the public about the ongoing process, and that all information regarding the process is gathered from BDP MP’s and KCK spokespeople, also gives the impression that the process is not progressing smoothly. BDP MP’s and KCK spokespeople point out that the government is yet to fulfill the expectations of the Kurdish side and in case the situation continues as it does, Abdullah Öcalan, who until now has played an active role in the negotiations, will draw back from the process. 

We, the undersigned, are seriously concerned about the course of the peace process and invite the parliament and the AKP government to immediately take the necessary steps towards democratization, make the process transparent, and execute a peace process which follows international standards.

Academic research shows that half of the peace accords signed in the world since 1990 have broken down in the first five years after they were signed. The most common reason for this is the failure of governments/states to fulfill the promises they made during negotiations. Research also shows that in such cases armed conflict resumes, new hostilities are produced, and it becomes even harder to build social peace. In a time when the Middle East is governed by war and tension and when we have already lost 50,000 of our citizens during a conflict that has been going on for over thirty years, we do not believe that Turkey can afford another trial and failure. Therefore, it is urgent that necessary lessons are taken from the global experience accumulated through other peace processes in the world and necessary measures are taken to execute a just and sustainable peace process that meets universal criteria.

Experts suggest that in order for a peace process to be successful, the process must be transparent, mechanisms must be built which guarantee the equal participation of social and political actors, legal changes must be made which will solve the problems that have given rise to armed conflict at the first place, crimes committed in the past must be revealed and prosecuted, channels for public debate and discussion must be opened, security reforms that will prevent the reoccurrence of past infringements and victimizations must be put in place, and legal and social arrangements must be made that provide for paramilitary forces to become reintegrated in civil society. 

In line with these suggestions we, the undersigned, expect the government to take the following steps without losing more time:
 

• Publishing of reports prepared by the Wise People’s Committee and Solution Commission
• Establishment of transparency
• Preparation of a peace calendar which summarizes the content and the timing of the process and which can be used for purposes of monitoring and accountability
• Legal changes, which will meet the democratic demands around which a considerable social consensus exists and which will also contribute to the solving of problems that gave rise to violent conflict. Some of these changes concern the right to education in mother tongue, and the lifting or the decrease of the election threshold.
• Creation of commissions such as Truth Commission, Gender Equality Commission, Social and Economic Compensation Commission, and Security Reform Commission, that can work on different dimensions of the peace process and the construction of social peace
• Opening of formal channels so that independent civil society institutions can monitor, witness, and facilitate negotiations.

We, the undersigned, once again declare to the public that we are ready and willing to contribute in any way possible to a peace process, which meets international standards and call everyone to participate in the construction of social peace.

Abbas Vali, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Adem Çelik, Research Assist, Kocaeli University

Ahmet Altınel, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Ahmet Erden, Uzman, Abant İzzet Baysal University

Ahmet Yıldırım, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Ali Bedir, Research Assist, Mardin Artukulu University

Ali Kerem Saysel, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Arda İbikoğlu, Dr, Boğaziçi University

Aren Kurtgözü, Assist. Prof, Kadir Has University

Ardıl Bayram Şahin, Research Assist, Çanakkale 18 Mart University

Aslı Telli Aydemir, Istanbul Şehir University

Aslı Zengin, Research Assist, Toronto University

Ateş Altınordu, Assist. Prof, Sabancı University

Atilla Güney, Prof, Mersin University

Ayça Alemdaroğlu, Dr, Stanford University

Ayfer Bartu Candan, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ayla Zırh Gürsoy, Prof. Emekli, Marmara University

Aynur Kolburan Geçer, Dr, Kocaeli University

Ayşe Berkman, Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Ayşe Durakbaşa, Prof, Marmara University

Ayşe Erzan, Prof. Emekli, Istanbyl Teknik University

Ayşe Esmeray Yoğun, Dr, Toros University

Ayşe Gözen, Prof, Ondokuz Mayıs University

Ayşe Parla, Assoc. Prof, Sabancı University

Ayşegül Kanbak, Lect, Kocaeli University

Ayşegül Yakar Önal, Assoc. Prof, Istanbul University

Ayşen Candaş, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ayşen Uysal, Assoc. Prof, Dokuz Eylül University

Ayten Alkan, Assoc. Prof, Istanbul University

Barış Büyükokutan, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Başak Demir, Research Assist, Galatasaray University

Barzoo Eliasi, Dr, Lund University

Baskın Oran, Prof. Emekli, Ankara University

Bedirhan Dehmen, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Bedirhan Gültepe, Research Assist, Abant İzzet Baysal University

Bediz Yılmaz, Assist. Prof, Mersin University

Begüm Özkaynak, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Berna Güler Müftüoğlu, Assist. Prof, Marmara University

Berrak Karahoda, Research Assist, Bilgi University

Besime Şen, Assoc. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Betül Tanbay, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Biray Kolluoğlu, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Birgül Yılmaz, Doktara Adayı, Londra University

Biriz Berksoy, Lect, Istanbul University

Burak Özçetin, Assist. Prof, Akdeniz University

Burcu Binboğa, Research Assist, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Burcu Yakut-Çakar, Assist. Prof, Kocaeli University

Bülent Duru, Assoc. Prof, Ankara University

Bülent Küçük, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Büşra Ersanlı, Prof, Marmara University

Cem Oyvat, Research Assist, Massachusetts-Amherst University

Cem Özatalay, Dr, Galatasaray University

Cem Terzi, Prof, Dokuz Eylül University

Cemil Boyraz, Assist. Prof, Bilgi University

Ceren Özselçuk, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ceren Sözeri, Dr, Galatasaray University

Cesim Çelik, Assist. Prof, Abant İzzet Baysal University

Çağla Aykaç, Assist. Prof, Fatih University

Çağrı Gökdemir, Research Assist, Londra University

Çavlan Erengezgin, Doktora Adayi, British Columbia Universitesi

Çetin Çelikel, Dr, Koç University

Çiğdem Yazıcı, Assist. Prof, Koç University

Cihan Yapıştıran, Research Assist, Marmara University

Defne Tüzün, Lect, Kadir Has University

Deniz Göktaş, Research Assist, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Deniz Yonucu, Ph.D, Cornell University

Deniz Yükseker, Assoc. Prof, Koç University

Didem Kılıçkıran, Assist. Prof, Kadir Has University

Dikmen Bezmez, Assist. Prof, Koç University

Dilek Hüzeyinzadegan, Assist. Prof, Koç University

Dilşa Deniz, Dr.

Düzgün Uğur, Research Assist, Dicle University

Ebru Aykut, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Ece Algan, Assoc. Prof, California State University

Elçin Aktoprak, Assist. Prof, Ankara University

Elif Babül, Assist. Prof, Mount Holyoke College

Elif Ünlü, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Elvan Aksen, Lect, Kocaeli University

Elvan Altan Ergut, Assoc. Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Elvan Gülöksüz, Assoc. Prof, Istanbul Teknik University

Ercan Alp, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ercan Gümüş, Okutman, Mardin Artukulu University

Erdal Bulğan, Assist. Prof, Istanbul Teknik University

Erdem Yörük, Assist. Prof, Koç University

Eren Can, Research Assist, Mardin Artuklu Üniversiresi

Erhan Yalçındağ, Dr, Masaryk University

Erol Köroğlu, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ersin Aslıtürk, Dr, Ottowa University

Esin Berktaş, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Esra Danacıoğlu, Tamur, Yıldız Teknik University

Esra Demir, Research Assist, Marmara University

Esra Mungan, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Fahriye Dinçer, Assist. Prof, Yıldız Teknik University

Fatma Gök, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Ferhunde Özbay, Prof. Emekli, Boğaziçi University

Ferhat Kentel, Prof, İstanbul Şehir University

Ferdan Ergut, Assoc. Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Feryal Saygılıgil, Assist. Prof, Istanbul Arel University

Fırat Bozçalı, Research Assist, Stanford University

Fırat İlin, Research Assist, Mardin Artukulu University

Fikret Adaman, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Fikret Uyar, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Fuat Güzel, Prof, Dicle University

Fulya Atcan, Prof, Yıldız Teknik University

Funda Şenol Cantek, Assoc. Prof, Ankara University

Füsun Üstel, Prof, Galatasaray University

Gencay Gürsoy, Prof. Emekli, Istanbul University

Gökhan Kabacaoğlu, Research Assist, Hacettepe University

Göksel Demirer, Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Gönül Turgut, Research Assist, Tunceli University

Güçlü Ateşoğlu, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Gül Köksal, Assist. Prof, Kocaeli University

Gül Ünsal Barlas, Assist. Prof, Marmara University

Güldem Baykal Büyüksaraç, Assist. Prof, Istanbul University

Gülşah Kurt, Dr, Galatasaray University

Gülüm Şener, Assist. Prof, Istanbul Arel University

Güner Coşkunsu, Assist. Prof, Mardin Artukulu University

Güven Gürkan Öztan, Assist. Prof, Istanbul University

H. Cevahir Kayam, Assist. Prof, Istanbul University

Hacer Ansal, Prof, Işık University

Hakan Topal, Assist. Prof, Purchase Koleji-SUNY

Hale Bolak, Prof, Bilgi University

Hanifi Barış, Ph.D, Aberdeen University

Harun Ercan, Lect, Koç University

Hasan Pakdemir, Research Assist, Ankara University

Hasan Tekgüç, Assist. Prof, Mardin Artuklu University

Haşim Cem Çelik, Ögr. Gör, Celal Bayar University

Hazal Halavut, Research Assist, Boğaziçi University

Heval Kılavuz, Research Assist, Ankara University

Hişyar Özsoy, Assist. Prof, Michigan-Flint University

Huri Özdoğan, Prof, Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi

Ilgın Erdem, Research Assist, Massachusetts-Amherst University

Işıl Ünal, Prof, Ankara Ünivesitesi

İbrahim Bor, Assoc. Prof, Mardin Artukulu University

İbrahim Sirkeci, Prof, Londra Regent University

İclal Ayşe Küçükkırca, Assist. Prof, Mardin Artuklu University

İlhan Özgüneş, Prof, Osmangazi University

İlhan Küçükaydın, Assist. Prof, Penn State University

İlke Şanlıer Yüksel, Assist. Prof, Doğuş University

İmge Oranlı, Ph.D, DePaul University

İpek Akpınar, Assoc. Prof, İstanbul Teknik University

İrfan Açıkgöz, Prof, Dicle University

Janroj Keleş, Dr, Londra Metropolitan University

Jülide Karakoç, Assist. Prof, Gedik University

Kadir Erdin, Prof, Istanbul University

Kazım Büyükboduk, Assoc. Prof, Koç University

Kemal Kıvanç Aköz, Research Assist, New York University

Kerem Eksen, Assist. Prof, İstanbul Teknik University

Kıvanç Ersoy, Assist. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Kuban Altınel, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Leyla Neyzi, Prof, Sabancı University

Lütfiye Bozdağ, Assist. Prof, Kemerburgaz University

Mahmut Güler, Assoc. Prof, Trakya University

Mahmut Toğrul, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Markus Dressler, Assoc. Prof, Istanbul Teknik University

Mahmut İlhan, Assoc. Prof

Mehmet Behzat Ekinci, Assist. Prof, Mardin Artukulu University

Mehmet Karlı, Assist. Prof, Galatasaray University

Mehmet Kart, Research Assist, Bremen University

Mehmet Nuri Özbek, Assoc. Prof.

Mehmet Rauf Kesici, Assist. Prof, Kocaeli University

Mehmet Şerif Derince, Lect, Koç University

Melek Göregenli, Prof, Ege University

Melih Kırlıdağ, Assoc. Prof, Marmara University

Melis Behlil, Assoc. Prof, Kadir Has University

Meltem Ahıska, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Meltem Toksöz, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Mine Eder, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Murat Es, Assist. Prof, Hong Kong University

Murat Koyuncu, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Murat Paker, Assist. Prof, Bilgi University

Murat Yılmaz, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Murat Yüksel, Assist. Prof, Koç University

Mustafa Cemal Yalçıntan, Assoc. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Müge Ayan, Dr, Istanbul Bilgi University

Mühdan Sağlam, Research Assist, Ankara University

Nazan Üstündağ, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Nazime Ceren Salmanoğlu, Research Assist, Ankara University

Necati Polat, Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Necmiye Alpay, Dr.

Neşe Özgen, Prof.

Nil Mutluer, Dr, Fatih University

Nilay Özok-Gündoğan, Assist. Prof, Denison University

Nilgün Toker, Prof, Ege University

Nisa Göksel, Ph.D, Northwestern University

Noemi Levy-Aksu, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Nuri Ersoy, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Nurseli Yeşim Sünbüloğlu, Ph.D, Sussex University

Nüket Esen, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Nükhet Sirman, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Oğuz Gora, Lect, Yaşar University

Oğuz Sinemillioğlu, Assist. Prof, Dicle University

Olcay Akyıldız, Lect, Boğaziçi University

Onur Hamzaoğlu, Prof, Kocaeli University

Onur Günay, Research Assist, Princeton University

Osman Aytar, Dr, Malardalen University

Osman Cen, Dr, Northwestern University

Osman Şahin, Lect, Koç University

Ozan Değer, Research Assist, Ankara University

Öget Öktem Tanör, Prof, Bilim University

Ömer Turan, Assist. Prof, İstanbul Bilgi University

Özgür Bal, Research Assist, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Özgür Öktem, Lect, Şırnak University

Özlem Aslan, Ar.Gör, Toronto University

Özlem Beyarslan, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Özlem Özhabeş, Lect, Kadir Has University

Özlem Özkan, Assoc. Prof, Kocaeli University

Pelin Kalkan, Lect, Tobb University

Pınar İlkkaracan, Lect, Boğaziçi University

R. Barış Ünlü, Assist. Prof, Ankara University

Rafet Ali Yalçın, Research Assist, Boğaziçi University

Rehber Akdoğan, Research Assist, Istanbul University

Reşit Canbeyli, Prof. Emekli, Boğaziçi University

Reyda Ergün, Assist. Prof, Kadir Has University

Rıdvan Şeşen, Prof, Dicle University

Safiye Ateş Durç, Research Assist, Ankara University

Salih Can Açıksöz, Assist. Prof, Arizona University

Samed Aydeniz, Research Assist, Yüzüncü Yıl University

Samim Akgönül, Prof, Strasburg University

Sarp Balcı, Lect, Ankara University

Savaş Ergül, Lect, Hacettepe University

Seçil Doğuş, Research Assist, Galatasaray University

Seçkin Özsoy, Assoc. Prof, Ankara University

Seçkin Sertdemir, Research Assist, Galatasaray University

Seda Altuğ, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Seda Saluk, Research Assist, Massachusetts-Amherst University

Sefa Feza Arslan, Assoc. Prof, Mimar Sinan University

Seher Şen, Assist. Prof, İzmir Ekonomi University

Selahattin Gönen, Prof, Dicle University

Selçuk Ertekin, Prof, Dicle University

Selim Temo, Assist. Prof, Mardin Artuklu University

Sema Bayraktar, Bilgi University

Sema Erder, Prof. Emekli, Marmara University

Semih Bilgen, Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Serdar Onat, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Serkan Günay, Research Assist, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Serra Müderrisoğlu, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Sevilay Çelenk, Assoc. Prof, Ankara University

Sevtap Yokuş, Prof, Kocaeli University

Sezai Temelli, Dr, Istanbul University

Semra Somersan, Prof

Sinan Yıldırmaz, Assist. Prof, Istanbul University

Suna Altun, Research Assist, Maltepe University

Şahika Yüksel, Prof, Istanbul University

Şehmus Özmen, Assoc. Prof.

Şemsa Özar, Prof, Boğaziçi University

Tahsin Yeşildere, Prof, Istabul University

Tuba Demirci, Assist. Prof, Kemerburgaz University

Tuna Altınel, Assoc. Prof, Lyon-1 University

Tuna Kuyucu, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Uğur Kara, Assist. Prof, Anadolu University

Ulaş Bayraktar, Assoc. Prof, Mersin University

Umut Şah, Lect, Istanbul Arel University

Ülkü Güney, Assist. Prof, Abant İzzet Baysal University

Vangelis Kechriotis, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Veli Deniz, Prof, Kocaeli Üniveristesi

Veysel Tolan, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Vildan İyigüngör, Assoc. Prof, Marmara University

Volkan Çıdam, Assist. Prof, Kemerburgaz University

Welat Zeydanlıoğlu, Dr, Kürt Çalışmaları Ağı

Yahya Madra, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Yılmaz Turgut, Assoc. Prof, Dicle University

Yasemin İnceoğlu, Prof, Galatasaray University

Yasemin Özgün, Assoc. Prof, Anadolu University

Yusuf Çiftçi, Lect, Mardin Artukulu University

Yücel Demirer, Assoc. Prof, Kocaeli University

Zafer Yenal, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Zafer Yörük, Assist. Prof, İzmir Ekonomi University

Zelal Ekinci, Prof, Kocaeli University

Zerrin Kurtoğlu, Assoc. Prof, Ege University

Zeynep Atalay, Assist. Prof, St Mary’s College of California

Zeynep Çulfaz-Emecen, Assist. Prof, Ortadoğu Teknik University

Zeynep Gambetti, Assoc. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Zeynep Gönen, Assist. Prof, Beykent University

Zeynep Günsur Yüceli, Assist. Prof, Kadir Has University

Zeynep Kadirbeyoğlu, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University

Zeynep Korkman, Assist. Prof, Arizona University

Zeynep Savaşçin, Research Assist, Galatasaray University

Zeynep Uysal, Assist. Prof, Boğaziçi University