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WRI homepage > Programme Areas > The Right to Refuse to Kill > Support Turkish COs > Table of COs and statments
The table below lists all people known to have publicly declared their status as conscientious objectors (including women, who while not subject to conscription can be charged with 'alienating the people from the military'). Hyperlinks are provided to CO testimony or statements further down this page. In some cases, several COs issued a joint statement.
| 1- | 1989, December | Tayfun Gonul | İSTANBUL |
| 2- | 1990, February | Vedat Zencir | IZMIR |
| 3- | 1993, January 16 | Erkan Calpur | IZMIR |
| 4- | 1993, January 16 | Atilla Akar | IZMIR |
| 5- | 1993, January 16 | Yusuf Dogan | IZMIR |
| 6- | 1993, March | Yavuz Atan | İSTANBUL |
| 7- | 1994, May 17 | Gökhan Demirkıran | İSTANBUL |
| 8- | 1994, May 17 | Arif Hikmet Iyidogan | İSTANBUL |
| 9- | 1995, September 1 | Osman Murat Ülke | IZMIR |
| 10- | 2000, May 15 | Uğur Yorulmaz | İSTANBUL |
| 11- | 2000, May 15 | Timuçin Kızılay | İSTANBUL |
| 12- | 2000, May 15 | Hasan Cimen | İSTANBUL |
| 13- | 2001, October 27 | Mehmet Tarhan | İSTANBUL |
| 14- | 2001, October 27 | Erdem Yalcinkaya | İSTANBUL |
| 15- | 2003, January 22 | Mehmet Bal | MERSIN |
| 16- | 2003, January 24 | Erkan Ersoz | İSTANBUL |
| 17- | 2003, January 24 | Sertac Girgin | İSTANBUL |
| 18- | 2003, January 24 | Emir Uner | İSTANBUL |
| 19- | 2003, January 24 | Mustafa Seyhoglu | İSTANBUL |
| 20- | 2003, May 15 | Sami Serkan Kazak | İSTANBUL |
| 21- | 2003, May 15 | Ahmet Cem Ozturk | İSTANBUL |
| 22- | 2003, November 20 | Tugkan Tug | IZMIR |
| 23- | 2004, May 15 | Mahmut Elkus | İSTANBUL |
| 24- | 2004, May 15 | Cemal Karakus | İSTANBUL |
| 25- | 2004, May 15 | Ersan Ugur Gor | İSTANBUL |
| 26- | 2004, May 15 | Yasar Oner | İSTANBUL |
| 27- | 2004, May 15 | Inci Aglagul | İSTANBUL |
| 28- | 2004, May 15 | Ebru Topal | İSTANBUL |
| 29- | 2004, May 15 | Yontem Yurtsever | İSTANBUL |
| 30- | 2004, May 15 | Nazan Askeran | İSTANBUL |
| 31- | 2004, May 15 | Hurriyet Sener | İSTANBUL |
| 32- | 2004, June 28 | Dogan Ozkan | İSTANBUL |
| 33- | 2004, June 28 | Sinan Dundar | İSTANBUL |
| 34- | 2004, September 5 | Omer Sezer | ANKARA |
| 35- | 2004, September 5 | Imdat Sanli | ANKARA |
| 36- | 2004, September 5 | Ismail Sabanci | ANKARA |
| 37- | 2004, September 5 | Salih Arikan | ANKARA |
| 38- | 2004, September 5 | Hasan Akyurek | ANKARA |
| 39- | 2004, September 5 | Levent Duranyan | ANKARA |
| 40- | 2004, September 23 | Ceylan Ozerengin | İSTANBUL |
| 41- | 2004, October 4 | Sahin Ozbay | İSTANBUL |
| 42- | 2004, October 28 | Necdet Ozaktin | İSTANBUL |
| 43- | 2004, November 26 | Halil Savda | CORLU |
| 44- | 2004, December 18 | Veli Akdag | IZMIR |
| 45- | 2005, January 3 | Necati Balbay | LULEBURGAZ |
| 46- | 2005, May 14 | Ferda Ulker | IZMIR |
| 47- | 2005, May 14 | Ayten Demir | IZMIR |
| 48- | 2005, May 14 | Yahsan Catak | IZMIR |
| 49- | 2005, May 14 | Hilal Demir | IZMIR |
| 50- | 2005, May 14 | Bulent Bektas | IZMIR |
| 51- | 2005, May 14 | Ayse Girgin | IZMIR |
| 52- | 2005, May 14 | Mehmet Od | IZMIR |
| 53- | 2005, May 14 | Fikret Yetisener | IZMIR |
| 54- | 2005, May 14 | Eylem Baris | IZMIR |
| 55- | 2005, May 14 | Ercan Aktas | IZMIR |
| 56- | 2005, August 3 | Figen | İSTANBUL |
| 57- | 2005, August 3 | Erkan Yertutan | İSTANBUL |
| 58- | 2006, May 15 | Ahmet Ozdemir | ANKARA |
| 59- | 2006, November 15 | İsmail Saygı | İSTANBUL |
| 60- | 2007, April 19 | Gökhan Aydın | KOCAELI |
| 61- | 2007, May 13 | Ahmet Aslan | İSTANBUL |
| 62- | 2007, May 20 | Özlem Mollamehmetoğlu | İSTANBUL |
I am Vedat Zencir.
I am a man, who is determined not to include violence and both giving and receiving orders, in my life. I try to abide by a certain set of principles. For that reason, I stay away from institutions that clash with these principles. Since the age of 20, I get ill in the stomach when I imagine being a soldier. Giving or receiving orders is something that clash with my personality and feelings. Especially being able to murder people I do not even know, is something that I cannot accept at all.
In my opinion people are sacred beings from a religious perspective. However, I do believe that the live of anyone is as sacred as mine without some kind of divine reasoning. Therefore, irrespective of any rationale, I do not have the ability to kill.
It is my very own human right to abide by my own rules. Moreover, these are clear. I don't want any violence. I do not want to give or receive orders. I cannot imagine being obligated to act differently.
As I am a member of the human race, I am against all kinds of assassinations, the army, and war, naturally. Moreover, I believe that, by keeping silent and not clearly stating that I am objecting, I endorse this repulsive situation. I believe that I have a responsibility towards these infamies.
I refuse to join the army based on my beliefs and moral values, which do not allow me to kill.
On account of this, one can be inclined to lecture me. However, I do not feel like I am part of any nation or belong to any state. I don't mind about the standards of dominant ethical. As an individual, I have my own moral values based on which I act.
Throughout history, armies have been, and still are, criminal institutions. They are the guard of one or more social group on another or more social group. They are the executors of murder under law. They are the clear manifestation of obedience, hierarchy, degradation, discrimination, natural ruin by people's hands, forced or compulsory labour, cruelty. They are the perpetrators of the biggest crime created by humans; war.
Due to my awareness, I refuse, again, to cooperate with the militarist instrument, as I am an objector.
I refuse to give or receive orders, as I do not acknowledge any higher power, because I am a disobedient.
I shall not partake in any crime committed by the militarist instrument or state. On the contrary, I shall continue to fight for a just and free world without nations, countries and war. I will not be anyone's soldier, as I am an anarchist.
In view of my deepest convictions and way of life, it is impossible for me to take part in military service or any other compulsory service.
Furthermore I refuse to acknowledge any kind of hierarchical authority. In my opinion the army is the clearest form of institutional power, which makes it a personal enemy I seek to combat and destroy. This is why I consider conscientious objection as the first step on the path I have to follow to preserve my self- esteem.
Turkey is based on an authoritarian culture that pervades all dimensions of life at work, in the private sphere, and - especially strongly - the political arena. It is therefore not surprising that a large part of the population turns a blind eye to the war that Turkey is currently waging and continue in their way of life. The myth perpetuated about the role of soldiers as protectors of their country and fellow citizens from the outside enemy has turned them into one of the most commonly used instruments of oppression in their own country. I cannot say how big a difference I and those who think like me can make, but I do know that no coercive measure will ever force me to become a soldier.
Why can't I be a soldier?
Governments never care about the way I feel, think and live. It is the governmental approach that forces me to be one of those billions of men who should do nothing but obey. I am asked for governmental service as a soldier; I am required to learn how to use guns and forcibly defend the state, of which I am claimed to be a citizen; I am asked for unconditional obedience and even killing and being killed.
My acceptance of this obligatory "military service" means my approval of this power elite regime for which I am not a decision maker but a subject. It means my whole-hearted guaranty that I will never make objections and I will not disturb "them" as long as I live.
However, for me, intersocial domination, states and their imaginaryboundaries are major obstacles on humanitarian advance; armies are nothing but organised violence institutions responsible for protecting governmental and capital interests.
I always solved my problems by detailed discussing, analysis and atworst by isolating the problem source. However, I have never used violence. I have always excluded myself from any form of hierarchy. I do not want to rule or be ruled anymore. I have always desired to live in a world where there are no classes, boundaries, states, and countries and where sharing outshadows exploitation. Current regime is not what I dream of, but it does not necessarily mean that I should accept your life style.
Your conscription for my military service means your call for my confidence in life, my dream for a free world and my hopes. All these belong to me and I will never give them to you. On grounds of these, I reject to complete military charge and serve for any states. I do not accept to make any legal defence in any suit to be brought against me due to my ideas and non-fulfilment of military charge; I call all people suffering from similar consequences for solidarity and nonviolent action.
Ugur Yorulmaz
My Background And The Period That brought Me To These Days:
I was born on May 22nd in 1973 in Luleburgaz. I graduated from primary and secondary school in Tekirdag. I was sent to Naval High School which prepares students for the Turkish Naval Academy by my family because of their financial restrictions. I repeatedly told my family that I didn't want to become a soldier since the first days that I entered the school, but my request was refused. By the pressure of my family and my environment, I had to complete my study at that school and finally I graduated from the school in 1990. After the graduation, I was enrolled and forced to enter the Turkish Naval Academy which trains officers for the Turkish Naval Forces. After the first three months in Naval Academy, I decided to realize my dream of leaving this school. But there was no choice as "leaving the academy". The only way of leaving the academy was; the undiciplined behaviours, being responsible of crimes or failing in the classes. There was a rule of the school that the student who would be fired from the school should get 160 dicipline points and should get room jail punishment for 40 days. I met the management of the academy and expressed my desire of leaving the school and tried to explain that I couldn't become a soldier.
But the school management didn't tolarate me and lengthened the period of being fired (4 months) and I was forced to obey all the military rules. However, I didn't see myself as a soldier so I didn't obey the rules. The management tried not to seed my faults altough I reported myself as guilty (wearing jacket with torn button, ignoring the commands, the faults that aren't considered as adequate for the civil life). I increased my disobeidences. Moreover, the six students of the academy, decided to make themselves "thrown-out" from the academy. After that, the management realised the fact that there was a chain of reactions on the issue.
Consequently, after two short discipline meetings and a room jail for six days, I was expelled from the school. I never wanted to remember those days. Untill 1999, I've worked in various jobs. Some of them were very well-paid. (IT management, computer programming, MIS management..) during this period of 8-9 years, I tried to avoid from all official institutions, population countings, police, even the post offices. I didn't vote in order not to support this system. In order not to face problems with the army. I postponed my military obligation by attending İSTANBUL University- Computer Programming Branch- and later Y?ld?z Technical University- Transportation Branch. Actually, I didn't want to learn anything in these universities so I didn't join the lessons. Because of my age, I came across to the military obligation again. I realised that I had been escaping from an instution of the government by using another instution of the same government, so in 1999 I decided to reply the obligatories of the government by only being myself and I wanted to join antimilitarist movement as a memeber of IAMI (İSTANBUL Antimilitarist Initiative)
Ugur Yorulmaz
Why can't I be a soldier?
We live in a world where people became just a vehicle for the masters. Exploitation, domination, inequality and as a natural result of these, violence has taken control over everything. States are the continuer and protector of this violence. I didn't chose this situation that exist. I am wanted to adopt and obey the system without objection. I feel frustrated of this. I would like to live in a world where there is no exploitation, domination relationships, borders and states but voluntary solidarity and freedom.
Despite the reverse condition of the world I will not abandon my beautiful dreams.
I refuse to co-operate with this existing system. I am determined that I will stay away any kind of violence in the rest of my life. I refuse to join the army which is the organized institution of the state violence. I cannot accept holding a gun, killing people and obeying commands and I refuse to die for the sake of these.
By wanting me to join the army, the state wants me to give up my all dreams and to be compatible with this exploitation system. No! My dreams belong to me and I will decide how to live.
I refuse to make any defence in a court regarding to my 'not to do' decision and I call upon people to show their solidarity with me but without using the violence.
I refuse militarism that I have never had any relationship with and I don't intend to. I don't accept this so-called 'compulsory military service'.
I refuse the notion of the state that founded thousand years ago but without having the awareness of its badness and which has been the shameful outcome of the mankind.
I don't accept this institution and its defence components called army, police and law; more accurately these attack components that see themselves superior than human existence. I cannot go along with any organization that compels people to fight against others that unknown to them and make people go to war for its own interests.
I say no to any institution that contains this immorality.
I will nor participate this so-called civilization that destroys the nature and constructs itself on dead and lost lives' monuments. I declare that these institutions cannot exist for me and I cannot exist for them either. Therefore I keep my honorable life clean by announcing my conscientious objection right
Consequently,
I refuse to join the army.
It is thought that the bombs that are throwen upon Afghan people are the result of the killing of hundreds of people in USA while flies are crashing to Twin Towns on 11th of September. It is expected that all over the world should cooperate in the attack against Afghan people. I curse every kind of violence and I believe that joining or approving any kind of violent event is a responsibility that would open the door for new violent events and new traumas for every approving people. I think that wars are created by states for their power and primarily it is the denial of the right of living of people. Whatever the reason is, to deny the right of living is a crime and no international aggrement can legitimize it. That is why I declare that I will not be an agent of that crime. I will not serve for any of the military apparatuses.
I miss a humanity that is purified from violence and power struggles, a humanity that is borderless and in peace with nature. The fact that it does not exist now does not change my ideas and my struggle to create it.
I do not believe in the necessity of the state and I do not feel any belonging to any state. I never want to strengthen military forces by actions called as the duties of citizenship. The state claimng I am a citizen of it wants to use me for military service, to turn me into a death machine and to make me a part of the crime that I explained by comprimising me in itself. The aim of the state is to reproduce its power and itself. I will not let it happen and I will protect my beliefs. I perceive the rotten report that is provided for me because I am a gay as the sign of the decadance of the state itself.
As an individual, I will not serve for any kind of military or other apparatuses of any state. I admit that to excuse for this is an insult to myself and I refuse every kind of state permission or deferences of the state.
So, I totally refuse to serve in the military service. I quest everybody not to join to the army, not to let any kind of bureacratic operations, to refuse control mechanisms of the state such as MERNIS and tax number. I quest everybody for solidarity by non violent actions.
The way to stop the war is to destroy its human resources.
Every kind of violence is a crime of humanity.
Mehmet Tarhan
Hundreds of people killed in an attack on 11th of September. As a result of that attack, Taliban and USA and his followers opposed to each other. The war between killer of thousands of Afghans, and USA and his followers made me remember that how horrible war and militarism are.
The wars and collective killing starvation, misery and unhealible wounds are created as a result of the anxiety and efforts of states about maintaining their power. I curse every kind of war, terror and violence and I declare that I will not become the agent of any of them.
I do not belong to any state. I want a world without state, without borders, without authority and violence. The state teaches me to kill people in its army and it wants to destroy my ideas by forcing me to join its army, to kill people. I would not let the state destroy my ideas and dreams because I was not born to kill or killed by people in the name of someone or something.
Concerning this, I refuse to join the army or any other institutions of any state whatever results it produces. At the same time, I do not accept any kind of rights or organizations given to me, such as deference, state permission or rotten reports. I will not make any legal defending and will not accept any lawyers in the courts that would be opened about me.
I do not want to be the killer of one person or millions. Substitute military service is a cheat. Every kind of violence is inhuman, I curse violence and put it out of my live.
So, I will not join military service under any conditions. I call everybody not to join from here. And I call everybody to endure solidarity and resist against militarism and war by non violent actions.
Erdem Yalçınkaya
I decided not to continue carrying out my military obligation, which I have been doing for 9.5 months, and to declare my conscientious objection as of 18/10/2002. Briefly, the reasons why I made this decision are as follows.
Militarism accepts destruction as method to solve problems due to its nature. By proposing some reasons which may make militarism acquitted, it tries to have the things, which it has done and will do, legitimized by the help of some laws in order to save itself from the results as well. While taking action, militarism works with the ruling class in a complete harmony in order to produce more benefit for both sides. This loop and harmony have continuity and the ones, who dare to damage this collaboration, are shut, punished even terminated. Whole history is full of such kind of events and every time the different version of same play is staged and played successfully. The situation created is so much clear and how individual tries not to see that, conscience appears every time by pointing out that the truth is undeniable.
However, the sentiment, what we call is "common sense" and which makes the people convinced every time, wants people to ignore these situations and proposes several reasons to do so. It also proposes that it would be correct action to grab a role in this game. It is usually more attractive to choose what common sense offers, but in long period, the opposite will happen contrary to what was promised.
Another core aspect of militarism is obedience, which is unconditional.
The path that takes human being to such kind of obedience is prepared carefully. Individual is forced to involve this process within the idea of defense of the country and the society, in which it is born. Individual is never asked to express him/her idea at all. Reasons are ready. The acts of people in these boundaries, which are drawn by authorities, are presented as if they are holy. The country in which you were born, even your parents have no suspicion on the holiness and correctness of them. They are ready to serve their children as victims for a reason put by someone. Actually, they already got their children prepared for such situations. Even there are some exceptions, apart from thinking over what happens, the vast majority of population cannot imagine what the opposite may be.
The damage of the wars caused by militarism and its allies are not limited to human being. What purpose could clear the responsibility of destroying the nature using nuclear or biological weapons? In fact, the owners of such weapons are already aware of the situation. It surely can not be thought that they are so stupid not to notice this dilemma.
Does not world's current situation reflect the dirty games mentioned above clearly? Everyone knows the fact that the truth underlying latest assault of US & its allies to Afghanistan under 9/11 excuse, and reason under recent Iraq scenarios is not the security.
However, everyone is surrounded by common sense. I am curious that how people could accept a scene that will be consisted of bombed corpses? Is it not the truth that USA is gaining power due to insufficient protests with a few exceptions? As a matter of fact, people should not expect a pre-determined behavior from anyone in society; the decisions have to be a result of our inner voice. How "Big Brother" is able to say 'you are from us or not', so people should be able to decide in same exact manner, whether they have a willing for war or not. The ones, who have a typical warrior logic based on 'building by destruction', are directing their guns to another people now, there is no guarantee that I will not face the same gun's barrel in future.
Taking into consideration both painful experiences coming from my life and the observations that I obtained by living in a military environment for 9.5 months, I have understood that I can not deny the voice of my conscience any more. I am declaring my CO to the public and I state that I will not carry out any obligation dictated by military, civilian, local or universal authority or by any person, institution or structure, whatever the reasons are.
I would like to explain the progress shortly. I joined the military in May 1995 as 1975-2 period numbered conscript and was arrested on 9th of September 1995 as a result of an ordinary crime which has no political overtones. After 7 years in prison, I was released on 23 May 2002 and was transferred to the military directly. I had continued the service until 18 October.
Moreover, I have no intention to escape. I am going to go to the military unit for the last time and will give back my military ID and military belongings.
Mehmet Bal
26 January 2003:
"WE SHALL NOT BE ANYONE'S SOLDIERS!"
We, who swear to never to join nor cooperate with any armed forces that undertake the defense mission of organized domination and exploitation, refuse to participate in an army, in any preparation of war, and in war itself!
Therefore, we consider opposition to the preparations of war that currently occupy the agenda to be totally legitimate, and proclaim that we will resist these preparations and will work to foster an anti-war attitude. We shall struggle for a free world without discrimination, boundaries and classes, and against domination and plunder over mankind and nature.
We believe in the necessity of a state of continuous action until the last epaulet on a uniform and the last landmine on earth are removed. And since we also believe that the elimination of the causes of war is a guiding path that leads to the foundation of a free world, we won't be anyone's soldiers!
Mustafa Seyhoglu, Erkan Ersöz, Sertac Girgin und Emir Üner
15 May 2004:
I loathe the taking up of arms that threaten living beings and human life in the world. I loathe every mine awaiting its victims, every uniform, which symbolises murder, every single bullet that kills. All wars are assassination and all states are assassins. I want a world, which is without class, border, exploitation, violence, hierarchy and authority. I want the world. I do not accept geographies, which have borders or the existence of states. I reject the hegemony on individuals, collaboration with any states, to rule or to be ruled, to command or to be commanded, to kill or to be killed, every kind of authority practice by states on individuals, conscription and all its alternatives. Hereby, I declare my total conscientious objection. I shall not kill or die. I will not be anyone's soldier.
Today is 28th of June, At the moment NATO, militarist structuring, are organizing some meetings to discuss that how many people and in what way are going to be killed at Middle-East. In Turkey sovereigns are trying to build up some plans which are about bringing resident communities against to each other. On the other side the same people accepted adjustment laws to look charming to Europe, although pressures on societies are being increased every day.
Different cultures are being sacrificed to protect sovereign rights of states in all Middle-East, Turkey and all over the world. In Iraq, Philistine, Turkey and a lot of countries, Different cultures are trying to be shown to each other as if they are enemies by sovereign states. Moreover, These states are exposing tortures, exiles and massacres to Kurdish, Palestinian, Iraqi people. I am refusing to be part of these massacres and to serve the murderer states of these cultures.
A handful of sovereign powers are ruining the world's ecological balance for more money and power all over the world. The same powers ignore the common interest for their own benefits.
I am refusing to kill, be killed and learning kill people for these sovereign powers.
I am refusing to be part of their tyranny to the communities.
I am announcing that I am not going to join the army in any condition or I do not accept any duties, which are related to any government's branches.
I am announcing my total denial.
This attitude is a denial action. I am refusing to kill people, to serve the murderer states of communities and to be part of having destroyed the world by serving powerful people. I am not a murderer and I am refusing to be a murderer.
I do not consider this denial as a crime, as result of this I am not going to defend myself or to have a lawyer when the prosecutors will sue me.
I am calling in everybody not to serve the governments, not to join the army and not to do any procedures related to the army for living in the fraternal world without wars.
There has been maintaining a propaganda, which is about disable people, for a long time. This propaganda is about being sympathetic for approving of wars and approving of guns.
It is a meaningful and important if the disable people who do not have problem mentally can adopt a specified manner against this propaganda.
All over our land, there is a wide wave about military service and armed force, moreover there is a tendency about being a soldier in one-day military service for disable people as a symbolic representative of soldiers. These tendencies make happy militarists who prized all history and dragged people to the death. In addition to this, there is a media which praises these tendencies. But in this way, some people try to create an emotional atmosphere by exploitation of disable people and use it for their own purposes.
We want to highlight that Disable people certainly should be out of this soldiery propaganda. There is no meaning in the war for the disable people. On the contrary
The one of the main reason of being disabling is the wars. For this reason, it is responsibility for disable people, who are being affected firstly by these deep problems, to say 'No' to the compulsory military service and to resist the wars which can cause physical disabilities. The physical disable people can't be a mere instrument in the hands of armed forces' propaganda. Because of this consciousness, I am totally refusing to do one-day military service and I am against to all kind of the ideas of arming.
Our lives never can be consumable lives under the shadow of military power. We declare, with all of our feelings of humanitarian and conscience, our freely attitude over against one-day military service which is supported by media and associations of disable people and we are not part of these war side of attitudes and every sensitive individual, whether has a physical disability or not, should curse these kind of ways and We want to emphasis that We sincerely are not be at same side with whoever supports this idea.
It is the most meaningful words to say people, who have been thinking to govern people under pressure of wars and guns and have been using any of media links for their ugly purposes, that 'you can't use mankind and us for your disgusting aims'.
As you spread the deaths, we continue spreading the lives all over the world. We are saying 'No' all kind of the military services, the wars an attacks, it means that we don't care your cheap propaganda and we protest loudly that we don't allow you to be used for neither one day nor one second guns and wars. All armed forces and the media have to know that we are not going to be slave of this dirty propaganda. Being a physical disable requires to overcome all dirty plays, the wars machineries, worshipping powers and to be out of intellectual barriers, to be part of human dignity and virtue. We don't take into consideration your ways and none of your approaches. We believe that there is a possibility to have a different free and fair live; this idea is the same idea with the universe that is lived us. We want to cry out that we are standing to your all humiliation trials by refusing your guns and attacks. This struggling will be forever. As being all history…
A physical disable for one day.
Since I have defined myself as an anti-militarist and a feminist, naturally, I believe I am an objector. By means of this declaration, I turn this 'informal' situation into a 'formal' situation!
The conscientious objection movement is not only a struggle against 'compulsory conscription'. This expression includes a wider dimension. And we, women, have a bigger voice and status, than only being a 'supporter' of the movement. Conscientious objection is the direct opposition of militarism and every aspect it entails. Militarist thought does not only remain within the border of the military, but it envisions a military world that affects daily life. And in this world, women are degraded and disregarded. Her status is always positioned behind, even though occasionally circumstances require her to further her position. Its terms are: authority, hierarchy, and obedience.
These expressions are very familiar and significant to us, women.
These are the well-known barriers of a world that continuously pushes us back. Militarism is always like a unannounced and shameless guest in every aspect of life, especially for women living in this geography; in the streets, at home, at work, in our relationships, at our fields of struggle, and everywhere.
I declare that, today, as much as before, I shall defy every secret and obvious form of militarism and to show solidarity with anyone who defies militarism.
As much as militarism is determined to affect my life, I am determined to continue my struggle.
I REJECT!
I don't want to live in a world which is sexist, hierarchic, authoritarian, militarist and patriarchic.
I do not want them to give me their system based school education…
I do not want people to die in wars for the sake of a huge deception.
I do not want to have to prove myself as a fully intelligent being and individual because of being a woman.
I do not want to brush aside the state's war policies and their lies.
I do not want militaries who train up dummies to die in wars…
I do not want people to decide for me about anything without asking me…
I do not want to see militarist concepts and behaviours within our movements…
I do not want to live under patriarchic rules, and behaviors which invade my private life.
I do not want somebody to judge people's sexual identities.
I do not want to be ruled by labels such as "mother", "wife", "daughter", "girlfriend" just because I am a woman…
I do not want to live fenced in by borders…
I do not want to kill and be killed…
And.. I am rejecting all of these by listening to my conscience…
Because I WANT to live free and happy in a world where there is no war, or any kind of violence, anti-authoritarian, without borders.
And you?
Hilal Demir
2005 Izmir
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