100 Turkish intellectuals voice concern with an advert

ISTANBUL

The dean of Turkish literature, Yaşar Kemal, was also among the 100 signatories of the advert. DHA photo

A hundred Turkish intellectuals have expressed their concern over the polarization of society during the recent tensions, especially due to the Gezi Park protests, in an advertisement published June 29.

"To prevent further girevances, we the undersigned demand an end to hatespeech, an end to the targetingof artists and works of art and an end to social oppression," the statement read.

Artists with very different political views signed the common statement, including Nobel laureate writer Orhan Pamuk, renowned writer Yaşar Kemal, directors Nuri Bilge Ceylan and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, who is also a deputy for Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), poets Ataol Behramoğlu and Bejan Matur, photographer Ara Güler, and pianist Fazıl Say.

The signatories also said that discourse based on the distinction of "us and them" was creating otherness and "sowing the seeds of hatred in society."

"There is a smell of anger and hate in the air yet again. Attempts to derogate, target, defame, accuse and oppress art and artists continue persistently. The 'US & Them' discourse is sharpening social polarization," the statement also said.

The advert was published in a number of mainstream national newspapers.