Nobel laureate Pamuk supports Gezi Park protests in Turkey

ISTANBUL

Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk has published a written statement supporting the ongoing protests in Gezi Park. DHA photo

Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk has published a written statement supporting the ongoing protests in Gezi Park.

Pamuk started his statement with a memory he had told in his book Istanbul. Pamuk said in Nişantaşı, where he grew up, there was a walnut tree and his family spent a night near the tree when the municipality decided to cut it down. Pamuk said this united his family in a way and added that Taksim was the walnut tree of Istanbul and should be protected. Pamuk said in the 1970s he also attended May 1 celebrations in Taksim Square. “The government forbade the protests this year on May 1. On the other hand, the government decided to make Gezi Park an ordinary shopping mall.” All of these changes were made without asking Istanbul locals, which is very wrong, the writer said.

“Seeing people not giving up their memories and also their right to have a political protest is giving me hope,” he added.