The 20th century, one of the bloodiest centuries in human history, is about to end. In these last days, we are haunted by one question: will the 21st century be as bloody as the previous one? Will weapons, war and violence maintain their sovereignty? Will racism, nationalism, the hatred of the "other" once again butcher and torch the world? Will oppression still determine ethnic and social responsibilities?
Our response to these questions is a categorical "no!" The new century and the peoples of the new century have the obligation to reject all forms of discrimination and oppression.
We, writers and artists whose signatures appear below, wish to see Turkey as a leading exponent in the instigation of human rights and democracy. We believe that Turkey, which is an integral part of the civilised world, has the will and the faith to implement freedom, equality and justice for all her peoples.
At present, Turkey is seen as betraying the vital injunctions of human rights and democracy. Even Turkish government officials admit to this fact. The most critical problem is the Kurdish question. Because of her failure to solve this problem adequately, Turkey can neither take the desired steps in matters of human rights nor achieve full democracy.
We believe that Turkey has the power to solve the Kurdish problem. None of the concerns felt by the young Turkish Republic of 1923, which rose over the remains of the multi-cultural Ottoman Empire, are valid today. Today, the Kurds of Turkey, numbering approximately 15 million, are essential citizens of the country. The Kurds only demand to preserve their language, their cultural identity and to live within the unity of the Turkish Republic as free citizens; to read and write and be educated in Kurdish; to work, serve and pursue happiness while preserving their distinct identity and culture.
Since 1923 there have been serious political efforts in pursuit of Turkism. Kurdish has been outlawed as a language for education and communication. Under this suppression countless individuals have been arrested and punished. Tens of thousands of towns, villages, hamlets, mountains, valleys and hills have had their names changed to render them Turkish. On occasions Kurds have been called "Mountain Turks". The Constitution and other codes of law have supported these policies.
None of these measures has been effective. Kurds have not become Turks. The Kurdish problem has not been resolved. The blood-soaked - and prohibitively costly events of the last 15 years - corroborate this. Violence is not a solution. Violence will neither transform Kurds into Turks nor enable Kurds to attain their rights.
Now, in a democratic step that will be an example to the whole world and the new century, Turkey must solve the Kurdish problem by embracing her Kurdish citizens in their own right. We believe that such a step forward will immensely strengthen Turkey economically, socially and culturally. Kurdish is one of the richest living languages of the Mesopotamian civilisation. It has a rich classic literature as well as a varied musical tradition and a blooming modern literature. The very ancient history and cultural heritage of the Kurds belong to us all.
Instead of being denied or belittled, these riches must form a vital part of Turkey's wealth. Kurds, who, throughout history, have constituted a third of the mosaic of peoples of Anatolia, must no longer face discrimination; they must be given their rights and dignity so that they can, once again, become a dynamic entity in Anatolia and Turkey. Kurdish must become a language of education and learning. The need for Kurdish radio and television must be recognised. The rights of Kurdish language, culture and identity must be given constitutional guarantees.
We appeal to the President, the Prime Minister, the Parliament and the Government: please save Turkey from her shame. While you tend to the wounds of the terrible earthquake which has saddened all of us, please tend also to the social wounds that have been bleeding for over 70 years.
Turkey, in the 21st century, must stand proudly as a beacon of light, an exemplar of humanitarian and democratic values.

The first signatories:

Yasar Kemal (writer),
Zülfü Livaneli (writer, artist),
Orhan Pamuk (writer),
Ahmet Altan (writer),
Mehmed Uzun (writer)

The signatories:
Günter Grass (writer / Nobel Literature Award 1999 / Germany),
Nadine Gordimer (writer / Nobel Literature Award 1991 / South Africa),
Ingmar Bergman (director, writer / Sweden),
Costa Gavras (director / France),
Harold Pinter (writer / Great Britain),
Jose Saramago (writer / Nobel Literature Award 1998 / Portugal),
Arthur Miller (writer / USA),
Maurice Bejart (choreographer / France),
Elie Wiesel (writer / Nobel Peace Award 1986 / USA),
Jack Lang (writer / former Minister for the Arts / France),
Adonis (writer / Lebanon),
Bibi Andersson (actress / Sweden),
Margaret Atwood (writer / Canada),
John Berger (writer / Great Britain),
Suzanne Brøger (writer / Denmark),
Adriaan van Dis (writer, director / Netherlands),
Mahmud Doulatabadi (writer / Iran),
Margaret Drabble (writer / Great Britain),
Kerstin Ekmann (writer / Sweden),
Richard Falk (writer / USA),
Lady Antonia Fraser (writer / Great Britain),
Juan Goytisolo (writer / Spain),
Sir David Hare (writer / Great Britain),
Ronald Harwood (writer, director / Great Britain),
Erland Josephson (writer / Sweden),
Michael Holroyd (writer, director / Great Britain),
Yoram Kapluk (writer / Israel),
Jaan Kaplinski (writer / Estonia),
Nikos Kasdaglis (writer / Greece),
György Konrad (writer / Hungary),
Alberto Manguel (writer / Argentine),
Adam Michnik (writer, journalist / Poland),
Kai Nieminen (writer / Finland),
William Nygaard (editor / Sweden),
Monika van Paemel (writer / Belgium),
Herbert Pundik (editor, journalist / Denmark),
Claude Regy (writer / France),
Klaus Rifbjerg (writer / Denmark),
Bernice Rubens (writer / Great Britain),
Arne Ruth (journalist, member of the academy / Sweden),
Johannes Salminen (writer, editor / Finland),
Antonis Samarakis (writer / Greece),
Kirsti Simonsuuri (writer / Finland),
Thorvald Stehen (writer, president of the writers association / Sweden),
Sigmund Strømme (editor / Sweden),
Birgitta Trotzig (writer, member of the academy / Sweden),
Liv Ullman (director, actress / Sweden),
Andre Velter (writer / France),
Günter Wallraff (writer, journalist / Germany),
Georg Henrik von Wright (philosopher, writer / Finland),
Per Wastberg (writer, member of the academy / Sweden),
Moris Farhi (writer, secretary general of the English PEN / Great Britain),
Homero Aridjis (writer, International PEN president / Mexico),
Elisabeth Nordgren (journalist, PEN president / Finland)