The Unity and Solidarity Picnic of the People of Dersim Cannot Be Banned!

It is our call to the public and our people
Our Unity and Solidarity Picnic, which has been traditionally held for 32 years, was to be held in Istanbul Aydos Forest on Sunday, May 22, 2022 this year. On the last day, a ban was declared by the Governorship of Istanbul, 24 hours before the picnic. No such reason has been created for these and similar activities in 32 years, and no problems have been experienced in any picnic held for 32 years. These bans by the AKP in recent years are the product of the fallacy of advanced democracies.

First of all, the fact that this decision was delayed until the last day, all the preparations made, and the desire of our members to come together due to the pandemic, and most importantly, after we were put under a very heavy financial burden, show that the action taken is far from any kind of goodwill.

The reason put forward is that they could not secure our Unity and Solidarity picnic. It is a violation of basic legal norms that those who are responsible for taking precautions against negative possibilities and ensuring that we have picnics in safety make this justification the reason for the prohibition of our democratic right.

In short, the reason for the prohibition conveyed to us is completely devoid of legal legitimacy, necessity and proportionality that can be applied in a democratic society in every respect.

Moreover, the restriction of the right to assemble, the right to have fun, the right to unity and solidarity cannot be contrary to “the word and spirit of the constitution, the democratic social order and the principle of proportionality” as per Article 13 of the Constitution. However, the prohibition of our picnic is an immeasurable limitation of the democratic social order, to our right to peaceful assembly.

Because the first condition of being a democratic state is to guarantee the expectations and fundamental rights of the people, and not to approach it with a forbidding and subjugating mentality.
However, with this prohibition decision, the civil authority has once again banned the people of Dersim’s demand for respect for their faith, mother tongue and nature, and their right to express it.

We publicly declare and condemn that the continued prohibition of our right to express ourselves, no different than in the 30s and ’94s, is an unlawful sign of bad faith against us.

We say enough is enough for this prohibitive, assimilator and unjust behavior that is seen as good to us!

Note: We will hold our picnic as soon as possible. We want our friends who have invitation cards to keep these invitations and use them at the picnic.

Tomorrow at 09.00, we will make a press statement at the entrance of the 6th gate at the picnic spot and condemn the prohibitionist mentality. We are waiting for all our friends from Dersim and Dersim who want to give us strength.

Pressures and Prohibitions cannot intimidate us

Dersim Associations Federation (DEDEF)