ISTANBUL - Taylan Kesanbilici from the Art for Freedom Initiative pointed to the effect of the trustee appointment on the cancellation of Kurdish concerts and said: “The trustee coup can be overcome with a courageous attitude, not with cancellations.”

 

The attacks against the Kurdish language in the field of culture and arts continue uninterruptedly. New bans on concerts, festivals and theater are being added every day. Artist Rojda Şenses' concert in Istanbul was canceled on November 8 without any justification. Later, artist Diljen Ronî's concert at Şişli Cemil Candaş Kent Cultural Center on December 6 was canceled due to “renovations”. Artist Azad Bedran's concert on November 15 at Antalya Muratpaşa Municipality Hall was also canceled on the grounds of “another meeting”. Finally, artist Xecê's concerts were canceled. Xecê's concerts in Erzirom on November 16, Agirî on November 20 and Mûş on November 21 were canceled by the venue owners. 

 

BAN IN EVERY FIELD OF ART 

 

Member of the Art for Freedom Initiative music producer Taylan Kesanbilici, evaluated the attacks against the Kurdish language. Kesanbilici pointed out that the intolerance towards Kurdish art and artists has continued from the past to the present and said that this situation has continued unabated during the Justice and Development Party (AKP) period. Kesanbilici emphasized that bans on various activities, especially Kurdish activities, have increased in every period when the political process has hardened and listed examples of banned activities. 

 

CHP MUNICIPALITIES INCLUDED IN BANS  

 

Kesanbilici said that the cancellation of Kurdish concerts by  Republican People's Party (CHP) municipalities could not be handled independently of the recent trustees. “After the changes in local governments, we were all a little excited that Kurdish art could find a place in the halls of CHP municipalities. But in the first political squeeze, that is, after the trustee coup, we saw that this turned into a step back. There is no ban, but various justifications are put forward. Somehow various excuses are being produced. This has a lot to do with the general political atmosphere. However, with the appointment of a trustee in Esenyurt, where there is a dense Kurdish population, this issue can only be overcome not with cancellations, but on the contrary with a more courageous attitude. Only in this way can the trustee coup be eliminated,” he said.  

 

Kesanbilici said that the Art for Freedom Initiative has declared itself against these practices in order to create a free art environment, adding that they are and will be fighting against all violations of rights. 

 

'INITIATIVE WILL SPEAK OUT AGAINST CENSORSHIP'

 

Emphasizing that they will speak out against the increasing censorship practices against artistic activities, especially Kurdish activities, Kesanbilici continued as follows: “Many festivals, films and theater plays are prevented from being staged. Even workshops, conferences and panels on art can be prevented. For this reason, the power of the initiative may sometimes not be enough to follow them all at some point. But with a very sincere effort, a very sincere effort and a very correct effort, it will try to play its role and mission to the last point in order to somehow eliminate this censorship, somehow overcome this censorship and somehow reveal the free art environment, the free production environment.”

 

MA / İbrahim Irmak