Fwd: ISTANBUL: Roma, Roms, Gitanos NEED URGENT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT!

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Andreas Broeckmann <ab@tesla-berlin.de>
> Date: January 10, 2008 2:16:05 PM GMT+01:00
> To: spectre@mikrolisten.de
> Subject: [spectre] (fwd) ISTANBUL: Roma, Roms, Gitanos NEED URGENT
> INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT!
>
> Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 21:30:13 +0200
> From: "Pelin Tan" <pelintan@gmail.com>
> To: aslikiyak <aslikiyak@celikdizayn.com>
> Subject: ISTANBUL: Roma, Roms, Gitanos NEED URGENT INTERNATIONAL
> SUPPORT!
>
>
> The historical Romani district of Istanbul, Sulukule, is to be
>
> destroyed under the name of "urban renewal" and the Roma living there
> are to be expulsed out of the city. Please react and show your support
> urgently!...
>
> Sulukule Platform
>
>
>
> Le quartier historique des Roms d'Istanbul, Sulukule, sera demoli sous
> pretexte de "renovation urbain" et ses habitants gitans seront
> expulses en dehors de la ville. S'il vous plait reagissez et montrez
> votre soutien en urgence!...
>
> La plateforme de Sulukule
>
>
>
> El barrio historico de los gitanos d'Istanbul, Sulukule, sera
> destruido con el pretexto de "renovacion urbana" y sus habitantes van
> a ser expulsados fuera de la cuidad. Por favor protestar y manifestar
> vuestro apoyo de urgencia!...
>
> La Platforma de Sulukule
>
>
> Istanbul'un tarihi Roman mahallesi Sulukule, "kentsel yenileme" adi
> altinda yikilmak ve mahalle sakinleri kentin disina surulmek
> isteniyor! Lutfen acil olarak tepkinizi ve Sulukule sakinlerine
> desteginizi gosterin!...
>
> Sulukule Platformu
>
>
>
>
>
> URGENT CALL FOR SULUKULE ROMANI COMMUNITY
>
>
>
> Your support urgently needed against exclusion of Roma from
> historic Sulukule!
>
>
> One of the oldest Romani communities in the World, the Sulukule
> Romani population is being forced to leave their historical
> neighborhood.
>
> The Sulukule neighborhood, situated in the Historic Peninsula of
> Istanbul is being depopulated through a gentrification project
> implemented by the Metropolitan and Fatih municipalities of
> Istanbul. As it stands, the project, promoted as an "urban renewal"
> is in its last phase. In February 2008 the demolishing of the
> houses will be started.
>
> Despite the efforts of the local people, of the Sulukule
> Association for the Enrichment of Roma Culture and for Solidarity,
> of the academicians from several universities, and of the NGO's,
> the project is developed by local authority under non-transparent
> conditions, without consulting the community and without
> considering their demands, needs and feedback.
>
> The alleged "urban renewal project" is a reconstruction plan which
> involves the complete demolition of the current neighbourhood, home
> to more than 3000 Roma, and its replacement with housing which is
> unaffordable for most of the original inhabitants. The Roma will be
> forcibly moved from their 1000 year-old historical neighborhood to
> an area 40km outside the city. Moreover, as the municipality wants
> them to pay for the public housing they will receive, this forcible
> move is accompanied by a debt obligation that they will not be able
> to meet.
>
> Because it will evict the Roma of their home, annihilate and
> assimilate the Roma culture in Istanbul, the project needs to be
> stopped. Your support is crucial to carry out this feat.
>
>
>
> The 1000 year-old home of the Roma
> The Roma first came to Istanbul from India in the 11th century when
> the city was still the capital of the Byzantine Empire. And they
> spread around the World from here. Following the conquest of the
> city by the Ottomans in 1453 and with the permžssžon of Sultan
> Mehmed the Conqueror, they were settled near the city walls in the
> Sulukule as well as in the nearby Ayvansaray neighborhoods. For
> hundreds of years, Sulukule acted as a pilgrimage location for Roma
> from all over the world. It is one of the most important cultural
> centers of Roma music and dance as it continues to be a crucial
> worldwide resource for training musicians and dancers.
>
> Your support is needed for the cessation of the "urban renewal
> project"
>
> Because;
>
> The Sulukule urban renewal project is a non-transparent non-
> participatory project.
>
> It is against the clauses of the Convention for the Safeguarding of
> Intangible Cultural Heritage.
>
> It is implemented in the buffer zone of the ancient land walls of
> Istanbul, which are on the World Heritage list. As such, it fails
> to abide by the principles of the Vienna Memorandum and the
> Convention regarding the Protection of the World Cultural and
> Natural Heritage.
>
> To help prevent the forced exile of the Sulukule Roma,
> To protect the historical and cultural values of Istanbul, which
> are on the World Heritage List,
>
> Please express your objection to this project by writing to the
> following officials,
>
> Abdullah Gül
> President of Turkey
> Mail Address:
> T.C. Cumhurbaskanligi
> Cankaya-Ankara
> Turkey
> e-mail: cumhurbaskanli_i@tccb.gov.tr
>
> Recep Tayyip Erdo_an
> The Prime Minister of Turkey
> Mail Address:
> Basbakanlik
> Kžzžlay
> Ankara
> Turkey
>
> Ertu_rul Günay
> Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey
>
> Mail Address:
> T.C. Kultur ve Turizm Bakanligi
> Ataturk Bulvari No. 29
> 06050 Opera
> Ankara
> Turkey
> e-mail: ertugrul.gunay@kulturturizm.gov.tr
>
> Kadir Topba_
> Mayor of Istanbul
> Mail Address:
> Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye Baskanligi
> Sarachane
> Istanbul
> Turkey
> e-mail: baskan@ibb.gov.tr
>
> Mustafa Demir
> Mayor of the Fatih district of Istanbul
>
> Mail Address:
> Büyük Karaman Cad.
> No. 53
> Fatih
> Istanbul
> e-mail: mustafademir@fatih.bel.tr
>
>
>
> Contact Persons:
> Hacer Foggo (hacerfoggo@gmail.com)
> Derya Nüket Özer (deryanuket@gmail.com)
> Viki Ciprut Izrail ( vikichco.@hotmail.com )
>
>
>
> --
> <mailto:pelintan@gmail.com>pelintan@gmail.com
> Ph.D cand. / research assistant
> Institute of Social Sciences
> ITU Architecture Faculty, Taskisla
> 34437 - Istanbul
> phone: +90 2122456631
> <http://www.tanpelin.blogspot.com> www.tanpelin.blogspot.com
> <http://www.slowfood.com>www.slowfood.com
> <http://www.sulukule.org>www.sulukule.org
>
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