[spectre] (fwd) ISTANBUL: Roma, Roms, Gitanos NEED URGENT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT!

[Andreas Broeckmann]

Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 21:30:13 +0200
From: "Pelin Tan" <pelintan at gmail.com>
To: aslikiyak <aslikiyak at 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 at 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 at kulturturizm.gov.tr

Kadir Topba_
Mayor of Istanbul
Mail Address:
Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye Baskanligi
Sarachane
Istanbul
Turkey
e-mail: baskan at ibb.gov.tr

Mustafa Demir
Mayor of the Fatih district of Istanbul

Mail Address:
Büyük Karaman Cad.
No. 53
Fatih
Istanbul
e-mail: mustafademir at fatih.bel.tr



Contact Persons:
Hacer Foggo (hacerfoggo at gmail.com)
Derya Nüket Özer (deryanuket at gmail.com)
Viki Ciprut Izrail ( vikichco. at hotmail.com )



--
<mailto:pelintan at gmail.com>pelintan at 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