Cumhuriyet Newspaper Özlem Altunok Interview

September 2005

Nazire Dedeman
Founder President of Umut Foundation

1-How do you asses the latest death and injury incidents inflicted by arm which are on the climb again? What lies beneath Turkey’s transformation into violence society, in your opinion?
Death and injury incidents inflicted by arm are often encountered in our country. Unfortunate and bitter incidents that happened one after another lately brought this problem into public eye. However, I should say that individual armament problem is always in Umut Foundation’s agenda. It is because that on average 300,000 people die a year in the wars around world, whereas on average 200,000 people lose their lives due to murders, accidents and suicides a year in the regions where peace is prevalent. This figure is on average 3000 people a year in Turkey.

2- As the head of Umut Foundation, you have been fighting against individual disarmament for 11 years. What is gained during the past many years, how much is Turkey aware now about this matter?
When Umut Foundation started to work on this subject, there was not even the concept of individual armament. Today, individual armament has become a concept and accepted as an important problem of our society. Alone even this development is very important.

Today Umut Foundation has started the fight against individual armament in Turkey and it should be supported by different parts of the society. Today, there are other non-governmental organizations that started to fight against individual armament and our politicians became aware of the gravity of the problem. Seen that the works started by Umut Foundation are spreading to the society and their acceptance by it is an important and hopeful development.

Moreover, as Umut Foundation we have been working on the causes of the problem, its extent in our country and necessary legal regulations for years, beyond our works of raising awareness within the society for individual armament problem. Our target is that works are carried out to solve the problem and public becomes more aware about the subject. Every person who accepts that individual armament is serious and vital matter has an important role for elimination of the problem. The number of these people is more and more increasing as a result of the works carried out.

3- The gun that symbolizes manhood, power and insecurity is now used by women too. Canan Arııtman, MP of AKP recently made a speech that blessed individual armament. How do you asses these developments as a woman? Why do you think women like the gun? 
7% of those who bear gun are women in Turkey, according to information provided by our trustee Mr. Ayhan Akcan. The number of women who bear gun is less than men.  The cause of gun love in women may derive from fear, insecurity and having power. However, I must say that one of the parts of the society who is most damaged by armed violence is women. Honour killings are indicators of this.  
Defence of armament by Canan Aritman and her thesises cannot be accepted at all. Advocating armament to diminish crime is wrong and invalid. Factors and means that cause crime first should be eliminated in order to diminish crime. More armamanet means more crime.  
I deem it beneficial to provide this information about individual armamaent and the woman: it was revealed that 40% of women convicts are in the prison due to murder and most of them killed their husbands by the deceased guns, according to survey conducted in Bakırköy Women and Children Prison that is the sole Woman Prison in Istanbul by BAPAM in 2000. İt is seen that the cause of most of the convicted women’s conviction is their husbands’ firearms. 
Women and children are ones who are most exposed to violence even though they are not subjected to violence, when a member if family becomes disable to work they become victim as well. The most extreme form of violence is carried out by firearm. Consequently, it is women who should be against violence most. Women demand their right in various platforms. They should add to these demands the right to live that is the most fundamental human right and even the right to quality life. İn this sense, every non-governmental organization that works for women and children should cooperate for individual disarmament. Alos, the woman, as a mother, is responsible for teaching their children peace culture and passing on its principles.      

 
4- Honour killings are different facade of the problem...What are the ways of demolishing the gun’s face aimed at women and its symbolic value as manhood?
There should be opposition against individual armament, in particular men’s armament. First we women should erase the menatlity that usage of arm is Turkish men’s customs and following everybody should do so; we should consider as a promitive side of a man. We should not accept vilonce vulgarity as a customs. Oppression against women and children lies beneath undeveloped culture. The man was made a protector and cleaner of honour, as it is known this cleaning is carried out by killing women.  

5- Previously, MPs Enver Yılmaz and Eyüp Fatsa fired the gun in an engagement ceremony. What do you think it means that while those who govern the society should set an example with their behaviour in compliance with law, they shadow the efforts with their unlawful behaviour? Estemed MPs behaviour is careless and thoughtless act, nothing else. However, the important thing is that all politicians should be aware that they set an example to the society with their every act and they are public leaders. The main duty of our MPs, who have the authority to represent the citizens, regarding this matter is to strengthen social politics and carrying out works in order to increase the deterrence of legal penalties. Additionally, their conveyance of the messages that highlight individual armamanet’s dangers and unacceptability of celebration with fire arms as a customs to the society in every opportunity will decrease the trend towards armament.  

6-How are your relations with the bodies such Platform on Reaction to Individual Armament, International Amnesty Organization and non-governmental organizations? Is there mutually carried out works?
Every part of our society who is interested in individual armament, every person and institution that fight against this problem are very important for the solution of this problem. Therefore, we have been following all works on individual armament closely and we seek their advise for our works, although there are not mutually carried out projects. İt is very important to join the power of non-governmental organizations and other parts of the society to solve social problems in Turkey.

7- Up until now, you and other organizations organized many campaigns and activities to stop people from bearing arms. What is the situation of legal loops despite all petitions, reaction and legal regulations? What should be done about it? 
Above all, the importance of executing duly the existing laws should be stressed. Some regulations were carried out with New Turkish Criminal Code, but we think they are not adequate. Firstly, 6136 numbered Law on Firearms and Knives and Other Weapons and relevant regulations should be reissued by comparing to other countries’ laws and practices that have been successful in fight against this problem. Today every Turkish citizen who is at the age of 21 can obtain a gun. This age limit should be increased to 25; additionally there should be maximum age limitation. Also, when bearing arms under the influence of alcohol and drugs the license should be invalidated. Entrance to entertainment places should be banned and required every kind of measure should be taken. Amnesty practices that are in the quality of intervention to the rule of law should be avoided in order to ensure the deterrence of the laws.      

8- Various restrictions and penaltys were introduced for usage of arms with 6136 numbered Law. Already we are aware of the existence of approximately 7 million unlicensed guns. What are the required legal regulations for purchasing licensed and unlicensed guns today? 
Purchasing and obtaining unlicensed gun is a criminal act. Thus, purchase of unlicensed gun is out of question. Penaltys for bearing and carrying unlicensed gun should be aggravated to become more deterrent and license requirements for guns to bear should be stricter and license period should be limited with 2 years. Other very important point is that owner of licensed guns should be subjected to psychological examination often. Those who are to obtain gun license should get approval from authorised parties and should be subjected to serious training.

9- There is a serious economy that arm industry feeds on. What do you think about the status change of the knowledge on arm production and trade regarding legal arm trade into confidential? What should be done? 
There should not be State secret except some exceptions. Every armament, every arm trade should be open to public knowledge, except the secrets that should stay confidential regarding the country’s defence. It is because right to knowledge are given to everybody through the law now in Turkey. Therefore, there should not be any secret that should be kept away from the citizens by the State.    

10- Now everybody knows what 28 September means. Can you tell us about the activities that will be carried out before and on 28 September?
We will hold “Individual Armament Problem in Turkey: Solution Recommendations” search meeting with the cooperation of Istanbul Governorship and Bahçeşehir University on 24 and 25 September this year. The activity will comprise of working groups on Social Situation, Law, Security and Media. Our expectation is the formation of an application plan that includes solution recommendations regarding individual armament. Result Declaration that will form as a result of Search Meeting will be publicly announced on Individual Disarmament Day of 28 September, during the award ceremony for Individual Disarmament: Give Chance to Life Competition and following the announcement of Result Declaration of “Individual Armament Problem in Turkey: Solution Recommendations” that will be held in Ataturk Culture Centre following “March of Silent Shoes” activity that will be carried out in Taksim Square.