Istanbul – Mr Zulfu Livaneli, Turkey’s Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has resigned accusing the organisation of hypocrisy and violation of human rights.
Livaneli said UNESCO was “hypocritically silent’’ in ignoring the destruction of large parts of a heritage site in Sur during clashes between the Turkish army and militants in his country’s mainly Kurdish South East.
“As the demolition of history is taking place in Sur, hypocrisy dominates the (Istanbul) World Humanitarian Summit.
“To pontificate on peace while remaining silent against such violations is a contradiction of the fundamental ideals of UNESCO,’’ Livaneli said.
With Roman-era basalt walls encircling historic houses, churches, synagogues and mosques, the city of Diyarbakir’s Sur District was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July 2015.
Weeks later, a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) ceasefire collapsed and an armed campaign was reignited.
Sur was the site of some of the fiercest fighting and had been under military lockdown since December 2015.
Large tracts of Sur on the banks of the Tigris River, once home to 24,000 mostly lower-income residents who had all left, had been bulldozed, while historic monuments bore battle scars.
Although, authorities had promised to rebuild Sur to reflect its historical importance, they accused the PKK of storing weapons, harbouring fighters and causing the deaths of 271 militants and 72 soldiers.
Opposition parties had argued that dozens of civilians also perished in Sur.
Livaneli is a bestselling Turkish writer, poet, songwriter, cultural and political activist.
His works, cultural and political activities and contributions to world peace were recognised by UNESCO in 1995.
Livaneli was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to UNESCO in 1996, a post he held until his resignation. (Reuters/NAN)