Today we celebrate the 69th anniversary of the adoption of the United
Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights which has elevated human
rights to the level of universally accepted framework of fundamental
principles.
Protection and promotion of the values regarding human rights is the
foundation of our state tradition. Our country, a party to the core human
rights conventions of the United Nations and Council of Europe, has never
compromised with the principle of respect for human rights and maintains
its constructive cooperation with the international organisations.
In 2017, we have sadly continued witnessing grave human rights violations
in various parts of the world. Just as remaining silent about the
atrocities taking place in Syria, Iraq and violations in Palestine, the
international community unfortunately did not display a unified stance
against the massacres and tragedies taking place in Myanmar. As a matter of
fact, Turkey experienced how indifferent the world could become vis-à-vis
protection of the rights of others during and after the July 15 terrorist
coup attempt. However, by countering this hateful attempt at the cost of
their lives, our honorable nation not only protected their state but also
consolidated their devotion to democracy and human rights.
The experiences in the aftermath of these developments indicate that the
whole international community, not just some countries, should make common
efforts to end human rights violations and to establish peace and
stability. It is an undeniable fact that the international community should
mobilize every means available for the common peace and well-being of the
people as soon as possible. All means and capacities should be utilized
collectively for an effective fight against human rights violations and
humanitarian crises taking place in various parts of the world.
Today our country continues to counter many bloody terrorist organisations
violating the right to life, which is a fundamental human right, in line
with the rule of law and international obligations. Protection and
advancement of human rights and the prevalence of peace and well-being both
in our region and all around the world will continue to be our primary
goal. We consider respect for human rights as a natural prolongation of our
deep rooted state tradition as well as centuries-old understanding of
tolerance.
With these thoughts in mind, I sincerely congratulate Human Rights Day for
our nation and for the whole humankind.