JINHA

ISTANBUL - Polen Ünlü, one of the victims of the Suruç massacre on Monday, had declared herself to be a conscientious objector in 2012.

Polen Ünlü died along with 31 others on Monday in the bombing of the Amara Culture Center in Suruç, Turkey. Polen and hundreds of other young activists had traveled to the border town with the goal of crossing the border to the city of Kobanê, in Rojava, to take part in the city's reconstruction.

Polen had been an activist in the conscientious objector movement. Military conscription is mandatory for men in Turkey. On May 15, 2012, Polen had joined the platform Conscientious Objection for Peace at an activity in the Taksim district of Istanbul. There, she protested the Turkish state's dirty war by declaring herself a conscientious objector.

"Hello, my name is Polen Ünlü. I'm a 20-year-old Turkish youth. I'm a socialist woman. I'm not anti-militarist. I support the struggle of the working class and the oppressed," she said. "I don't want to be a part of the state's dirty war against my brothers and sisters, my loved ones. This war isn't only killing men, but women as well. This is why I am announcing my conscientious objection."

(gc/cm)