DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tülay Hatimoğulları, DBP Co-Chairpersons Çiğdem Kılıçgün Uçar and Keskin Bayındır, EHP (Labourist Movement Party) Chairperson Hakan Öztürk, ESP (Socialist Party of the Oppressed) Co-Chair Murat Çepni, PIA (Human and Freedom Party) Chairperson Mehmet Kamaç, EMEP (Labour Party) Vice Chairperson Sevda Karaca, CHP (Republican People’s Party) delegation, and representatives of democratic forces gathered at Seyit Rıza Square and spoke out against the usurpation of Dersim and Ovacık municipalities.

Speaking here, Tülay Hatimoğulları said, “The people of Dersim are remembered with Seyit Rıza, who did not bow down. Dersim did not bow down and will not bow down to your oppression. On the one hand, this government extends the hand of peace, the so-called hand of peace. On the other hand, it appoints trustees and sentences our mayors to prison. From Hakkari to Esenyurt, Batman, Halfeti, Mardin, Dersim and Ovacık, they have usurped the will of the people. The people have elected their representatives for the third time despite the appointment of trustees. Let those who sit in the palace and swing the judiciary over us like the sword of Damocles know that they will not be able to acquire the will of the people. Our people who resisted at the ballot box and put forward their will despite the trustee regime, continue their resistance against this oppression. Those who could not win at the ballot box, those who could not cope with us despite all the election tricks, now think that they will make us obey and bow down through the judiciary and the fake law of the state of emergency.”

Hatimoğulları further stated the following: “The people of Turkey have witnessed military coups. In the 80s, the military landed in the cities with tanks and cannons. The AKP government, which came to power with the claim of getting rid of the military tutelage regime, turned out a complete substitute for the coup plotters of 12 September. If Kenan Evren had lived, he would have said, ‘These people make a better coup than me’. Those sitting in that palace continue to carry out a political coup through the judiciary. Let the people of Turkey see and know that the municipality building behind us is under heavy police protection and surrounded by concrete blocks. When trustees are appointed, they surround municipalities with concrete blocks. Municipalities are not barracks; municipalities are people's homes, not police stations. If you are righteous, if you really think you are based on the law, why do you ban the will of the people and surround the municipality with concrete? Even if they appoint as many trustees as they want, even if they continue to hang the trustee regime over our heads like an Ottoman sword, we, as the peoples of Turkey, will continue to defend our will, just like in Dersim. We will never back down from our democratic demands and our struggle for democracy. Just as Seyit Rıza did not bow down, we will not bow down either.

Dersim is a city that was won through an alliance of democratic and revolutionary forces. The trustee regime is also an attack against our democratic alliance. We will continue to stand on the side of right and law together with all the peoples of Turkey, the revolutionaries, democrats, conservative groups in favour of democracy and everyone else. Trusteeship is a coup, trusteeship is theft, trusteeship is usurpation of will. Trusteeship is taking away our right to elect and be elected. Let the palace hear, let those who appointed these trustees hear that the people are here and will continue to protect their municipalities, which are their homes. We will never say yes to an approach that chokes democracy. We will never meet it with silence.

From the streets of Dersim, we once again announce to the world that we are in favour of resolving the Kurdish question through peaceful and democratic methods. On the one hand, they talk about a solution to the Kurdish question, while on the other hand, they try to bring us to our knees by appointing trustees. There is no such a world, no such a reality! As long as the trustee regime is not abolished, we will continue to struggle. What peace are you talking about? You talk about peace in the Middle East, but you persecute Dersim. You talk about peace in the Middle East, you say that you are against Israel, but what Israel did to Palestine, you did to the people of Dersim in the past, and you continue to do the same today. The police are terrorising the streets. They think that they can maintain order by spraying water, gas and using batons. Israel thinks the same. You have gone down in history as a regime that publicly tortures its own citizens in front of cameras. This is authoritarianism, fascism!

From Dersim, which has not given up its belief, traditions, language and culture despite massacres, I call out to all the peoples of Turkey: Come, let us fight shoulder to shoulder against fascism. We all have to get rid of the trustee regime and this scourge. That is why it is time to further close our ranks. It is time to further stand side by side and to stand in solidarity. It is time to increase our struggle on democratic grounds.. Even if they continue to threaten us with trustees, the people are here. If a ballot box is set up here now, our co-mayors will be elected again. Ankara knows this very well. From here I call out to Ankara and the Palace: Give up this oppression. Oppression does not lead to prosperity. You are trampling on the constitution and laws. You are violating international conventions to which Turkey is a party. You are committing a crime. You are adding new pages to the crime file with trustees.

You should know that as long as you appoint trustees, torture, detain and arrest us in the streets, we, as the comrades of Seyit Reza, Deniz Gezmiş, Mahir Çayan, will continue to resist and struggle. Not only in Dersim, but all over Turkey. We will further increase our struggle against the trustee regime and fascism everywhere, not only in our cities where trustees have been appointed. Our call is to all democracy forces in Turkey, to everyone who thinks that the Constitution has been violated: let us increase our struggle against the trustee regime and this fascist authoritarian regime. We will succeed through solidarity and our resistance will surely be victorious.”