Mardin Municipality co-chair Ahmet Türk, who was forcibly replaced by a government-appointed administrator, spoke to ANF about the 24 June elections.

Türk reiterated that the AKP is going to this election with its usual attitude towards Kurds, one of hostility and remarked that the AKP cannot continue to work with lies, referring to the attack by the AKP deputy’s relatives in Suruç.

Despite everything, Türk said that no matter the mentality of the AKP, Kurds will not be defeated.

Talking about the massacre in Suruç which saw the AKP directly involved in the killing of three members of the Şenyaşar family, Türk said: “The responsible of this crime are clear, they even attacked wounded people in the hospital, they murdered wounded people”.  

Türk added that the AKP is trying to cover up this massacre, turning on the victims but “the public does not believe this lie. This crime has to be investigated properly”.

The HDP executive added that NGOs, bars and human rights departments have been prevented from going to Suruç: they should go back to the scene and listen to the public voice, he said.

The people will not forget the massacre

Asked about the response to the media and government's targeting the HDP, Türk said: “It is not possible to slander the HDP like they did with the PKK. The world now knows what is happening, they know what Kurds have been going through, they know how the peoples of Turkey live. The people will not forget the massacres, wherever they happened.”

Referring to the pressures on HDP, Türk said that once again the AKP is treating the HDP as enemy. He added that the HDP is getting stronger, and that “the HDP is getting support from Kurds, Turks, Alevis, oppressed people, conscientious people and they are trying to demolish it through slander.”

Türk ended saying that he hopes “the turnout in Europe will be strong, too, because the votes in Europe have a huge impact on us.”