Call for national unity at the BDP Congress
Call for national unity at the BDP Congress
The second Ordinary Congress of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), which has been targeted by political operations in the scope of so-called Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) operations for the last three years, took place in Ankara on Sunday.
The congress was attended by BDP and DTK (Democratic Society Congress) executives and a large number of people from Turkey as well as representatives of Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian Kurdish political parties who mainly called for “national unity” in the territory of Kurdistan. Political representatives also indicated Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom as a condition for a solution to the Kurdish problem.
The congress was also greeted by jailed deputies of the BDP with the jailed deputy co-chair Fatma Kurtulan’s message on behalf of “all prisoners arrested in political operations”.
The congress of the BDP, which has been wanted to be brought to a standstill with the arrest of over eight thousand local administrators as well as more than half of top executives, voiced demands for “democratic autonomy and political status” which were pointed as assurance for Turkey’s democratization.
Selahattin Demirtaþ who was elected the chairman of the BDP will serve as the co-chair in accordance with the party legislation. Gültan Kýþanak was once again elected as the other co-chair of the party.
An Academic Political Consultative Committee was also formed at the congress. Sociologist- author Ýsmail Beþikçi, Prof. Büþra Ersanlý and Tarýk Ziya Ekinci are some of those to take part at the Committee.
Speaking at the congress, BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaþ indicated Mr. Öcalan and the KCK as the interlocutors of peace and demanded Öcalan’s freedom as a part of the solution of the Kurdish issue.
Demirtaþ pointed out that “the prolongation of the Kurdish problem’s solution is a consequence of the denial of the “Kurdish and Kurdistan reality” and added; “The Kurdish issue cannot be resolved unless we are appreciated with all the values we have”.
Pointing to the Kurdish issue as the bitterest problem of Turkey, Demirtaþ defined “equality, justice and peace” as the main titles concerning the issue.
BDP co-chair remarked that the Turkish government needed to approach the Kurdish problem with a political courage and underlined that; “We believe mutual war and conflict should no more be used as a method.”
Referring to the ongoing conflict in Syria, Demirtaþ said that; “We will have the power to end the conflicts in the Middle East in the event of uniting our forces”. BDP co-chair underlined that it is a historic responsibility to support the struggle of Syrian peoples asking for self-determination.
The congress which was broadly participated and shown interest has unsurprisingly been subject to an investigation by the Public Prosecutor of Ankara on the grounds of the huge poster of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan hanged in the meeting hall. The Prosecutor has announced the investigation this morning.
The congress was attended by BDP and DTK (Democratic Society Congress) executives and a large number of people from Turkey as well as representatives of Iraqi, Iranian and Syrian Kurdish political parties who mainly called for “national unity” in the territory of Kurdistan. Political representatives also indicated Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan’s freedom as a condition for a solution to the Kurdish problem.
The congress was also greeted by jailed deputies of the BDP with the jailed deputy co-chair Fatma Kurtulan’s message on behalf of “all prisoners arrested in political operations”.
The congress of the BDP, which has been wanted to be brought to a standstill with the arrest of over eight thousand local administrators as well as more than half of top executives, voiced demands for “democratic autonomy and political status” which were pointed as assurance for Turkey’s democratization.
Selahattin Demirtaþ who was elected the chairman of the BDP will serve as the co-chair in accordance with the party legislation. Gültan Kýþanak was once again elected as the other co-chair of the party.
An Academic Political Consultative Committee was also formed at the congress. Sociologist- author Ýsmail Beþikçi, Prof. Büþra Ersanlý and Tarýk Ziya Ekinci are some of those to take part at the Committee.
Speaking at the congress, BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaþ indicated Mr. Öcalan and the KCK as the interlocutors of peace and demanded Öcalan’s freedom as a part of the solution of the Kurdish issue.
Demirtaþ pointed out that “the prolongation of the Kurdish problem’s solution is a consequence of the denial of the “Kurdish and Kurdistan reality” and added; “The Kurdish issue cannot be resolved unless we are appreciated with all the values we have”.
Pointing to the Kurdish issue as the bitterest problem of Turkey, Demirtaþ defined “equality, justice and peace” as the main titles concerning the issue.
BDP co-chair remarked that the Turkish government needed to approach the Kurdish problem with a political courage and underlined that; “We believe mutual war and conflict should no more be used as a method.”
Referring to the ongoing conflict in Syria, Demirtaþ said that; “We will have the power to end the conflicts in the Middle East in the event of uniting our forces”. BDP co-chair underlined that it is a historic responsibility to support the struggle of Syrian peoples asking for self-determination.
The congress which was broadly participated and shown interest has unsurprisingly been subject to an investigation by the Public Prosecutor of Ankara on the grounds of the huge poster of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan hanged in the meeting hall. The Prosecutor has announced the investigation this morning.
