Severe rights violations in Turkey and Kurdistan were discussed in the European Parliament.

HDP Şırnak MP Faysal Sarıyıldız and İHD Chairperson Öztürk Türkdoğan spoke in the conference hosted by the Socialist and Democrats group.

HDP Europe Representative Eyyüp Doru and Socialist Democrats Group member Costas Mavrides moderated the session.

DORU: THE MASSACRIST MINDSET OF THE STATE HASN’T CHANGED

In his short presentation, Doru spoke about the anti-Kurdish policies of the Turkish state since its founding and said, “The massacrist mindset of the state hasn’t changed.”

Stating that the Kurds were one of the most ancient peoples of the region, but they were denied the right to self determination, Doru said the Western governments didn’t react strongly against the massacres in Kurdistan.

TÜRKDOĞAN: CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY WERE COMMITTED

The first speaker, İHD Chairperson Öztürk Türkdoğan talked about the crimes committed during the curfews, the practice of the State of Emergency, severe rights violations following the July 15 coup attempt and the status of Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Türkdoğan said AKP had been toppled in the June 7 elections and a strong will for peace emerged, but it was denied by the government. He stressed that: “Erdoğan shelved the constitution and declared himself the de facto president.”

Speaking of the rights violations during curfews in Cizîr and other cities, Türkdoğan said: “No rules of law were heeded, there hasn’t been a single effective investigation and impunity runs rampant.”

Türkdoğan said: “Crimes against humanity were committed very commonly”, but that no mechanism in the international area worked against this.

He underlined that: “The ECHR disappointed us during the curfews. They didn’t issue any injunctions for the basements. My faith in justice was damaged.”

Protesting the silence of European governments, he said: “We are in a land of war with at least 20 people dying every day. We must discuss how we can stop this war.”

Türkdoğan said that 67 thousand homes were demolished according to official records, and that 500 thousand Kurds were left homeless. Türkdoğan also gave an account of the rights violations following the July 15 coup attempt and said, “Whatever Kurds were subjected to before July 15, continues.”

KURDS’ RIGHT TO CO-DETERMINATION MUST BE DISCUSSED NOW

Türkdoğan said it was time to discuss the right to codetermination of a people of 40 million population, and said: “The Kurds’ right to codetermination must be discussed now. No problems can be solved by ignoring it.”

IHD Chairperson pointed out Öcalan’s situation and said: “The government doesn’t allow meetings with Öcalan, as if to humiliate a whole people.”

Türkdoğan gave the example of the peace negotiations between FARC and the government in Colombia and said: “A solution must be developed. This is a necessity. The EU must take initiative. The EU must encourage the government. Otherwise the war cannot be prevented.”

Stating that Turkey is now an authoritarian regime, Türkdoğan said: “We never know what might happen to us under authoritarian administrations. The law is completely in shambles.”

SARIYILDIZ: NOBODY CAN FIND PEACE UNLESS THE CRIMES ARE FACED

HDP Şırnak MP Faysal Sarıyıldız spoke of him witnessing the atrocities in Cizîr. Sarıyıldız likened the current situation in Turkey to Nazi Germany’s first years.

Sarıyıldız said: “Great crimes against humanity were committed in Cizre. Great sins were committed. Nobody can find peace unless these sins, these crimes are faced.”

Stating that they “found themselves in the middle of all hell” after June 7, Sarıyıldız said all generals who committed the crimes in Kurdistan and are arrested now had been rewarded by Erdoğan himself just a couple of months ago.

HDP MP added: “Our people are furious and they will never bow down to this cruelty.”