Ahead of the 4th Ordinary Congress of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which will be held in Ankara on 23 February, HDP Ankara Provincial co-chair Vezir Coşkun Parlak spoke to the ANF about the issues the congress will deal with.

Vezir Coşkun Parlak reminded that a partecipated and enthusiastic congress was held in 2017 despite heavy pressure and security policies.

Making this Congress something different…

Parlak said: "Our congress at the Ankara Arena Sports Hall on 23 February is the 4th congress of HDP. We held our last congress in 2017. At that time, because of the security policies implemented and targeting our party, many cars of delegates and partecipants coming from all provinces were prevented from reaching Ankara. By putting obstacles in front of people, the state hoped to create despair among people from different sections of society coming around the HDP. But with the resistance and determination of this people, a mass and enthusiastic congress was held in Ankara. In fact, there is a serious resistance going on in the prisons and this provides morale and motivation outside.''

Education in mother tongue, economic crisis, democratic alliance…

Stating that HDP has been inadequate on some issues in the past period, Parlak added: “We held meetings over the issues were we shown weakness. One of the main issues that we focused on in the discussions was the inadequacy with respect to the Kurdish language demand. Another issue was the necessity of a much stronger democracy alliance for the future and decisions were taken on this issue. Turkey left and the problems of working people as a result of the economic crisis and its impact on the crisis with the socialist movement in Kurdistan were also discussed. In line with the decisions taken, we held a regional meeting in Central Anatolia Region, where other provinces also participated, and then we held our central conference at the Ankara Hilton Hotel. There was a great participation at that conference and this built up the morale. The participants to the conference carried this energy to the places they went to."

Parlak continued: "One of the most fundamental discussions in the conference was about which kind of democracy alliance we should build in case of a possible early election. As HDP, we in fact, are open to all segments and try to establish a dialogue.

Pressures

Referring to the increasing number of detentions, HDP Ankara Provincial co-chair Vezir Coşkun Parlak underlined that close to 117 people were detained in Ankara, Istanbul, Ağrı and Van on 13 and 14 February alone.

Parlak added: “For some reason, these detentions targeted the youth and women movements of the HDP, which are the segments that this system is most afraid of. We are a party that has taken its power from the people. We can be crushed but we always manage to survive.”

Parlak continued: “With these policies of detention they thought to weaken us. But instead, as we have seen during last year’s hunger strike for example, we have been strenghtened by this repression. Pressures cannot bend us, detentions cannot bend us. At this point, even if only one HDP member remains, he will continue his struggle.”