HDP’s Temelli: We’ll end the all-war policy of the AKP

HDP co-chair said 24 June gives the opportunity to begin the journey towards democracy.

HDP co-chair, Sezai Temelli was in Elazig on Thursday as part of the election campaign. A little more than two weeks left to the 24 June early elections called by the AKP-MHP government in an attempt to safe itself.

The HDP has been running an electoral campaign stained by attacks on its members and election workers in several parts of the country.

Temelli addressed the people saying: “For many years this region has been turned into a territory of massacres by the AKP rulers and now it is time to get rid of the AKP government”.

The HDP co-chair reminded that on 7 June three years ago the peoples of Turkey were called to the polls. “The AKP then, - said Temelli - saw its power reduced. On the other hand, because of the games they played on the way to 7 June, they dragged this country into war”.

Temelli reminded of the then Prime Minister, Davutoglu who “declared war on this country, Ankara massacre happened, Cizre destruction, Sur destruction. This country has seen nothing but war in the past three years”.

It’s June and there are elections again

Temelli said: “We are now in June 2018, time of elections once again. Time for the HDP once again. On 24 June we will finish the work we began on 7 June 2015, we’ll send them home”.

The HDP co-chair stressed that “War is everywhere. They are threatening to occupy Qandil and invade this and that area. But the people are tired of you playing with their children’s life. These mothers are here to hold you accountable for these deaths. They want to see their children’s wedding, not their funeral”.

AKP only promised war

“The only thing you promise is war. - said Temelli - You use people’s pain to stay in power. On 24 June, Turkish mothers and Kurdish mothers will bring you down.

We have to end the war. We should choose how we want to live. On 24 June we will say yes to war or yes to peace. We will opt for Erdogan's power or for democracy. We will determine our future. We say, say yes to the HDP if you want peace”.

War will not solve the Kurdish question

Talking about the Kurdish question, Temelli said that “No issue can be solved as long as war rages. The Kurdish question cannot be solved while war rages. The AKP does not want to solve the Kurdish problem, on the contrary they want to feed on the Kurdish problem. But we will solve both the Kurdish problem and the Erdogan problem”.

Pointing out that war is in fact a political choice for Erdogan, Temelli said: “Everyone is aware of the lies told by the AKP for 16 years. As long as there is war, there will be poverty, unemployment. - said Temelli - As long as we do not get rid of this power, we cannot get rid of poverty, we cannot get rid of corruption. We can save our future”.

How to face the economic crisis

Temelli said that the HDP has prepared an economic program together with the program of their presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş. “Rearranging taxation of income and wealth in a fair way is the first step for solving economic problems. Making healthy investments in the future and investment in a social growth program will be one of the most important steps”.

Temelli then addressed the other issues important to the HDP, namely freedom of expression (“We won’t give up freedom of expression and freedom of the press”), the need for a new Constitution (“We call on all parties to join in the effort of writing a new democratic Constitution”), ending compulsory military service (“We will end compulsory military service, the right to conscientious objection is one of the most fundamental rights”).

Temelli then confirmed that “a Ministry of Women, the Ministry of Children, the Ministry of Disabilities will be established”.

Reminding that there is little time left to 24 June, Temelli said that “clearly the occupation of Afrin was not enough, so now they have created a Kandil scenario. Erdogan needs a war within the province. That’s why he invaded Afrin. Now they talk about invading Kandil. They want people to fear. But people saw his lies. We need to make sure that the HDP overcome the threshold - ended Temelli - in order to secure the road to democracy”.