HDP Co-president Figen Yüksekdağ said her party is being subjected to a series of deliberate, organised attacks, adding that it is the AKP government that is behind them. She said if those responsible for previous attacks had been found the current attacks would not have taken place. Yüksekdağ said the government had said nothing for 6 weeks as 60 HDP offices suffered attacks, so could not evade responsibility by condemning the bomb attacks in Mersin and Adana.

Who are the culprits? Why have they increased? What will the HDP do in response? HDP Co-president Figen Yüksekdağ answered the questions of ANF.

AKP has pressed the button  

There are constant attacks on your party. Now the bomb attacks in Mersin and Adana have taken place. How do you interpret these incidents?

None of the attacks on our party during the last six weeks can be considered in isolation. These have been planned and organised attacks on 60 of our party offices and on our party workers. The bomb attacks in Mersin and Adana are part of this series. It is the AKP government that has pressed the button to launch these attacks. All democratic forces should unite to halt these attacks and guarantee election security. Instead of opposing these assaults the Prime Minister and President have targeted us in their speeches at election rallies. We hold the President and PM as primarily responsible for these attacks.

They want to incite conflict between our people

What is the aim of this?

They are trying to create tension in order to generate conflict, but our party organisation, candidates and party workers will continue the campaign in a sensible way. We will achieve a great triumph on 7 June, which is what they fear. They are shamelessly pretending others are responsible for these attacks, but the people are not stupid. Everyone knows who is responsible politically. They will fall into the hole they have dug and we will continue on our path in a determined way.

Have you had a dialogue with the government regarding these attacks?

After every attack we have spoken to the Interior Ministry. We have also had talks with other ministers, but unfortunately we have seen that the police have supported the fascist mobs that carried out the attacks.  The government has called the latest attacks a ‘provocation’. But who’s provocation? The government has been behaving in a provocative manner throughout the election campaign. It is only thanks to the responsible attitude of our party that there has been no conflict.  

How are you planning to counter these attacks? What do your supporters suggest?

Our supporters should stay cool and avoid becoming incited. Of course, they should express their anger democratically and explain who is behind these attacks. The AKP government is continuing to use the sort of methods used in the 1990s. The attacks in Adana and Mersin were highly professional. There must be an intelligence network that is responsible. If it is not the government’s network, then it must reveal who is behind these attacks. If those responsible for previous attacks had been found, we would not have been subjected to these latest attacks. They cannot evade responsibility by condemning these bomb attacks.

The YSK will be called to account

Your applications to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) claiming that the AKP is violating election rules have fallen on deaf ears. What do you have to say about this? 
They recognise no rules, it’s difficult to find words to express their irresponsibility. We will give the best response on 7 June. The President is a prime example of this. He claims to be both President and leader of the AKP. He has absolutely no respect for the voters. The YSK should be above politics, but it is behaving like a party body. One day it will have to account for this.  

We have exceeded the threshold, but we also have to get over the state’s barrier  

There is an increasing perception to the effect that: “The HDP has now passed the ten per cent threshold” Is this a correct perception?
It is clear that the HDP is gaining increasing support. According to our latest polls we have exceeded the threshold. But it is not just a ten per cent barrier we face. We also have to transcend political obstacles, such as efforts by the AKP government to push us under the threshold. We have still not overcome this barrier. It is not a fair election campaign. They are not adhering to any rules. We are also facing irregularities at the polling stations. We therefore need to exceed the threshold by a wide margin. We must therefore not become complacent and continue to go door to door to insist people vote for the HDP.  

We unite all believers

The pledge in your manifesto to abolish the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has been used by Erdoğan, particularly in Kurdish provinces, where he has spoken with a Quran in his hand. I have 2 questions regarding this. How does the HDP define the relationship between religion and the individual in its new life project? And, secondly, what has been the outcome of Erdoğan’s propaganda?

The AKP government has a hypocritical attitude to religion. It tries to exploit people’s religious feelings. Fortunately, we do not have to carry out politics on a religious basis. The AKP government has become wealthy while the majority of the population has sunk into poverty. They are also dividing believers. We say we will put an end to their exploitation of faith. The AKP uses the Diyanet to do this. We will prevent people using religion to further their political ends. That is why we want to close down the Diyanet. We propose an alternative institution that will be equidistant from all faiths and will keep the state out of the sphere of belief. 

Has Erdoğan's appearing with a Quran in his hand had an effect on your support base?

We do not think it has had a great effect. Of course, they are trying to confuse people. But voters are aware of their manipulation of religion for political ends. I can say that our pious people, our Alevi community and our people involved in the democratic struggle have come together and have defeated this attempt to create division.