Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Pervin Buldan shared her perspectives to Jin News regarding the HDP’s role in the democratic struggle and several problems faced in Turkey. She spoke about 2021 and defined it as “A year of increasing oppression against the Kurds and a continued struggle against it.”
“2021 became a year of increased attacks against the Kurds by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and the continued different methods of liquidating the Kurds and pushing Kurds out of democratic politics.” Buldan said adding:
“With the outbreak of the pandemic, HDP municipalities and HDP politicians remained under pressure because the pandemic is used as an opportunity or an excuse to repress democratic politics with unelected government appointed officials to HDP municipalities.”
She recalled important events that took place in 2021.
“We all know very well that there is no justice in Turkey. This is experienced with concrete events. For example, Emine Şenyaşar’s family, the tenth anniversary of Roboski, the violations of rights in prisons, the death of sick prisoners. All these example clearly shows that there is no justice in Turkey.”
Buldan noted that the demand for justice for Kurds should not be coming only from the HDP and the Kurdish people.
“The demand for justice is an issue that should be embraced not only by the HDP or the Kurds, but by the people of Turkey, because when the government impose injustice against any section of society, all of society suffers from injustice.”
She spoke about the isolation of Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan who has been kept in solitary confinement in İmralı Prison since 1999 and also spoke of the violations of rights in Turkish prisons.
“There is a great anger in society. Isolation should be considered as an issue that started specifically in İmralı Prison but has now spread to other prisons and the entire society. Even the laws enacted in Turkey are ignored by the government itself. ”
She stated that isolation is not limited to only İmralı Island Prison but it has spread to the whole of society.
“This is only in İmralı prison for now, but it has become widespread and deepening. Isolation is a violation. In other words, leaving a person alone without any communication is a human rights crime. It is a violation.” Buldan said adding “While these sanctions are being imposed on Mr. Öcalan and other detainees in İmralı prison, the AKP government breaks its own laws.”
According to Buldan this causes an outrage in society.
“We always say that this isolation must end immediately. Isolation is a human rights crime and this crime is being committed by Turkey. Despite the violation reports of the CPT, the lawyers and family members are not allowed to visit prison” the HDP Co Chair stated. Pervin Buldan also announced that they, as the HDP are ready for early elections in Turkey
“2022 will most likely be an election year. As the HDP, we are ready for the elections in every way.”
Buldan defined the ”third way” as an alternative democratic way to form a democratic alliance to save the country from darkness.
“The peoples of Turkey will either decide for a democratic future or a dark future. If the AKP government gets the same result from the election, it will be much worse than now. That’s why the peoples of Turkey have to choose a democratic future. When we say democratic alliance, we aim to enter the parliament more powerfully with more seats and with more diversity. For example, today there are many different segments that are not part of the HDP. To include these different segments with us, this is what we call the third way.”
Buldan concluded that HDP’s goal is to gain a majority in the parliament including more diverse, more pluralistic, more colorful segments of the society.
“Therefore, this is what we call the democratic alliance.”
