Several organisations and associations continue to pay condolence visits to the family of HDP member Deniz Poyraz who was killed in the İzmir office of the party last week, Jin News reports.
Nebahat Çelik, Co-Chair of the Democratic Alevi Association (DAD) condemned the attack on the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) office, extending condolences to the victim’s family. Çelik criticised the way the perpetrator Onur Gencer, who murdered Deniz, was greeted by the police.
“The police called him ‘brother’, but when they detain Kurds and left-wingers they torture them. Turkey must face its problems in order not to go through this again,” Çelik said.
“(Convicted mafia boss) Sedat Peker said, ‘Alevis should take care’. The police summoned Celal Fırat (a member of the Federation of Alevi Associations) and told him to ‘be prepared’,” she added. She criticized this attitude, addressing the police: “We merely have our bodies, how are we to prepare? It is for you to stand up for us. If you know about it, it is you who you have to take precautions.”
‘Every attack on HDP is deliberately planned’
Former HDP party worker Emine Alagöz drew attention to the disappearances, the unsolved murders and the politics of impunity for actions against Kurds within Turkey: “We’ve had thousands of murders over the last 40 years… We are ready and will stand guard over our party. Initiating a case for closure against the party on the one hand and at the same time murdering a party worker indicate planning and organisation. Everyone knows this. That’s why we have to be ready for anything. We will ensure community peace by uniting with democratic forces.”
Nüfusa Ataç, one of the Peace Mothers, agrees, pointing out that the Kurdish people have been subjected to attacks for a thousand years. She sends a message of unified struggle: ”As long as we are united, nothing will happen to us. As long as we close our eyes and ears to the oppression, the oppression will not end, but if we walk hand in hand they cannot succeed.”
Stating that the murder targeted the Kurds, HDP member Nurcan Acar said: “We want peace. This truly is oppression… Who the murderer is is perfectly obvious, it is the mafia, it is the state…” And HDP member Fatma Gümüş said: “We condemn this attack. Men murdering young women and children. This is the patriarchal mind.”
