The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party has criticised officials from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for their response to racist attacks against Kurdish families in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, accusing them of effectively becoming spokespersons for the aggressors.
Following the peaceful Newroz celebrations on Sunday, groups associated with Turkish extremism, notably the Grey Wolves, reportedly violently targeted Kurdish families in Heusden-Zolder, Leuven, Belgium. The attacks have been linked to paramilitary groups allegedly supported by the AKP, and its ultra-nationalist ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
The DEM Party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) statement highlighted the AKP officials’ failure to condemn the violence or call for restraint, instead choosing to escalate tensions.
Yasin Gül, the deputy mayor of Heusden-Zolder with ties to the Grey Wolves, went so far as to publicly support these attacks during a television appearance on a pro-government Turkish channel. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also released a statement, throwing its support behind the attackers by branding the Kurdish victims as “PKK militants”, further inflaming tensions.
In their statement released on 28 March, the DEM Party contrasted the peaceful and jubilant Newroz celebrations in Turkey and across Europe with the unacceptable behaviour towards returning Kurdish families in Brussels. They emphasised that the response from AKP officials not only failed to denounce the attacks but also indirectly supported the paramilitary groups’ actions, increasing the potential for further conflict. The party has called for legal actions against the racist group responsible for the provocation, stressing that such measures are crucial for de-escalating the situation.
Furthermore, the DEM Party has highlighted the dangerous implications of using these attacks as electoral material, pointing out the risk of targeting Kurds living in Europe and the contribution to an atmosphere of fascism and deadlock. They urged the Turkish government and responsible officials to abandon this approach immediately and called on all communities in Europe to stay calm and not succumb to provocations.
