The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Pervin Buldan spoke at the HDP’s party group meeting in Turkey’s parliament, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reports.
Buldan shared her evaluations on ‘third way politics’, which has been defined as the key principle defining the roadmap of the HDP in the upcoming period in Turkey. ”The ‘third way’ is a direct way to express the view that change is always possible with the principles defended by the HDP – for a ‘free’ and ‘equal’ life with the struggle, against those who try to strangle society with the darkness of fascism. It represents democratic public opinion. It is a democratic alternative”, she said.
‘The third way is not about election alliances’
Buldan further clarified the HDP’s position on this issue: ”When we express the adoption of a ‘third way’, those who do not understand the politics of the HDP interpret this as an election alliance. No. There is no election alliance on the HDP’s agenda for now. The ‘third way’ is not about election alliances. Of course, when the election comes, our party board will make the necessary evaluations. But our agenda is not based on the election alliance: we are seeking a rather broad democracy alliance. Today, Turkey is in a decay. The policy we put forward as the HDP is aimed at ending the totalitarian and populist state apparatus, the one-man regime and the institutionalisation of fascism imposed on the politics of the country. We propose ‘third way’ politics to achieve this goal: it is to create a democratic change and transformation, a democratic power in favour of labour, women, nature, peoples, beliefs and all identities”.
The ‘third way’ embodies ‘a revolutionary, democratic, ecological stance’
Buldan added: “The ‘third way’ is the embodiment of democracy itself, regardless of the dominant exploitative forces. For this reason, we resist together with all social and political opposition groups, with peace and democratic forces, intellectuals, artists and democrats. The ‘third way’ does not adopt a classical style of opposition: it embodies a revolutionary, democratic, ecological stance”.
‘Isolation in Imralı represents the collapse of law’
Buldan also shared her views about the prison isolation conditions that have been imposed on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Öcalan, who has been jailed in Imralı Island Prison since 1999. “The aggravated isolation in Imralı is an outcome of the policies which are aimed at turning the regime into an unlawful and unjust one. Isolation in Imralı represents the collapse of law. By maintaining the isolation, the free election system was also abolished. As a consequence of the isolation policies, a coup regime of appointed trustees was built. They transformed the country’s economy into the parallel economy of the Palace, along with their supporters”, she said.
Misogynistic policies in Turkey
Concerning the increasingly misogynistic policies of the Turkish government, Buldan said: “After the withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, the misogynistic government has launched a wave of attacks against women. More than 12,000 cases of violence against women have been reported in the media since the withdrawal decision. We appealed the Council of State last week to overturn Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, because the withdrawal decision conflicts with the constitution”.
The HDP co-chair concluded with the following message: “Last week, Roza Women’s Association was raided in Diyarbakır. Women were detained, and eight were arrested. This is the result of the misogynistic policy of the Justice and Development Party and Nationalist Movement Party (AKP-MHP) government. On the other hand, the HDP is the guarantor of women’s achievements. The HDP is a women’s party which represents the joint struggle of women. The HDP is an alliance of women. And this alliance will definitely have its victory”.
