On AKEL’s participation in the 2nd Congress of the People’s Democracy Party (HDP)

 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 24th January 2016, Nicosia

The Second Congress of the People’s Democracy Party (HDP), which has the Kurdish population as its base, convened at a time when the crisis in southeastern Turkey is escalating where the Kurdish population lives. AKEL was represented at the Congress of HDP by Christos Christofides, member of the Political Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL.

The Congress was held under tight security measures and in a deeply emotional atmosphere because of the recent attacks waged against the Kurds in southeastern Turkey and the well-known bombing attack carried out by the ISIS against a mobilization mainly from the Kurdish population. The two Co-Chairpersons of the party, Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş in their speeches to the Congress stressed that Turkey is at a crucial crossroads – either it will be democratized and modernized or it will slide into authoritarianism and fascism. They underlined that there is no other way to stop the massacre of the Kurds in southeastern Turkey other than the continuation of the peace process and dialogue. They pointed out the heroic resistance of thousands against the “despotic”, as they called it, regime. They stressed that only democracy and respect can rescue Turkey. The two Co-Chairpersons of the party, Figen Yüksekdağ and The two Co-Chairpersons of the party, Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, also referred to the Kurds of Iraq as a factor of stability in the region and wondered why certain circles and forces are so afraid of the Kurds of Syria. In the discussions on the new Constitution there should be decentralization, and as characteristically noted the word “autonomy” is not illegal.

Reference was also made to the Cyprus problem with Mr. Selahattin Demirtaş criticizing the Turkish government that while it had promised to solve the Cyprus problem and other issues concerning Turkey, the problem has not been resolved.

After the HDP Congress, Christos Christofides had a meeting with the Co-Chairperson of the People’s Democracy Party Figen Yüksekdağ. At the meeting there was a briefing on the ongoing developments surrounding the Cyprus problem, and HDP’s contribution was requested in the effort for the Turkish Government to cooperate to reach a correct solution. At the same time, a briefing was made about the initiatives undertaken by AKEL in the European Parliament and elsewhere to put a stop to the humanitarian crisis against the Kurds and for the defence of their human rights. Tonight HDP Co-Chairperson Selahattin Demirtaş will give a dinner in honour of the foreign delegations and discuss the developments in the region with them.