Message from AKEL to the 2nd Annual Congress of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP)
The Central Committee of AKEL conveys a strong message of solidarity to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on the occasion of its 2nd Annual Congress, and reiterates its support with the forces struggling for peace and democracy in Turkey.
Your Congress is held in challenging times for the people of Turkey, in particular for the Kurdish population, and in a complex regional context. The international community is witnessing an all-out attack of the Turkish government on its Kurdish population, with serious consequences on the civilians who are deprived of free movement and access to food, water, medical aid, whose daily lives have been totally disrupted. We have denounced these attacks and demanded their immediate end. We equally denounce the silence kept by Turkey’s allies and the media.
The Turkish people is paying the price for the country’s meddling in the region, particularly in Syria, and collaboration with the evil elements of the region –as ISIS- in its strive to serve its geopolitical interests. The bombing of Kurdish positions in Syria and northern Iraq, the authoritarian measures taken by the Turkish state and the violent attacks by Turkish nationalists against the Kurdish and progressive forces of Turkey, are part of a deeper reactionary strategy that is causing bloodshed and chaos inside and outside the country.
AKEL has denounced, also from the floor of the European Parliament, this policy of the Erdogan government, which it is pursuing undisturbed given that the US, NATO and the European Union, in order to serve their own geostrategic interests, are supporting and appeasing Turkey.
Moreover, the same aggressive and expansionist policy has been followed by Turkey in Cyprus where the occupation of 37% of the island since the 1974 Turkish invasion- is continuing; the human rights of the Cypriot people, both of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, are violated; an assimilation policy of the Turkish Cypriot community is pursued and a non-constructive stance in the negotiations for the Cyprus Problem is followed. AKEL is struggling for an end to the occupation, for the reunification of Cyprus and its people under a bizonal bicommunal federation, with political equality as defined in the UN Secretary-General’s report, with the human rights of both Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots safeguarded, on the basis of International Law, the High Level Agreements and the relevant UN resolutions.
We want to have Turkey as a neighbor with whom to cooperate and develop mutually beneficial relations, contributing to peace and prosperity for all the peoples in our troubled region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
AKEL supports a political solution to the Kurdish problem, which should come by peaceful means through talks, a development that would contribute decisively to democracy in the country and peace in the region. To facilitate this dialogue, the European Union should remove the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) from the so-called list of “terrorist organizations”.
We take the opportunity to express our solidarity with all the progressive voices in Turkey struggling for fundamental freedoms and democratic rights.
With these thoughts in mind, we wish successful deliberations of your Congress.
We join our voice with yours:
For Peace and Democracy! For the friendship of the peoples of the world!
The Central Committee of AKEL
22/01/2015
