Demirtas: Turks and Kurds need to join hands in peace against Erdogan
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Listing the ongoing human rights violations in Turkey and the struggles his party, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), faces, Selahattin Demirtas laid the blame at the feet of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and urged Turks and Kurds to join together.
“Our country needs peace, tranquility, and security. Erdogan doesn’t want this. However, in spite of Erdogan we are determined to boost the struggle for peace. Turks and Kurds need to be hand in hand against Erdogan and need to raise their voices for peace - otherwise we will not achieve peace,” Demirtas, co-chair of HDP said, speaking to Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutshce Welle (DW).
Demirtas is travelling in Europe, holding meetings with officials to raise awareness of human rights violations ongoing in Turkey and seeking support for a renewal of the peace process between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Throughout his visit, Demirtas said he has noticed a change in how Europe perceives his country. “In my meetings with the European institutions and at the national level, I observed that Turkey is being perceived as a dark country closed from the outside, deviated towards an ISIS-esque radicalism and headed toward some kind of dictatorship,”
“For years I have been coming to Europe,” he continued, “and I don’t remember a time when Turkey was seen as this dark of a country.”
Relations between Europe and Turkey are in a slump. On Friday, Ankara rejected an EU report on the basis that it referred to the Armenian genocide.
A deal to stem the flow of migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey is in danger of collapsing as Turkey refuses to narrow its anti-terror laws, a pre-condition of the European Union before granting visa-free travel to Turkish citizens.
Turkey insists that the anti-terror law is necessary as it faces serious threats from the PKK and from the Islamic State just across its border with Syria.
Demirtas urged Europe to take a more active role in bringing about a ceasefire to end the renewed conflict between Turkish security forces and the PKK, which has crippled much of the southeast of the country throughout the past year.
“Europe needs to take a more interventionalist and initiative-taking position, including acting as an observer in mediation for both sides to be able to declare a ceasefire. It needs to try everything,” he said. “It must not remain silent on issues of human rights.”
Listing the abuses Turkish authorities are carrying out against the population, including destroying cities and stifling the media, Demirtas asked what Europe gained from remaining on the sidelines, watching silently.
“When Europe stays silent in the face of all of these, is it doing good? No. Maybe it is saving itself this week, maybe it is sustaining meetings with Erdogan, but in the middle and long term, it is doing a great disservice to Turkey.”
Human rights organizations and activists have accused Europe of turning a blind eye to abuses in Turkey in order to push through its deal with Turkey and stop migrants from landing on its shores.
Demirtas bemoaned the challenges his party faces in Turkey where their access to media is restricted and they are trolled on social media. “While things are in this state, the international community, and Europe in particular, needs to take the initiative. For peace, we need support from everyone who can offer it.”
“When people talk about Turkey, it’s as if they are seeing it as a country worse than Syria. Our country does not deserve this at all,” he added.
“Our country needs peace, tranquility, and security. Erdogan doesn’t want this. However, in spite of Erdogan we are determined to boost the struggle for peace. Turks and Kurds need to be hand in hand against Erdogan and need to raise their voices for peace - otherwise we will not achieve peace,” Demirtas, co-chair of HDP said, speaking to Germany’s international broadcaster, Deutshce Welle (DW).
Demirtas is travelling in Europe, holding meetings with officials to raise awareness of human rights violations ongoing in Turkey and seeking support for a renewal of the peace process between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
Throughout his visit, Demirtas said he has noticed a change in how Europe perceives his country. “In my meetings with the European institutions and at the national level, I observed that Turkey is being perceived as a dark country closed from the outside, deviated towards an ISIS-esque radicalism and headed toward some kind of dictatorship,”
“For years I have been coming to Europe,” he continued, “and I don’t remember a time when Turkey was seen as this dark of a country.”
Relations between Europe and Turkey are in a slump. On Friday, Ankara rejected an EU report on the basis that it referred to the Armenian genocide.
A deal to stem the flow of migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey is in danger of collapsing as Turkey refuses to narrow its anti-terror laws, a pre-condition of the European Union before granting visa-free travel to Turkish citizens.
Turkey insists that the anti-terror law is necessary as it faces serious threats from the PKK and from the Islamic State just across its border with Syria.
Demirtas urged Europe to take a more active role in bringing about a ceasefire to end the renewed conflict between Turkish security forces and the PKK, which has crippled much of the southeast of the country throughout the past year.
“Europe needs to take a more interventionalist and initiative-taking position, including acting as an observer in mediation for both sides to be able to declare a ceasefire. It needs to try everything,” he said. “It must not remain silent on issues of human rights.”
Listing the abuses Turkish authorities are carrying out against the population, including destroying cities and stifling the media, Demirtas asked what Europe gained from remaining on the sidelines, watching silently.
“When Europe stays silent in the face of all of these, is it doing good? No. Maybe it is saving itself this week, maybe it is sustaining meetings with Erdogan, but in the middle and long term, it is doing a great disservice to Turkey.”
Human rights organizations and activists have accused Europe of turning a blind eye to abuses in Turkey in order to push through its deal with Turkey and stop migrants from landing on its shores.
Demirtas bemoaned the challenges his party faces in Turkey where their access to media is restricted and they are trolled on social media. “While things are in this state, the international community, and Europe in particular, needs to take the initiative. For peace, we need support from everyone who can offer it.”
“When people talk about Turkey, it’s as if they are seeing it as a country worse than Syria. Our country does not deserve this at all,” he added.