Revolutionary Party Chair: Government benefits from chaos

DP Chair Elif Torun Öneren was interviewed by ANF about the femicides and violence against women in Turkey. Öneren criticized the Turkish state’s policy of impunity, stressing that the government is responsible for femicides. Öneren noted that women’s right to self-defence frightens the government. According to her, all women who are exposed to violence should exercise their right to self-defence.

“The policy of impunity is not a new situation. There has been a male-dominated and misogynistic state structure in Turkey. This structure aims to cover up the crimes of men, to protect them, and to systematize the massacres of women. The male-dominated mentality further promotes the impunity of men in the face of the rising women’s movement,” she noted.

“The state and government that favour men in all kinds of violence against women, put the perpetrators under protection, adopt impunity, and think that men and women are not equal, are responsible for the increase in all crimes against women. A man who gets a reduced sentence for wearing a suit and tie at court, and who was brought up with a misogynistic mentality, does not stop committing crimes.”

SELF-DEFENSE SCARES MEN

Öneren said that women should use their right to self-defence in every field. “The use of the right of self-defence by women is one of the most alarming situations for the government. If all women who are exposed to violence can use and implement the right to self-defence, male dominance is likely to fade away.”

“Since the Istanbul Convention is an agreement that protects women’s rights in many respects and ensures their existence, naturally, this government considered it as an obstacle to its activities. Therefore, it was announced that the Istanbul Convention was terminated illegitimately at midnight. We, women, do not recognize this so-called annulment,” she said.

GOVERNMENT’S POLICY OF MASSACRE

Öneren also addressed the increasing racist massacres against Kurds in Turkey in recent months. She emphasized that the government takes advantage of this chaos environment. The racist rhetoric which existed before the pandemic and was endorsed with the policies implemented by the ruling AKP-MHP bloc, has recently increased.

“When we look at the current situation, we see the massacres against Kurds, their forced migration, and the attacks against workers, socialists, all segments of society, oppressed peoples, in short, anyone who might be against or resist the government. The biggest reason for this is that the AKP-MHP alliance has been splitting apart,” she emphasized.

In the face of suicides, unemployment, failure to manage crises, the plunder of nature, fires that have broken out in many regions in the last week, the government has begun to fear reactions, riots and oppositions. Their fear and anxiety became their nightmares. In fact, it is not that they attack because they are strong but rather, they fear oppositional forces.”