No to the Turkish mandate for foreign missions

Turkey’s National Assembly is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a motion from the presidential office to extend the mandate for foreign deployments of the Turkish army in Iraq and Syria. Approval of the mandate would give the Turkish regime leader the authority to decide at his own discretion on the “limit, extent, quantity and timing” for sending troops to the two countries. Opposition to this is stirring. In addition to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), 16 civil society organizations are now appealing to MPs under the heading “Don’t be accomplices – say no to the mandate.” The appeal was launched by major organizations such as the 78’ers Movement, the Association of Military Dissidents in the Military Coups (Adam-DER), the Alevi Bektaşi Federation, the Anıtpark Forum, the 78’ers Movement – Ankara, the Free Thought Movement in Ankara, the Anti-Capitalist Muslims, the Peace Foundation, the Union for Peace (DIB), the Dialogue Group, the Platform of Associations of the East and Southeast (DGD), the Initiative against the Criminalization of Thought, the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anadolu Cultural Foundation, the Law and Justice Platform, the Justice Movement for the Victims signed.

“The mandate will be a cause of greatest problems and pain”

Warning that confirmation of the mandate would make the country’s problems even greater, the initiatives wrote, “At this extremely critical time, when we are facing a serious economic, political and social crisis, the confirmation by the Turkish National Assembly of the motion to extend cross-border operations for two more years would exacerbate the enormous problems of our country and add further pain to the suffering of our people.”

“Do not give your authority to one man”

The initiatives said: “The decision to send troops abroad belongs to the core powers of Parliament, do not delegate their authority to the will of one person, and prevent such a step, the terrible consequences of which will be seen in a very short time.”

“Do not be accomplices”

The declaration continued, “We hope that you will not be complicit in this decision that will endanger the life of our children, the economic-social future of Turkey, regional peace and dignity of our country. Hoping that you will abide by your oath to protect the survival of the Republic, the unity of our people and the well-being of our country, we expect you to make a patriotic, peaceful decision and say no to the resolution and not be part of an adventurous war policy and accomplices in this serious crime.”