Günay: “Society is not condemned to polarization, our search for a third way continues”

HDP spokesperson Ebru Günay evaluated the agenda at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters. She began her address with a tribute to Hrant Dink, saying: “the seeds sown by the solidarity and independence struggle that he left us continue to bloom everywhere. In the solidarity struggle, we shall continue to sprout and cultivate the seeds together.”

‘AKP GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO STAGE COUPS’

Günay commented on the Joint Commission’s discussions over lifting the immunity of HDP Amed MP Semra Güzel, saying that “the joint commission began to discuss the immunity report about our MP Semra Güzel. Of course, we will not abandon our deputy; our friends and deputies are all present at the joint commission meeting. After the meeting, our friends will inform the public about what has transpired.”

Günay recalled the incarceration of DEP deputies in 1994 in the Parliament, and said: “These are videos showing DEP deputies getting expelled from Parliament. Those images will stay in our memories forever. The AKP’s usurpation of the Kurdish people’s will remains in the people’s memory as the action of a coup-making power. They achieved this first through the trustees, then by usurping the municipal co-chairmanship of the elected co-mayors, lifting the immunity of our deputies and dismissing them, arresting our deputies, including our co-chairs. In the 27th legislature, they stripped Leyla Güven, Musa Farisoğulları and Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, of their parliamentary immunity. They dealt a heavy blow to democratic politics and continued to stage the politics of coups.”

‘EVERY VOTE IS TO APPROVE THE POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT’

Günay continued: “They are now attempting to implement the same coup policy through Semra Güzel. Every vote cast in favor of lifting her immunity is a vote to agree, accept, and say yes to the AKP-MHP government’s policies.

Regarding these events and the lynching campaign against her, Semra Güzel MP, said that she made the visit to the guerrillas during the solution process, at a time when the AKP seemed to be wanting to approach the Kurdish problem seriously. It is unacceptable that these photos are being used as material for smear campaigns and political operations against our party, 6 years after this visit. The HDP is a party dedicated to finding solutions to all problems through dialogue and peaceful means rather than through war and bloodshed. The HDP has advocated a policy of peaceful, democratic, non-conflict negotiation, as well as democratic politics. We will continue to insist on and struggle for this.

We have also something to say to the opposition. Some in the opposition denounce the only correct solution process, oppose dialogue initiatives, and support the political operation carried out by the government against our representative. This isn’t opposition; it’s playing the government’s tactics. We want to reiterate our warnings regarding this matter. We’ll be following the joint commission and what happens next, and we’ll present our own ideas and evaluations.”

EFFORTS FOR A THIRD PATH

Günay added: “Turkish society is not condemned or bound by political polarization and seek solutions within the system’s bounds. As a result, our quest for a third way continues. We have mentioned numerous times that we are concerned about this. As a first step in this direction, we met on Tuesday, 18 January. We met with political parties such as EMEP, EHP, Community Centers, SMF, TIP, TÖP, TKP. This was a kick-off meeting when we shared ideas, and it was a crucial meeting for Turkish politics. Following it, all political parties released a joint statement. They stated that we would continue to discuss the techniques and methods of developing the broadest democratic, equal citizenship and resistance allies with all oppressed, marginalized, victims, women, youth, and eco-activists in Turkey. In this regard, the meeting represented a significant advancement. It was not about, as has been stated by some, negotiations and elections and seats.

It is the most extensive discussion ground where the methods of struggle are addressed; the fight against fascism is discussed in the fields, squares, factories, and streets alongside the country’s different problems and crises. Of course, we will continue to work to extend the scope of the struggle.

We are all well aware that the AKP and its junior partner MHP are unconcerned with the state of law, welfare, and justice in which the people find themselves; their only goal is to find ways and means to maintain their dark tyranny. There is the reality of an AKP-MHP administration that does nothing but suppress those who have a social problem with this dark government, as well as those who express their demands and objections to issues such as crises, poverty, hardship, and unemployment.

DECLINE IN THE ECONOMY

In Turkey, the AKP’s 2022 plan began with price increases. Every day, we continue to face new price increases virtually every hour. With these price increases, the Turkish people’s budgets are threatened. We live with price hikes. Fuel and diesel price increases, of course, continue to have an impact on many aspects of life. Everyone in Turkey understands that the priority for AKP members is not the living conditions of the people on the verge of starvation, but the continuation of their dark government. Despite this, they predict that inflation will remain in the single digits until June 2023. It is a clear signal that their difficulties in June 2023 will be the rises, inflation, unemployment of women and young people, young people who say ‘we can’t find shelter,’ not Turkish society that says ‘we can’t get along.’ Their major concern is to keep their dark reign and to safeguard their followers. Let’s take a look at some of the lies and references provided by people who want Turkey to host the Olympics in 2023. I’ll only mention a handful of them here because there isn’t enough time for what they say in public.

They declared, ‘We will lower unemployment to 5%,’ despite the fact that Turkey’s wide unemployment rate has risen to more than 20%. ‘The population below the poverty line will diminish,’ they stated, referring to 75 per cent of Turkey’s population. They stated that they will close the regional development gap to acceptable levels. This gap has now reached incredible levels. As the HDP, we would want to reiterate our commitment to finding solutions to our people’s primary challenges by establishing alternative political avenues for Turkish rights, increasing the line of resistance, and resisting shoulder to shoulder with our people in the streets. Some may strive for 2023, but our goal is to ensure the future of our rights, to overcome the issues they are facing, and to live together in a more peaceful Turkey.”