The People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) held its “Local Democracy Conference” in Istanbul, organized by the Democratic Local Administration Council.
In addition to the co-chair of the party, Tuncer Bakırhan, the conference was attended by representatives of numerous political parties, institutions, and organizations, as well as mayors, intellectuals, academics, and citizens.
‘Our democracy is sick’
In his speech at the conference, Tuncer Bakırhan emphasized the importance of the Peace and Democratic Society process, stating, “Local governments in Turkey are under threat like never before. Local governments were also under pressure when the Republic was founded. But a new process began, especially after 2016. The restraint for centralization faced another pressure that usurped local will. Our democracy is sick, and local democracy is even sicker.”
‘We will fight even harder as the sovereignty of the people is disregarded’
Bakırhan continued: “The cure for this disease is clear; strengthening local democracy as in countries that experience these pains. We are, however, encountering debates about how to centralize. We must resist this centralization. This centralization and pressure are present throughout the country today. Therefore, those of us who seek to strengthen local democracy will fight even harder as the sovereignty of the people is disregarded. In a city where around 60-70 percent of the population elects its local representative, the people’s will is usurped. We must stand against the appointment of trustees to municipalities. This is a matter that concerns all 86 million people. What has been done in the Kurdish region in the past is being done in the West today. We need to fight together against the trustee system. As long as we don’t treat Şişli and Hakkari equally, this centralization and anti-democratic practices will continue. If political parties of all backgrounds do not stand against this, we will continue to face these practices. The country is very hopeless because of these practices.”
‘We must build our democracy locally’
“Local democracy is not just local government, it is also the fundamental democracy in the country,” said Bakırhan, stating: “Democracy and trusteeship cannot coexist; nor can peace. If peace is being discussed today, it points to a problem of ‘undemocratic practices’. Not only the trustees, but also the laws that lead to the trustees must be abolished. General democratization starts locally, as democracy is felt most in our local administrations. The approach of resolving problems from the center must now be set aside. We must build our democracy locally.”
‘Our local administrations must grant equal rights to all citizens’
Emphasizing that local governments represent “the right to the city and peace in the city,” Bakırhan stated: “Peace in the city should be on our agenda, not only in judicial and political terms, but also in terms of its class dimensions. Turkey is experiencing a serious economic crisis. The reason is the unfair distribution of income and wealth. This is most evident in cities. In some parts of Bağcılar, it’s one world, and in other parts, it’s another. On one side there is poverty; on the other side there is a segment living in modest prosperity. For this reason, our local administrations must grant equal rights to all citizens. They must find a way to provide opportunities using the resources at their disposal to prevent the poor from becoming poorer and the rich from becoming richer. We also offer self-criticism on this issue. Distributing packages and showing solidarity with the poor are separate issues. We need to establish a basis that will enable participation in production and income generation. For these reasons, we will fight against guardianship in local administrations, and we will also fight for peace in the city.”
‘The goal of this process is democracy, and its compass is justice’
The Co-Chair of the DEM Party continued: “With the latest withdrawal (of PKK guerrillas from Turkish territory), Turkey has undergone a historic transformation. The stick that was used to secure the appointment of trustees on the pretext of the organization (PKK) has been taken back. We need to talk about this process and claim it. They will no longer be able to call Ahmet Türk an ‘organization member’ or ‘leader’. We have fought hard for a year to advance this process. Still, we have not been able to achieve the desired outcome. Some people see it as a ‘give and take’ process, while others say we have made a deal with the government. We do not do what other parties say. If there is lawlessness somewhere, we take action to stop it there. We do not look at which party someone belongs to. This process involves achieving local democracy alongside peace. The goal of this process is democracy, and its compass is justice. This ground has paid a huge for peace, for law, for local democracy, and it will continue to do so.”
‘Peace is not a gift, but a process of construction’
Bakırhan concluded: “Concrete steps must be taken to ensure the permanence of the process. The most recent withdrawal was the biggest step. Therefore, transition laws must be enacted immediately. After that, rights and freedoms must be expanded. Those who tweet must not be imprisoned, and local governments must be strengthened. The local administration law must be fundamentally changed. Those who come through elections must leave through elections. I invite AK Party citizens to object to this as well. I believe we will present these lands with an order based on local democracy through partnerships founded on democratic unity. Peace is not a gift, but a process of construction. The greatest responsibility falls on our local administrations.”