HDP: We Are The Own Children of This Country

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul Provincial Organization and Peoples and Beliefs Commission made a statement for the press today (March 4) to denounce the statements of ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Chair and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who previously stated, "There is a Kurdistan in Northern Iraq; if you wish you can go there."

Erdoğan held an election rally in Turkey's Black Sea province of Artvin ahead of March 31 local elections. He said, "This election is the election of survival for our country. There is no region in our country with the name of Kurdistan. If you wish, there is Kurdistan in Northern Iraq. You can go there."

The statement was attended by HDP Vice Co-Chair responsible for the press and propaganda Azad Barış; Vice Chair of İstanbul Mesopotamia Culture and Solidarity Association Edip Arslan; Hüseyin Özcan and Nergis Güzel from Democratic Alevite Association; Aylin Hacaloğlu from HDP; Abdülhakim Daş from the Federation of Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Associations; and Şükrü Aslan from Religious Scholars Association.

Barış: Erdoğan's threats don't only target Kurds

Speaking at the statement for the press, HDP Vice Co-Chair Barış indicated that "they held this statement for the press to show their stance against the racist remarks of Erdoğan on behalf of all oppressed peoples." Barış also stated, "Our homes, stories, loved ones, graves are all on this soil" and said that they would not go anywhere.

Emphasizing that their roots are in this country, Barış said, "No one can eradicate these roots" and added, "The threats of Erdoğan do not only target the HDP or the Kurds. They target all peoples living in this country. We will live in Kurdistan, but in the Kurdistan there."

Concluding his remarks by quoting from Hrant Dink, who was murdered on January 19, 2007, Barış said, "We have eyes on this country. We do indeed have our eyes there, because our roots are there. But, don't worry, it is not to take away these lands, but to go deep in there."

Barış also announced that they would file a criminal complaint against Erdoğan by stating, "It is a hate crime. Erdoğan is committing a crime."

Aslan: 95 percent of Assyrians used to live there

Taking the floor after Barış, Edip Aslan, a representative for the Assyrian people in Turkey, reminded his audience that 95 percent of Assyrians used to live on this soil and said, "There are more or less 3 thousand of us left in Mesopotamia now. Everyone had to flee."

Hacaloğlu: Erdoğan cannot say 'I exile you'

Aylin Hacaloğlu from the HDP also stressed that the peoples managed to live together on this soil for a thousand years, stating that though Erdoğan is the head of state, he still does not have the authority to say, 'I will exile you.'

In his speech, Abdülhakim Daş also stated that the concepts of single religion, single race and single nation imposed by the understanding of nation state on Turkey have led the people in the country to such a point that they cannot tolerate a single statement by the Kurds. (HA/SD)