'Making amends’ meeting by CHP leader Kılıçdaroğlu: ‘I will reconcile Turkey’

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As part of his "Making Amends Meetings", main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu met the ones aggrieved in the aftermath of the "postmodern coup" on February 28, 1997.

Speaking at the meeting, Kılıçdaroğlu said, "I mentioned 'making amends' a few months ago. I spoke on behalf of myself and as the leader of the main opposition party as well as on behalf of the state we will govern."

Noting that their aim is to "reconcile this nation", CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu stated, "The ones who have divided this nation and made them fight have built themselves palaces. Misery and desolation have remained for the ones who have been sides in this fight."

Underlining that "the country has got stuck in the past," Kılıçdaroğlu added, "Our country cannot get rich. The children of our country have been seeking their future abroad. Nearly 700 thousand people have left this country. Why would our children seek their future abroad?"

'Our wounds still open'

Addressing the audience, the CHP Chair further stated: "I said it when I mentioned the 'making amends' move: Coming to power is not enough for us. What would I do with a palace at this age? I want to leave Turkey a legacy. I want a reconciled nation and I will make it come true.

"As required by making amends, I made several visits without informing the press. I met heartbroken people. [...] Today, we are mostly together with the victims of February 28. This brother of yours was also aggrieved on February 28. I was profiled, I filed a lawsuit and sought my rights.

We have to reconcile with the February 28 victims; we will make amends. We will heal the wounds opened on February 28. We will make amends with our veiled daughters who were pushed into rooms of persuasion [to take off their veils]. We will make amends with Roboski. We will make amends with the victims of Sivas and Maraş. We will make amends with the convicts of the Diyarbakır prison. We will make amends with Ahmet Kaya. We will make amends with the families of the young people who were massacred because of being leftist or idealist [rightist].

"We need to bind up our wounded ones because these wounds are still open. Facing and being able to reconcile means being able to proceed on our path. I have a promise: I will reconcile this country. Then, I will watch in pleasure how my country is developing.

"I would like to thank you all for not turning down this extended hand." (AÖ/SD)