Akın Birdal, Diyarbakır MP for the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), will be the party’s candidate for mayor of Greater Istanbul in the local elections on 29 March.
Parties and organisations of the left, including the DTP, had previously announced that they would collaborate on a candidate.
"Cultural variety"
Birdal told bianet that his name would stand next to the DTP logo on the ballot paper. He said that his campaign would emphasise “cultural variety living together” and added:
“We will draw attention to the multi-cultural make-up of Istanbul. We know what has happened to Armenians, Assyrians, Turks, socialists and workers. Our aim is to turn Istanbul into a city without worry and fear. A city where people do not have to worry about today and tomorrow, about work and food.”
He said that he was a candidate for everyone who was uncomfortable with today. “Istanbul is Turkey, and we need to form emotional and spiritual bonds between Istanbul and Diyarbakır. We will carry Istanbul’s 1 May to Diyarbakır, and Diyarbakır’s Newroz to Istanbul. This is a basis for fraternity.”
Who is Akın Birdal?
Born in Niğde, central Turkey, in 1948, he studied soil science at Ankara University and did a Masters in Business at Gazi University. Before the military coup of 1980, he was among the founders of the village cooperative movement in Turkey.
He has been the chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the vice president of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH).
He was a founding member of the Socialist Union Party, the United Socialist Party, the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP) and the Socialist Democray Party (SDP). He is honorary chair person of the SDP and the IHD.
When he was chair of the IHD in 1996, he survived an assassination attempt. The attacker, Semih Tufan Gülaltay, was imprisoned and is now a suspect in the ongoing Ergenekon trial.
Birdal entered the general elections of 22 July 2007 as an indepedent candidate for Diyarbakır and was voted into parliament. He joined the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) in parliament and is also a member of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee.
He has published three books of memoirs, essays and poetry. He has two children. (TK/AG)
