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The 4th Ordinary Congress of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) was held in the capital city of Ankara yesterday (February 23).
In addition to thousands of people coming across Turkey, the congress was also attended by guests from other countries.
838 of 1,018 delegates cast ballots at the congress. As the votes of two delegates were considered invalid, 836 votes were given to the key list.
Following the elections, HDP İstanbul MP Pervin Buldan and HDP Mardin MP Mithat Sancar have been elected as the new co-chairs of the party. HDP Party Assembly, Central Disciplinary Board and Conciliation Board members have been also designated with the same elections.
Temelli: We have struggled against an authoritarian government
At the beginning of the congress, Sezai Temelli, now the former Co-Chair of the party, made a speech and stated the following in brief:
"With full awareness of the responsibility given by our honorable duty since February 11, 2018, we have put up a struggle against an authoritarian government, which launched an operation to crush the Kurds.
"I would like to thank all the provincial and district organizations with which we have marched on together in this struggle.
"Capitalism, which is a system of injustice, inequality and exploitation, is in a great crisis today. Authoritarian leaders are imposing war everywhere to overcome this crisis. The Middle East is at the center of this war.
"These oppressors want to strangle humanity in the cradle of humanity. With the gangs in their command, they impose the Third World War on the people in the form of death, suffering and poverty.
"Now it is time for politics to return to the neighbourhoods, to its roots. And that is what I will be doing, too. Although our path is long and challenging, our resistance is young. Although our path is full of obstacles, our belief is strong. With these sentiments, I greet each and every one of you. Even though saying farewell is always sad, it also keeps the enthusiasm of new beginnings in its heart."
Participation from 28 countriesGuests from 28 countries attended the 4th Ordinary Congress of the HDP. Delegates from France, Germany, Australia, Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Morocco, Cyprus, Sweden, West Bank, Galicia, Lebanon, Greece, Basque, Egypt, Italy, Catalonia, Denmark, Norway, England, Scotland, Portugal, Finland, Switzerland, Spain and Armenia attended the congress, alongside more than 30 representatives of political parties and women's organizations from the Middle East. The congress also hosted Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe United Left Group Chairman Tiny Kox, Palestinian People's Liberation Front member Leila Khalid, Swedish Social Democratic Party Member of Parliament Kadir Kasırga, and President of the European Free Alliance Lorena Lopez de Lacalle as guest speakers. |
Buldan: Cizre has an alliance with Gezi
Elected as the HDP Co-Chair again, Pervin Buldan briefly stated the following at the beginning of the congress:
"On the eve of the change that will take place in Turkey and the Middle East, we hold our congress with great assertion and determination in our struggle. Of course, we have not arrived here easily. We have resisted. Thousands of our friends have been taken hostage, but we have become millions.
"When it comes to Kurds, when it comes to the opposition or the democrats, all ruling forces come together with their unlawful structures. But there is something that they cannot see: There is an alliance of the oppressed peoples in front of them: Cizre has an alliance with Gezi. Istanbul and Diyarbakır have an alliance with İzmir and Hakkari.
"On this side of the border, while people commit suicide because of hunger, poverty, on the other side of the border the children of the poor people die one by one in the war. This is the regime they deem appropriate for the people: unemployment, hunger, poverty, death. They turned this land, where we could live with peace, into the land of death.
"They have seized 38 municipalities from us. All they know is political theft. They say, 'Kurds cannot choose, Kurds cannot rule.' But whatever they do; Kurds will continue to vote for their own representatives and rule their own cities! And not just the municipalities, we are determined to govern this country and we are coming."
'Noah's Ark stands tall, sailing, unwaveringAfter the speeches, the messages of former HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ from prison were read out. Their message was briefly as follows: "The council of our 4th Grand Ordinary Congress, our fellow delegates, our dear domestic and overseas guests who accompany us in solidarity, dear representatives of embassies and media, and our dear peoples, we cordially greet you! And we wish all a successful congress. "We know that our odyssey has been rough, our ship has taken some heavy hits. Our captains have been arrested, alongside our senior crew. But what they don't know is that the passengers of this ship are of tremendous resilience, and each is stronger than the next. Neither the wheelhouse was abandoned, nor the engine room. Nimrod's party failed to stop the march of millions, and now they have split up into three; but Noah's Ark stands tall, sailing, unwavering, towards its destination, driven by an unbreakable bond! "We adore those who have built the ship, and we adore those who are sailing on it. We salute those who have fallen in this odyssey and those who have been captured. We have made a promise to harbour this ship; thus we shall keep our promise. Now, the mission is to establish peoples' rule, and godspeed to all of us. "We may be imprisoned right now, but we know that we are burning in flames of sorrow. It's you, the younger ones among us, who have taught us resistance. It's you, women, mothers, who have taught us to stand tall. We have seen the hope in your eyes, in city squares where chants of rebellion echoed. We love you, against all odds, and we have missed you dearly. "May our hearts and our souls be with you. May our word, our pens, and our prayers be with you. We send forth our love and regards to each of you. We congratulate our co-chairs and the party organization, with them we stand in solidarity. "Godspeed Peoples' Democratic Party! May you sail towards your destination!" Figen Yüksekdağ (Kandıra Prison) and Selahattin Demirtaş (Edirne Prison) |
(RT/SD)
* Photos & statements: HDP
