Interior Minister Soylu targets HDP and İHD over killings in Gare

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Turkey's Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu addressed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) at the Plenary Session yesterday (February 16) and talked about the killing of 13 soldiers, police officers and intelligence officials by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Gare region.

Saying that the state had been making efforts to rescue the abducted persons since the beginning, Soylu dismissed the allegations to the contrary.

He indicated that the photos of all of the deceased were taken and the dead bodies of them were shown to their relatives in order to prove that 13 people had not been killed by Turkey's airstrikes.

The Minister also targeted the Human Rights Association (İHD) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) within this context.

'One HDP MP went to Gare'

Interior Minister Soylu first argued that "an MP had recently been in Gare and showed up there." Noting that they knew who the related MP was, Soylu said, "If you ask us about her name, we will tell you."

However, addressing the reporters before he left the Parliament, Soylu only said that "it was a female MP from the HDP," without giving a name when he was asked about the MP who had allegedly gone there.

Allegations about Pervin Buldan

Soylu also said that ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP Öznur Çalık called Pervin Buldan when the related persons were abducted.

According to the statement of the Minister, when the MP called Buldan to "bring the abducted back", Buldan allegedly said, "I will see if they have kidnapped them or not." Soylu also said, "She called back in response and said, 'They will host them a little, then release them."

'That cursed association...'

Further in his speech, Soylu targeted the İHD as well.

The Minister claimed that "when writer Adalet Ağaoğlu, a founding member of the association, left the İHD, she said that it had been taken over by the PKK members." Referring to the statement released by the İHD shortly after the Gare operation, Süleyman Soylu said, "Watch out, now. The statement released by the PKK, the one released by the Central Executive Committee of the HDP and that of the İHD overlap with one another."

He said, "The aim of all three is the following: 'Both the state and the PKK are responsible for it. We are in the same equation, is that so? With what? We are in the same equation with the terrorist organization."

Addressing the Human Rights Association (İHD), Minister Soylu further stated, "Since 1984, the terrorist organization has massacred 6 thousand 21 civilians. The Human Rights Association, that cursed association... Has it said anything about it? You are going after it."

Buldan: It is unreal, black propaganda

HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan has responded to Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu's allegations about her. According to the statement released on the official website of the HDP, Buldan has said, "This allegation is absolutely unreal, it is distortion and aimed at black propaganda."

Indicating "here is how the incident really happened," Buldan has briefly stated the following about her talk with AKP MP Çalık:

"Here is how the incident really happened: When I was the Group Deputy Chair, AKP MP Öznur Çalık called me and said that the mother of one of the abducted soldiers had cancer and wanted to hear from her son. It was a period when the process of negotiation and resolution was still ongoing.

"I said that I would definitely share it with her if I could have information about the issue. I was informed that the soldier was in good health and shared it with Çalık, saying, "He is reportedly in good health. I hope he will be released as soon as possible. We are doing our best to make it happen."

Buldan has reiterated that her dialogue with Çalık was all about it and the allegations apart from it do not reflect the truth.

İHD: Soylu does not express the truth

Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan has also responded to the targeting remarks of Süleyman Soylu.

Referring to a recent incident, Öztürk Türkdoğan has reminded the public that when two people were executed in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Şırnak in what was called "punishment", the İHD publicly condemned this execution.

"What is meant by the Minister is a grave injustice," Türkdoğan has said, adding that "it does not express the truth."

"We have dozens of statements on our official website. I have already been telling the same thing about the abducted persons.

"I have been saying that 'the government made our work easier.' But the organization did not give them back. If the organization did not give them, how could you take them? How could this be possible?"

'Both parties are responsible'

Talking about the İHD's recent statement about the killings in Gare, Türkdoğan has said, "Following the deaths, the İHD has emphasized the responsibility falling on the shoulders of both the PKK and the state. We hold both of them accountable for what happened."

Indicating that "the organization has already been responsible for prolonging it so much, for not giving the people back and for the deaths," Türkdoğan has briefly added: "Why do we hold the state accountable? How could it undertake a risky operation? Why didn't you take them when an indirect dialogue could be established?"

Reminding the public that the İHD is a civilian organization, Türkdoğan has said that they made hard efforts to rescue the abducted persons, but failed to do so: "We have done our self-criticism about it. We could not create a democratic public opinion. We could not exert pressure on the government."

Concluding his remarks, the İHD Co-Chair has underlined that the association has long been targeted by authoritarian governments and the people responsible for authoritarian practices in Turkey:

"It, of course, worries us. But it happened so many times before. The İHD is a deeply-rooted human rights organization. If there is an intention to prevent its works by turning it into a target like this, it is not right." (EKN/SD)