Mail Interview With Demirtaş: 'No One Should Fall Into Politics of Enmity'

*Photo: Archive

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Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) imprisoned Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş has given us an interview, sharing his thoughts on a wide range of topics including the March 31 local elections, arts, literature.

Demirtaş composes, writes and draws in prison. He will publish a new book of short stories in April and a novel in autumn.

He also shared his two drawings with us.

"We will find a way to live in peace"

On the elections, Demirtaş says that he thinks "the AKP-MHP (Justice and Development Party - Nationalist Movement Party) bloc will be heavily punished by the people at the polls."

"Manipulative discourse and black propaganda cause a horrible polarization. They are reopening the old wounds, which are already hard to heal.

"But we see that the majority of the society are fed up with these lies and the politics of division. No one should fall into the politics of enmity. This country belongs to all of us and we will find a way to live in peace and tranquility. Nobody should doubt this.

"There is the reality that the economy hit rock bottom, along with the socio-psychological environment I just mentioned. The bad run in economy and democracy will clearly determine the results of the election. I think that the AKP-MHP bloc will be heavily punished by the people at the polls."

"People should lay claim to their will"

On AKP's threats of appointing trustees to municipalities that are won by the HDP, Demirtaş says, "The people should lay claim to their will at the polls, the rest is easy. The important thing is giving a good answer to the politics of trustees."

Since the 2014 local elections, the Ministry of Interior discharged 94 mayors in the southeastern provinces and replaced them with the trustees it appointed.

"Even their children will be ashamed of them"

As for the mainstream media, Demirtaş says, "There is no such thing as the mainstream media anymore. I think you should neither watch nor read them. If you have to, watch a little while holding your nose. I am sure that the media clowns of this era will be awarded in the future by the Turkish Journalists Association as "the tulips of the year." (Tulip has a pejorative meaning in Turkish slang, TN)

"Even their children will be ashamed of them. May Allah not forgive them, their sins are very, very big."

"I am interested in arts and literature more than in politics"

After Demirtaş entered prison in 2016, he also became distinguished with his art and writings.

"I am interested in both arts and literature more than politics. You can only curb the rudeness and ugliness of the politics with arts and literature. I strive to be a complete person, not a good politician.

"Thus far, I composed 16 songs and wrote lyrics for them. You listened to a couple of them outside ben I didn't listen to the records yet.

"One day, I want to play and sing all of them myself. As I don't have knowledge of music notes, I can't write and send outside. And there are no possibilities to record here.

"But I mumble at family meetings or in phone calls with my wife. :)

"Other than that, my sole listener is my cellmate, Abdullah Zeydan. May Allah give him patience and steadiness. :)"

"I didn't discover myself in prison"

When asked about how did his imprisonment influence his character and view of life, Demirtaş says, "I didn't discover or find myself in the prison. I am the person who I was at the outside. Of course, I have more opportunities to read [in the prison] and this a good thing for sure. I was hopeful at the outside, I am same here."

"There is only a 12-kilogram difference between the Selahattin before prison and now. :) I got rid of my belly here," he adds.

Prison hunger strikes

There are currently more than 300 inmates are on a hunger strike in prisons, protesting the isolation on the Kurdistan Workers' Party's imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan. HDP MP Leyla Güven has been on a hunger strike for 138 days.

Demirtaş says that because of the elections and the polarization for the society, the hunger strikes and demands cannot make an influence on the country's agenda.

However, he says that the government is struggling to cope with the hunger strikes and it has been even more exposed.

"I hope this period ends positively before one more person losing his life," he says. (EMK/VK)