Victory Party files lawsuit against Diyarbakır boulevard naming after Sheikh Said

The leader of the ultranationalist Victory (Zafer) Party, Ümit Özdağ, has announced that they filed a lawsuit against the decision of Diyarbakır Municipality to name a boulevard after Sheikh Said, a Kurdish sheikh who led a rebellion against the republic in 1925.

The announcement of the opening of Sheikh Said Boulevard by the municipality on December 6 sparked intense public debate about the rebellion. Turkish nationalists view Sheikh Said as a traitor who rebelled against secularism and the republic, while Kurds see him as a hero who stood against the policies that denied the existence of the Kurds in the newly formed unitary state.

Özdağ, accompanied by his lawyers, went to Trabzon Courthouse today. After submitting the lawsuit, he stated, "We requested the annulment of the process where the appointed municipality in Diyarbakır named a 12-kilometer boulevard after a terrorist leader. Now we will follow the case.

"But we believe that the name of Sheikh Said, who betrayed the Republic of Turkey, rebelled, clashed with the Turkish army, drew a weapon against Turkish soldiers and civilians, saying 'killing Turks is better than killing infidels,' should not be given to any place. We will follow up on this issue and keep it on the agenda."

Özdağ also expressed support for the statement made by the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, who also called the sheikh a "traitor."

Noting that the MHP is part of the ruling alliance the AKP, Özdağ stated, "We know that this name cannot be given without Erdogan's permission and approval. In the meantime, MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli has also made a statement. We appreciate his emphasis on Sheikh Said's traitorous character with this statement. 

"We invite Bahçeli to stand behind this statement politically and not allow the name of this boulevard to be Sheikh Said Boulevard, despite his political partner Erdoğan's decision."

Following the removal of the elected mayor over "terrorism" allegations in the aftermath of the 2019 local elections, the Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality is currently administered by the city's governor, who was appointed as a "trustee." (RT/VK)