What was Discussed in CHP’s Diyarbakır Visit?

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Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Ali Şeker, CHP Party Assembly member İlhan Cihaner and executives of CHP Diyarbakır and Mardin organization paid a visit to dismissed Metropolitan Mayors of Mardin and Diyarbakır Ahmet Türk and Selçuk Mızraklı yesterday (August 25).

Mızraklı: We will stand up against trustees together

Speaking to bianet about the visit of CHP, Selçuk Mızraklı has stated that they view the visit as a positive and friendly move and said the following:

"The issue of trustees is not solely a problem for Diyarbakır, Van and Mardin, it is the issue of Turkey, democracy and legal system. For that reason, we find the visit of the CHP as an exemplary and honorary behavior.

"Mr. İlhan Cihaner and Ali Şeker explained on what scale they handle the trustees. We mutually expressed that if we stand together on the track of democracy, if we stand with each other, we can develop a strong stance towards such despotic practices. We also agree that this counter-stance needs to be more largely organized and reinforced."

'Erdoğan had a slip of tongue'

Referring to President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who made a call to voters yesterday (August 25) to give the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) "the necessary lesson at the ballot box", Mızraklı has stated the following:

"Several values are being razed to the ground in Turkey. And the most damaged value is the voters' will. Erdoğan mentioned ballot box because he had a slip of the tongue. Because, there is no stance pointing at an election in near future or the recognition of people's will.

'Let's hold a referendum in Diyarbakır'

"In fact, they can come to Diyarbakır and we can have a referendum here. Does what they do have a return from the public conscience or not? We received 63 percent of votes despite all this unlawfulness and, I argue that, this time, we will not receive anything below 75 percent."

Şeker: It is the problem for whole Turkey

CHP İstanbul MP Ali Şeker, who visited Ahmet Türk and Selçuk Mızraklı yesterday, have also spoken to bianet. Emphasizing that the will of the people is seized based on unfounded claims, Şeker has stated:

"The aim of our visit was to show that we stand with voters and the mayors who suffered confiscation of the ballot box. Confiscation of the ballot box is a problem for the whole Turkey, it is not only a problem of the region.

'There is an allegation, but no evidence'

"This is an anti-democratic blow which is dealt not to the HDP, but to the right to vote and to be elected. It is said that 'money is transferred to Qandil', but a coup can be staged without presenting any documents or feeling the necessity of a court verdict.

"There is an allegation, but this allegation does not have any documents or evidence. But, the corruption of trustee period has evidence. Purchase of silvers, baklavas and all that for millions has invoices.

'It is a process stripping people off the ballot box'

"The government makes all of its controls via electronic municipality system anyway. All purchases are entered into that system and they are made under the control of the central system.

"Though they know it quite clearly, they have removed three mayors from office with propagandas that do not have any foundations. It is a process stripping people off the ballot box. It is not possible for Turkey to accept it."

'People expect their will to be respected'

Regarding the reaction of the people, Şeker has said, "First of all, it needs to be noted that there is police pressure in both cities. In Mardin, police did not allow the MPs to leave the [HDP] provincial organization building.

"People indicated that they met this process with alarm. They expressed that a period of conflicts is imposed on them, adding that they will not feed into this period of conflicts, but will lay claim to the ballot box by any means.

'Government is trying to pave the way for conflicts'

"People are expecting their will to be respected. People indicate that the accusations are not true and they do not believe them.

"The government wants to bring itself into existence in a conflict-ridden environment. We will struggle against the trustees in such a way to disappoint these demands." (RT/SD)