Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • GagruleLive
  • Armenia profile

HDP Calls on International Community to Take ‘Firm Stance’ against AKP

October 14, 2015 By administrator

Woman-distraught-with-griefDemirtas Criticizes Davutoglu and Erdogan, Labels Them ‘Provocateurs’

ANKARA, Turkey (Armenian Weekly)—On Oct. 12, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag released a statement urging the international community to take a “firmer stance against President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and the AKP [Justice and Democracy Party] government,” noting that the authorities had “already lost legitimacy in the eyes of the public.”

The statement further “encouraged” the international community to address condolences to the people directly, and not to “the state representatives who are politically and administratively responsible for the massacre.”

“From the political rhetoric of Prime Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu and the ministers he appointed, as well as that of President Erdogan, we see no political accountability with regards to this attack, the bloodiest in the history of the republic,” read the statement. “On the contrary, their public statements show a readiness to blame the victims of this attack and our party. Such a political tendency also shows that those responsible for this massacre will not be brought to justice, and that even the investigation may be hidden from public scrutiny.”

According to the HDP co-chairs, the media censorship following the attack suggests that “the government will be protecting not only the agents of this attack, but also those in political and administrative positions who paved the way for it.”

The statement comes two days after the Ankara bombings where at least 128 peace rally attendees were massacred, according to the latest figures provided by the HDP. Following the attack, Demirtas gave a press conference in which he strongly criticized the government for lacking accountability, and accused Davutoglu of spreading lies and disinformation.

Demirtas said he speaks from a place of loss, as he has lost around 150 friends to violence in recent months.

“You haven’t made one arrest in relation to any attacks—neither in the Suruc, nor Diyarbakir bombings. You won’t arrest the perpetrator of the Ankara bombing either,” said Demirtas.

The HDP co-chair also said that through their violent acts, the perpetrators wished to convey that “We can kill you and blow you up into pieces in broad daylight in the middle of Ankara.”

Demirtas said his statements are not motivated by possible political gains, nor are they intended to be a smear campaign tactic. “Damn your ballot box! Damn your greed for power! Damn your palace! We will not trade the lives of our friends, any child of our people, to the trillions you stole,” he said.

Directing his words to Davutoglu, Demirtas said, “You are governing this country, and you are responsible for every death. You will be held accountable for everything you have done.”

Demirtas went on to criticize the government for the lack of any security measures at the site of the peace rally. He said that if the rally had been organized by “them,” meaning the AKP, there would have been tight security measures. “This is Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Even if a bird flies, the state knows about it,” he said.

Demirtas also spoke about the tear gas used by security forces against those attempting to rescue survivors following the attack. Instead of being accountable for what took place, he said, Davutoglu blames the HDP and Demirtas on national TV. “What kind of arrogance and irresponsibility is this?” he asked.

“If I was the prime minister, I would go on stage, apologize 1,000 times over, and then resign… But these people don’t know what shame means… They call this ‘advanced democracy,’” he said.

“If Turkey is disturbed by our cries for democracy and peace, sorry, we do these rallies so we can live together, peacefully. You are the real provocateurs. Every speech you make smells of provocation. Both President and Prime Minister—every speech you make causes our people to hate one another,” said Demirtas.

On Oct. 11, Davutoglu invited the leaders of the opposition—with the exception of Demirtas, who according to Davutoglu was not invited because of his comments—to a summit to discuss the situation. Devlet Bahceli of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) refused to go. Kemal Kilicdaroglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) went, but following the summit gave a press conference criticizing the government, according to reports.

Protests condemning the attack and criticizing the government were held in various cities. In Diyarbakir, around 10,000 people reportedly held a moment of silence on Oct. 11 for those killed.

Below is the Oct. 12 HDP statement in its entirety:

***

Call to the International Community

On Oct. 10, a peace rally that brought together many civil society organizations, revolutionary unions, and progressive and democratic parties, among them the HDP, was the target of a horrendous attack. Unfortunately, at least 128 of our fellow citizens were murdered in this attack, and hundreds wounded. We are concerned that the death toll may rise, as 48 among the wounded are in critical condition. This attack will go down as one of the bloodiest in the history of our republic.

There are clear links between the attacks on our party’s rally in Amed [Diyarbakir] on the 5th of June, in which 5 of our citizens died and more than 200 were injured, and the suicide bombing in Suruc on the 20th of July, in which 34 of our citizens were killed during a press conference by youth from across Turkey in support of Kobane, as well as the suicide bombing at the Peace Rally in Ankara. To date, none of the politicians in power has been held accountable regarding the previous two attacks. From the political rhetoric of Prime Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu and the ministers he appointed, as well as that of President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, we see no political accountability with regards to this attack, the bloodiest in the history of the republic. On the contrary, their public statements show a readiness to blame the victims of this attack and our party. Such a political tendency also shows that those responsible for this massacre will also not be brought to justice, and that even the investigation may be hidden from public scrutiny. The Prime Minister’s Office has already censored media coverage of the Ankara Massacre, suggesting that the government will be protecting not only the agents of this attack, but also those in political and administrative positions who paved the way for it.

Regarding this chain of massacres, we have a number of expectations and clear demands from the international community and from political leaders. In making this call, we wish to underscore that the Ankara Massacre and the aforementioned previous attacks are international in scope, and to make clear that we see the potential for such events to open the way to regional insecurity. AKP’s policy of relying on radical groups as proxies, which began with President Erdogan’s support of—and even channeling through MIT [Milli Istihbarat Teskilat], the [National] Intelligence Organization—the activities of such groups as ISIS, Al-Nusra, and Ahrar Al-Sham—used particularly against Kurds in Rojava—is at the heart of today’s tragedy.

President Erdogan aims to realize a “Turkey-type presidential regime” which will render him as the sole political authority in Turkey. In order to achieve this, Mr. Erdogan needs his party, the AKP, to secure the majority of the seats in parliament to form a single-party government. For this very reason, pushing HDP under the [10 percent] electoral threshold stands out as a straightforward tactic for AKP. In order to achieve this, AKP adopted the “escalation of violence” as a strategic approach. In a context where the ceasefire ended, the attacks against the PKK have intensified.

As the clashes escalated, the death toll of the soldiers was made a basis for creating a systematic wave of lynchings. On the one hand, AKP led fascist pogroms targeting HDP buildings as well as Kurdish groups living in the western parts of the country. On the other, Kurdish cities have been kept under military blockade and curfew. Only in Cizre, 21 civilians were massacred by the Turkish Armed Forces as well as the police. At a time when extreme nationalist and polarizing policies are implemented in Turkey, the safety of the general elections (November 2015) is a vexing question to be considered in a serious manner. Our electorates feel under constant threat in every social space and political activity they attend. In order to maintain stability in the region, it is crucial to prevent the devastating effects of the conflict from spreading over a wider geography. For this very reason, it is extremely important for the international community to take a firmer stance against President Erdogan and the AKP government that have already lost legitimacy in the eyes of the public in Turkey. Hereby, we encourage the international community who stand in solidarity to extend their condolences directly to the peoples of Turkey—not to the state representatives who are politically and administratively responsible for the massacre.

Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag
Peoples’ Democratic Party co-chairs

 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: AKP, HDP, Kurd, murder, Turkey

(MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, has invited Kurdish Leader Öcalan to the Parliament “Ask to end terrorism and dissolve the PKK.”

Significant developments are occurring. The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), Devlet Bahçeli, has invited Öcalan to the Parliament and requested him to make a call to “end terrorism and dissolve the PKK.” A Kurdish politician named İbrahim Halil shared the following information, which he claimed to have received from PKK circles in Kandil, […]

Kadim Al Sahir كاظم الساهر Iraqi singer and composer, born in Mosul, on September 12, 1957

Kadim Jabbar Al Samarai (born 12 September 1957),[1] better known by his stage name Kadim Al Sahir (Arabic: كاظم الساهر), is an Iraqi singer and composer. Dubbed The Caesar, he has earned numerous local, regional, and international awards.[2] One of the most famous singers in the Arab world, Al-Sahir has sold more than 100 million […]

Azerbaiajn Dictator Hires PR Firm for $4.7 Million To Cleanse Image before Climate Summit

By Harut Sassounian, Azerbaijan’s dictatorial and corrupt government is paying $4.7 million to a US PR firm in order to whitewash its tarnished image before hosting the prestigious COP29 international conference in Baku this November. In February, Azerbaijan hired the American public relations firm Teneo Strategy to make “the warring petrostate look like a Mother […]

Fascism in Armenia at Rapid Speed: 60 Police Officers Attempt to Storm ARF Headquarters in Yerevan

On Monday, approximately 60 police officers attempted to storm the Simon Vratsian Center in Yerevan, the headquarters of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia. According to a statement from the Council, police officers “provoked and attacked party leaders who blocked their illegal entry into the building.” The statement continued, “Using brute force—behavior typical […]

Rather than Fizzling out, the Movement To Replace Pashinyan is Gaining Strength

By Harut Sassounian, Even since Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, with his thousands of followers, started marching towards Yerevan, many wondered what would happen on May 9 once they reached the Republic Square, where Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s offices are located. After arriving in Yerevan, Bagrat Srpazan gave one hour to Pashinyan to resign. When the hour […]

Donations Tilt Vatican In Favor of Azerbaijan

By Harut Sassounian, In a lengthy article published in the Irpmedia.irpi.eu in Italian on March 27, 2024, titled, “How Vatican helped legitimize the Aliyev autocracy in Azerbaijan,” Simone Zoppellaro exposes Vatican’s pro-Azerbaijan tilt due to financial donations, despite Armenia being a Christian nation, while Azerbaijan is Islamic. On Feb. 22, 2020, the autocratic leader of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, […]

No one is safe under Turkish Agent Pashinyan, whether your Prest, member of Parlement, or pregnant woman

“The police say that they did not detain me. What was it, if not to bring him into custody? Deputy Artur Khachatryan Today, the police took Artur Khachatryan, deputy of the National Assembly “Hazdan” faction, to the Hrazdan police station from the Yerevan-Hrazdan highway. The deputy participated in the protest when the citizens blocked the […]

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIER NIKOL PASHINIAN, ANDRANIK KOCHARYAN

On April 24, the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, people’s thoughts and prayers always go to the martyrs of the genocide, to the year 1915, to the unquenchable fire of Tsitsernakaberd, to those fateful and difficult times that give reason to think about our current reality and forces to draw parallels with the past, […]

Russia Seizes Over 650,000 Acres Of Farmland And Other Assets From Company With Ties To ‘Unfriendly’ Country

Kevin Vandenboss, In a significant escalation of its retaliatory measures against “unfriendly” states amid heightened geopolitical tensions, Russia has seized assets of the agricultural holdings company AgroTerra Group. The move, announced on April 8, 2024, has sent shockwaves through the agricultural sector and raised concerns over food security and international trade relations. President Vladimir Putin’s […]

IN THE AMERICAN CITY, 1 POLICE OFFICER PER 500 INHABITANTS; IN ARMENIA – 1 POLICE FOR 60 INHABITANTS

Garegin Vardanyan Whether some people like it or not, we have to admit that in the last three decades, Armenians have created the most monstrous police force in the world. During this so-called “independent” period, a part of the people in the country, with a population of about 3.5 million, emigrated, and the rest were […]

Armenia Got Funding and Propaganda From EU and US, but not a Single Bullet

By Harut Sassounian, The highly anticipated meeting between high-ranking European and US officials and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took place in Brussels last Friday. Armenians excitedly hyped up the meeting long before it was held. Some Armenians speculated vainly that Armenia would soon join the European Union, while others went as far as predicting Armenia […]

JEFFREY SACHS: “I want to take it back to the 1840s, to the real roots of hegemony, which is Great Britain.

“I want to take it back to the 1840s, to the real roots of hegemony, which is Great Britain. There was never a hegemon with such ambition and a curious view of the world. But Britain wanted to run the world in the 19th century and taught America everything it knew. Recently, I read a […]

Nikol Pashinyan, during a meeting with a CP party activist, compared his activity to Christ’s path.

Last week, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during a meeting with a CP party activist, compared his activity to the path taken by Christ, and in his message of the Holy Resurrection, he hinted at his “impeccable” course. (From here, by the way, it can be assumed that the members of the CP board perform […]

Pashinyan, endless Corruption; 2 grants in 1 day to “Public Relations and Information Center”

“Zhoghovurd” daily writes: “In 2024, the RA Prime Minister’s staff transferred money to the “Public Relations and Information Center” SNOC, which is known as the “fake” SNOC, twice in one day in 2024. The value of the first grant was 731 million 763 thousand one hundred drams, and the second one was 16 million 500 […]

Pashinyan is a Greater Threat to Armenia’s Security Than Artsakh’s Government-in-Exile

By Harut Sassounian We all know the disasters that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan brought upon Armenia, in addition to the loss of Artsakh due to his incompetence. We can cite Pashinyan’s many misguided actions and contradictory statements. Following his complete mismanagement of the military as Commander-in-Chief during the 2020 war, Pashinyan is now making sure […]

Lavrov: EU mission in Armenia is turning into a NATO mission

The situation in relations between Armenia and Russia does not inspire optimism due to the position of the Armenian leadership, which deliberately ruins relations with the Russian Federation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated in an interview with Izvestia on 28 March. “I have already had to comment on the current situation in Armenia, it […]

Denialists Erdogan and Netanyahu Shamefully Exploit the Term Genocide to Bash Each Other

By Harut Sassounian For several decades, Israel and Turkey were in a honeymoon, supporting each other politically and economically. However, over the years, their relationship soured due to their opposing positions on the Palestinian issues. On several occasions, Israel and Turkey withdrew their ambassadors from each other’s capitals due to such conflicts, only to reinstate […]

German Television Exposes Azerbaijan’s Massive Bribery of European Officials

By Harut Sassounian This is not the first time that autocratic Azerbaijan has come under scrutiny for handing out billions of dollars in bribes to Western officials to ignore its massive violations of the human rights of its own population and Artsakh Armenians. The term ‘Caviar diplomacy’ was coined to describe specifically the corrupt practices […]

Turkey’s Dictator, like Armenia’s Dictator, Bans Entry of Foreigners Who Criticize President Erdogan

By Harut Sassounian, The Turkish government, led by the autocratic leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has banned the entry of over 100,000 foreigners from 150 countries, including journalists and academics, just because they have expressed views critical of the government. This violates the most fundamental principle of democracy — freedom of expression. This is also a […]

Despite His Denials, Aliyev is Upset By International Criticism of Azerbaijan

By Harut Sassounian, Pres. Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan repeatedly states that he ignores all international criticisms regarding his violations of the human rights of his own citizens, war crimes by his soldiers, and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians. Aliyev tries to cover up these violations and crimes through ‘Caviar diplomacy,’ by providing billions of dollars […]

Gagik Tsarukyan Attends ‘Anti-West’ Forum in Moscow

Gagik Tsarukyan, who heads the Prosperous Armenia party, recently attended a “For Freedom of Nations” forum in Moscow organized by Russia’s governing United Russia party. Tsarukyan, an Armenian businessman with pro-Russian leanings, in a Facebook post today writes that he attended the conference to improve relations between Yerevan and Moscow that have soured of late. […]

Classical Meets Contemporary at John Wayne Airport Transport yourself to ancient Greece and Rome at John Wayne Airport

(SANTA ANA, CA) – Transport yourself to ancient Greece and Rome at John Wayne Airport with Brennan Major Harris’s newest exhibition, Arete & Ergon, on view from January 29, 2024, to February 29, 2024.  Hailing from Southern California, Harris earned his BA in Studio Art from California State University, Long Beach, where he specialized in drawing and painting. […]

Fake Names on List of Donors to Pashinyan’s Candidate for Yerevan Mayor

By Harut Sassounian Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has boasted for five years about his political party’s fair conduct in elections, blaming the former leaders of carrying out fraudulent elections. As the proverb says, “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Pashinyan has used the considerable resources of his government to gain […]

The Committee for the Defense of Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh stated on Friday. It reads as follows:

The Committee for the Defense of Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh issued a statement on Friday. It reads as follows: In furtherance of its statement dated January 18, 2024, the Committee for the Defense of Fundamental Rights of the People of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) informs that the initial composition of the Committee includes the […]

Armenia: The wife of National Assembly speaker Alen Simonyan’s brother was detained for two months.

The Anti-Corruption Court of Armenia has ruled to detain Ani Gevorgyan, the wife of National Assembly speaker Alen Simonyan’s brother, for two months, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reports from the court. This court proceeding is along the lines of the case into the arrests at the Ministry of Economy of Armenia that started Wednesday—and in […]

Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Ani Ispiryan, has been detained as part of an investigation into corruption within the ministry.

Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Ani Ispiryan, who arrived in Armenia as a participant in the Armenian government’s iGorts program for Diaspora Armenians, has reportedly been detained as part of an investigation into corruption within the ministry. On January 31, Armenia’s Ministry of Economy announced an ongoing investigation in the ministry. The Minister of Economy’s […]

Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe Voted 76-10 to Kick Azerbaijan Out

By Harut Sassounian, With each passing day, the noose is tightening around Pres. Ilham Aliyev’s neck. The European Union’s Chief of Foreign Policy Josep Borrell warned Azerbaijan on January 22 that there would be ‘severe consequences’ if Armenia’s territory were to be violated. The French Senate adopted a resolution by a vote of 336 to 1 […]

Freedom Slams Biden for F-16 Sale to “Unreliable” Turkey: “Blood on Your Hands”

Human rights activist Enes Freedom is accusing President Biden of putting innocent lives at risk by selling F-16 fighter jets to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. In a fiery Twitter thread, Freedom compares the sale to arming terrorist groups and warns of potential civilian casualties from Turkish airstrikes. “You are going to have innocent people’s blood on […]

Comedy Night: with Vahe Berberian, San Francisco, and Detroit. Do not miss

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, SAN FRANCISCO, CA. WHAT: Armenian Relief Society and the 80th Anniversary of the ARS Mid Council presents Vahe’s latest monologue Payts in Armenian. All proceed to fun ARS Zavarian Armenian One Day School. WHEN: Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 7:30 PM. WHERE: Vistatech Center (On the campus of Schoolcraft College), 18600 Haggerty Rd. Livonia, MI. […]

Ex-Armenian President Armen Sarkissian Արմեն Սարգսյան Message to journalist formerly associated with an Azerbaijan

DR. ARMEN SARKISSIAN @ArmSarkissian I recently got an email asking me about my family’s holdings from a journalist formerly associated with an Azerbaijani think tank and claiming to be acting on information from his Armenian colleagues. In the interest of transparency, I am placing my response in the public domain.  Mr. Denis, As you know, […]

A London Couple’s Lavish Lifestyle Rode on the Azerbaijan Laundromat

Jonathan Browning, Bloomberg News, (Bloomberg) — When U.K. authorities began investigating wealth belonging to a politically-connected Azerbaijani family, their suspicions were triggered by a raft of “brass plate” companies that funneled more than double the amount of the couple’s stated income. Almost 14 million pounds ($19.3 million) was routed into British bank accounts controlled by Suleyman […]

Armenians won’t accept the loss of Artsakh.

BY  SUSAN KORAH, The 100,000 Armenians who fled en masse after Azerbaijan seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh — the enclave known to Armenians as Artsakh — last September are now facing a bitter winter as homeless refugees in Armenia. They and their Church leaders are urgently seeking Canada’s and the international community’s help in reclaiming their homeland […]

Azerbaijan puts Aliyev voting posters on Artsakh Nagorno Karabakh’s presidency building,

Azerbaijan puts voting posters on Nagorno Karabakh’s presidency building, preparing for next month’s snap elections. From a population of over 100,000 inhabitants, about 20 individuals remain in the territory after its capture last September. Out of the thousands of buildings in Stepanakert, Azerbaijan decided to open an election precinct right in the residence of the […]

Smoking In Armenia? Read through.

Armenia: Metsamor police officers in 2023. on December 18, they approached Rashid Avdoyan, who was smoking in the central park of Armavir, and warned him not to smoke. The citizen apologized, stating that there was no warning sign about the prohibition of smoking, and he did not know about the ban. The police said that […]

“Exploring Legacy: The Story of Iraqi Homenetmen Scouts” Date: Sunday, January 21, 2024 Time: 4:30 p.m.

Under the Sponsorship of Homenetmen Western USA Region, the Iraqi Armenians Cultural Committee – California is delighted to invite you to a captivating event dedicated to celebrating the rich history and achievements of the Iraqi Armenian Scouts and the values they uphold. Since its founding, Iraqi Homenetmen Scouts has shaped the lives of countless young individuals […]

Armenian Christians attacked in Jerusalem, some in serious condition. “Armenian clerics in Jerusalem are fighting for their lives.”

Over 30 armed provocateurs wearing ski masks and some carrying lethal weapons attacked a group of Armenian bishops, priests, deacons, and other citizens on Thursday morning in the Old City of Jerusalem, according to the Armenian Patriarchate. “A mass and coordinated physical attack was launched,” the Patriarchate wrote in an official letter to the Police and […]

Criminal Pashinyan Regiame, Suspends Sputnik Armenia Radio for “Mocking” Pashinyan 

Armenia’s National Commission on Television and Radio has suspended the license of Tospa, the broadcaster of Sputnik Armenia radio, for thirty days following remarks by Russian TV personality Tigran Keosayan in November deemed “offensive” to Armenia. The Russian embassy in Yerevan criticized yesterday’s decision, arguing the measure was taken to push Armenia further from Russia. Sputnik Armenia […]

Armenian church looted, vandalized in Sweden

The Armenian church was looted and vandalized in Sodertalje, Sweden, Swedish media report. Valuable items, which have both financial and spiritual value, were stolen from St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church. The police are investigating the incident. Lusine, a member of the Armenian community in Sweden, had written on X that earlier there were a series of […]

Karabakh ex-official: Presidential decree to dissolve Artsakh should be canceled

Everything is very clear, there is even no need for discussion; the [presidential] decree on dissolving the Republic of Artsakh just needs to be canceled. Artak Beglaryan, the former Minister of State of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), stated this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am. “I don’t know why this topic is getting so heavy. It’s just […]

Adversaries Using the Same Playbook

In recent weeks, Armenian and regional political landscapes have witnessed significant events prompting contemplation on their interconnections. Discussions about potential snap elections in Armenia have permeated both pro-government and certain anti-government circles, while Azerbaijan, led by Ilham Aliyev, has already declared snap elections in February. The chronological examination of the past weeks reveals a complex […]

More Posts from this Category

Copyright © 2025 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

%d