Turkey The elected Armenian HDP, Garo Paylan wants genocide recognition

June 11, 2015 By administrator

Garo Paylan, one of three elected Armenians in the Turkish parliament under the HDP label, reportedly promised to challenge the denialist stance of Ankara on the 1915 genocide.

In an interview with Ermenihaber.am, released Wednesday, Garo Paylan was confident that recognition of the genocide is essential for the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia.

He also said he will fight against the “deniers policies” both on behalf of the HDP and personally. “ The HDP is the only Turkish party to have described the massacre of Armenians as genocide.

For him, this is “first and foremost, to acknowledge the genocide in Turkey, and to abolish the animosity towards Armenia,” he he said. Adding: “Armenia and its diaspora worldwide must focus on Turkey in pursuit of greater international recognition of the genocide. “I call on all Armenian parties, including the ARF, to lead this fight here.” Every Armenian in Turkey who just has an impact. “

Garo Paylan described Selina Dogan, the Armenian elected for the CHP (Republican People’s Party) as a “close friend” with whom he is prepared to cooperate in parliament. But it is much more skeptical about Markar Esayan (AKP), a reporter for the pro-government newspaper “Yeni Safak” citing the continued support of the latter to the Government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Thursday, June 11, 2015,
Jean Eckian © armenews.com

Who is HDP Leader Selahattin Demirtaş?

June 8, 2015 By administrator

Selahattin Demirtas

Selahattin Demirtaş was born in Diyarbakır, Turkey in 1973 where he completed both his primary and secondary education. Upon graduation he took the university entrance exam and started his college education in 9 Eylül University in the department of Maritime Commerce and Management where he would face political problems that would force him to leave school without finishing his degree. He returned to Diyarbakır and retook the university entrance exam, after which he enrolled at Ankara University Law Faculty. After college, Demirtaş worked as a freelance lawyer for a time before becoming a member of the executive committee of the Diyarbakır Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD). The IHD Chair at the time was Osman Baydemir who was elected as the mayor of Diyarbakır in the following local election and Demirtaş replaced him as the chair of the IHD Diyarbakır. During his term as chair, the association focused heavily on the increasing unsolved political murders in Turkey. Demirtaş is among the founding members of the Turkish Human Rights Association (TIHV) and the Diyarbakır post of Amnesty International.

Demirtaş started his political career as a member of the Democratic Society Party (DTP) in 2007 at which time he stood as one of the ‘Thousand Hope Candidates’ for the DTP and several other democratic organizations in Turkey. He was elected to the 23rd Parliament and became the Parliamentary Chief Officer for the party at the age of 34.

The DTP was closed down by a Supreme Court order in 2009 and the DTP MPs moved to the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). The BDP held its first congress in 2010 and elected Selahattin Demirtaş and Gültan Kışanak as its new co-chairs. Demirtaş contested the 2011 elections as part of the joint ‘Labor, Democracy and Freedom’ list endorsed by the BDP and 18 different democratic political organizations, this time from Hakkari. He was reelected to the 24th parliament.

Demirtaş was the co-chair of BDP during the period when the peace process and negotiations kick-started in Turkey. In 2014 Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ were elected to be the new co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) – a new initiative originating from a three-year-old coalition of the BDP and various different political parties and organization under the auspices of the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK). Peoples’ Candidate for Change, Selahattin Demirtaş is married to Başak Demirtaş and is the father of two young girls, Delal and Dılda.

Demirtaş described his vision for Presidency on June 30, 2014 in a few words during the press conference in which he announced his candidacy: “We aim to put an end to the over-serious and scary statist persona now in place; to show everyone that the state can be governed in a cheerful and democratic manner too. We will work to make the State and the Presidency serve the people and to make all state organs function at the behest of the people.”

Greece PM SYRIZA: WE WELCOME THE BIG SUCCESS OF HDP IN THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

June 8, 2015 By administrator

by hdpenglish

SYRIZA is monitoring the very important developments for the future of Turkey with great interest, wishing to underline that political stability and democracy in Turkey is of special importance both for our relations and for the wider region.

In parallel, we welcome the big success of HDP in yesterday’s parliamentary elections in Turkey.

The people of Turkey are increasingly choosing to defend diversity, human rights, diversity in beliefs and personal life, to build a society without authoritarianism and discrimination based on origin, language, gender and religion.

The increase of the electoral percentage of the nationalists of MHP may be a concern and highlight the contradictions of our times, but we are confident that the dynamic entrance of HDP in the Turkish National Assembly will help to deepen democracy, combat nationalism and fundamentalism of all kinds, promote the peace process and strengthen the current rise of leftist and democratic forces in the Mediterranean and Europe as a whole.

Athens, 8 June 2015
SYRIZA Press Office

Electricity blackout is Erdogan modern tools Blast blamed on electrical fault hits HDP rally in Diyarbakır

June 5, 2015 By administrator

The venue of the rally after explosion. (Photo: Cihan)

An explosion on Friday that appeared to be caused by an electrical fault injured several people at an opposition party rally in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir, television footage showed.

The footage showed people being carried out on stretchers as the rally’s organisers announced on loudspeakers that the explosion had been caused by a fault in a power generator and urged people to stay calm.

At least seven people were founded in the explosion, initial reports said.

The incident comes amidst increasing attacks targeting the party. Most recently, unidentified assailants fired on a campaign minibus of the HDP in eastern Turkey on Wednesday, killing the driver, only days ahead of a crucial general election.

Also last month, simultaneous bomb blasts hit offices of the HDP in two southern cities in the provinces of Adana and Mersin, wounding six people only three weeks ahead of the June 7 parliamentary election.

Turkey’s People’s Democratic Party HDP to Seek Armenian Genocide Recognition

June 4, 2015 By administrator

Selahattin Demirtas, co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP), greets his supporters during an election rally for Turkey’s June 7 parliamentary elections in Istanbul April 12, 2015. REUTERS/Osman Orsal

ANKARA, Turkey—The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) of Turkey will seek the soonest normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and recognition of the Armenian Genocide, if it succeeds in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Vice-President of the Party Nazmi Gur told RIA Novosti.

Twenty parties are running for Parliament in the June 7 elections, four of them having a real chance to clear the 10 percent threshold. Survey results suggest that 41 percent are going to vote for the ruling Justice and Development Party.

The Republican People’s Party can count for 29 percent of the votes. The Nationalist Movement Party and the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party are likely to receive 14 and 11 percent respectively.

“We stand for implementation of the protocols on the normalization of relations of Armenia and the opening of the shared border. The Turkish-Armenian relations should not be linked to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. It’s a question of the Armenian and Azerbaijani nations, which should be solved through negotiations. We also stand for the recognition of the genocide of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire,” Gur said.

HDP’s Demirtaş call on Erdogan, Davuloglu for a live debate

June 1, 2015 By administrator

BİTLİS – Cihan News Agency,

AP Photo

Kurdish problem-oriented Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş challenged Turkey’s president and prime minister to attend a televised live discussion program with him, where they could openly debate.

“I called on him [President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan] and his smaller one [Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu]. Let’s [have a] discussion on TV; do you dare? If you trust yourself, your knowledge and wisdom, let’s appear alone. If you want, bring 100 advisors with you. Let’s openly [have a] discussion live,” Demirtaş said June 1, during his party’s rally in the southern province of Bitlis.

Demirtaş added if what Erdoğan has been saying was true, he would not hesitate to say it before him too, but if he had a wound, a lie, a sin or a crime, he would be afraid of it.

Demirtaş also said they needed to stop a government that was built on lies and fraud and which harmed humane, Islamic and conscious values.

Stating the HDP would establish a freedom and equality-based government, Demirtaş said nobody could be able to say anything against another’s’ attire.

Turkey, Police attack HDP march condemning Armenian Genocide

April 25, 2015 By administrator

Turkish police have attacked the people joining a protest march organized by the HDP Istanbul branch to mark the 100th year of the Armenian and Syriac Genocide of 1915.

ISTANBUL – ANF

Turkish police have attacked the people joining a protest march organized by the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) Istanbul branch to mark the 100th year of the Armenian and Syriac Genocide of 1915.

The demonstrators who were blocked by police on Bahriye Avenue soon after the march began were denied permission to chant slogans and open banners.

Tension rose as demonstrators continued the march till Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Park where they were attacked by police for opening the banners once again.

HDP candidate Musa Piroğlu was battered and 7 people were taken into custody by police.

HDP presents 3 more Armenian candidates for nomination

March 19, 2015 By administrator

gathered for a press conference on Wednesday in İstanbul. (Photo: Today’s Zaman)

Three more Armenian candidates were presented for nomination for the upcoming general election during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Armenian Culture and Solidarity Association Center in İstanbul.

Filor Uluk, Murad Mıhçı and Diren Cevahir Şen are running on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) ticket, the party with the highest number of minority candidates. Uluk, Mıhçı and Şen will be running as representatives for the Nor Zartonk Initiative — a civil society group representing Turkey’s Armenian community set up to fight hate crimes and discrimination.

The conference began with an introduction in Armenian by Nor Zartonk spokesperson Sayat Tekir. Then, switching to Turkish, Tekir explained: “We, as the Armenian community, have gone without representation for 55 years. Therefore, it is with great excitement that I present to you three Armenian preliminary candidates for the upcoming June election.” Tekir later told Today’s Zaman that there are a total of eight Armenian preliminary candidates for the upcoming election.

“[In the] democratic portions of Turkish society, through outlets such as the HDP, public forums, the Gezi Park resistance and several other fields, they [Armenians] are showing themselves. And in one way or another [they] are repeating their calls for equality, freedom, peace and justice,” stated Tekir.

“We are at a historical opportunity because our candidates are representatives for the Peoples’ Democratic Party and they are running against a critically anti-democratic 10 percent threshold, which somehow continues to exist. Every political party, prior to being elected, has promised that it will lift such a threshold, but it continues. This is the first time that we might be able to surpass this 10 percent threshold, and the public is showing us this [with their support],” claimed Tekir.

Tekir was referring to the HDP’s choice not to present independent candidates for Parliament, a risky move due to the 10 percent threshold. If the HDP is not able to surpass the parliamentary threshold, then all HDP votes will be transferred to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), and the HDP will be left unrepresented in Parliament.
Minority women representation

Uluk was born in 1960 in Samatya, a predominantly Armenian neighborhood of İstanbul. Throughout the 1990s, she was an active member of parties such as the People’s Labor Party (HEP), the Social Democratic People’s Party (SHP) and the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP).

“We are a group living in a society where patriarchy is the model presented to us. As Armenians, beyond being oppressed, we are the women whose voices go unheard, of a people that closed ourselves off under suppression. We are first represented by our fathers, then by our husbands after we are married, for the most part,” explained Uluk.

“I believe that the time has come for us to take advantage of the historic opportunity presented to us,” she added.

Turkey HDP’s Demirtaş chastises gov’t over day of mourning for Saudi king

January 25, 2015 By administrator

He had 30 wives, 60 children and $20 million of wealth,

KONYA / ŞANLIURFA

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş has lamented the declaration of national mourning for Saudi Arabian King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, arguing the presence of holy sites in the Saudi territories does not automatically make the king a divine figure.

“Today, they declared national mourning. Of course, we have holy sites in the Saudi territories. Of course, we have our Prophet’s entrusts, which are of course assets of the Islamic world. However, is the Saudi king, the one who lives in the golden palace, holy too because of being on the holy land?” Demirtaş said on Jan. 24, referring to Saudi Arabia being the birthplace of Islam and is home to the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

As of Jan. 23, the Turkish government announced that it declared Jan. 24 a day of national mourning for bin Abdulaziz, who passed away early Jan. 23 at the age of 90.

“We declare Saturday, Jan. 24, a day of national mourning for bin Abdulaziz,” the Turkish Prime Ministry said in a written statement, shortly after bin Abdulaziz passed away.

The national flag was to be flown at half-mast across Turkey and at foreign delegations on Jan. 24, accordingly. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, meanwhile, delayed a planned trip to Somalia to attend bin Abdulaziz’s funeral.

While speaking at a HDP provincial congress, Demirtaş argued bin Adbulaziz did not live according to the rules of Islam.

“He had 30 wives, 60 children and $20 million of wealth,” Demirtaş said. “God forgive him for his sins. Are we supposed to hold national mourning for him? No offense, we are not mourning. It is not our mourning. The king may be your king, but we do not recognize any kings. This country has 12 million subcontracted workers; the cost of your king’s dinner for one day is the salary that 1,000 subcontracted workers receive in total in a month,” he added.

In a message posted to his Twitter account, Demirtaş said: “Don’t lean on the king; you will fall.”

Delivering a speech at another HDP provincial congress, this time in Şanlıurfa, Demirtaş said on Jan. 25 that the government has been imposing discriminative policies based on people’s identities.

He suggested that they used women being victimized for wearing headscarves as a tool for scoring in domestic policy and used those people to “climb to the top.”

Anwar Muslim, head of the Kobane canton in Syria, also joined the congress in Şanlıurfa and delivered remarks through a teleconference.

January/25/2015

Turkey, Kurdish HDP in new management

January 5, 2015 By administrator

Peoples’ Democratic Party was held in Istanbul (HDPE) 1. Ordinary Congress decided to enter the party before the general election and yüzdd 10 dam was the main topic of the agenda. New management of the party in Congress were determined.

HDPE Co-Chairman Demirtas, the party into a general election and spoke about the 10 percent threshold: “Believe me, we have already far exceeded that threshold. Now they began to panic in terms of condition. Especially in terms of three-party case began. Because if you fall below this threshold will remain what are they doing his account. Far surpassing the threshold for entering Turkey Grand National Assembly dam we stopped because we are not stable. These, we will remove the dam washed up. “

Demirtas said:

“After this election he will no longer be a concern dam in Turkey. We will be the real power to amend the Constitution. We seize the government, the judiciary, we struggled to seize the media. The government seized the contrary, we will refund to the public. We established replace the singular state, transforming Walkin power to the servant of a new life. “

HDPE Co-Chairman, speaking in Congress criticized the Fig Yüksekdağ security package; “The security package, arrest and detention of terror, of militarization and fascist policies have on our people that they can establish their power in the heavy darkness, the power they think they can get assurance” he said.

Yuksekdag, engaging in criticism applied to the general elections, 10 percent electoral threshold, “in the 2015 general elections, it will destroy the dam, they will remain under the rubble,” he said.

New management

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) 1 was the new management at the Ordinary Congress.

Diyarbakir Mayor Gültan Kışanak council members are elected at the presidency consisted of the following names: HDPE Youth Coordination members Berfin Lightning, HDPE Women’s Coordinating Member Fatma Dikmen, a construction worker and Construction Workers’ Union Chairman Mustafa Akyol, Kayuş Caliman Gavrilof Abraham Sinemillioğl of.

New management determined the results of the election held as follows:

Provincial Co-Chairs: Ayşe Erdem, Cesar Soylu.

Provincial Executive Board Members: Ali Akbar Oğuz Aydemir Anli, Aysel Beautiful, Helen of Montenegro, Cafe Selcuk, Jamal Goodman, Demeter Sahin, Peak Alkan, Erkan Karabayır, Esen Aslandogan, Ezgi Can Icon Kureck, Filiz Yilmaz, Mystery Koçoğlu, Gul Yilmaz H is Karadaş, Elijah Iron, Ismail Agha, Kadir Bronze, Meral Alkan, Murad Mihci, Murat attachment, Nural Nature, Spring Field, Reza Taşdelen, Salih Baykal, Sema said, watching Silk, Songül Steel, Suat Çorlu, Şemsettin Dölek, Turkan Esen, Zeynet you Bozkurt, Zuhal Tunceli.

Provincial Administrative Board Members: Ayse Genghis, Genghis Topbaşl of Ercan Demir, Fikri Sönmez, Gıyas Yigit, Hüseyin Vural, Ma’rifah Alparslan, Mehmet Vural, Merve Karachai, Olcay Çelik, Orhan Atilla, Presented Uluçınar, Suleyman Ozcan, Tamer Doğan, Light of Hope , Zelal Karahan.

Provincial Board Honorary Members: Acer Desire, Return to Cef Sheep, sure Ekinci, Erdem nomad, Fatma thin, Hasan Bacıoğl, the Ministry of Education Korkmaz, Ridvan shudders, Sarah Caunes.

Principal Members of the Disciplinary Board: Jalal Alphen, Ms. Serene Steel, Irfan Arasan, Semra Gurbuz, Zübeyda Aktay.

Substitute Member of the Disciplinary Committee: Baran Doğan, semen steels.