BDP Candidates Banned From Elections

TURKEY | 19 – 04 – 2011 | Yüksek Seçim Kurulu (the Elections Body) has ruled that BDP (Peace and Democracy Party) candidates Sebahat Tuncel (İstanbul), Gültan Kışanak (Siirt), Hatip Dicle and Leyla Zana (Diyarbakır), and “Labor, Democracy and Freedom” blocks candidates Ertugrul Kurkcu (Mersin), Isa Gurbuz (Elazig) and Salih Yildiz can not contest the elections. It is a hard blow to BDP, a clear political decision, and it shows once again how difficult it is for Kurds to make politics in Turkey.

Not only that but clearly the blow is to the people also who are not allowed to choose and vote for their preferred candidates. All together the Elections Body excluded 12 independent candidates from the elections.

The reason (clearly an excuse and certainly a questionable reason) given by the Elections Body for the decision to bar the candidates from the elections is that they have previously spent time in prison.

Speaking on NTV Mardin MP Ahmet Türk said that “this is a political decision and we will contrast this”.
Thousands protest against elections ban
Thousands people took to the streets to join spontaneous marches and demonstrations to protest against the Elections Board to bar 12 independent candidates (7 are supported by BDP) to contest the elections on 12 June.

Thousands of people marched to the ruling AKP office in Diyarbakir. Some clashes have been reported there as people chanted slogans against PM Erdogan seen as one of the plotter against Kurdish politicians. Because clearly of a conspiracy we are talking about as the decision to exclude the BDP sponsored candidates is a political one.

As BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas pointed out is nothing shorter than a declaration of war. Because it is a decision which prevent people to choose and vote for their preferred candidate.

Demonstrations have been staged in Batman, Mersin and Van. Twitter and social networks were used to spread the word around and call on people to join a protest in Istanbul central Taksim square.
Tuncel: They are trying to draw the country into chaos
Thousands of people joined the protest against exclusion of BDP supported candidates from the elections of 12 June. The police attacked the crowd. Many MP and candidates addressed the crowd. Below are some comments as reported by Bianet website.

Ufuk Uras:

“While saying that there is not a Kurdish question, Prime Minister Erdogan displayed how he resolved the problem with destruction, denial,

election threshold, court and veto. This is a great outrage. Let us see if you can!”

Sebahat Tuncel: They want to drag the country into chaos

“Kurdish and Turkish people are decisive in the peace discourse. Those who wanted a conflict between Kurds and Turks have not succeeded for so many years. Are the Kurds or is the status quo follower AKP undesirous of peace? With the KCK case and the veto decision, they want to drag Turkey into chaos.

The parliament is not the only place to do politics. Whatever it may cost, we will keep our struggle for freedom on streets”.

Tüzel: People must protest

People must together protest against the veto decision. It must be decided by everyone whether to develop the freedom rights of the Turkish and Kurdish peoples or to fall into a war and violence environment. We believe that we are going to protect the equal and dignified life despite all political conspiracies”.

Sırrı Süreyya Onder: We shall not drop the flag of peace

Calling Kurds to do legal politics for years, the state increased its cruelty and violence when Kurds began a legal politics.

If the Kurds are not represented in the parliament, neither the council nor the government nor the law will have any legitimacy. But still, we shall not drop the flag of peace”.

Mustafa Avcı: Provocation against peace process

Making his speech in Kurdish and Turkish, Avcı said; “The judiciary is not independent. The peace process is being provoked. The government shall either speak if it has a peace project or stop speaking”.

(ANF – Translation: Berna Ozgencil | Photo: Nilay Vardar)