MESOP : STATEMENT BY KCK EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – ELECTION RESULTS IN TURKEY

12-8-2014 – TO OUR PEOPLES AND THE PUBLIC OPINION : Prime Minister Erdogan won the Turkish presidential election by a low margin over the voting rate of 50%. However, Salahattin Demirtas, co-president of HDP, has been the main winner of these elections.

Despite unequal conditions, impossibilities, inhibitions and suppressions, he has managed to nearly double his votes. He has increased his votes everywhere, in the metropolises and in Kurdistan. At a time when many Kurdish voters had migrated to metropolises as seasonal workers or have gone to pastures to graze their herds, far from their voting constituency, achieving such a success is a very important result.

     With the Prime Minister Erdogan being elected as president, the oligarchic, oppressive and monist mentality would be further developed. The 12-year –long practices of the AKP administration and Erdogan’s one nation, one homeland, one state, and one flag rhetoric during his elections campaign are clear signs of this. The peoples of Turkey would inevitably have to enhance their struggle of radical democracy  against this  anti-democratic and oligarchic mentality.

      CHP was once again disappointed in these presidential elections due to its classic Kemalist and nationalistic policies. As long as it does not adopt a democratic and egalitarian approach towards the Kurdish question as well as all beliefs, cultures, women, the oppressed, and particularly the Alevits, it cannot avoid gradual dissolution, derogation, and constriction. Following nationalistic policies, the CHP has lost the presidential elections.

      Election results are proofs that show Peoples’ Democracy party (HDP) has gained public acceptance in Turkey and is following a trend of progress. Apart from the formal results, the HDP, with its potential vote rate of over 10%, has a historical responsibility towards the democratic and egalitarian circles; for the HDP project has been accepted and gained support. The level of success achieved by Salahattin Demirtas should not lead to languor. To the contrary, HDP whose project has been appreciated by our peoples, should be far more conscious and determined in its struggle. It should leave no place unreached and unorganized, particularly the inner Anatolyan, Egean and Black Sea regions of Turkey.  In order to direct the Turkish politics, the possibilities for carrying out an effective and real struggle for radical democracy is more than ever available for the democracy, labor, and freedom front.

We hereby again congratulate Mr. Salahattin Demirtas and HDP on their success in the elections and salute all our peoples voting for HDP.

12 August 2014 Co-presidency of KCK Executive Council