Turkey: HDK releases final declaration

ANF – Ankara 18.10.2013 – People’s Democratic Congress (HDK) General Assembly and People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Party Assembly handled the economic, social and political developments in Turkey, Middle East and the world at a meeting held in Istanbul on 12 October.

HDK and HDP also assessed the preparations for 2014’s local elections and determined their tasks and duties for the coming term. The Congress and the Party have released the final declaration of the meeting on Friday. The declaration put emphasis on AKP government’s failure in its foreign politics, on its Syria and Middle East policy in particular, and the government support to the al-Qaeda linked gang groups waging a war against West Kurdistan and trying to break the Rojava revolution.

The declaration also laid emphasis on the AKP-CHP-MHP coalition in voting for motion the parliament has recently passed and thus extended the government’s authorization to launch cross-border operations. Calling attention to the remarkably increasing work-related accidents, violations of workers’ rights, denial of secure and well-paid jobs for workers, violence and sexual abuse against women, and women killings, and the repression against public workers, the declaration said the HDK and HDP offered a new alternative for the oppressed peoples in local and general administration. HDK and HDP vowed in the declaration to make opposition against war, violence and the budgetary proposal serving the capital, and struggle for ensuring a budget to answer people’s demands for work, peace and freedom.

The declaration also directed criticism at the AKP government for taking no concrete steps to answer the basic demands of Kurds, Alevis and other ethnic and religious groups, cultures and identities. It also put emphasis to the lack of freedom of press, thought and expression and the adoption of denial, assimilation, repression and violence against Kurdish and other peoples.

HDK and HDP listed their events for the coming days as follows;

-With the demos of Alevi organizations to take place in Mersin on 19 October and in Istanbul on 3 November, we will voice our demands for equal citizenship for everyone. -HDK and HDP will continue to display solidarity with the people of Rojava, and all other peoples fighting for freedom, and to stand against imperialist wars, military coups, dictatorships and warmongers. – Turkish capital Ankara will host two important congresses at the last weekend of October, that of HDK at Kocatepe Cultural Center on 26 October and that of HDP at Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Sports Hall on the 27th.