HDP co-leader: election outcome positive for peace process
ANKARA, Turkey – The co-leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP said Friday that his party’s victory in last weekend’s elections in Turkey was “a clear signal from the people” that they want the peace process with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to continue.
Sırrı Sureyya Onder said that final talks had been put on hold by the government prior to elections, but that “all sides are looking forward to the peace process with optimism.”
The preliminary count after general elections in Turkey on Sunday show that the HDP gained enough votes to become the first pro-Kurdish party to enter the Turkish parliament under its own name.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which is staunchly backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years.
“The government should restart the peace process again if they are really serious about it,” Onder said at a press conference in Ankara. He accused the government of “insulting the peace process repeatedly.”
A 2013 peace process between the government and the PKK has largely stuttered, with Kurdish politicians accusing the government of dragging its feet.
Onder said that Ankara had rejected the HDP’s request to visit the jailed PKK leader, Abdulla Ocalan, prior to the election campaign period, describing the move as “unwise and hostile.”
“Ocalan would have called on the PKK to hold its congress which all of us were hoping for,” Onder said, referring to an anticipated PKK meeting in which the group was expected to lay down arms as part of the peace agreement.
At Friday’s news conference, Onder slammed AKP for “deliberately obstructing the peace” by not allowing visits with Ocalan. “We never forget our own history and this (peace) process depends very much on Ocalan,” Onder stressed.
Sırrı Sureyya Onder said that final talks had been put on hold by the government prior to elections, but that “all sides are looking forward to the peace process with optimism.”
The preliminary count after general elections in Turkey on Sunday show that the HDP gained enough votes to become the first pro-Kurdish party to enter the Turkish parliament under its own name.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which is staunchly backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 13 years.
“The government should restart the peace process again if they are really serious about it,” Onder said at a press conference in Ankara. He accused the government of “insulting the peace process repeatedly.”
A 2013 peace process between the government and the PKK has largely stuttered, with Kurdish politicians accusing the government of dragging its feet.
Onder said that Ankara had rejected the HDP’s request to visit the jailed PKK leader, Abdulla Ocalan, prior to the election campaign period, describing the move as “unwise and hostile.”
“Ocalan would have called on the PKK to hold its congress which all of us were hoping for,” Onder said, referring to an anticipated PKK meeting in which the group was expected to lay down arms as part of the peace agreement.
At Friday’s news conference, Onder slammed AKP for “deliberately obstructing the peace” by not allowing visits with Ocalan. “We never forget our own history and this (peace) process depends very much on Ocalan,” Onder stressed.