Turkish Kurdish MP calls on Nechirvan Barzani to address mayor removals

22-08-2019
Karwan Faidhi Dri
Karwan Faidhi Dri @KarwanFaidhiDri
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A prominent Kurdish politician in Turkey said that Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani should give his opinion on the removal of Kurdish mayors by the state in Turkey.
 
Leyla Guven, a lawmaker in the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), said Kurds need to be united and that Barzani should thus weigh in on their suffering in Turkey.

“We also expect Mr Nechirvan Barzani to express his position [on the issue] because whatever sufferings we Kurds have experienced in the past was due to the lack of alliance and unity," Guven told journalists yesterday during one of the party’s demonstrations in Diyarbakir province against the sacking of the mayors.

 

On August 19, Turkey removed the mayors of the predominantly Kurdish cities Diyarbakir, Van and Mardin due to the mayors’ alleged ties to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - a militant group that has clashed with the Turkish state over Kurdish cultural and political rights in Turkey for decades.

 

Guven ended her 200-day hunger strike for better prison conditions for its jailed founder Abdullah Ocalan in late May following a letter from the leader. 


Barzani is known for his close ties with Turkey. He was prime minister when both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Turkey signed a 50-year oil contract, which has acted as a guarantor of their relations. 

Barzani also played a key role in the short-lived peace process between Turkish state and the PKK in 2013. 
 
Barzani has not commented on the removal of the mayors so far.

Selcuk Mizrakli, the removed mayor of Diyarbakir, said in a video message in English Thursday that their suspension is “illegal” and called on the international community to act. 

 



The removal of the mayors was followed by violent protests in the provinces in question, resulting in the arrest of dozens. International rights organizations and the EU condemned the the removal of “democratically” chosen officials. 


Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required
 

The Latest

An image of SIM cards in the Kurdistan Region posted on November 3, 2024. Photo: Interior Ministry FB

Kurdish ministry warns of fines for unregistered SIM card sales, criminal usage

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday that sellers of unregistered SIM cards will face heavy fines, warning the practice can facilitate criminal activity and vowing legal action to protect citizens.