CHP vows to resolve Kurdish issue on basis of democracy, justice

ANKARA

CİHAN photo

The incumbent Justice and Development Party (AKP) government dragged the country into terror and violence, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) has said, vowing to resolve the Kurdish issue on the basis of “democracy and justice” by coming to power in the upcoming early election.

The AKP has decided to go to an early election at the expense of having Turkey lose one more year in the current “ring of fire” that it has been surrounded by, the CHP’s Party Assembly said in a written statement released on Aug. 24.

The statement was released following the assembly’s meeting on Aug. 23, during which it also decided to appeal to the Supreme Election Board (YSK) in order to make clear whether it should hold primaries before the upcoming election.

“We encounter a mentality which sees Turkey’s most fundamental issue, which leads us to bury our youngsters every day, as solely composed of its short-term political interests. Now a historical responsibility falls on our party. We are aware of this responsibility. We have to terminate terror and violence as soon as possible, to take initiative for a lasting solution to the Kurdish issue on the basis of democracy and justice, to be committed in this regard, to have a clear attitude and to act bravely, and as the Republican People’s Party, we have an eternal commitment in this regard,” said the statement, which came shortly before President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was expected to call snap polls likely to be held on Nov.1 after efforts to form a coalition government failed.

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been meanwhile staging daily attacks against the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), as the military keeps up air raids and operations against the PKK’s strongholds in southeast Turkey as well as northern Iraq.

“Because we don’t regard this issue as a political-interest-oriented one, we know that peace, democracy, and our youngsters’ right to live are in all kinds of political consideration. The AKP is undermining the internal and external peace of our country. As the Republican People’s Party, we will never allow terror, violence and the loss of our youngsters’ lives. We hear the public outcry growing at the funerals of our martyrs and we bring to the public attention that, in this regard, we will fulfill any responsibilities that fall on us,” the CHP said. 

“Along with all party organizations, voters and all citizens who believe in the republic and democracy, we declare that we are ready for the election against a mentality of governance who hit a blow on democracy and rule of law and who pushed our country towards a ring of fire. We bring to the public attention that we will put an end to the AKP’s rule at the polls with confidence in our people’s common-sense and we will rebuild our country in all fields in a strong, free and equal manner in every field,” it said.

At their Aug. 23 meeting, the social-democrat party, which got the second highest number of votes in the June 7 parliamentary election, granted full authority to its leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, concerning the method of nominating candidates.

The CHP amended its internal regulations in order to avoid primaries before the upcoming election. If the YSK eventually approves the amendment, the party will nominate its candidates without holding primaries.