CHP's leader urges political solution

GAZİANTEP - Anatolia News Agency

DHA Photo

Politicians must continue to carry out their duties in the nation’s fight against terrorism, Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said in a statement made yesterday before the funeral for victims in Gaziantep.

Kılıçdaroğlu visited the family of Gendarme Specialist Sergeant Mehmet Can, who was killed in a mine blast in Hakkari, before attending the funeral for victims of the recent Gaziantep attack. During his trip to Gaziantep, Kılıçdaroğlu met with the local governor.

“We asked the esteemed governor about the incidents. He said they had some important clues about the offenders, but that there was not enough solid evidence to reveal them at that moment,” Kılıçdaroğlu told reporters. “The first opinions argue that [the attack] was organized by the PKK. The esteemed governor also thinks that way,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, when asked whether Syria or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was responsible for the attacks in Gaziantep.

“Politicians must carry out their duties in fighting against terrorism. This problem cannot be solved by complaining. We should get together, negotiate, think over and speak about the problem in order to solve it,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Kılıçdaroğlu called on political parties to put aside their differences and met to continue to fight against terrorism. “I would like to issue a call to the political parties; let’s get together and discuss the issue. A meeting of the leaders is not a condition. Every political party can assign two or three deputies for that. We should gather together to think over the ways to end terrorism, just the way we gathered to change the constitution,” the CHP leader said.

The main opposition leader said he was sure the issue could be confronted successfully through cooperation. “I am sure we will solve this problem together. We have to solve it. For 30 to 35 years we have left the issue to others, we ourselves did not try to solve it. The situation will worsen as time passes and if it acquires an international dimension we will come up against more serious obstacles in solving the problem,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

Kılıçdaroğlu also indicated that terrorism is a crime against humanity. “Terrorism kills innocent people. I can’t regard the offenders of this incident as human beings, as we all know that a human being cannot do such a thing. We must curse the offenders and must immediately find and make them stand before the judge,” Kılıçdaroğlu said.

MHP head wants harsher methods

Terrorism has reached very dangerous levels and the government should immediately stop its “democratic opening” policies, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has said.
Bahçeli was in Gaziantep to attend the funeral of those killed in an Aug. 20 bomb attack in that city, and organized a press conference at the MHP provincial chairman’s office. Bahçeli harshly criticized the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in his statements. He referred to PKK members as “black-hearted,” “pitiless,” “assassins,” “butchers,” and “ravenous villains.”
“These assassins, who do not have the slightest feeling of human love and who are completely separate from humanity, have gone insane,” Bahçeli said. “Issues such as whether a lack of security or intelligence played a role in the incident and how the bomb-laden car was delivered to the scene of the incident must be clarified. The clouds around the issue should be cleared. We have three options: This incident may have been directly organized by the PKK, or it may have been a bloody response to the AKP’s support for the Syrian opposition, or it may have been a task assigned by global agents to the PKK in order to start an internal fight in Turkey. I would like to say clearly that all three of these options are directly related to the PKK.

So far there has been no change in the demands of the ethnic separatists. They always demand more than [we] give, and get spoiled as they receive, because they have exceeded the limits, and the notions of a separate state, separate flag, separate language and separate nation have begun to turn from dreams to reality. So naturally this means the division of our territory, nation and state. The AKP government must make a decision and form a will. They will put pressure on the terrorist organization with determination. They must not be afraid, refrain or step backwards. They must realize that the groundless use of the words ‘freedom,’ ‘democracy’ and ‘peace’ has not served anyone but the terrorists. Prime Minster Erdoğan should be clear and sharp, and should carry out the duties of the nation he represents,” Bahçeli said.

The government must immediately end its “democratic opening” policies, Bahçeli said.

“A detailed terrorism and separatism investigation should be launched, which will cover the media, the business world, non-governmental organizations and politics. Public prosecutors are necessary in such times. Operations supported by both land and air forces will be immediately initiated in northern Iraq, so that [the terrorists at] Kandil Mountain can be eradicated. Speaking in Barzani’s language is necessary, and no time should be wasted in bringing them into line,” Bahçeli said.