Surveys not a pathfinder for peace, BDP co-chair says

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş. AA photo

It is not possible to carry out the so-called peace process by minding survey results as the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) does, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş said.

“I advise the prime minister give up this survey business till peace is established. Instead of taking a stand by overseeing survey results he must stand on a basis of principles,” Demirtaş said in the BDP’s “dialogue with Alevis meeting” in Istanbul today.

According to a survey conducted by the AKP, the majority of Turkish people, a total of 95 percent, support Turks and Kurds living together.

The survey was conducted in over 25 cities with 5,500 participants.

Demirtaş asked what Turkey would do if 99 percent of society was against a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue.

“Peace is a universal principle. We are looking at people’s eyes. People want peace, the scream of peace is being heard,” Demirtaş further said.

Only 6 percent described the issue as the “Kurdish issue” while 39 percent described the ongoing troubles as a “terror issue.” Some 51 percent of respondents expressed support for the meetings with imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Abdullah Öcalan, while also supporting the use of the word “meetings” instead of “negotiations” on the matter, the mentioned survey showed.

Demirtaş also made comments on the ongoing row about deputies who are set to pay a visit to Imrali island on Saturday.

A comprehensive evaluation will be completed after the visit, Demirtaş said adding that the list of deputies who will visit the island was not an issue inside the BDP, but was made an issue by the government.

Demirtaş also criticized Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for blocking the road to the peace process.
“As the BDP, we’ve worked from the very beginning of the process to open the way of process despite the prime minister’s insistent attitude, language and approach to block the way,” Demirtaş said.