Tension rising over banned BDP protest

DİYARBAKIR - Anatolia News Agency

The Peace and Democracy Party will continue its struggle until jailed leader of the outlawed PKK Abdullah Öcalan is freed from prison, BDP co-chair Demirtaş says. DHA photo

Tension is rising between the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the Governor’s office in the eastern province of Diyarbakır, over a BDP rally that is planned to be held in the province on July 14. While the Governor’s office has announced that it will not permit the rally, the BDP has said it will hold the event anyhow.

In a written statement made by the Governor’s office, it is stated that the date of the planned meeting coincides with the first anniversary of the incident in which 13 soldiers were killed and 7 soldiers were injured, as a result of an attack made by members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) in Diyarbakır’s Silvan district.

The date also coincides with the announcement of democratic autonomy last year, the governor’s statement added. Kurdish umbrella organization the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) had declared “democratic autonomy” during an extraordinary congress with 850 delegates in Diyarbakır last year, at which it invited Kurds to introduce themselves as democratically autonomous citizens of Kurdistan.
“Obtained information includes details about illegal groups and entities attempting to provide participation in illegitimate organizations and activities, attempting to provoke the security officers against our citizens, and to attract the public to the streets by means of misinforming them. Also, the statements and news of various media organs about this meeting may cause hatred and hostility among our citizens by inculcating them with ideas such as ‘resistance’ and ‘war,’” the statement read.
Meanwhile, BDP leader Selahattin Demirtaş said the governor’s office had not given permission to any BDP activities for the past year, and that they would not step back until the jailed PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan was released.

“We want to hold the meeting to underline that a political solution is not possible independent of Öcalan. However, the state’s approach to this rally demonstrates their approach towards a solution, and shows that the state does not want a solution,” he said.

The BDP also sent a press release and said they would still organize the meeting on the 14th, despite the governor’s warning.

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