PodcastKurdish parties, movements in Turkey form alliance
A group of Kurdish political representatives have come together in Diyarbakır and announced the formation of a new united front named "Kurdistani Alliance." “The right to legally engage in politics has been taken away from both our people and our elected officials. This has made it inevitable to create a new medium in our quest to legally engage in political activity and resistance," read a declaration released by the united front on Dec. 6.
Duvar English
A group of Kurdish parties and political movements in Turkey have agreed to form an alliance under the name of "Kurdistani Alliance" following a meeting in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
“The right to legally engage in politics has been taken away from both our people and our elected officials,” read a declaration released by the united front on Dec. 6. “This has made it inevitable to create a new medium in our quest to legally engage in political activity and resistance.”
The move came after the government's dismissal of mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The HDP has said that 24 mayors of its mayors have been so far sacked from duty since the March local elections. Ankara accuses the HDP of having links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. The HDP denies supporting the PKK.
“The rulership of the AKP-MHP has been crushing the existing laws and international norms and is replacing mayors and council members, who were elected with our people's votes, with trustees,” said the declaration, referring the alliance of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
The newly formed alliance includes the HDP, Democratic Regions' Party (DBP), Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Association of Revolutionary Democratic Kurds (DDKD), Kurdistan Democratic Party-Turkey (KDP-T), Kurdistan Democratic Party-North (KDP-Bakur), Human and Freedom Party, Azadi Movement, Azadi Party and Kurdish Communist Party (KKP).
The declaration also said that these parties and movements will hold a two-day-long workshop on Jan. 18-19, 2020 to determine the alliance's structure, framework and method. “Kurdish organizations who were not involved in the founding of the coalition are welcome to join at any time,” the declaration said.
Three district HDP mayors detained in Van
Meanwhile, Turkish police on Dec. 6 detained three HDP mayors in the eastern province of Van. The mayors of Muradiye, Özalp and Başkale districts were detained as part of ongoing terrorism investigations.