BREAKING NEWS... Ekrem İmamoğlu in Diyarbakır: A message on the peace process!

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor and CHP presidential primary candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu addressed citizens in Diyarbakır as part of his primary election campaign.

İmamoğlu began his remarks by wishing Amedspor success;

"I wish Amedspor success. Amedspor has brought great excitement to the city. I support Amedspor and will continue to support them as much as I can."

During his speech, chants of 'President İmamoğlu' rose from the crowd. 

Speaking about the new peace process, of which MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli is the architect, İmamoğlu said, "Guns must fall silent, conflict must end, and the solution must come through dialogue among all segments of society. It is the duty of all of us and our state to ensure that Kurds and all segments of society feel like equal and honorable citizens, equal shareholders, and equal stakeholders of this country. This issue must be resolved on the floor of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM)." he said.

NOTABLE REMARKS ON DEMİRTAŞ AND ÖZDAĞ

In the continuation of his speech, İmamoğlu mentioned the imprisoned former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş and Zafer Party leader Ümit Özdağ.

"A political party chairman like Selahattin Demirtaş should not be held in prison unjustly as a political hostage!" said İmamoğlu, continuing as follows:

"Now they are doing the same thing to Ümit Özdağ.

If an injustice or lawlessness were committed against an AK Party mayor, this brother of yours would be the first to run to his side; I am not a coward! I am against cruelty, and I stand with the oppressed and the righteous. That is what I am fighting for."

Highlights from İmamoğlu's speech are as follows:

I am happy to be in Diyarbakır, where I walk its streets, where I stand by you in good times and in sorrow, and which is a part of us. Welcome, you have brought joy. I embrace each and every one of you. Diyarbakır's conscience and wisdom will guide us all. The very valuable words and principles accumulated in these lands have contributed to us all. Since Mesopotamia, we are here for a magnificent vision of the future in these ancient lands.

Of course, since I am here, I must say that I was in Trabzon just last night and brought you greetings from there. From here, I will go to Erzincan and take your greetings there. Naturally, I also wish Amedspor success. Amedspor has brought great excitement to the city; I support Amedspor and will support them as much as my strength allows. I am also following women's volleyball in Hakkari and sports activities in Van; I follow the entire geography. In this sense, I expect a breakthrough from Amedspor in different branches as well, especially in Olympic sports. Because this brother of yours will bring the Olympics to Istanbul, and we want Olympic champions from every part of Turkey there.

"THERE ARE THOSE WHO DRAIN THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HOMELAND"

Valuable children of the CHP, if you sincerely desire everything you chant slogans for, you will achieve everything. From now on, we will carry this burden together. We are in the holy month of Ramadan. I am proud to be in Diyarbakır, the city of prophets and companions, on this holy day. Abundance is very important in the lives of all of us living on these lands. We all wish for abundance and pray for it. We wish it for each other as well. But today, wherever you go in the country, there is no abundance. Both those who earn little and those who earn much say, 'There is no abundance left in our money.' There are those who shake their fingers at their citizens.

The current government is clearly the one that created this picture and drained that abundance. The NGOs and all organizations among us today are the ones who best identify this lack of abundance. Because there is no justice, no kindness, and no spirituality in them. They have no concern other than protecting their seats. They do not see how the injustices and unfairness they cause hurt the nation's heart. Workers, minimum wage earners, retirees... Especially the retirees; we all came here today thanks to them. There is nothing more painful than a retiree not being able to give pocket money to their grandchild. Mothers are looking for help from friends and acquaintances just to buy food for their children. The social aid requested from us has doubled in the recent period.

"I WILL DROWN THEM IN THE NIGHTMARE OF NIGHTMARES"

We will never give up fighting against this picture, and whatever this country desires will come with us. We will succeed together. We have also kept those who drained the country's abundance awake at night. I will drown those who wake up after seeing me in their dreams or nightmares in the nightmare of nightmares. After that, this march will send them home in the general election. I am not talking about the march of one person or one cadre. This march is the CHP's march from the grassroots to the top. This march, which everyone will see next week, is a revolution of democracy. I thank everyone who organized this. We will establish the most democratic and liberal administration Turkey has ever seen. Our concern is not with individuals or political ambition.

We will build a strong democratic system that will not allow a regime of tyranny to return to this country. With this, we will be an example not only to our immediate geography but to the whole world. Our concern is not 'let him go, let him come.' We are not concerned with individuals or political ambition. Our struggle is for our children. We set out to change this broken order. We set out so that no political authority in this country ever again seizes the national will with trustees. We set out so that the judiciary is never used as a stick again. Every member of our nation will feel and personally experience that they are the sole owner of this state. No one will feel insecure because of their identity, belief, or lifestyle.

We will not leave anyone to the mercy of the market. We will bring accessible trade conditions. Our Turkey will prosper and strengthen with the effects of justice and equal citizenship. We will rebuild a fair, strong, effective, and reliable state. We will build a Turkey worthy of the second century of our Republic. We will create a strong and solidarity-based society in these lands. We will be the ones to bring the GAP project to the value it deserves; I promise you from Diyarbakır.

"GUNS MUST FALL SILENT"

We are not like those who use the nation's rights as material for their political calculations. Dear people of Diyarbakır, it is very important for Turkey to achieve peace and tranquility. But whatever is done must be done with sincerity and consistency. The nation's interest should be observed, not the interest of the ballot box. Nothing can be achieved through violence, conflict, or terror. Guns must fall silent, guns must fall silent, guns must fall silent... Conflict must end, end, end... Everyone should feel like an equal citizen and an equal shareholder of this country. Doing this is the duty of the state and all of us.

"OF COURSE, THERE IS A KURDISH ISSUE"

As long as Kurds say, 'We have an issue,' of course, there is a Kurdish issue. This issue must be resolved through dialogue, taking everyone into account, especially the families of martyrs. Because of what we have done to resolve this, we are branded as terrorists, just as millions of people have been. Look, for example, our Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer is being removed from office and thrown into prison. Shame on this decision! These people were thrown into prison because we said 'Turkey Alliance,' and because we gave representation rights in the municipality to our people whom we see as equal citizens and who are my brothers and neighbors. These people were people who were minding their own business and earning their bread.

A prosecutor wrote in the indictment; 'How can Kurds in the West have a say there?' Is there a difference between a Kurd in the West and one in the East? Have you ever heard of such a thing before? What would be the difference? At most, they dress differently in their village than in Nişantaşı. What have they put into their heads? In this country, Kurds and Turks have the same rights. They shamelessly write such things in the indictment. What happens if you judge us? We are judged by the conscience of the nation of the Republic of Turkey. According to them, Kurds are only represented in Diyarbakır, and that is only until a trustee is appointed. Let us cleanse this mentality from both politics and law. Those who say white today and black tomorrow cannot provide justice in this country.

I went to my village yesterday and kissed my 100-year-old grandmother's hand. We all have grandmothers and grandfathers in every home. We are coming to extend the hands of our grandmothers from every region to all of Turkey. I came here today for the establishment of the peace we long for. I came here to unite and embrace. I love each and every one of you so much... Every single citizen of mine. In these lands, none of us is superior to the other, nor are we lacking; we are all branches of the same plane tree. We all have our red flag above us.

SELAHATTİN DEMİRTAŞ MESSAGE

Do we promise to end lawlessness, injustice, discrimination, and poverty? Do we promise to change this order? Let us promise so that the mentality that appoints trustees to democracy is wiped off these lands. Let the scales of justice not be a toy in anyone's hands. Let no one be able to hold a political party chairman like Selahattin Demirtaş in prison unjustly. You have been holding a person who has chaired a political party as a political hostage for years. They are doing the same thing to Ümit Özdağ now. Whoever experiences this, I stand by them.

I don't want to say 'I am your brother' and then mean 'Actually, I am the big brother, what I say goes.' I am truly a brother. I do not see anyone as a big brother or a little brother. In my soul, there is Mevlana, there is Hacı Bektaş-i Veli. I see the entire nation as equal shareholders of this country. The fundamental concepts upon which we built our country are above everything for me. That is, the Republic, democracy, secularism, the rule of law, and social justice are at the forefront for me. If we do this, abundance will rain down on this country, and peace will rain down.

"THEY ARE EVEN TRYING TO GET MY 30-YEAR-OLD DIPLOMA ANNULLED"

 Those who, until a week ago, said 'What is the need for a primary election, can such a thing happen?' and those who tried to smear us on the government's channels are now so afraid. They will see how this hope can change this country. For this reason, the government has launched a hasty attack against me. I suddenly became someone facing a 25-year prison sentence and a 5-time political ban. They are even trying to get my 30-year-old diploma annulled. This is political engineering through the judiciary. Their only concern is to prevent me from running against Erdoğan in the election. But we will succeed, right?

As long as I breathe, as long as I have a voice, I will raise my voice against injustice. I will not eat rights, I will not let my rights be eaten, and I will not let my nation's rights be eaten! This is no longer just my personal matter. I am sure that my CHP brothers will rush to the ballot box. I am sure that without a single loss, we will give this country the hope of change. They will be defeated. They will be defeated by our clean hearts and our tolerance. Turkey will win, the CHP will succeed.

News Source: 12punto