CHP holds its 70th rally in Kilis: 'Not an indictment, but a confession'

The 70th of the rallies, which began following the arrest of IMM Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, is being held in Kilis.

This rally is the second to be held in the Eastern Anatolia region since the March 19 process.

The rally began today at 16:00.

Here are the highlights from the statements made by Özgür Özel and Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş, who attended the rally: 

Key points from Özel's speech are as follows:

"I am here once again, standing with the beautiful people of Kilis. We came here today both to listen to you and to make the voice of Kilis heard across Turkey. Because for years, this city has not been heard, not been seen, and has not received the value it deserves.

"THOSE WHO TURN THEIR BACKS AFTER BEING ELECTED DO NOT VISIT KİLİS"

Those who never leave their offices and turn their backs once elected do not visit Kilis. There is no one to listen to your problems, no one to produce solutions. But we are here. We are the people's party, a movement that lives just as the nation lives.

Since the day we announced his candidacy in the rain, we have trusted our brother Hakan. You trusted him too, and you made history with 42 percent of the vote. We made a promise that day: We said that Ekrem İmamoğlu's hand would be on one of his shoulders, and Mansur Yavaş's hand on the other. We stand by that promise today. Mayor Ekrem is being unjustly held in a 12-meter cell, but his heart is here; we send him greetings from Kilis."

HE LISTED THE SERVICES PROVIDED ONE BY ONE

After those who did not serve Kilis for years, massive debts remained. Despite this, Mayor Hakan worked, produced, and reduced the debt in less than two years. Without selling a single plot of land or taking out a loan, he reduced the debt from 502 million to 390 million. There is no remaining SGK debt, no tax debt, and no debt to tradespeople.

Moreover, service upon service has been provided:

– A city restaurant was opened,

– The first nursery was opened,

– A retirees' coffee house was established; the first tea is still free,

– Public Bread (Halk Ekmek) started production,

– 163 km of wastewater and 37 km of clean water lines were renewed,

– 1 million square meters of asphalt were laid,

– Stationery support was provided to children, and seed support was provided to farmers,

– Produce was distributed in schools to support grape growers,

– Hot soup was distributed at eight points in the city during winter.

Kilis now has hope. Because there is diligence, good intentions, and effort. Just look at what has been done in only two years; this city is standing back up.

HE ANNOUNCED THE WOMEN'S CAFE

The Women's Cafe is opening next week; a special space where women can take a breath and come together. Millions of liras in support were provided to farmers through the municipality's power. All these services show that Kilis has changed. Ankara has changed. 65 percent of local governments in Turkey have changed.

Now it is time to change the central government. To bring a smile to the faces of retirees, minimum wage earners, farmers, civil servants, and tradespeople. To establish the people's government. To bring the Republican People's Party to power and lift Turkey up."

Mayor Hakan is working day and night in Kilis, but there is a government that has not asked after Kilis for years and has left this city behind. Kilis produces but cannot earn. Turkey falling to 76th place in income, having one of the highest unemployment rates, the rise in youth unemployment, and the inadequacy of health and education infrastructure due to the heavy burden of refugees; all of these are the result of years of neglect.

"KİLİS IS NOT ALONE, THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S PARTY IS BEHIND IT"

People who make a living through border trade at Öncüpınar are being victimized by a 50-dollar crossing fee. The state, which opened its doors to millions for years, is now punishing its own citizens. As the Republican People's Party, we are working for a permanent solution to the Syrian issue both in Turkey and at international tables. Either they will solve this problem, or it won't be long, the CHP government will solve it at its root.

Kilis is a border city but does not see the investment it deserves. Even the customs office is in Gaziantep. Military prohibition annotations placed on agricultural lands have not been resolved for years. Title deeds have been devalued, and farmers have become unable to even get loans. We say that Kilis is not alone: The Republican People's Party is behind this city.

The Afrin Dam has been waiting for years, and the Amanos Tunnel has not been finished since 2014. While the nation expects service, the government continues to make promises and forget them. This order will change now. Whoever serves in Kilis, whoever knocks on your door and listens to your troubles, the support from now on will be for that person.

But let no one lose heart. Hope is with us; Atatürk's party will lift this country up again. You will bring about the change in Kilis and in Turkey.

MANSUR YAVAŞ SPOKE

Ankara Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mansur Yavaş also attended the rally and made statements.

Yavaş said the following in his statement:

"You elected our Mayor Hakan, and it is a good thing you did. As our Chairman also said, we stand by our word; we will continue to stand by our Mayor Hakan and the people of Kilis.

The current government tried to scare the public before the election by saying, 'If you are not one of us, you cannot receive service.' The same thing was done in Ankara in 2019. They threw all kinds of slander, saying 'Terrorists will govern, social benefits will be cut.' However, the people of Ankara wanted change, were satisfied, and re-elected us with a record vote. Because society no longer bows to fear; it saw that change is possible in Ankara, in Istanbul, and in many municipalities.

"THE JUDICIARY IN THE COUNTRY HAS WEAKENED, THE ECONOMY HAS COLLAPSED, THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN"

"After this success, operations against all CHP municipalities began. Yet we say: We have no immunity, put us on trial; but put us on trial with justice. While files that should remain confidential circulate on television, our mayors cannot defend themselves. This is not justice.

The judiciary in the country has weakened, the economy has collapsed, and the system is broken. Despite this, while the government ignores its own corruption, it continues to target CHP municipalities. However, whoever commits a crime should certainly be punished; but the same justice should apply to everyone. This is our only demand.

We are providing services despite the obstacles. We continue social assistance without anyone seeing, without hurting anyone. We support hundreds of thousands of families in Ankara; we provide salary, natural gas, and meat support to retirees. We cover children's educational expenses. We support our villagers in every field from seeds to fuel. Thanks to populist municipalism, we increased our number of municipalities in Ankara from three to sixteen.

"PUT ALL OUR MAYORS ON TRIAL WITHOUT ARREST AND ON LIVE TELEVISION"

"Today, our Mayor Hakan is working to serve Kilis here as well. They cannot cover up this service with smear campaigns and slander. The sun cannot be plastered with mud.

Finally, since the indictments have been announced and the evidence has been collected, put all our mayors on trial without arrest and on live television so that the nation can see the truth.

I believe that this country will very soon meet a government where justice is applied equally to everyone. I offer my love and respect to you all. Until we meet in better days, may you be entrusted to God."

İMAMOĞLU'S MESSAGE WAS READ

CHP Kilis Provincial Chairman Umut Mehmet Sapan read the message of IMM Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is imprisoned in Silivri.

İmamoğlu stated the following in his message:

“Kilis, the cradle of civilization and abundance, the land of the companions... Beautiful, good-hearted people of Kilis... Dear ladies and gentlemen, young people with eyes full of light, smiling children... I greet you all with love and respect, and embrace you with longing. I thank our new energy of Kilis, our young hope, our Mayor, my dear brother Hakan Bilecen, for all the efforts and services he has dedicated to this city. May his path be clear. I thank my dear brother, CHP Kilis Provincial Chairman Umut Sapan, and through him, our entire organization, for their resilient struggle.

“KİLİS IS ONE OF THE SYMBOL CITIES OF THE CHANGING POLITICS IN TURKEY”

“Kilis is one of the symbol cities of the changing politics in Turkey. The choice made by the valuable people of Kilis in the 2024 local elections is a very important example that reveals the new character of politics. The era of doing politics by polarizing, dividing, and separating is over. Politics is now a struggle to find the most rational way to solve problems and to be a remedy for the nation's troubles. Politics is now a struggle to unite our nation on common sense and common goals, and to ensure a great gathering that transcends political parties for this purpose. Success in this struggle comes from seeing everyone as oneself and accepting everyone as equally valuable and respectable. This understanding lies beneath the great success of Republican People's Party municipalities spread across Turkey. For that reason, our nation's trust and support for us have been increasing every day since the 2024 local elections, where we became Turkey's leading party.”

“Our nation demands to see our fair, populist, and action-oriented approach in the country's administration now. Despite all the black propaganda, slander, threats, and conspiracies against us, the Republican People's Party continues to be the hope of the nation. Because our nation sees the purpose of the political operation staged under the guise of law and never approves of this dirty attempt. Our nation has not accepted, and will not accept, a so-called democracy where the government sidelines the opposition with pressure and oppression. A handful of people trying to destroy the Republic, which is Atatürk's legacy, will be defeated by their own ambitions and the common sense of the nation. Today, the most fundamental political struggle in Turkey is between those who fear and run away from the nation and those who trust and embrace the nation.”

“THEY HIDE BEHIND THE JUDICIARY AND PRETEND TO BE FALSE WRESTLERS”

“Those who fear and run away from the nation, because they cannot face us bravely, hide behind the judiciary and pretend to be false wrestlers. We say, 'Bring the ballot box, let it be whatever the nation decides,' and they run away. To those who dream of keeping me in prison for 2,352 years by hiding behind the judiciary, I say, 'If you have the courage, put me and my friends on trial in front of the nation, on live television,' and they run away. They are running away from the nation; because they have caused great suffering to this nation, they have taken the prayers of the nation. They have eaten a lot of people's rights. They are running away from the nation; because they have told many lies to this nation, and they continue to do so. They tried to deceive this noble nation by saying 'the biggest of the radishes,' telling octopus tales, and making up spy stories. They could not deceive anyone, and they will not be able to.”

“THAT INDICTMENT, WHICH HAS NO LEG TO STAND ON, IS A CONFESSION”

“That indictment, every page of which reflects an unlawful understanding, every line of which reveals the political essence of the case, and which has no leg to stand on, is a confession. It is a confession of their intention to start a new era where they will destroy whatever remains of law and democracy, and that they have imprisoned us to protect their seats. They will not succeed. Their dirty plans will be ruined, and their ambitions will be thwarted. Against all kinds of coups against the national will, those who say 'Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation' will win. No one has the power to silence the voice that finds a response in the conscience and heart of the nation. Those who set out to make justice and freedom prevail for everyone, everywhere, will win. Those who want the country's resources not to be under the control of a handful of people, and for everyone to attain prosperity, abundance, and blessings, will win. One person will lose, this noble nation will win. Everything will be very beautiful. Stay healthy.”

News Source: 12punto