CHP leader Özgür Özel attended the commemoration of the '3 Saplings': 'The grandchildren of those who raised their hands for their execution are in shame today'

Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel attended the memorial service held for Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan, and Yusuf Aslan at Ankara's Karşıyaka Cemetery.

Speaking at the event, Republican People's Party Leader Özel said, “Those who do not learn from the past and past processes continue to repeat the same mistakes. Everyone now accepts that Deniz Gezmiş and his friends did not receive a fair trial, that it has been proven they committed no crimes before the law or the court, and that they were three soldiers of an ideal, a struggle, and three saplings. But in those days, the established order declared them guilty, demonized them, conducted perception operations against them, and a segment of the political establishment embodied the enemy they were looking for—the ‘devil’ or ‘terrorist’ in their own words—in them. And through this, they defined a place and a space for themselves. Today, there is no one left who can defend that attitude,” he said.

Özel continued as follows:

“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STRUGGLES LEFT TO US BY THEM IS THE PALESTINE ISSUE”

“The grandchildren of those who raised their hands for their execution are in shame today. There is no one left who can stand by that decision from back then. But today, Deniz Gezmiş’s friends, family, and loved ones are here. When they were executed, probably 80-85 percent of the crowd here was not even born, but they feel the same pain in their hearts today. They feel the same determination for the struggle in their hearts. One of the most important struggles left to us by Deniz Gezmiş and his friends is their sincere and resolute stance on the Palestine issue. Nothing has changed in our approach to Palestine from that day to this. The sincerity of those who were in solidarity with the Palestine Liberation Organization back then, those who went there and risked death for Palestine, continues exactly the same. But those who politically profit from the Palestine issue from time to time, today, just because Trump says, ‘Gaza is beautiful. I will build hotels there, I will build casinos. I will send the Palestinians to other countries…’ He is bluntly saying, ‘I will implement deportation for those who remain after the genocide.’ While today is the day to challenge and give the harshest response to someone saying this, yesterday, in a phone call, they couldn't even say, ‘It was conveyed to Trump that this is unacceptable, that we are against it, and that the harshest reaction will be given,’ regarding the Palestine issue in the subtext. In his statement, Trump says, ‘I get along well with Erdoğan…’ Once again, as if mocking all of our intelligence, he reminds us of Erdoğan and says, ‘Your pastor was in my hands. I asked, and he gave him immediately.’ Trump is telling Turkey this: ‘Erdoğan does not have a Palestine issue. Erdoğan has a power issue.’ And he reminds Erdoğan: ‘You said at the time, “As long as this body stands, this soul remains.” I threatened you and got him. I will make you do what I want again. Because I can threaten you again whenever I want.’ But there is complete silence against this issue.”

“WE STAND WHERE DENIZ GEZMIŞ AND HIS FRIENDS STOOD”

“We call out to all of Turkey once again from here: The Palestine issue is a legacy left to us by Deniz Gezmiş and his friends. It is an issue where the struggle of oppressed peoples and the anti-imperialist struggle have taken concrete form, an issue over which Deniz Gezmiş and his friends shed their tears, their sweat, and were willing to shed their blood. I would like to express our determination once again in the presence of Deniz Gezmiş on the morning of May 6 against those who do not approach this issue with this determination and sincerity, and who try to play games for themselves politically. Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan, and Hüseyin İnan continue to live, their struggles continue to live, and the flag of revolution and the flag of the struggle against imperialism continue to wave. The members of the Republican People's Party, the Youth Organization of the Republican People's Party, and the Youth Branches continue to walk in their footsteps. We will continue to be with them. Once again, may we all have our condolences. May Turkey have its condolences. We continue to stand where Deniz Gezmiş stood.”

“WE WILL CONTINUE TO RESOLUTELY DEFEND TURKISH-KURDISH BROTHERHOOD”

“He kicked the stool saying, ‘Long live the brotherhood of the Turkish and Kurdish peoples.’ Today, we will continue to defend the brotherhood of the Turkish and Kurdish peoples, to defend peace from now on, to stand against terrorism, and to ensure that Kurdish mothers and Turkish mothers do not shed tears again, with great determination. We will continue to defend full democracy and full equality on this matter to the end. Those who say ‘There is no Kurdish issue’ when it suits them, and who punish or target Kurdish politicians—or even Kurds—because of the votes they cast when it suits them, are now telling us, ‘Just pledge allegiance to a single sentence, a single slogan all together, and say there is no problem. Pledge unconditional allegiance to us.’ Because we tell them, ‘We are fully committed to the solution of this problem, but we are committed through democracy, through Parliament, and through human rights. Let all injustices be eliminated. Then we are in,’ they are sending us messages because they cannot force us into their own definitions. They are telling us, ‘Be silent, do not struggle, cower, step aside.’ We got the message. We say ‘No.’ We got that message on Sunday and we say ‘No.’ We will continue to struggle to the end. They say, ‘Get off the streets,’ we will be on the streets. They say, ‘Get off the squares,’ we will be in the squares. We received that message, that message passing through here. We do not accept it, we are struggling. I challenge those who sent that message. I dare you. With the determination of Deniz Gezmiş. Thank you, friends.”