Gülistan Sönük, who was replaced by a trustee: As long as this practice continues, there can be no talk of negotiation!

Following an announcement by the Ministry of Interior, trustees have been appointed to the Batman Municipality, Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, and Şanlıurfa Halfeti Municipality, following the same action taken against the Esenyurt Municipality. Batman Mayor Gülistan Sönük, who was removed from office due to a terrorism investigation and replaced by a trustee, spoke to ANKA.

Regarding the appointment of trustees to municipalities amidst ongoing discussions about a new resolution process, Sönük reacted by saying, "To say on one hand that I am extending a hand, while on the other hand reaching out to seize your will and placing a mortgage on your will, is hypocrisy and insincerity. As long as trustees continue, there can be no talk of negotiation or dialogue."

'WE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES'

Sönük stated the following in her explanation:

“The resistance this year is truly immense. People do not accept this. Because every time, trustees are appointed for flimsy reasons. In 2016, they used self-governance as an excuse; in 2019, they used co-presidency; and today, when they couldn't find anything else, they appointed trustees with fabricated justifications. Of course, we will not accept these trustee appointments. These municipalities are municipalities that the people, women, and youth have earned with their own hard work. It is not an appointment of a civil servant, nor is it something handed to someone on a silver platter from above. There is a political struggle that the Kurdish people have been waging for years, and as a result of this political struggle, we won our municipalities. But at the point reached today, the government, which declares hostility toward Kurds everywhere and speaks venomously about Kurds everywhere, once again tells the Kurdish people: 'I do not recognize your will, you cannot govern yourself, I will shape you, you cannot determine water policy, you cannot determine women's policies or policies for the disabled. I will make the decision in your place,' and thus does not recognize this will. Along with this, the trustee appointments took place. We will never accept this. They have actually experienced this for two terms. They do not learn lessons from how the election results turned out after each trustee appointment, or from the defeat they suffered in every election. This time, with their resistance, the Kurdish people will not allow trustee appointments in 2024.”

Speaking about the calls made by MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, Sönük said, “To stand up and talk about peace and resolution from the podiums, and then to appoint a trustee, is hypocrisy. In fact, with this trustee appointment, they also wanted to destroy the hope that had formed among the people, the hope of the people for freedom, peace, and resolution. That is why a hope arose among the people immediately after these discussions. Then these trustee appointments took place. To say on one hand that I am extending a hand, while on the other hand reaching out to seize your will and placing a mortgage on your will, is hypocrisy and insincerity. As long as trustees continue, there can be no talk of negotiation or dialogue.”