Scathing remarks from Suavi: 'You are not a CHP mayor, you are a secret supporter of the People's Alliance'

Semih Demirhan

The concert of artist Suavi, which was planned to be held at an event organized by the Konya Seydişehir Municipality on August 30 Victory Day, has been cancelled.

It was observed that Suavi's name had been removed from the event promotion shared on social media and that his concert was no longer listed.

A group from the Ülkü Ocakları had raided and chanted slogans at a concert given by artist Suavi in Beykoz two days ago. Suavi, who was targeted by the Ülkü Ocakları, had his planned concert in Seydişehir, invited by CHP Mayor Hasan Ustaoğlu, cancelled. While the Ülkü Ocakları announced the cancellation, they stated that they had met with the CHP mayor, Ustaoğlu, and that their request for cancellation had been fulfilled.

Seydişehir Ülkü Ocakları President Akın Bozkurt spoke as follows: "Some meetings were held with the Seydişehir Mayor's Office on the grounds that the Suavi concert, which was planned to be held within the scope of the August 30 Victory Day events in our district, did not comply with our national sensitivities. As a result of these meetings, the concert was cancelled by the Seydişehir Municipality, and the wound opened in the national conscience was closed before it could grow."

While the scandalous concert cancellation decision drew intense reaction on social media, 12punto called Seydişehir Mayor Hasan Ustaoğlu, but it was stated that Mayor Ustaoğlu was in meetings.

“YOU ARE NOT A CHP MAYOR”

Suavi, reached by 12punto, reacted to the CHP mayor, Ustaoğlu, with very harsh words.

Suavi said, "I told the mayor days ago that he shouldn't be afraid, that he should be brave. I said, 'You host the event, leave the rest to me.' He got scared, he couldn't handle it."

Reacting to CHP Seydişehir Mayor Hasan Ustaoğlu by saying, “You are not a CHP mayor, you are a secret supporter of the People's Alliance,” Suavi continued as follows:

“The district head of the same party called me and told me that he was saddened, that they did not accept this decision by the mayor, and that thousands of people were in distress, offering me a self-criticism. There is something even more shameful…”

Suavi's statement to 12punto is as follows:

“On August 19, there was a brilliant concert. Believe me, I didn't even hear those who attempted to attack from my orchestra. I understood and listened to my friends around me after I got off the stage. In short, it was a brilliant, successful concert in Beykoz.

But these people, taking power from the government, are after creating an agenda and terrorizing the environment. This is not a victimization of me, but a move that threatens all opposition artists through me. We see this very clearly, and this is not the first time it has happened.

'THE MAYOR COULD NOT FIND THE COURAGE'

They couldn't make me take a step back in Beykoz; I went on stage and performed my program. Beykoz passed to CHP rule after 20 years, and while people were saying 'CHP invited Suavi to the stage' and so on, they were already intolerant. Then they tried to pick at things through my political identity. This time they saw that this is not about courage; I am a man who can go on stage and perform my program. I had foreseen that something like this would happen to me a few days ago. This prediction of mine came true at the Seydişehir Municipality. Despite the protocol I made months ago, and despite talking to the Mayor for at least 20 minutes in a brotherly manner, saying, 'Be brave, brother, don't be afraid. Your chairman emphasizes change. You are in a place that aims for power tomorrow. You have made a lot of progress in local governments. You host the event, leave the rest to me,' he could not find the courage.

The district head of the same party called me and told me that he was saddened, that they did not accept this decision by the mayor, and that thousands of people were in distress, offering me a self-criticism. There is something even more shameful. The protocol was cancelled unilaterally, okay. The person making this statement to the press should be the host. So who made this statement? The AKP and MHP District Presidents made it through the local newspaper. The mayor, the municipality's press office, the municipality itself are nowhere to be found.

We read this situation from here; it means that the municipality, despite all my persuasion efforts and my attempts to instill courage in him, got scared due to the pressure it received from there. He said to them (AKP and MHP), 'Sir, the necessary action has been taken.' They said, 'Sit down, son, okay, well done,' and pushed him aside. They made the press statement themselves as if the AKP and MHP had cancelled the concert. I was ashamed on behalf of the mayor; it's a disgrace.

Did you speak with the mayor after this statement?

I haven't spoken at all since this incident; why would I? I spoke before the incident, I said what needed to be said. And I said it to the most authorized person, the mayor. I'm not after money; this isn't about Suavi. Something else is being imposed on the country through Suavi. Attacks are also being made on Genco Erkal, attacks are being made on everyone. These 'jackals' are attacking Kurds, Armenians, Alevis, everyone. They feed on terror and violence. They also produce an argument for themselves. This country is ours! May those who fear you be like you. This issue cannot be solved with fear. I don't feel any fear about this. I tried to instill this in the mayor as well. Your chairman became the leading party with the promise of change. I conveyed all my experiences to him in a friendly, amicable way. Despite this, he was not convinced.

I would have expected the honorable mayor to make a statement. Because you are the host. But when the district organizations there do it, it has nothing to do with you. Moreover, these are the district representatives of the government you are trying to topple tomorrow. So the People's Alliance is making this statement. Then it is not the mayor, but the People's Alliance that is making the decision. Then where does your mayorship stand?

'I FELT SORRY FOR THE MAYOR'

The AKP and MHP do not have the financial or moral power to bring me there. I come because you are CHP, you are a democrat, you are in favor of freedoms and change. I come because you will bring down the AKP through democratic means and come to power. I am not a money-hungry person. Despite this, as the head of a local government, you cannot host your guest at a concert as a host.

I have no fear, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Plane tickets were bought, everything was arranged. A timid man cancels it three days before. I respect that, but he doesn't even make the cancellation statement himself. You make the local puppets of the government do it. Then you are not a CHP mayor. You are someone who gets permission from them and answers to them. You are secretly supporting the People's Alliance. So whose wake have you fallen into? Where did your opposition go? There is no difference left where I kept you separate. It's a shame. I felt sorry for him. My concern and my wish is not Suavi. Let there be no terror, social chaos, or tensions in this country where someone gets hurt. I am a person with a language of peace, I am a person who knows what he is doing on stage. I am not drunk, I am not a drunkard. I am a person who goes on stage with years of experience. I am a person with high stage performance. You can't even handle this. Then there is nothing to do. You will have to endure these criticisms.”