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Support for İmamoğlu from some tribes and opinion leaders

Prominent tribes and opinion leaders in the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions are expressing their reactions against the appointment of trustees and the AKP's cooperation with the MHP. Especially following the trustee appointments, a large portion of Kurdish voters living in Istanbul are expected to vote in favor of Ekrem İmamoğlu.

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STATEMENT FROM THE İZOL TRIBE ASSOCIATION: VOTERS WILL TURN TO İMAMOĞLU DUE TO TRUSTEES

The İzol Tribe is spread across many provinces in Turkey and is stated to have a population of nearly 3 million. İrfan Akba, President of the Diyarbakır İzol Mutual Aid and Solidarity Association, which brings the İzol Tribe under one roof, made a statement regarding the Istanbul elections to be held on March 31.

Stating that the will of the people in the region is being usurped by the appointment of trustees to municipalities in the Eastern and Southeastern regions, Akba said, "In our region, trustees have been appointed one month after elections for the last seven years. Trustees have been appointed to 96 municipalities in the region; in my opinion, this is an extremely wrong move. The will of the people and the choices they make are being usurped. This seriously disturbs both the people of the region and the Kurdish people.

If there is true democracy in Turkey, the will of the people cannot be opposed. Nearly 70 percent of DEM voters will turn to Ekrem İmamoğlu. The sole purpose of Kurds supporting İmamoğlu is a stance against the ruling party that creates the problems existing in the region," he said.

"BAHÇELİ IS CAUSING HARM"

Stating that the Republic of Turkey is a great state and that Kurds have made a great contribution to its formation, İrfan Akba said, "No one can pit Turks and Kurds against each other after this point; they cannot have such a chance. Turks and Kurds are brothers, but there is no such thing as one-sided brotherhood.

Just as we, as Kurds, see Turks as our brothers, Turks must think the same way. I do not consider people like Mr. Devlet Bahçeli and Ümit Özdağ, who make policy on behalf of Turkey, as interlocutors. Fire comes out of their mouths.

I am calling out to our President from here; having such a person by your side is causing serious harm," he expressed.

"MY VOTE IS FOR İMAMOĞLU"

Seyithan Bilici, who lives in Istanbul and is a member of the Van Foundation Board of Trustees, stated that they are angry at the AK Party government over the trustee appointments and announced that they would support Ekrem İmamoğlu in the Istanbul elections.

Bilici said, "I am thinking of casting my vote for Ekrem İmamoğlu in the election. As a Kurd, my country's economy is in a very difficult situation; we travel abroad.

The value of our currency is falling significantly. No one gives us a visa. There is no possibility for DEM to win in Istanbul. Also, Ekrem İmamoğlu comes across as more sympathetic and is close to the people. He touches people's lives. Kurds will support Ekrem İmamoğlu due to the current economic conditions, the trustees, and the AK Party's condescending attitude toward the public."

"IF I LIVED IN ISTANBUL, I WOULD VOTE FOR İMAMOĞLU"

Eşref Tarhan, one of the prominent figures of the Tarhan family, which owns one of the largest agricultural lands in the region in Batman, stated that Kurdish voters in Istanbul should use their preference in favor of Ekrem İmamoğlu. Tarhan said, "If I lived in Istanbul, I would vote for İmamoğlu."

Eşref Tarhan pointed out that the Kurdish voter could play a critical role in the Istanbul municipal elections. "Kurdish voters should support İmamoğlu with the thought that the municipality should not fall into the hands of the AK Party. İmamoğlu should be preferred because he has a contemporary and democratic mindset.

I am also making a call to conservative Kurdish voters; the AKP has surrendered to the MHP mindset, therefore they should support İmamoğlu and seize this historic opportunity," he stated.

ECONOMY IS BAD, LIFE IS UNBEARABLE

Emphasizing economic problems, Eşref Tarhan said, "The government has made life unbearable. Many segments from farmers to villagers, from tradesmen to citizens, have been affected.

Kurds are one of the groups most affected by this negative situation. For this reason, Kurds should not take a stance in favor of the government.

Citizens will also consider the cost of living when voting; I believe this. Citizens should be sensitive about this issue," he said.