CHP Chairman Özgür Özel sends a message of peace and democracy from Malatya

The CHP continues its 'Standing Up for the National Will' rallies. The address for today's rally was Malatya.

CHP Malatya Provincial Chairman Barış Yıldız read the message sent by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu from Silivri.

In his message, İmamoğlu stated the following:

"Brave people of Malatya, grandchildren of Battalgazi, greetings!

Greetings to the laborer who continues to keep their hearth burning every morning. Greetings to the young people who, despite everything, have not migrated from these lands and are holding on with hope. Greetings to those who follow in the footsteps of Battalgazi. Just as he performed many services in these lands with his courage, wisdom, and justice, you too are standing against injustice, unfairness, and oppression in this square today with the same will.

What we have been experiencing since March 19 is not an ordinary judicial process; it is an attempt to stifle politics by wrapping it in a legal cloak. None of this is the work of an independent and impartial judiciary. This is a siege movement in which the government uses the stick of the judiciary against politics. The government is trying to take revenge by hiding behind the law for its anger at losing at the ballot box. But no matter what they do, we will not bow down to this dirty order.

Because we know that this nation does not forget injustice. This nation settles the score at the ballot box. Dear people of Malatya, I know that in every corner of the country, Malatya's youth cannot find jobs, women are excluded from production, and fields are losing their productivity. Tradesmen are struggling with debt. Migration is increasing. The city is becoming lonely and aging. But we are determined to break this cycle. We will make Malatya one of the pioneering cities of a new development model, honorable labor, and a fair future. We will fill the void that the earthquake has created both in your hearts and in your city with service.

Your bazaars, markets, and the courtyard of the Taze Mosque will be filled with crowds again. This ancient city can once again become Anatolia's production base. We will integrate organized industrial zones with the technology and agriculture ecosystem. We will build a Malatya where women and youth have an equal say in education, employment, and politics. For a Malatya that grows not with construction but with science, not with plunder but with planning, not with rent-seeking but with rights, we will both expand the social state and strengthen the rule of law. We will wage this struggle not just for one city, but for the entire country.

What falls to us is to walk tall without tiring or giving up. This is the legacy of Battalgazi: to take the side of the oppressed and stand against the oppressor. That is why, from here, behind these walls, I send you my deepest greetings and a call: Let us stand shoulder to shoulder. Let us lean on each other. Let us not surrender to this injustice, these lies, and these pressures.

We are in days when we need courage and determination as much as bread and water. Most of all, we need each other. The future of this country is in our hands. And once those hands join, no power can stop them. We will never bow down. We will change this dark order all together. And we will definitely, definitely win. Then everything will be very beautiful. Stay in good health."

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel is speaking at the rally held in the area behind the Malatya Metropolitan Municipality building.

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL: HE HELD CEREMONIES WITHOUT SHAME OR HESITATION

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel began his speech, addressing the tens of thousands who filled the square in Malatya.

The highlights from Özel's statements are as follows:

"Today we are holding our 35th rally here. What happened on March 19? Why do we call it a coup? All of Malatya knows. Coups, coups are made against the government. And by its nature, in these coups against the government, everyone turns and looks into the eyes of the opposition. Especially what the main opposition will say and do is very important. Remember, on July 15, a community that they were as close as flesh and bone with, that they gave everything they asked for, and that they even accused each other of giving Ankara parcel by parcel after they fell out... attempted a coup on July 15.

On that day, without even thinking about who the target of the coup was, the things done to us until that day... Is someone fainting? Let me see. Ah, there, there, right next to it anyway. They have arrived. Whoever is bad, bring them closer, let me see, Ms. Şirin.

On the night of July 15, we searched for our counterparts without hesitation. We put aside what the AK Party had done and said to us until that day, and we resisted the coup together in Parliament. Because we know that a coup targets the ballot box, the coup targets the will of the nation. Whoever stages a coup against those elected by the nation must be stood against together. That day, we all passed that difficult test with flying colors.

But the coup we experienced this year on March 19, yes, was against the government. It was carried out against the first party of the March 31 elections, against the mayor that party elected to Istanbul, and not enough, against our presidential candidate for the upcoming elections, our next President by the appreciation of our nation, Ekrem İmamoğlu.

Today, I went to the home of your martyr, our lieutenant from Malatya, to offer my condolences. We were very saddened by what happened. We are working to have that issue investigated quickly in Parliament. But a heartfelt round of applause for the Mehmetçik (Turkish soldier) who waits at the border, who fights against terrorism when it is called terrorism, and who goes without blinking when it is called war."

"MURAT KURUM HELD CEREMONIES WITHOUT SHAME OR HESITATION"

The February 6 earthquake is an earthquake that wounded our country very badly, took over 50,000 of our lives, and brought fire to every home and 10 cities. On the first day, the first night after the earthquake, I came here. I spent the first night in Malatya by the fire. When I saw the scene the next morning, I saw what the earthquake had done in Malatya. And I was here, having come to Malatya many times, having seen the struggle of Veli Ağbaba and the struggle of the Republican People's Party organization, having seen the work of our deputies, and having stayed in the earthquake zone for 45 days, visiting 5-6 times.

In those days, 650,000 houses were to be built across Turkey. The housing need in Malatya was 101,000. That day, President Erdoğan promised Malatya and Turkey to deliver all the houses within a year. Now, 2.5 years have passed since the earthquake. He made Murat Kurum, whom the people of Istanbul did not approve to govern Istanbul, a minister again. Murat Kurum recently held ceremonies without shame or hesitation, saying 'I am delivering the 250,000th house,' managing perception by saying 'We are doing it' when they said 'You cannot do it.'

"THEY SAID WE WOULD FINISH IN ONE YEAR, 35 PERCENT OF THE HOUSES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED IN 2.5 YEARS"

Oh Murat Kurum, President Erdoğan's promise is 650,000 houses in one year. 2.5 years have passed, 250,000 houses. 38 percent of the houses. I looked at the situation in Malatya this morning. There is a promise of 101,000 houses, they have delivered 35,000 houses. They said we would finish in one year, 35 percent of the houses have been delivered in 2.5 years.

According to AFAD, 75,000 people are living in containers in Malatya. At first, it was 125,000 people, 50,000 have been saved from the container, 75,000 people are living in containers. Is that right? The containers are in a miserable state. Health is under threat. Under this heat, 2.5 years later, 75,000 people are staying in containers in a city like Malatya. This Murat Kurum is holding delivery ceremonies without shame and asking for applause from the nation."

"FROM HERE, ON LIVE BROADCAST, WE ARE CALLING OUT TO ALL OF TURKEY: HEAR THE VOICE OF MALATYA!"

Every time I come, they remind me. The Yoncalı Dam in Arguvan has not been finished for 30 years. They say this dam will contribute 750 million liras, almost 1 billion liras, to the economy annually, but it is still not finished. The losses of the farmers need to be covered as soon as possible. The interest on the debts of producers to banks must be erased, and the principal must be postponed immediately. A discount should be made on electricity fees, and when the electricity fee is not paid, the disconnection process should be stopped immediately and left to the harvest period as it used to be. But this year, a postponement and an interest-free loan must be made regarding electricity debts. No SCT or VAT should be taken from the diesel used by the farmer.

Furthermore, the pain of an AK Party championship is being felt in Malatya. They made Turkey number one in the world in cattle imports. They made the livestock farmers in Malatya miserable. As if that were not enough, foot-and-mouth disease caused problems in meat and milk production between 50 and 80 percent. For this, the state must immediately take care of the farmers and livestock breeders of Malatya. Friends asked us to make Malatya's voice heard. From here, on live broadcast, we are calling out to all of Turkey: Hear the voice of Malatya!

"WE ARE BEHIND A TURKEY THAT IS BOTH TERROR-FREE AND DEMOCRATIC. WE ARE THE GUARANTORS OF BOTH PEACE AND DEMOCRACY"

And today we are actually on a very historic day. Erdoğan said he would make a historic announcement today. For days they have been showing the preparations for the hall where the announcement will be made. 'Three days left, two days left.' The nation turned today, opened its ears and listened. He did not announce a raise in the minimum wage. He did not announce a raise for retirees. He did not give a flat raise to civil servant retirees. He did not give good news to unappointed teachers. He did not mention a payment to farmers who saw frost. He did not say I will return to democracy, I will have a fair administration. He did not give the good news of an early election. But he went around and around, he went around and around, and did propaganda for his own party. Sir, the PKK burned the weapons, from now on AK Party, MHP, DEM we are together. We don't want anyone else. He said from now on it is Turkey's century.

The PKK terrorist organization has existed for 41 years. 23 years of it are under the rule of the Justice and Development Party. Either Erdoğan is prime minister or president. In the year he came, 2002, we only had 7 martyrs. He took it from there, he did dishonest things. In 2015-16, we had 530 martyrs. In the past, when he said the solution process, 'I don't want the CHP.' MHP says to this 'You agreed with Apo,' it calls it a 'betrayal process.' It calls this Devlet Bahçeli a 'blood-sucking vampire.' They are fighting with each other. They don't want the CHP. Afterwards, we have 530 martyrs. As if he had no fault in these, today he has come out and says, 'We agreed, we will do it, we will benefit from this process.'

As the Republican People's Party, we have been against terrorism for years. We are behind a Turkey that is both terror-free and democratic. We are the guarantors of both peace and democracy. We want a Turkey that is both terror-free and democratic. We have an autocratic government in front of us that declares war on democracy, imprisons its rivals, appoints trustees to municipalities, and lets elected politicians rot in dungeons. Democracy will not come to this country with this mentality. From here, I call out to those who say 'let our internal front be strong,' you cannot do it by oppressing the opposition and filling the dungeons with political prisoners. We resisted together for 7 days and 7 nights in Saraçhane with all democrats. We said freedom for Ümit Özdağ, freedom for Ekrem İmamoğlu, and freedom for Selahattin Demirtaş. We all stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder, next to the elected. But today, those who called us terrorists because we met with the DEM Party yesterday, those who imprison our mayors because there is a municipal council member from the old DEM in the municipal councils, because there is a city alliance, an Istanbul alliance, have now sat down with the head of the terrorist organization and agreed, but they are still keeping our mayors inside.

"I WILL NOT LET ANYONE HUMILIATE THE FIRST PARTY OF TURKEY. I WILL SCRATCH YOUR FOREHEAD!"

Today, we clearly saw this: Erdoğan is looking for an enemy because he cannot do hope politics, because he is exhausted, because he is miserable, because he has no chance of winning an election again. He wants to do enemy politics again. I call out to Erdoğan, there is no passage to fear politics without feeding the hungry, without finding jobs for the unemployed, without solving the problems of the troubled. For years, he made the nation vote for him with fear politics despite all its difficulties by saying, "You are hungry, I know. You are unemployed, I know. You are poor, I know, but you have to vote for me. Otherwise, they will divide the homeland, lower the flag, silence the call to prayer." Now, he has forgotten all the accusations he made there today. A new fear politics, a new enemy: The Republican People's Party.

From here, I call out to Erdoğan, I will not go back from where I stand. I am against terrorism, and I am behind peace. I am against terrorism, and I am behind peace. I will not do politics according to you. I will not let anyone humiliate the party of the Gazi, the Republican People's Party, the first party of Turkey. I will scratch your forehead!

"WE WILL NOT LET YOU MAKE CALCULATIONS OVER SECTARIANISM, OVER RELIGION POLITICS IN TURKEY"

He has come out, Kurdish, Turkish, Arab. Kurdish, Turkish, Arab. Calculation, DEM as the representative of the Kurds, MHP as the representative of the Turks. Look, look, look. He is the representative of the Arabs himself. He filled it with Syrians, he is the representative of the Arabs himself. He will build a roof. On the roof, there will not be citizenship consciousness, but ummah consciousness. He will build a new alliance over Sunni Islam and he will walk over a new alliance with his mind. Today, statements are coming from various political parties. We will do everything for the brotherhood of Kurds and Turks, for the end of tears, for no martyrs to come. As the Republican People's Party, we stand where we need to stand. But we will not let you make calculations over an ummahism, over sectarianism, over religion politics in Turkey in this geography. We will defeat this, we will defeat this, with the Turkey alliance, just as we defeated you in Malatya, just as we defeated you in all of Turkey on March 31, with social democrats, conservative democrats, nationalist democrats, liberal democrats, socialist democrats, Kurdish democrats hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, we will defeat you again."

"I CALL OUT TO ALL CHP MEMBERS, NEVER EVER BE AFRAID"

From here, I call out to all CHP members, never ever be afraid! Sir, a new alliance is formed, do not despise any party there. Do not think of any voter, especially the Kurds, as unprincipled people as Tayyip Erdoğan thinks. Whether it is our Kurdish brothers, or us Turks, or Alevis, or Sunnis, however they define themselves, whether it is Laz, Circassian, or Roma, they are citizens of this homeland, within the borders of the National Pact, they are on our heads, on our heads! Neither Kurdish partisanship nor completely different identity conflicts. I would sacrifice myself for Turkish nationalists, I would sacrifice myself for the idealists, I would sacrifice myself for the conservatives, I would sacrifice myself for my Kurdish brother. Tayyip Erdoğan, get off our backs."

"WE WILL DO OUR SELF-CRITICISM. WE WILL KICK THAT DISHONORABLE PERSON OUT OF THE PARTY"

Finally, in recent days, money came out of a baklava box in Manavgat. As the chairman of the party, I saw it, boiling water poured over my head. I assigned two inspectors, two investigators, and sent them. And in the end, the matter came to light. Next week you will see what the party did too. But let me express it from here. Do we not have flaws? We do. We made the man who took that baklava box a municipal council member in his time. We will do our self-criticism. We will kick that dishonorable person out of the party. We will grab by the collar whoever is involved in crime.

"THEY WORKED WITH THIS DISHONORABLE PERSON FOR A MONTH! THEY FIND IT AS IF THEY PLACED IT WITH THEIR HANDS"

I claimed this yesterday, today the Manavgat Prosecutor's Office has accepted it. I was claiming it yesterday, today I am telling the truth. On June 3, they caught this dishonorable person. With plenty of illegal alcohol and a powder whose nature is unknown. It will come out what that is. 99 percent drugs. They took this, from the illegal alcohol, from the suspicious package, they released him without doing anything. Then they worked with this dishonorable person for a month. A month later, they send someone to the room. He can cooperate with the police, let the bribe be caught. They put it there, they find it as if they placed it with their hands. They tell him, he is comfortable, he puts his sunglasses on his hair. 'Open it,' they say, he opens it without his hand shaking. 'Show it,' they say, he shows it. Then we see from the 36-hour footage that this man leaves the room before the police enter his room, he meets the police in the corridor, the police take him and bring him back, put him in the room, 'Close the door,' he says, the matter starts at that minute.

Now, when other things are caught and the tail is caught, now this supposed confessor has become a slanderer. If any of what he says turns out to be true, whoever is involved in theft will have to deal with us, will have to deal with the party."

News Source: 12punto