CHP reacts to Erdoğan comparing Hamas to the Kuva-yı Milliye

CHP Spokesperson Yücel made statements following the Central Executive Board (MYK) meeting held at the CHP Samsun Provincial Headquarters under the chairmanship of Chairman Özgür Özel.

Starting his remarks by wishing a speedy recovery to those injured in the explosion in the Erbaa district of Tokat, Yücel expressed his condolences to the Iranian people for the passing of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

Yücel stated that they are upholding the Republic founded by Atatürk 105 years ago with faith and determination, and expressed that they do not see the same value placed on youth today as it was 105 years ago under the current government.

Pointing to the Ministry of National Education's curriculum change, Yücel said, "They are trying to impose a curriculum that lacks the spirit of May 19, Atatürk, Republican values, and the martyr Second Lieutenant Kubilay. Today, there is a youth whose freedoms are restricted, who is not allowed to question or object, and who is gripped by unemployment and hopelessness. There is a youth who enters university with great hopes, studies with a thousand difficulties, but cannot find a job. 

For this reason, young people are now finding the solution in going abroad. Young people are choosing countries where they can find jobs, live in better conditions, and be freer and safer." he said.

Stating that as the CHP, they will not allow young people to get lost in hopelessness, Yücel said, "We will never give up on contemporary, scientific, and secular education. We will ensure that all our children, not just those with money, receive quality education. In defiance of this government, which sees young people as the first group to be sacrificed in every problem, we will never give up on the youth. On this occasion, I once again celebrate the 105th anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's arrival in Samsun and our May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day." he said.

Recalling that a series of austerity measures were announced a week ago under the name of a "public savings package," Yücel said, "First and foremost, let us state this clearly and unequivocally. Waste in the public sector must be ended. Every measure to end waste must be taken. Our stance on this is clear and net. We are against any practice that is called savings but is essentially a usurpation of rights and services, which will be imposed on retirees, the unemployed, workers, and the low-income citizens of this country under the name of public savings." he said.

"THE HOPE OF UNEMPLOYED YOUTH IS BEING DESTROYED"

Arguing that the right of civil servants to transportation and housing is being targeted under the name of savings, Yücel said:

"The hope of thousands of unemployed young people is being destroyed. This so-called savings package is nothing more than a regulation that targets the rights of employees. The lights of the palaces will continue to shine brightly, the number of planes and official vehicles will not decrease, but the laborer will not be able to take the shuttle, and there will be no room for young people in the public sector. This is not called savings; this is called election revenge. The bill for the bad course of the economy has once again been passed on to the laborer. The civil servant will move out of the housing, will not use the shuttle while going to work, the doors of the state will be completely closed to unemployed youth, and this will be called savings. It was announced that a saving of 100 billion is targeted through the package as a whole. Turkey's 2024 general budget is 11.89 trillion liras. The savings target is not even one percent of this. In Mr. Şimşek's words, this money is 'pocket change' in the general budget." 

Yücel invited citizens to the "Great Retiree Rally" they will hold at Tandoğan Square in Ankara on Sunday, May 26.

Criticizing the government for managing the state like a company, Yücel said, "The AKP is making a great effort to reduce the number of civil servants, to spread precarious work and flexible working methods, and to normalize the exploitation of labor. The fact that only as many new personnel as the number of retirees can be recruited into the public sector for 3 years with the public savings package is one of the indicators of this. We remind the mentality that appoints only 20 thousand teachers while there is a shortage of 158 thousand teachers once again; savings can be made from prestige, but not from education. They are taking away the last hope of this country's youth." he said.

"WHY IS MONEY COLLECTED FOR KPSS?"

Touching on retirement pensions, Yücel said, "In the past, one could buy a house or a car with a retirement bonus; now, one cannot even buy a second-hand vehicle. Which of our citizens will retire and an unemployed young person will take their place? There is no guarantee that this will be within the framework of merit rules either. Who knows whose spouse, child, or relative will fill these positions. This package will increase the search for opportunities abroad for newly graduated teachers, health personnel candidates, or young people thinking about a career in the public sector. Then why are our young people preparing for the KPSS? Why is money collected for the KPSS? If state institutions are not going to recruit civil servants, KPSS scores will be nothing more than an exam that scores unemployment." he evaluated.

Yücel stated that with the announced austerity measures, the number of civil servants in public institutions will decrease in the next 3 years, the number of contract personnel in the state will increase, the number of workers in the public sector will approach the number of civil servants, and job security will no longer exist.

Yücel stated that 8 judicial reform packages have been announced since 2019 and that a 9th judicial reform package will come, and spoke as follows:

"The punishment of certain activities carried out for the internal or external political interests of the state will be in question. In this context, areas such as economic, financial, military, national defense, public health, public security, public order, technological, cultural, transportation, communication, cyberspace, critical infrastructure, and energy will be evaluated within the concept of the state's internal or external political interests. Criticisms, news, statements, or activities made in such areas may constitute the subject of the crime. Such a regulation is contrary to the technique of lawmaking, the basic principles of Criminal Law, and the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, and is nothing more than an effort to find a legal cover for the arbitrary practices of the AKP. Do you know what this regulation means? It means, 'I will find a cover for anyone who criticizes the government and lock them up, and I will give them as much punishment as I want.' Similar regulations in the past were canceled by the Constitutional Court, but the AKP insists on continuing to bring regulations contrary to the decisions of the Constitutional Court to the Parliament, relying on its majority in the Parliament. In the understanding of democracy that the AKP has shelved, the fundamental rights and freedoms of our citizens are being trimmed day by day. In the society of fear it has created, the AKP only wants citizens who obey. As the CHP, we will not take a single step back in protecting the rights, laws, and freedoms of the citizens."

Stating that there is talk of "a coup structure in which members of the police organization, gangs, and high-level bureaucrats are also involved," Yücel said, "If you do not recruit police officers to the Police Organization for years without getting a reference from FETÖ, and if you take into account various sects and FETÖ references instead of merit, the result will be like this. No matter what you do, it won't hold together; we fear that worse days are waiting for us." he said.

Yücel claimed that former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu was one of the key figures in these events and said, "If the reputation and trust that the judiciary, the justice mechanism, and the state deserve are to be restored, Süleyman Soylu's immunity must be lifted immediately and he must be included in the trial process." he said.

Stating that AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan compared Hamas to the Kuva-yı Milliye, Yücel noted the following:

"Comparing Hamas to the Kuva-yı Milliye is not knowing one's own history and underestimating the struggle that one's ancestors gave on these lands. Today, comparing Hamas to the Kuva-yı Milliye is heedlessness, delusion, and ignorance. It is an insult to every member of the Kuva-yı Milliye.

The commander-in-chief of the Kuva-yı Milliye is Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is such a great leader that he was both a commander who fought at the head of his armies for the independence of his homeland and nation, and a leader who, saying 'The flag is the symbol, honor, and pride of a nation's independence; it shall not be trampled upon no matter what,' had the flag that was laid before him picked up from the ground and not trampled upon.

Have you ever heard of the Kuva-yı Milliye members massacring civilians? It is not up to Hamas to defend Anatolia while we are here. We are those who still continue Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's cause of independence and are ready to die for this cause. If needed, we will defend Anatolia. Let me state clearly that the Kuva-yı Milliye is a popular movement unparalleled in world political history."

News Source: AA