First response from Özgür Özel to Feti Yıldız's 'live broadcast' remarks! 'Don't say "I wish," bring a legislative proposal'

DEM Party Co-Chairs Tuncer Bakırhan and Tülay Hatimoğulları visited Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel.

Following the meeting at the CHP Headquarters, the leaders held a joint press conference.

Tuncer Bakırhan began his remarks by thanking Özgür Özel for his hospitality.

Bakırhan stated the following:

"We thank Özgür Özel for his level-headed statements since the day the Aleppo attack began.

We discussed Syria, we discussed the region. A humanitarian tragedy is unfolding there. If you will, there are those who add fuel to the fire, and there are those who try to cool it down. We want the conflict there to end and for the issue to be resolved peacefully through dialogue. But unfortunately, there is a choir of hatred in Turkey. They are engaged in anti-Kurdish propaganda almost morning and night. As if there were a democratic regime in Syria and the Kurds were playing the spoiler, this choir is trying to create an anti-Kurdish perception 24/7. We repeat: Kurds have never been a threat in the countries where they live. But there is a set narrative on this issue. Kurds have no problem with the values, flags, or symbols of any country they live in within the region. They will not have any problems, and this should be well understood. We do not accept perceptions aimed at discrediting them through this.

A dirty game has been played in the region for 100 years. A foundation has been left for rebellion for the peoples in the region and for suppression for the countries. This game, which has been going on for 100 years, needs to be broken. We believe we can break it. In fact, the call made by Mr. Öcalan on February 27 was precisely aimed at eliminating the vicious cycle that has been played in the region for 100 years. But unfortunately, a sabotage took place in Aleppo during this process. The unarmed and innocent Kurds living there came under attack and were forced to migrate. A humanitarian tragedy occurred. Some want the peoples to be in constant conflict. And imperial powers want to profit from these conflicts. But the Kurds left Aleppo because they did not want to clash with the Arabs in Syria. They withdrew to the cities where Kurds live.

As the DEM Party, we are aware of this game. I hope the government managing our country also sees this ground created for the benefit of imperial powers that pits peoples against each other and fulfills its duties and responsibilities to prevent these games.

Syria is important to us. Whether the regime in Syria will be Salafist, anti-woman, anti-Kurdish, anti-Alawite, or democratic concerns Turkey closely as well. As the DEM Party, we are fighting for a democratic foundation to be formed in Syria instead of a Salafist logic. But there is a serious blockade in Syria, especially in the cities where Kurds live. Despite the ceasefire, there are serious clashes every day. Even though Kurds live in their own cities, they are not left in peace.

For this, first of all, urgent humanitarian corridors need to be opened in places where Kurds live in Syria, especially in Kobani. Turkey can open the Mürşitpınar and Nusaybin border gates. These gates were opened before, and crossings were facilitated. I would like to state that Turkey, with its 25 million Kurdish population, should open these gates again.

There is a ceasefire in Syria, but the fire has not ceased. Turkey should use its role in Syria in a constructive way. It should be in a process that prioritizes not only the HTS regime but also the Kurds there.

ISIS flags were unfurled in the regions where the Kurds of the SDF withdrew. I want to say this to the Turkish public: ISIS is a threat not only for Kobani but also for Diyarbakır, İzmir, and our people living all over Turkey. Those who think a victory emerged when the Kurds withdrew should also see the ISIS plague that is flourishing there.

Some media outlets and politicians use language that hurts Kurds. The process we are in is sensitive. In this process, there is a need for a peaceful language that puts Kurds at the center and sees their democratic rights. As DEM, we will continue to use this language."

Following Bakırhan's speech, CHP leader Özgür Özel made statements.

"Politics is done to talk and to produce solutions. From the moment the process began in Turkey and throughout all the processes where we closely followed the developments in Syria, we have seen Turkey's peace and Syria's peace as intertwined. Thinking anything else is not compatible with reason or logic.

We have been in favor of a solution that ensures stability in Syria as soon as possible, one that is under constitutional guarantee covering Turkmens, Arabs, Kurds, Druze, and Alawites, and that makes peace prevail. This situation will also contribute to Turkey's peace.

The existence of a border line does not eliminate the brotherhood on both sides. Just as relatives live on both sides of the border, we must see that Turkmens, Kurds, and Arabs are all our relatives, and the law that can be formed between us is the law of brotherhood.

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On one hand, we view the departure of aid convoys from Turkey and their delivery to Kobani via Aleppo as positive. But we also need to look at who made the place like this.

When people are driven to hunger, instead of sending aid trucks from here, it is necessary to prioritize dialogue and solutions, as we always say, without allowing the chaos that causes this.

On the other hand, it must be said... When cities are under siege, will this aid reach the right place, or will it fall into the hands of others? Beyond delivering this aid from Öncüpınar to Aleppo and from Aleppo to Kobani, there is a much more practical and guaranteed way that is also required by reason in terms of logistics.

We have the Mürşitpınar border gate. When this gate is opened, the aid goes where it needs to go. We consider the opening of the Mürşitpınar border gate important."

"LIVE BROADCAST" RESPONSE TO MHP'S YILDIZ

Responding to a journalist's question regarding the Aziz İhsan Aktaş trial, Özel replied to the statements made by MHP Deputy Chairman Feti Yıldız regarding the live broadcasting of the hearings.

Özel said, "Fethi Bey's statements are important, but the MHP is not taking action. Feti Yıldız should not say 'I wish,' he should bring the legislative proposal to Parliament."

News Source: 12punto