Skip to main content

War over Ocalan's words ahead of Sunday's critical Istanbul poll

TURKEY’S authoritarian President has raised eyebrows after he asked Kurds in Istanbul to listen to the advice of his jailed adversary, Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan.

It followed the leaked publication of a letter written by Mr Ocalan ahead of Sunday’s controversial Istanbul mayoral election rerun which Mr Erdogan claimed called for the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) to remain neutral.

HDP has called on supporters to vote for Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidiate Ekrem Imamoglu in the run-off against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate and former Prime Minister Benali Yildirim.

The letter, seen by the Star, was reportedly given by Mr Ocalan to Kurdish academic Ali Kemal Ozcan - who has previously been friendly toward Mr Erdogan.

Mr Erdogan insisted the Kurdish leader was calling on the HDP and its supporters to boycott the Istanbul elections.

However Mr Ocalan’s lawyers said they were unaware of any such visit being made and refused to confirm or deny the accuracy of its content.

HDP said that this interpretation of Mr Ocalan’s words was incorrect.

Party co-chair’s Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli said there was “no change” in the HDP electoral strategy and accused the AKP of ignoring the “wider political perspective” of Mr Ocalan’s statement.

“What HDP refers to with ‘the third way’ is the way of democracy, the way of peace, the way where all social circles meet on the common ground of democracy,” they said.

The co-chairs said the party will continue in this way “in the context of the Istanbul municipal elections, there is no change in the HDP’s election strategy or tactical steps.”

Critics have suggested that Mr Erdogan is trying to manipulate the Kurdish vote ahead of Sunday’s crucial poll. 

In a bizarre turnabout he claimed to love Ahmet Kaya – a popular singer revered by Kurds and leftists who was famously attacked for singing in the Kurmanci language at a music awards ceremony.

During the campaign, AKP mayoral candidate Mr Yildirim spoke in Kurdish and used the word Kurdistan.

Similar acts have seen thousands locked-up in Turkish dungeons accused of “spreading terrorist propaganda” and similar charges.

Veteran politician Ahmet Turk, HDP co-mayor for Mardin, said Kurds would not “watch from the sidelines, we will intervene.”

“I believe that our people will make their choice on the side of democracy and justice,” he said.

The stance was echoed by PKK co-founder Murat Karayilan who said: “I believe all Kurdish people and all who favoor democracy, Kurds, Turks and everybody else alike, will consider these facts and put their hands on their hearts, to defeat the AKP-MHP in Istanbul once again.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today