Peace comes by practice, not solely demands: Demirtaş
ISTANBUL (DİHA) - Thousands gathered on Sunday at a peace rally in Bakırköy, İstanbul to highlight their demand for peace against the total warfare concept recently put into effect by the AKP.
Holding placards in Kurdish, Turkish and English, thousands shouted out altogether “peace” at the rally organized by the Peace Bloc under the slogan “AKP wants war, we will build peace”. The rally in Istanbul witnessed participation by members of 90 organisations, including trade unions, labour organisations, political parties and groups, various platforms, associations, collectives that formed the Peace Bloc as well as many others. Women frequently chanted at the rally “Women will not allow you to wage a war”, while all chanted “The Palace wants war; people want peace”, “ISIS, the murderer; AKP, the collaborator”.
'They will never reach that goal of 41% again'
Speaking at the rally, HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş said “If they want an early election, we will make them regret that. Are you ready for it? They will never reach that goal of 41% again”. Selahattin Demirtaş started his speech at the rally by greeting all the peoples of the country, who shouted out that they would not sacrifice their children for the political interests and power-love of a small group in in the ruling. Demirtaş said “People must look at the AKP to see how the war will be waged, while it will be enough to look at the thousands flocking into rallies with slogans for peace to see how peace will be built”, adding that against the AKP which declared war, the peoples of the country, Turks, Alevis, Kurds and all the other communities came together and declared peace.
AKP continues insisting on war
Demirtaş drew attention to the peace cry of tens of thousands of people in Istanbul, saying that if the peace voice was resonated all around Turkey, those who wanted war would not reach their aims nor continue the war even for a single day. Demirtaş further drew attention to the declarations by the PKK of readiness to make peace, despite which the AKP continues insisting on war.
HDP Co-President also commented on the Peace Bloc which he said served stopping the war in Turkey and also was the first step to liberation from the AKP government and the fascist policies it imposed on the people. Regarding the early elections strongly desired by the AKP, Demirtaş said they were not afraid of turning back to the ballot boxes and public opinion, adding “If they want an early election, we will make them regret doing that. Are you ready for it? They will never reach that goal of 41% again”.
'Peoples of Turkey will get rid of the AKP'
Demirtaş stressed in his speech that the AKP government increased tensions and operations after witnessing its incapability to reach the level of the votes they had wanted, adding that the peoples of Turkey would get rid of the AKP government and solve their problems by their own means.
Stressing that peace would never come by wanting it but by building it through concrete practices, Demirtaş called on the peoples of Turkey to get organised everywhere in order to build peace in the country and stop the savage policies of capitalism that feeds itself from wars.
'Peace does not solely mean the silence of the arms'
“Peace does not solely mean the silence of the arms. Of course mutual cease fire is also necessary and we demand it right now. The government can no longer remain silent to this demand”.
Call to PM
Calling out to PM Ahmet Davutoğlu, Demirtaş said the PM should better stop giving orders to the HDP and put some distance between himself and terror for being the side that started the war and broke the ceasefire after being overthrown from the power by the HDP through democratic means and civil politics.
“It is you who should put some distance between yourself and terror, and give an account to the people. The guns and bombs you sent to ISIS in trucks, the logistic support you provided to ISIS do all constitute a crime. It is you who is hope for help from guns. It is you who resorted to arms after failing to cope with HDP in democratic arena”, said Demirtaş.
Demirtaş drew attention to the headlines of the AKP media saying “Zergele, a direct hit”, and called them manipulations. He noted that it was the government and its allies that expected benefit from these manipulations.
'We will directly bury AKP into the ballot box'
HDP Co-President said this 'direct hit' claimed the lives of eight civilians, and likened it to the attacks of the state in Gezi, Kobanê and Roboski which left dozens of people dead. He stressed that the aim in the killing of civilians was to break down the will and support of the HDP, adding; “The ballot boxes will be set again. And this time we will directly hit the target and bury the AKP into the ballot box.”
At the end of his speech Demirtaş strongly urged the peoples of Turkey to raise a voice for peace everywhere, and demand immediate peace without any delay. HDP Co-President underlined that it would be the peoples, women, laborers and youths of Turkey that will win, not the ones imposing this dirty war.
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