Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair Berdan Öztürk, stated that the people will respond to the liars and plunderers on March 31st and said, "The country I live in is Kurdistan, and you will accept it."
The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) organized public meetings in Gürpınar and Gevaş districts of Van within the scope of preparations for the March 31 local elections.
The meetings organized by the DEM Party and DBP Van Provincial Administration were well attended. DEM Party Youth Assembly members and Free Women’s Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad, TJA) activists as well as many people attended the meetings.
Citizens wearing traditional Kurdish costumes welcomed Öztürk and the delegation with enthusiasm.
During the speeches, Gürpınar Municipality Co-Mayor candidates Mukaddes Karakoç and Mehmet Tahir Ertaş and Van DEM Party Provincial Co-Chair Veysi Dilekçi also greeted the people and presented their projects.
In his speech, Bedran Öztürk stated that the AKP-MHP government is trying to destroy Kurdish culture and language as a dirty war has been waged on Kurds for 50 years and thousands of people have lost their lives in this process. Öztürk also reiterated the demand for an end to the isolation of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan and emphasized the people's desire for peace and freedom.
Öztürk said that the Kurdish people have demonstrated their will everywhere and that they will further strengthen this will at the ballot box on March 31st.
Underlining that Kurds will continue their struggle despite the difficulties they face, Öztürk emphasized that they will fight for freedom by saying "Dem dema azadiye ye" (Time for freedom). Öztürk said, "On March 31, our people will go to the polls. They will give a strong answer to these liars and plunderers. With this answer, the Kurdish people will say, 'We are here even if you usurp our will. The country I live in is Kurdistan, and you will accept it’."
After the speeches, the delegation moved on to Gevaş, where they were welcomed with great enthusiasm. Gevaş Municipality Co-Mayor candidates Kübra Aktı and Ruknettin Hakan spoke about their projects, while DEM Party Van Provincial Co-Chair Gülşen Kurt reacted against the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan and said, "The isolation is intended to deprive the society of breath." Pointing to the importance of local elections, Kurt emphasized that they will succeed.
