While the protests in front of the municipality building continue following the usurpation of the Mardin Metropolitan Municipality, delegations continue paying solidarity visits to those resisting.

In addition to the Mardin Bar Association, Human Rights Association (IHD) and citizens, Kurdish politicians Çağlar Demirel and Ayla Akat Ata and many people visited the protest in front of the Metropolitan Municipality building in the morning. Co-Mayors Ahmet Türk and Devrim Demir welcomed the delegations and conveyed their support. The politicians made statements after the support visits.

Demir: Those who usurp our will will step back in the face of our resistance

Co-Mayor Devrim Demir saluted the resistance of the people and stated that they will continue their struggle until they get results from the resistance. Devrim Demir said, “We have brought our struggle to this day by resisting and we will increase our resistance after today. Those who usurp our will will step back in the face of our resistance. Let's embrace our will and believe in our struggle. We will win under all circumstances.”

Ata: They are helplessly resorting to appointing trustees once again

Ayla Akat Ata evaluated the appointment of a trustee to Mardin for the third time as ‘desperation’ and said that the real separatism is being done by the government with these policies. Ayla Akat Ata continued:

“The state is helpless in the face of this power. The only tool it has is oppression and it uses it. The only tool it has is lawlessness and it uses it. For years in this country we were told ‘you are doing discrimination and separatism’. But look at today's practice, this is the real discrimination, the real separatism and the real betrayal to this country. We are the strong one here. Since this power is seen, they are helplessly resorting to appointing trustees once again.”

Demirel: The people of Turkey should not leave the Kurdish people alone

Çağlar Demirel said that the people of Turkey should not leave the Kurdish people alone and added: “They want to destroy the will of the Kurdish people. We are growing every day, our people are getting stronger every day. As TJA, we are in Mardin and we will protect our will.”

Türk: We are a people who struggle for an honourable peace in this country

Ahmet Türk emphasised the importance of solidarity and talked about his experiences since the 1980 military coup and the process he went through in prisons: “We went through all this, but we never compromised. We are stronger than yesterday. Today we are in greater solidarity with our people. They can never, ever make the Kurdish people and those who believe in democracy take a step back through the policy of persecution and sticks. We are a people who struggle for an honourable peace and embrace in this country. We struggle for justice and equality in this country. We are not seat lovers. We are in the squares today against the oppressive and intimidation policies pursued against our people. We are here today to fulfil this responsibility. We are based on a life in a country with rights, justice and a democratic republic, brotherly with all peoples, meeting in common democratic values. This is the aim of our struggle. For this reason, they can never, ever silence the Kurdish people by appointing trustees and throwing them into dungeons, and they can never, ever make them take a step back.”

The Kurdish politician continued: “The understanding that holds a stick in one hand while extending the other hand can never understand the Kurds. They cannot see the just demands of the Kurds, nor can they show the will to answer them. If you do not internalise a people with a language, an identity and a culture, you cannot solve the problem or show the will to do so. Today, you act and govern this country with a logic that does not even recognise the existence of the Kurdish people. When we look at the developments in the Middle East today, when we look at the developments in Iran, they are trying to extend a hand on one side because they know what sort of a period Turkey will be through amid the chaos that will occur in the Middle East. We have indeed held every hand that has been extended until today. We have always put forward our thoughts for a solution. But you have set a table, and there is nothing on the table. You can neither convince the Kurdish people nor initiate a process that can meet the just and reasonable demands of the Kurdish people by just voicing some rhetoric without saying anything about what you will do.”

Noting that the Kurds are a politicised people, Türk said that if the government comes with the right projects, their outstretched hand will be held. But if you come with an understanding aimed at deceiving, you will deceive yourself. Nothing beyond that will happen.”