HDP and BDP delegation held a press release in Mardin on their efforts regarding the situation in Cizre, where civilians have been awaiting medical treatment in the basement of a building for the past 12 days.

The press conference was held in Mardin Metropolitan Municipality with the attendance of HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş, DBP Co-President Kamuran Yüksek, HDP parliamentarians Burcu Çelik Özkan and Ali Atalan, Mardin Metropolitan Municipality co-mayors Ahmet Türk and Februniye Akyol Akay, and Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Gültan Kışanak.

At the press conference, HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş said that he was ready to go to Cizre with a team of medics and retrieve the wounded people there to a hospital, and called upon the government to open a human corridor. He noted that HDP concentrated all of its efforts on ending the curfews, human rights violations and tragedies, but the government continued to fail fulfilling its legal and moral responsibilities

‘WE WILL NOT LEAVE HERE UNTIL THE SITUATION AT THE BASEMENT OF SAVAGERY IS CLARIFIED’

HDP co-president reminded that there had been no communication with the wounded people trapped in the basement over the past four days, and nobody knew whether these people were still alive. He also noted that all of their efforts failed to produce results, but the HDP and DBP delegation would remain in Mardin until the situation at the basement of savagery is clarified and the humanitarian plight in Cizre ended.

CALL TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR A ‘HUMAN CORRIDOR’

Demirtaş informed the public about his plans to join a team of medics and retrieve the wounded people in Cizre to a hospital, and called upon Prime Minister Davutoğlu to respond to their calls for a humanitarian solution before all bridges were burnt and negotiating became impossible. HDP co-president noted that there was nothing criminal about their attempt to reach the civilians trapped in the basement in Cizre, and that their only goal was to retrieve wounded people to the hospital. Demirtaş called upon the government to open a human corridor to the region, and emphasized the importance of a ceasefire for this purpose.

‘OUR PEOPLE SHOULD CAREFULLY LISTEN TO OUR CALLS'

Demirtaş also addressed the public and asked everyone to carefully listen to the HDP’s calls. He asked the public to be diligent and careful in order to avoid more savagery, and reminded that, to the contrary of statements made by Ministry of Health officials, there was no armed confrontation in the region that would justify the blockade on the basement.

HDP co-president called upon government officials to consider his proposal on retrieving the wounded people seriously, and stated that he was ready to join a team of medics and retrieve the wounded as soon as the relevant ministries allowed the passage of the municipal ambulances that would be used for this humanitarian purpose.