Speaking in Cizre today following the lifting of the curfew which remained in effect since September 4, HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş saluted the resistance of the people and called for a recommencement of the negotiations with Kurdish people’s Leader Abdullah Öcalan. He stressed that “If we can ensure a unity of people, they cannot continue this cruelty even for a day”.

A delegation of DTK, HDP and DBP, composed of HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, DTK co-chairs Selma Irmak and Hatip Dicle, HDP deputies and representatives of various NGOs have this morning entered Cizre district of Şırnak and met people after days long curfew in the town was lifted.

The delegation was welcomed by thousands chanting slogans “Long Live resistance of Cizre”, “Long Live Leader Apo”, while HDP co-chair Demirtaş and DTK co-chair Irmak held speeches addressing to the people in front of the HDP office in the town.

IRMAK: THEY HAVE BEEN FRUSTRATED

Drawing attention to the resistance of Cizre people against tanks and mortar fires, Irmak saluted the women, youths, elderly and mothers who all turned Cizre into a land of freedom and added that the state forces were disappointed in the face of strong resistance waged by the people.

DEMİRTAŞ: WE SALUTE THE HONORABLE RESISTANCE

Speaking after, HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş called upon the people with conscience to go to Cizre and see what has taken place there. He added that the AKP held 120 thousand people hostage for 10 days, while the people of Cizre, however, responded to attacks with strong resistance.

Demirtaş said all the governments coming to power, all the presidents, prime ministers and chiefs of the military have imposed massacre policies on Kurdish people who still continued to shout out peace despite all the repressions and cruelties, and despite being labeled as “terrorists”. “This is why Ankara is afraid of you” said Demirtaş, adding that the state thought it could make people surrender by tanks and mortars and solve the Kurdish solution by bombing the houses as it has always tried to do.

HDP Co-chair stressed that the people of Cizre have declared their demand to govern themselves and wanted to live a dignified life with their religion and culture.

“If you have any respect to the will of the people, then you will sit down and speak with the leader of these people, you will negotiate, listen to people instead of using tanks and mortars and do whatever must be done for peace and resolution”, he said.

CALL FOR UNITY

Demirtaş went on calling on all the peoples of Turkey to unite against war and cruelty, saying “If we can ensure unity, they cannot continue this cruelty even for a single day”.

Demirtaş further criticized the denial of people's will through the removal of Cizre co-mayor Leyla İmret from her post, who has always been among the people and served them. He added that those who have done this will give an account for it both judicially and politically.

'NO NEED TO ASSIGN GOVERNORS, PEOPLE CAN RULE THEMSELVES'

Demirtaş said it was rather the governor of Şırnak that must be removed from his post, and added that there was no need to assign governors from Ankara as people can govern themselves.

“These people can elect their own administrators, solve their problems, including economical, by themselves, live with their own solutions and culture”, he stressed.

'AKP’S PERSECUTION WILL END'

Demirtaş underlined that it was now time to heal the wounds of Cizre people in unity without being afraid of those who attacked the people with tanks and mortars.

Remarking that co-mayors and deputies will be together with the people, Demirtaş further said while healing the wounds they will also continue to ask the account of what has been done to people through judicial and political ways. HDP Co-chair stressed that the all those responsible will give an account of this cruelty, adding; “The AKP’s persecution will end”, said Demirtaş.

Following the speeches, the delegation started its work to assess the situation in the town.