HDP Van MPs Tayip Temel and Murat Sarisac, who were on a hunger strike for 80 days alongside MP Dersim Dag protesting the Imrali isolation, celebrated Eid with party members in Van where they went after ending their protest. HDP Van Co-chairs Umit Dede and Yadisen Karabulak, DBP Van Co-chairs Aynur Tarhan and Okkes Kava, Van Co-mayors Bedia Ozgokce Ertan and Mustafa Avci and HDP’s district co-mayors attended the event held at the provincial offices of the party.

TEMEL: THE MOST IMPORTANT HOLIDAY FOR KURDS

Temel said: “The struggle we waged was historic. Today we celebrate Eid, but our people had another holiday before this. What was that? Mr. Abdullah Ocalan’s voice reached all of the Kurdish people. That was the most important holiday for Kurds, from the youngest to the oldest.” Temel added that the role they undertook in the hunger strikes as MPs was “to be a drop in the sea” and that the true fighters were the mothers resisting on the streets, Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-chair Leyla Guven who started the hunger strikes and the sacrifice activists in prisons. 

“IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PUSH BACK WITHOUT THE STRUGGLE”

Temel said it is not possible to achieve any results under fascism conditions without the struggle: “Without the struggle and the price, it is not possible to push back fascism. This has been proven once again. Thanks to the struggle, Mr. Ocalan’s voice reached all Kurds, all of Turkey and the whole world.”

Temel said a new period started with the lawyers and the family visiting Imrali: “With the struggle coming to the forefront, fascism will be pushed back and the peoples will experience another spring. But if the struggle lulls and fascism wins Istanbul, then this movement will lose strength.”

“WE WILL PUSH BACK FASCISM IN ISTANBUL TOO”

Temel also said the Imrali visits by the family and lawyers are connected to the Istanbul elections by many groups and added: “We repeat here once again, if we don’t hold AKP-MHP fascism to account, this movement will shrink. Ignoring everything and acting together with the AKP would be a delusion for us. Whoever says the Kurdish movement is acting together with the AKP for Istanbul doesn’t know the Kurdish Movement. HDP’s and its allies’ strategy is to push back fascism. This was what was done on March 31, and this is what will be done on June 23.”

Temel said forces of democracy, the HDP and the Kurds have caught a great opportunity with the Istanbul elections and added that the process is also an opportunity for the AKP to take democratic steps and stop the fascistic practices.

Temel continued: “This is the path Mr. Ocalan has pointed towards. The path is democracy. What matters is how ready the opposition and the government are for this. The words peace and democracy that haven’t been uttered for the last 4 years are remembered again with Ocalan’s message. The democracy front is forgotten, and Ocalan reminds all again.”

“WORDS AREN’T ENOUGH”

Temel said if there isn’t a new spirit, language, morality and perspective for the struggle, the movement will shrink every day instead of growing: “Everybody must reconsider themselves and act in accordance with the perspective for the struggle. Everywhere we must call for an end to AKP’s fascism and a return to democracy. For that, we need the struggle. It is not enough just to say things.”