Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa candidate and nephew of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Ömer Öcalan, talked to ANF about his candidacy and the policies of HDP.

Öcalan emphasized that HDP is the party where all beliefs, colours and identities can meet.

“The HDP - he said - is an umbrella-party for all the peoples of Turkey. It is the place for people's collective conscience”.

Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Alevis, Ezidis, Muslims, all faiths and ethnic affiliations, ha added “can coexist under the HDP roof. This party is meant to express the richness of this land. HDP is a project for human essence. We find ourselves in the HDP for this reason”.

Öcalan added: “In fact, we have been carrying out political work under the HDP roof, not from today but for decades. The HDP is the house of democracy, freedom, peace and justice. - he said - Everyone agrees that AKP government has given nothing to people. The peoples of Turkey need the HDP”.

We’ll overcome the threshold

Öcalan underlined that the HDP won’t be left under the threshold and continued: “The 10 percent threshold has been designed to prevent Kurds from entering the Assembly. But everyone should know that HDP is not suffering from a threshold problem. There are heavy attempts to leave the HDP under the threshold. On 24 June however, Kurds will overcome all thresholds, they will put an end to the persecution”.

In Turkey, said Öcalan, the system has kept a position of confrontation towards Kurds, it didn’t want Kurds to claim their status. “For this reason, - he added - we all have to strive in the 21st century to get a status. If we don’t, we cannot achieve a status, the attacks will increase. The HDP will be the first party in Urfa and the votes will go to Demirtas”.

HDP is the place for the solution

Öcalan, drawing attention to the problems and solution methods in Turkey, said the only solution can come with the HDP.

He added: “There are Kurdish, Arab, Alevi, Ezidi, Syriac and Turkish questions in this country. We want to analyse these problems, they are very influential in the country's economy. The AKP government has opted for war and constantly spends on war. There is no need for combat vehicles. In this country there is a peoples’ problem. The HDP has a project for Turkey, and together with the HDP a bright future will come for Turkey”.

Talking about Urfa, Öcalan said: “The main problems of Urfa will be solved with the HDP. Urfa is a big city and has a population of two million. Due to the war, people are forced to migrate to Urfa. There is a problem of unemployment. Thousands of our compatriots have to go to different cities to find jobs and work during the summer. Urfa is a very rich territory in soil. But because of AKP's policies, the region has become very poor. This will change with the HDP and Urfa's problems will be solved”.

Referring to the election work in Urfa, Öcalan said: “Our election work is continuing with enthusiasm and our people meet us everywhere with drums and halay [dance]. This people has a demand, they only want to live in peace and tranquility. Everywhere we go we see great anger against the AKP. That's why we are welcomed wherever we go. We trust our people and we know we will succeed on 24 June. It's time to open a new page in this country. It’s time for the HDP”.

AKP is afraid of peace

Referring to the isolation regime imposed on the Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, HDP Urfa candidate Ömer Öcalan said: "The Kurdish people will hold the AKP accountable on 24 June. Imralı is the key to the peace and tranquility in Turkey. The state is well aware of this - said Öcalan - and it is for this reason that it is imposing such an isolation regime on President Apo”.

Öcalan reminded that “a peaceful environment and process was initiated by Leader Apo in 2013-2014. But the Turkish state saw the achievements made by Kurds, saw the great developments brought about by Kurds, saw that Kurds were getting a status and could not stand this. The state ended that process and harshened the conditions of Leader Apo”.

The HDP candidate also reminded that “the last visit Leader Apo received was that of his brother, Mehmet. He told Mehmet his vision for peace, but the AKP government is afraid of peace being achieved in this country. The Kurdish people will give the strongest answer also on their leader on 24 June”.