Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-presidency released a statement regarding the AKP regime’s usurpation of municipalities won by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

The statement stressed that the AKP and its fascist chef Erdoğan do not want to give up on power as was the case in June 7 elections in 2015, adding; “They consider the elections to be the sole means for the legitimatization of their fascist dictatorship. They do not recognize the elections that brought the legitimacy of their government into question and even toppled their rule. This is the attitude manifested by the AKP-MHP alliance after the March 31 local elections and this attitude is seen most concretely in Istanbul and Kurdistan region. The whole world sees their tricks and efforts to usurp the municipality in Istanbul.

On the other hand, the acts of usurpation of municipalities are being carried out overtly in Kurdistan. The Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) is being used as a tool in this usurpation process. It became clear that YSK serves as one of the basic tools of the genocide carried out against the Kurdish people in Kurdistan. YSK became an accomplice to the usurpation of municipalities through operations conducted in some cities and towns in Kurdistan region. The elections have only been used as a cover for this usurpation, the most explicit examples of which have taken place in Şırnak, Muş, Malazgirt and Urfa’s Halfeti district. The YSK, the accomplice of usurpation, has not given mandates to some co-mayor elects on the grounds that they had been dismissed through Statutory Decrees (KHK). Clearly, these municipalities have been usurped and given to the AKP, proving the YSK to be a special war actor in the genocidal war carried out in Kurdistan.”

Noting that pro-AKP trustees have been appointed to the municipalities in Amed’s Bağlar district, Van’s Edremit, Tuşba and Çaldıran districts, Erzurum’s Tekman district and Kars’ Dağpınar district, the KCK statement continued; “YSK has become the assignment institution of the fascist dictatorship. This is a coup of political genocide. The Kurdish people, who are the target of these attacks, should oppose this open attack and coup. The appointed party trustees have no legitimacy. On this basis, the Kurdish people and democratic forces should reclaim the municipalities that belong to the people and show the whole world that they do not accept this occupation and usurpation.”

KCK said that the Turkish regime first approving the mayoral candidates then usurping their posts is a political conspiracy that has no basis in the international law and even in the laws of Turkey.

“In this regard, the Kurdish people have the right to fight against these usurpation acts. It is a universal legitimate right to resist this usurpation campaign. The Kurdish people already see the explicit, ugly and reckless attack against their will. For this reason, this conspiracy, coup and usurpation must definitively be resisted.

The fascist dictatorship seeks to habituate the Kurdish people to such usurpation acts. The Kurdish people who have been fighting for freedom and democracy for dozens of years, should show that they will not get used to this attack aiming to break their will by reclaiming their municipalities. Such an attitude by the Kurdish people will receive the support of Turkey’s democratic forces and the peoples of the world. The people of the usurped municipalities and the entire Kurdish people should enhance their struggle to defend local democracy and free life against these usurpation acts.

Not only the Kurdistan people, but also the peoples of Turkey see the AKP-MHP fascist government usurping the will of the people and manifest an attitude against this fascist ruling. The Kurdish people should turn this struggle into a part of the fight to democratize Turkey together with all the peoples and societal circles that have suffered from the AKP-MHP fascist government.”