Response to Erdogan: You are the one who will leave the country

Representatives of various peoples and faiths under the umbrella of the HDP responded to Erdogan’s racist comments and said, “You are the one who will leave this country.”

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul Chapter Peoples and Faiths Commission held a press conference on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s racist comments, “If you want it so much, there is a Kurdistan in Northern Iraq. Go off there.”

Representatives from various peoples and faiths attended the press conference held in Taxim Hill Hotel in response to the remarks of the Turkish President.

“NOBODY CAN DARE”

HDP Deputy Co-chair for Media Azad Baris said as Yazidis, their homes and graves are “on these lands” and that nobody can dare tear out their roots from the earth. Baris responded to Erdogan and said: “The words Erdogan said are an attempt to set fire to the sycamore trees that have their roots here. Yazidis have a saying, ‘fire gives life’. Fire is not to be used to burn down forests. The peoples won’t let you burn down our forests. We as Yazidis have this to say to you: If you want, let’s count how many graves we each have on these lands. You would lose. You will know your place. If anybody will leave these lands it will be you.”

“IT IS YOU WHO WILL GO AWAY”

Baris said: “This is a hate crime. Erdogan is committing a hate crime.” He added that a criminal complaint will be filed.

Baris continued: “We will do whatever we can to resist. We are the people, you are the tyrant. You will go away. We won’t.”

Representative from the Syriac community Edip Arslan said 95% of the Syriac population has been forced to flee the country. Arslan said: “When I started school, we were more than 50.000 Syriacs in Mardin. In Hakkari there were some 30.000 more. Now in these areas there are a maximum of 3.000 Syriacs, if that. They say there are 15.000 Syriacs in Istanbul, but most of them have assimilated.”

“WE WILL RESIST, WE WON’T ABANDON OUR LANDS”

Democratic Alevi Association (DAD) Member Huseyin Ozcan said: “If there must be one to go away, it is Erdogan.” DAD Member Nergiz Guzel said, “Nobody has the right to kick us out. We will resist, and we won’t abandon our lands.”

Aylin Hacaloglu from the Laz community said: “Erdogan is not an authority in this matter. Peoples are the ones to decide. The President should use language inclusive of all peoples. He should not undermine the communication between peoples.”

“INSULTING THE KURDS”

Eastern and South Eastern Associations Federation (DGD) President Abdulhekim Das responded to Erdogan’s comments, “We brought them civilization through the trustees”, and said: “The Kurdish language is a language of civilization. We had ‘civilization’ before them. Erdogan insults Kurds with his words.”