Two people were declared dead and many injured yesterday during the attacks of the military personnel against protestors who are protesting the construction of military outposts in Lice, Diyarbakir. We offer our condolences to the grieving families of Ramazan Baran and Baki Akdemir and to the Kurdish people. May their souls rest in peace.
This recent attack on civilians showcases that the AKP government sees the peace process as a chance to fortify the old and build new military outposts and construct new damps to be used for militaristic purposes. The government has once again shown that AKP cannot be trusted with a democratic solution and the establishment of peace and equality in Turkey. The government insists on overlooking the rightful, peaceful, determined and ongoing protests of the civilians against the constructing of military outposts. AKP imposes military conflict and submission upon the Kurdish people.
The attack on the protesting civilians cannot be justified as a part of the peace and democratization process. Prime Minister Erdogan has illustrated what his plans B and C are: to crack down the demands for freedom and democracy, stall the negotiations during the elections, and a commitment to offering the minimum at the very last minute.
It is not a coincidence that the latest attack in Lice took place right after the AKP convention that took place in Amed. The convention aimed to legitimize AKP’s political position on the issue rather than taking any steps for a democratic solution. The goal is to put the Kurdish people off with vague promises until the end of the Presidential elections.
AKP’s approach to this issue is exploiting the efforts of all those who struggle for a democratic and political resolution to the issue. PM Erdogan and his government, by denying all the political efforts for a solution, are making a historic mistake.
The politics of stalling that was put in place very similarly during the Alevi convention is being implemented on the Kurdish people this time. The government should remember that its politics of stalling and efforts to please everyone are not sustainable. The democratic and peaceful forces in Turkey will continue their political struggle against the government practices and refuse to bow down to imposition.
We demand that an immediate investigation be launched on both the civilian and military officials who ordered the attack on the civilians in Lice and that those responsible are taken off duty and brought to justice. We, once again, call upon the AKP government to put off its politics of stalling and take concrete steps.
Those who lost their lives in Lice will continue to live in our struggle and we will be protesting this attack all around Turkey. We call upon the democracy, labor and peace movements and peoples in Turkey to join the united struggle for democracy.
HDP Central Executive Committee
June 8, 2014