In the municipal elections in Turkey, the prokurdische HDP in Anatolia a good chance. However, the AKP government replaced unpleasant mayor simply by special administrator. From Diyarbakır Felat Bozarslan.
“Our supporters are being threatened, their children are insulted and harassed, even with violence – the whole spectrum of harassment.” Sezai Temelli is angry. He is Co-Chairman of the prokurdischen party HDP. The events will be in front of the Turkish local elections on October 31. March massively hindered, he laments: “policeman of the films, the people who want to come to us on the courts and maintain their names on secret lists. Under this pressure, the violence and the interference, we compete in the elections.”
Quite different is the large rallies of the ruling AKP: you are magnificent events with huge stages and sound systems, in the case of the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan personally present. The AKP also gets a multiple of broadcasting time in Radio and television – the HDP is hardly given airtime. Even funded party advertising, criticized Sezai Temelli , not called up the station.
The mood in the South-East of Anatolia reflects this mismatch. We are in Diyarbakir, the second largest city in the Region, mainly Kurds live. Here, many people expect the elections this coming weekend, with tension and worry. And despite the many flags and posters no choice in the fighting mood seems to pay. The residents with whom we speak, ask us, no sound and film recordings of them. At the same time, all in the city are convinced that the HDP will be successful, because: “Diyarbakır is always a HDP-high-castle.” In the municipal elections of 2014, the HDP had won in most municipalities in the Region, the majority.
On Sunday in Turkish local authorities – here in Diyarbakır, many people choice are tired
Nihat Kuş, a retailer from the province of Sur, it is, nevertheless, no matter how the local elections turn out. He only wishes that they are finally over, because depending on the outcome, would set the people on how they earn their living. “Our concern is whether and how we can bring the evening to a loaf of bread to take home. No politician seems to be aware of that.”
Terror charge against mayor
Especially here in Southeast Anatolia, with its predominantly Kurdish population decides, whether the influence of Ankara will continue at the local level. Here, many cities and municipalities are no longer masters of the democratically elected citizens and Community leaders, led the Turkish government has replaced most of the special administrator with ACP-party book because it accuses the incumbents alleged support of the banned Kurdish workers ‘ party PKK. 60 mayor investigation proceedings are pending, and 40 of them are still in detention – almost all of the members of the HDP. Of the 110 municipalities. 97 under special administration.
Diyarbakır is one of them. The democratically elected mayor Gültan Kışanak is behind bars, since she was sentenced to 14 years in prison. In their place, the ACP-man, Cumali Atilla-managed for over two years, the city.
And President Erdoğan saves in the election campaign, with threats of: “you Should go to the support for terrorists, we will make use of special administrator,” he says repeatedly like a mantra at events in the Region.
Vote to advertise for the local elections – Kurdish-speaking electoral poster of the HDP in Diyarbakır
The message is clear: If the HDP brought here again, success comes as 2014, and the ACP an electoral defeat, then Ankara is again a special administrator. No wonder that the public shows little enthusiasm for the elections.
“No democratic solution”
Ayşe Çelik works for minimum wage at a Restaurant in Diyarbakır. Election promise gives it to no longer Believe in them, therefore they will not vote. “A special administrator, that is wrong, and totally undemocratic,” scolds Ayşe. “The voters will decide. The government wants to enforce their own interests, therefore, they denied the legitimate representatives of the people have the Power.”
Mehmet Tufan flower seller. The 38-Year-old is not a friend of the special administrator, but with your work, he is nevertheless very satisfied. In which party he will be cross, not he reveals. He believes, however, that the HDP is once again victorious from the local elections: “to build roads and to plant flowers, such as the ACP, the power is not a solution for the problems of the population. The government should deal with unemployment.”
Whatever the political stance of our conversation is a partner in Diyarbakır – each of them is eager to see whether Ankara is ready to use after the local elections of the special administrator.