‘Democracy is being poisoned by HDP threat'


Deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan, who regularly holds talks with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on the Kurdish question, said on Tuesday during a TV program that the HDP has "poisoned democracy." In efforts to pass the election threshold in the June 7 elections, the HDP has received support not only from the PKK, but also extreme leftist terror groups like the Revolutionary Peoples Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) and the Turkish Peoples Liberation Party-Front (THKP-C).While the PKK has threatened local people in predominantly Kurdish populated provinces forcing them to cast their vote for the HDP, the DHKP-C, which recently murdered a prosecutor at an Istanbul courthouse, openly submitted its support for the HDP, which the party welcomed, thanking it for its support. Akdoğan said: "The real threat is a structure that appreciates the DHKP-C and praises the PKK gaining strength in politics."Underlining that the PKK is aiming to bring chaos throughout the country, Akdoğan claimed on Tuesday that the PKK aims to declare autonomy and a canton region through the use of chaos. He further added that the HDP, PKK headquarters in the Qandil Mountains in Iraq and PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan imprisoned on İmralı Island all have a variety of methods. Stressing that neither those in the Qandil Mountains nor HDP members will be able to menace Öcalan, Akdoğan said they are still trying to manipulate him by claiming that he is unable to say whatever he wants as he is imprisoned.As the government maintains its devoted efforts to push the reconciliation process forward with strong displays of determination to bring peace and to resolve the Kurdish question, Akdoğan also emphasized that "those powers in favor of tutelage are aiming to halt the reconciliation process and are using HDP as a tool."The HDP had earlier met with the PKK in armed celebration in early April in what was perceived as a disbelief in democracy due to the HDP's support in the upcoming elections under the shadow of weapons. In this regard, Akdoğan has often reiterated that the HDP must make the call for disarmament to prevent any doubts of the party's possible votes. In a statements on Sunday, Akdoğan said: "The HDP was forced into participating in the elections by those who are hoping to obtain something out of it, which is mainly toppling the ruling Justice and Development Party [AK Party]."Though the Gülen Movement-affiliated media continues propaganda for opposition parties, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu continues to emphasize that the AK Party is not only facing political parties, but also the "parallel structure," referring to the Gülen Movement. He also said that the HDP has deliberately taken the reconciliation process off the rails, and added: "They [HDP] have sabotaged disarmament calls made by Abdullah Öcalan and also the process."While ignoring Öcalan's call to disarm, the PKK is reportedly sending letters to homes in predominantly Kurdish populated regions in southeastern Turkey threatening people to cast their vote for the HDP, which regularly sends delegations to meet senior PKK members in northern Iraq.