HDP co-chair says PKK not terrorist, ignores suicide bombings and other terror activities

Although the PKK terrorist organization, which is responsible for the deaths of more than 30 security officers and six civilians and the wounding of more than 80 civilians in the last 30 days in Turkey, is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the EU, pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ spoke to the German daily Deutsche Welle on Sunday and praised the PKK terrorist organization. She said the PKK is "a national liberation movement and also an organization that stands for democracy and equality." Her remarks came after the PKK commenced suicide bomb attacks and other terrorist activities across the country.

As recent public surveys reveal a significant drop in support for the HDP, HDP CO-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş has said there is a possibility the party would not break the 10-percent election threshold in the case of possible early elections. The increasing PKK terror activities and rising death toll as a result has also increased opinion against the HDP. Yüksekdağ's recent statement "that their policies are not terrorist policies," has further increased the tensions.

In the interview with Deutsche Welle, Yüksekdağ said: "The PKK is a national liberation movement and also an organization that stands for democracy and equality. We do not agree with the means they use to attain their goals, but we must recognize the fact that their policies are not terrorist policies." In contrast to Yüksekdağ, Demirtaş has urged the PKK to halt the violence. The contradicting statements by the two HDP co-chairs have led to some confusion. In this regard, Vahap Çoşkun, an associate professor at Dicle University in Diyarbakır, speaking to Daily Sabah claimed that the statements are not different from each other, as the entire HDP's stance is the same toward the PKK. Similarly to Çoşkun, Kurdish intellectual and author Vahdettin İnce said that the HDP already perceives the PKK as a "national liberation movement," and so "Yüksekdağ with her statements, has only stated the obvious perception of her party," İnce said to Daily Sabah. İnce continued: "Such a statement is unfortunate, but it is natural for them to say this." In addition to İnce's statements, Coşkun further said that although Demirtaş's call for peace is important, it had to be made earlier in a more assertive voice. He also added that the terror activities conducted by the PKK are harming the HDP and its political stance.