After losing almost 1 million votes in the Nov. 1 elections, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has continued the abusive policies it started in the June elections, disregarding those who did not vote for the party in southeastern provinces.

Residents in the Hani district of Gürbüz neighborhood in southeastern Diyarbakır province said the municipality, which is governed by the HDP's regional affiliate Democratic Regions Party (DBP), has cut off water and not collected garbage since the recent elections. "Everywhere is covered in garbage. They have this attitude because they failed to get what they want in the elections," one tradesman in the neighborhood said, adding that the municipality has deprived people of routine services. Another resident said despite him petitioning five times for the municipality to collect animal manure and garbage from in front of his home, he could not receive any concrete result.

"When we demanded the removal of manure, officials from the municipality say: 'Those who you voted for shall remove them.' What have we done to be denied services? They are doing this because we did not vote for the HDP," he said.

The HDP received 7,266 votes, 56.37 percent, in the Hani district in the Nov. 1 elections, down more than 2,000 votes comparing to the June 7 elections.

HDP affiliate party stands out against criticism on self-rule and ditches

The DBP has stood out against criticism and advocated self-rule efforts that have been on the political agenda for months and the terror activities of the PKK's youth wing, the Patriotic Revolutionist Youth Movement (YDG-H), which include the digging of ditches and blocking roads in several districts of southeastern provinces. Speaking to the press in Diyarbakır on Tuesday, DBP Co-Chair Kamuran Yüksek said they do not accept the criticism that has been made by several intellectuals and even by some HDP deputies. He also made a call for resistance against security officials, saying: "Our people must resist, they must struggle and should not surrender." Mayors of several eastern provinces, including Van, Şırnak, Mardin, Batman, Hakkari, Muş and Diyarbakır, allegedly claimed self-rule in August. While numerous co-mayors, who have been charged with making self-autonomy claims were either detained or arrested. Both HDP members and their fellow members from the DBP have made poignant remarks on the issue as well.