HDP urges demonstrations across Turkey to 'provoke' people
by Daily Sabah
ISTANBULAug 23, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
by Daily Sabah
Aug 23, 2016 12:00 am
The pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) called on people to flock to the streets to protest the Saturday suicide bombing at a wedding in Gaziantep which left at least 54 people dead and 94 wounded.
The HDP, which has been slammed for keeping silent over PKK attacks while condemning DAESH bombings, released a list of specific provinces on its official Twitter account where it urged people to take to the streets.
Turkish citizens have harshly criticized the release of the list by the HDP, saying the pro-PKK party is encouraging ethnic conflict. The Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella organization that encompasses terrorist organizations as well as political organizations including the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), the PKK, the PKK's Syrian-affiliate Democratic Union Party (PYD) and the PYD's armed wing the People's Protection Units (YPG), has issued a total of 140 calls for the Kurdish people to rise up in the wake of Saturday's suicide bombing. Turkish citizens have criticized the HDP for echoing the PKK calls for Kurdish people to attack Turkish state institutions. A dramatic call for Kurds to rise up was made on Oct. 6-7, 2014, when the HDP was accused of instigating riots which resulted in the deaths of over 50 people.
The HDP and their deputies are accused of having links to the PKK. The party has been long criticized for its close ties to the PKK terrorist organization. HDP co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş is under fire for his party's pro-PKK stance. Before the June 7 elections, Demirtaş initially claimed to be the co-chair of the only party in Turkey that could disarm the PKK but after the elections, changed tactics. HDP deputies have repeatedly been caught delivering aid to the PKK and rushing wounded terrorists to hospitals.
‘HDP trying to provoke people' Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Chairman Yasin Aktay contended that the HDP brought people from different provinces to Gaziantep to provoke Kurds. "Unfortunately, they tried to start a rally," he said, adding that the HDP acted very quickly to organize the people. He criticized the HDP's quick response to the incident.
Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Şahin stressed that people from other provinces were brought in to Gaziantep to create a chaotic environment. Stressing that she gave the necessary instructions to authorities to closely monitor people who were brought in, Şahin said that locals reported that they did not recognize the visitors who appeared at funeral ceremonies.
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