Ahmet Türk, the co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), has interpreted the loss in votes that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has faced in the local elections on Sunday as follows:

“Our people, who are living in hope of a solution to the Kurdish question, have been disappointed and have taken their votes back.”

He added, “Our people have taught the AKP government a lesson, after it has developed a policy of marginalising anyone who is not part of it.”

“As far as the Kurdish question is concerned, policies of destruction or denial have failed. A new opportunity for a peaceful, democratic solution has arisen.”

AKP raised hope and then disappointed 

Speaking at a press conference yesterday (30 March), Türk also said:

“Following the (general) elections on 22 July 2007, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used his initiative and said that we were on the threshold of a new process. In the general elections, the Kurdish people had hoped for a solution of the Kurdish question and had supported the DTP and the AKP.”

“Speaking after the elections, Erdoğan said that these votes had been entrusted to him. But our people, who have really been hoping for a solution, have been disappointed and have taken back the votes they entrusted to him.”

Policy of charity has failed

Referring to the aid in the form of coal and white goods that the AKP handed out before the elections, he added that this “policy of charity” had failed.

The DTP won the mayoral positions in the metropolitan city of Diyarbakır, seven province capitals (Van, Batman, Siirt, Iğdır, Hakkari, Şırnak, Tunceli) and 51 district towns. (BÇ/AG)