BDP Responses to Government’s Imrali Remarks

“Those who set off to Imrali Island to meet Öcalan are not the type of people who would damage the process but who are realists and willing to contribute to the peace process,” Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Group Interim Chairperson Pervin Buldan told bianet. 

In an interview published on today’s Milliyet newspaper, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said that “those who damage the process” would be barred from Imrali Island [visits]. The extended interview included Justice Ministry’s criteria on candidates to be eligible to meet Öcalan to continue the process. 

“I was always one of the people who took part in the Imrali Island delegation. The government is attempting to form a domination on Imrali Island visitors,” Buldan told bianet. 

“They always intervened our delegations. Our co-chairs were always off-listed due to several reasons. Some of these reasons were meeting [PKK] guerrillas in Şemdinli district as well as press conference remarks. 

“But such fact must not be forgotten. Our colleagues have always expressed the truths. 

“None of our colleagues made a statement damaging the process. Their statements were always aiming to inform public as well as to contribute to the process.”

“Maybe we will overcome in the future…”

Reminding their meeting with Justice Ministry officials, Buldan urged the authorities not to intervene on Imrali delegations.

“We think that our co-chairs must exist in the delegations and these visits must have an official status. However, they have vetoed Ahmet Türk, Selahattin Demirtaş and Sırrı Süreyya Önder for various reasons.”

Buldan said it was hard to predict what will happen next.

“I don’t think the government’s attitude is right on the matter. At the end of the day, the delegation is formed by BDP member, so they must have a say on it.

“I would like to express that such oppression is not appropriate for the government.

“Maybe we will overcome these matter in the future, but we currently think that this method is not right and the government must stop this attitude immediately.” (YY/BM)

* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.