Kurdish Deputies Postpone Campaign in Northern Turkey
Peace and Democracy Party deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder announced this evening that Kurdish deputies postponed their campaign in Northern Turkey to promote dialogue and peace in the Imrali process to an indefinite time.
"We have come to this decision after discussing with other local campaign officials in Trabzon, Ordu and Giresun provinces," Önder told CNNTurk.
Reminding the angry mob case on Monday where dozens of protestors winded up Kurdish deputies in Sinop province, Önder said they faced a similar situation in Samsun province.
"We have observed youngsters wearing white caps, which reminded us of Hrant Dink's murderer Ogün Samast. It is scary. These kids should reconsider the consequences of their actions."
Late Tuesday night, representatives of Democratic Congress of Peoples, a deputy delegation from various Kurdish parties in Turkey, arrived in Samsun province to resume their Dialogue for Resolution, Equality for Peace campaign to promote the ongoing peacemaking process between PKK and Turkish state.
In early morning, angry mobs appeared in Samsun province streets, sieging left-wing political party buildings including Communist Party of Turkey and Green Party.
At noon, furious protestors started shouting and casting stones at the buildings.
"I can't talk to you right now. We are under a serious threat," Serhat Kaya, a local representative of Halkevleri organization, told bianet via phone.
Makbule Efe, a local journalist, told bianet that angry mobs gained strength every hour and reached 1,000 people by late afternoon.
While the police initially vowed to calm angry mobs with a relatively less volatile manner, dozens of heavily armored police forces intervened the crowd by 4:30 pm with gas bombs, causing angry mobs to flee in panic.
At 5 pm, police evacuated left-wing party buildings included Halkevleri, Revolutionary '78 Group, Green Party and Communist Party of Turkey.
Following the incident, Turkey's main labor and human rights organizations condemned the angry mobs in Samsun and Sinop provinces, comparing it with 1993 Sivas Massacre where angry mob set fire at hotel building leaving dozens of Alevi people dead.
"Police forces were unable to suppress lynch attempts by angry protestors in an effective manner. The police inaction almost made us watch another Sivas Massacre. Although we also observed how brutal police can act on peaceful demonstrations," Human Rights Association of Turkey said in a statement. (BM/EKN/EA/AS)