Following the appointment of trustees to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van municipalities, a fifteen-person Central Coordination has been formed that will operate on a permanent basis at headquarters and consists of the co-general chairs, assistant co-general chars, commission spokespersons and Central Executive Council members. Coordination has planned a whole host of actions and events up until 1 September in opposition to the appointing of trustees. The HDP will make new planning from 1 September onwards.
Coordination has come up with specific plans until 1 September. Through the proposed actions and events under these plans, retraction of the trustee decision will be sought with it stressed that this decision does not target the HDP alone and is at the same time an attack on the popular will in Turkey. By this means, Coordination is thus conducting initiatives aimed at adopting proposals envisaging the staging of democratic reactions for the retraction of the trustee decision not just in the provinces of the region, but in western provinces, too.
The HDP has resolved on continuous action until the trustee decision is retracted. Coordination is making plans in this regard focused on acts of civil disobedience that will ensure participation by the wide masses, have the potential for mass participation and will be continuous. This planning will also apply on a local level. Local initiatives will be formed to conduct such tasks on this basis.
Coordination has planned petitions and watch actions of a continuous nature. Coordination’s planning includes a watch action that will be started and continue unbroken in Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van provinces or just one of these provinces.
The HDP had already planned its 1 September World Peace Day rallies before the trustee decision. The HDP’s 1 September rallies will be held in the four large cities of Diyarbakır, Van, İstanbul and İzmir. Actions are currently envisaged to herald its calls for peace in all places. The most important issue surrounding the 1 September rallies will be the appointed trustees and the demand for a retraction of the trustee decision.
The HDP has started preparations for the 1 September rallies. Mass participation is expected at the 1 September Istanbul rally convoked by the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions, Confederation of Progressive Trade Union, Turkish Medical Association and Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects in the shape of what is called the “Istanbul Alliance” that emerged above all in the 23 June elections and including the CHP.
As to the 1 September Diyarbakır rally, the HDP will stage it jointly with Kurdish parties. Demands in opposition to the appointing of trustees will be voiced.
The HDP had conceived a programme of meetings with political parties, civil society organizations and labour and professional chambers covering three main topics with the headings “Democratic Constitution”, “Democratic Alliance” and “Road Cleanliness”. Coordination will conduct these visits having updated the programme to take stock of the appointing of trustees and adding trustees to the three main topics. Having moved the meetings forward, the HDP will start the first visits on 26 August with political parties.
Additionally, legal proceedings will be embarked on over the ousted co-mayors. Central Coordination has planned an initiative targeting mass applications by voters to legal recourse over the stripping of electoral rights within this process. (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Bülent Falakaoğlu
Hakkı Özdal
