MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed (Diyarbakır)- The final hearing of the Kobanê Trial against 108 politicians, including former Co-Chairs of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, for the protests against ISIS attacks on Kobanê on 6-8 October 2014, was held on May 16, 2024. At the hearing, the court issued the release of Gültan Kışanak, Ayla Akat Ata, Ayşe Yağcı, Meryem Adıbeli and Sebahat Tuncel, former Co-chair of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP). Since being released, the five women politicians have attended activities and meetings with people in many cities.

‘The policy of violence and oppression has created a climate of fear in society’

“Many things have changed in eight years,” she said, adding that the state's policy of violence and oppression has created a climate of fear in society since 2015. “Since the 1990s, we have gained important experiences and principles in democratic politics. Due to detention and arrest operations, there is a decrease in women’s freedoms, the participation of young people in politics and the establishment of a participatory democratic system in democratic politics. This situation has weakened not only our country but also socialist and feminist movements.”

‘The pandemic and economic crisis have caused changes in society’

In addition to the operation, the economic crisis and the pandemic have also caused serious changes in society, Sebahat Tuncel stressed. “The state’s policy of violence and oppression affects the whole society. The ongoing economic crisis causes serious social problems; people are worried about how they can maintain their lives due to the economic crisis. The process that emerged from the lockdowns and restrictions due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has created a new form of relationship, a new form of economy. I observe that there is a state of desperation in society. The results of the parliamentary and presidential elections have caused pessimism. But the local elections on March 31 created a positive energy in society.”

‘Political parties should reweave social politics’

People do not accept the current situation in the country; however, they do not know what to do due to the policy of violence and oppression, Sebahat Tuncel added. “And difficult living conditions cause depression in society. I think that local authorities should develop an alternative local administration. The DEM Party (Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party), the DBP (Democratic Regions Party), the DTK (Democratic Society Congress) and the HDK (People’s Democratic Congress) should reweave social politics by fulfilling their missions and become socialized based on the radical democracy.”

 ‘More organized struggle is a must to demand the solution’

Speaking about the solution to the problems in society, Sebahat Tuncel said, “The solution of the AKP is the solution based on crisis, monism and nationalism. It sees our demand for a democratic solution as a threat and attacks us. Everyone should see that the current constitution is not a democratic constitution. This situation does not make the demands for a solution to the Kurdish question meaningless. There is still a demand for a solution and it is a very strong demand. The Kurdish question should be solved through negotiation and dialogue. The AKP tries to eliminate this demand by imposing an isolation in the prison island of Imrali. People must struggle more to realize their demands. We will build peace by struggling and organizing ourselves. The ‘Rights are not given but taken’ motto should be correctly understood.”