Democratic Regions Party (DBP) is holding its 6th Ordinary Congress at Nazım Hikmet Cultural Center. Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), Free Women's Movement (TJA), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Socialist Solidarity Platform(SODAP), Socialist Refoundation Party(SYKP), Workers Party of Turkey(TİP), Kurdistani Alliance participated in the congress with the slogan "Towards a Free Life with an Organized Society". Representatives of political parties, lawyers of Asrın Law Office, representatives of many non-governmental organizations have met at the congress hall. The congress started with the formation of the council and a moment of silence, and the messages sent by the imprisoned Kurdish politicians were read.

 

The messages of Leyla Güven, Gültan Kışanak, Sebahat Tuncel, Selahattin Demirtaş and İdris Baluken are as follows:

 

GÜVEN: LET'S SHAKE THE WORLD WITH WOMEN'S VOICES

 

Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Co-Chair Leyla Güven, who is imprisoned in Elazig Prison, said: “As political women prisoners from the Xerpêt dungeon, the land of the Saras and Mazlums, we greet you with respect and love. You are holding our congress in an extraordinary process that we are going through. In these days when all people are uncomfortable with the current state of affairs, and capitalist modernity surrounds the whole society like an octopus, the importance of being organized and being able to respond to the political demands of the people has increased more than ever. These values, created by our self-sacrificing people with their nail and tooth for years, have become the target of the AKP-MHP fascist mentality. Within the scope of the plan to anniliate the Kurds, planned at the 2014 National Security Council meeting, hundreds of Kurds were forced to displacement, arrested,killed.. However, despite all these  the Kurds did not kneel. As you all know, fascist and dictatorial regimes are afraid of the light and the human voice. For this reason, let's enlighten every area of ​​life with our ideas and actions and shake the whole world with women's voices

 

KIŞANAK: THE PEOPLE OVERCOME EVERY EVIL

 

Gültan Kışanak held in Kandıra Type F High Security Prison: “An organized people can overcome all kinds of evil and tyranny. Yes, we are going through very difficult times as a people; The oppressors want to cut all our veins of life, they want to make the Kurdish people give up their claim to freedom, whereas we know that giving up the claim to freedom is equivalent to death. We have learned this in our history. We can only protect our language, culture, existence and dignity by resisting and raising our demand for freedom. The way to do this is to unite and organize.

 

NATIONAL UNITY IS THE GUARANTEE OF OUR FREEDOM

 

National unity is social prudence, the guarantee of our existence, free future. Now is the time to mobilize for national unity, social alliance and honorable peace. Inside and outside, in the village, in the city, at the workplace, in the neighborhood, we will organize, we will come together and we will succeed. As political women prisoners, we will not bow to persecution. Our claim to build free tomorrows is stronger than ever. We trust our people, women and the values created by our struggle. We will succeed together. We know that all of our people, especially women, have been fighting a relentless struggle since ancient times. It is clear that this struggle will not bring a chance other than success. I wish success to all our people, their delegates and our friends in the Party Assembly to be elected.”

 

SİNCAN PRISON: THE WILL TO FIGHT WILL EMERGE

 

Former DBP Co-Chair Sebahat Tuncel and women politicians Zeynep Ölbeci, Zeynep Karaman, Sibel Akdeniz and Aynur Aşan, held in Sincan No. 3 Type L Prison: We believe that our people's struggle for equality, freedom, democracy and peace will lead to a more effective and powerful leadership role, an organization and renewal that will meet the needs of the period. Dear congress components; In 2015, we have faced with a systematic policy of state violence and persecution against the Kurdish people, their political movement, the democratic opposition, and the women's movement. The AKP-MHP-Ergenekon fascist bloc, which shapes both Turkey's domestic and foreign policy on Kurdish hostility and anti-Kurdishness; It has dragged Turkey into chaos and crisis, leaving the society breathless. It wants our peoples to pay for the economic and political crisis they created. It is a fact that there has been an intense reaction and objection of the people against this situation. We know that our congress will reveal the will of a decision and struggle by giving hope to our people in a way that will organize the objection of the people, women, youth and workers.

 

ÖCALAN'S VOICE WILL BRING PEACE

 

Dear friends, the reason for the problems we are experiencing, the main reason why Turkey has come to this situation, is the state's continued policy of denial, destruction and assimilation in the Kurdish question. In fact, those who ended the dialogue and negotiation and put into effect the collapse plan, isolation and isolation policies, brought their own end. For the democratic, peaceful and libertarian solution of the Kurdish question, the absolute isolation must end and Öcalan must be free.

 

Dear Congress delegates, our dear people, we believe that we have left behind a difficult time. The stance and resistance of our people against the force and cruelty policy of the state brought the fascist bloc to the end of the road. If we carry out the struggle for democracy, freedom, peace and justice in a more organized manner and strengthen the solidarity and democracy front, our people will win. For this reason, it is important for the DBP to play an active role in the policy of strengthening both the Kurdish national unity and the democratic unity with the peoples of Turkey. We know that it is possible to get out of this mass and build a future that our people long for, and we believe that our congress will reveal an important decision in this respect.

 

TOGETHER WE WILL SUCCESS

 

Conditions are more favorable than ever to build a new life and make new beginnings. The fact that our congress coincides with March 8 and before Newroz will be an important start for this new beginning to become stronger, to decide, and to rekindle hope. The enthusiasm, motivation, spirit of struggle and determination of resistance in our congress will also be reflected in the streets on March 8 and Newroz. We are already celebrating March 8, International Women's Day, March 21, the people's freedom day, we wish success to our congress, and wish success to our elected co-chairs and PM members. We would like to express our gratitude to all our friends and comrades who have contributed to our party so far. Together we will succeed. Best regards and love.”

 

DEMİRTAŞ: THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCESS IS DETERMINATION

 

Selahattin Demirtaş, former Co-Chairperson of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) held in Edirne Type F Prison: “Dear council, esteemed participants, our precious people who gave strength to their party, the passengers of the long freedom march, one of the building blocks of a very difficult and honorable struggle. I respectfully greet the 6th Ordinary Congress of the Democratic Regions Party, today's most important party the tradition of our history, I wish you all success. We are in very difficult times in every respect. The only way we can successfully pass through these difficult days with our heads held high is to be determined in our struggle and not to take a step back. I sincerely believe that the Democratic Regions Party, which has done this successfully so far, will be more successful with this congress, I greet everyone in the hall once again, together with my cellmate Selçuk Mızraklı, and wish to meet in free days.”

 

BALUKEN: THOSE WHO RESIST WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD

 

Idris Baluken, a member of the İmralı Delegation, who is imprisoned in the Sincan Type F High Security Prison, said: “We are going through a very sensitive period in terms of the region and  at a global level and people are trying to be oppressed. In this period when war policies are not avoided, we follow the congress of our party, which is the voice of peace and democracy, with great excitement and enthusiasm. The fact that we are not physically present at the congress does not mean that we are separated intellectually and emotionally.We ask you not to forget for a single moment that the free minds and faithful hearts within the four walls are with the congress components.

 

We feel the warmth of thousands of hearts that fill the congress hall, which we know are committed to democracy, peace, freedom, justice, the fraternity of peoples and the values of struggle of all the oppressed on earth, even in the smallest particle of our soul and body, with great honor. It should be known that throughout history, those who resist oppression have the last word. We are celebrating our congress with the belief that you will have the last word of those who resist. I wish you all success. Hope to meet you in free tomorrows…”

 

The congress continues with a cine-vision show.