ANKARA - Selahattin Demirtaş, who started his defense in the Kobanê Case and completed it in Kurdish, said: "We will meet in free days. Long live the struggle for freedom." Demirtaş also listed 7 suggestions for the solution of the Kurdish issue.

 

Selahattin Demirtaş, former Co-Chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who is on trial in detention in the Kobanê Case, completed his defense on the merits today. Continuing his defense after the break, Demirtaş responded to various allegations against him. Saying that a speech he made in 2013 was turned into a report three years later, Demirtaş said: "Does the prosecutor know about the incident of Sheikh Sait, who was unjustly executed in 1925, that prosecutor claims that I praised the crime and the criminal by commemorating Sheikh Sait? Prosecutor does not know. It was claimed that the region was left behind due to 'terrorism'. And I say, 'It's a lie, there was neither PKK nor Leader Apo in 1927. Even at that time, the region was left behind.' The prosecutor also wrote the word ‘Kurd’ lowercase in the indictment. One does some research. I don't even need to respond to this indictment."

 

'THEY CALL EVERY KURDISH ANTHEM AS PKK ANTHEM'

 

Stating that another speech he made in Mersin Akdeniz was also subject to accusation, Demirtaş said that all of his words were within the scope of freedom of thought and expression. Stating that the accusations made regarding the photographs taken in Kandil were also repeated, Demirtaş said: “This prosecutor, who was attracted by the incredible temptation of filing a lawsuit against Demirtaş, did this and turned it into a case. It was reflected in the media; Naturally, the İmralı Delegation met with Kandil. At that time, everyone considered it normal, today it is presented as a propaganda crime. What matters is the perception of politics; This is not the truth. The indictment was prepared for this reason."

 

Stating that even the speech he made at the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) congress was made a subject of accusation, Demirtaş continued as follows: “We will not explain our party policies at our own congress, but what will we say? Even this has been made a subject of accusation. Why did I say Öcalan, why did I say peace? A lawsuit has been filed for this speech. A lawsuit was filed against me because of what happened at the congress. They call every Kurdish anthem as a PKK anthem. If there is no PKK anthem, why should our party play it at their congress? Wherever they see Hernepêş (Go Forward), they code it as the PKK anthem. In my statement to a newspaper in Germany, I said, 'We do not accept PKK as a terrorist organization.' They made this a subject of accusation. There is no before and after, they just took my word for it.

 

YOU CANNOT MAKE THIS A SUBJECT OF JUDGMENT

 

Even in this state, it is not a matter of accusation, it is our opinion. You can criticize this, but you cannot make it a subject of trial; this should be evaluated within the scope of political freedom. In another speech, I said, 'Do not recognize the trustee, do not greet the trustee, you do not have to obey trustee’s orders. Do not recognize the trustee who came after a coup, and if you believe in democracy, do not attend meetings with the trustee in any way,' and it became the subject of accusation. I see understanding as a debt to history and the people.

 

Rally speeches are not cool-blooded speeches, pain is experienced and you give them with anger and emotion. No matter what, a politician is a person who has the power of attorney for millions of people, and a politician should not succumb to anger. I have speeches like this too, speeches that go beyond their purpose. I'm sorry if anyone was offended by this. If there is criticism on this issue, I will respect it."

 

'MODERNITY CONTAINS VIOLENCE'

 

Demirtaş, quoting many thinkers, said that politics should be free from violence. Referring to Turkish-Kurdish relations, Demirtaş said: “Modernity contains violence. Politics is authoritarian from top to bottom. There is violence in this politics. In order for politics to be free from violence, it must be democratized. What is the trauma that leads to violence in Turkish and Kurdish relations? I've been telling this for days. Violence turns into a mutual trauma. The politician who condemns the violence and sits down without resolving this trauma is a hypocrite and a political fraudster. You don't resolve this trauma, you condemn it and sit back. We all witnessed it, the MPs who condemned the violence in the Parliament, two minutes later backstage, laughing hysterically with the MP they criticized. Our people are dying, the responsibility of eliminating this lies with the politician. This is the situation until this violence disappears.

 

What is our fault? What we do to eliminate this violence and trauma is described as terrorism. The quotes I made from Fanon and Foucault (Michel Foucault) are important in this respect. If you consider the speeches I made; You will see that it contains suggestions for healing this trauma. Our primary duty is explaining it in a calm, patient way.

 

RADICAL DEMOCRACY MUST BE OUR PRINCIPLE

 

Politics must democratize themself. While perhaps we should be the best in this regard, we also have shortcomings. The point is this; If political parties, while doing politics on behalf of the people, miss the noble cause for which they do politics and position themselves as imperious from above, democracy ends there. Think about it, before the election, we are ordinary people, we make the choice, but as soon as we are elected, we cease to be the people. Yesterday we were the people, today we are the rulers of the people. An idea like this is developing, ‘Since I was chosen, I am different from him, I am superior to him.’ What is our suggestion? It is very difficult to heal these traumas when direct democracy is not established among the people in parties. Radical democracy must be our indispensable principle. All political parties should see this as the most serious issue. Today, everyone, including socialists and communists, has a banking application in their pocket. Political parties can make this their practice for democracy. By implementing such a practice, they can ask all the decisions to the members. Party members should be able to directly enter and watch the caucus. If there will be a big rally; Ask the public and you will get the result in two hours. Why aren't the public asked? Because they see politics only as their own business. Politics is now a matter of expertise. According to them, the public does not know. What the public doesn't know is that there is no politics, there is a blurry area, illegitimate things happen. Democratization of politics is important in solving the Kurdish issue and eliminating mistakes. We have to implement full democracy everywhere, this is not a blessing for us. The authority belongs to the people, if we are killing democracy, there is a issue. On social media etc. If there is a moral collapse, such party and Non-government organizations practices can be alternative social media channels.

 

THE STATE SHOULD TAKE THE FIRST STEP

 

The weapons must be silenced and disabled. Here, it is the state that has the power to take the first step. After the state takes this step, the responsibility of politicians is to continue this with self-confidence. This is what we have done and it has been made the subject of accusation. What is important here is democratization and what needs to be done is education. The first step is possible with morality and virtue. One can be virtuous knowingly.

 

FREE THOUGHT IS IMPORTANT TO SOLVE ISSUES

 

Free thought is important for solving issues. How much the brain can think free of limitations is also debatable. But at least you can be aware of it. How many walls do we hit even while thinking? Being able to think freely and being a free person is very important. Educational curriculum is also very important in solving the Kurdish issue. Since no issue can be solved with this education curriculum, the Kurdish issue cannot be solved either.

 

No issue can be solved without political morality. We now have a universal definition of virtue. These definitions may vary from country to country and person to person. This creates conflict. That's why we must create a universal state of virtue and goodness. There is no goodness without action and discourse. Within the scope of this case, our actions and words are only a letter written for today and the future. What we say may not be heard in today's state of madness."

 

Drawing attention to the attention that virtual media phenomena receive, Demirtaş said: "Some social media phenomena who openly mock people's minds, show off with their stolen wealth, and do not read a single book have around 10 million followers. This is not a measure, but we need to question the politics that does not question this. What How can they become an opinion leaders, but people who devoted their lives to the struggle for peace and democracy cannot become opinion leaders?"

 

'WE DEFENDED THE GREAT HUMANITY'

 

Demirtaş said: "The fact that children are dragged into prostitution and drugs in many of our cities, which were once cities of resistance and honour, is not the responsibility of the people, but of the politicians who have buried their heads in the sand. Our identity and national rights alone do not make us human, of course we will defend our identity and national rights, but also the responsibility of moral and virtuous people. We have to live. On the contrary, when the day comes, it will turn to ashes in the garish culture of capitalism. This case is also an attack on human values. That's why we defended humanity as a whole. I hope the letters we sent from these small cells reach our children. We hope that our Kurdish-Turkish children can live together in peace. We have been here for a century. We could not achieve this."

 

SOLUTION OFFERS

 

Demirtaş also listed 7 suggestions for the solution of the Kurdish issue:

 

1- An end to the armed struggle should be ensured by negotiating with the interlocutors. Fast, effective and permanent results should be obtained by making legal regulations on this issue.

 

2- All legal and administrative obstacles to democratic politics should be removed; Demonstrations, strikes, marches, rallies, freedom of association and freedom of expression should be harmonized with universal standards.

 

3- The final solution to the Kurdish issue is the Turkish Grand National Assembly. In this respect, all political parties are parties to the solution. The main goal should be the solution of not only the Kurdish issue but all social issues with a new, libertarian, civilian constitution.

 

4- Acceptance of Kurds as a people, free use of their native language in all social areas; preserve and develop its history and culture; organization with its own identity; Constitutional guarantee of the recognition of the right to self-government.

 

5- Investigating the pains experienced in the past and the crimes committed and ensuring that the truth is confronted.

 

6- Abandoning official ideology and official history imposition and reorganizing the state with scientific, objective history and democratic republic model. Transition to critical pedagogical, scientific education.

 

7- Dropping criminal cases arising as a result of the Kurdish issue. Abolition of Anti-terror law (TMK), release of all political prisoners.

 

Demirtaş noted the following: "The imposition of official history should be abandoned. Critical and pedagogical education should be started with the Democratic Republic perspective. The cases arising as a result of the Kurdish issue should be dropped and all political prisoners should be released. These issues I mentioned are being discussed outside and will be discussed. If all these are given the opportunity to be discussed, every issue in Turkey, the Kurdish issue, can be solved through political and peaceful methods. I hope this case will lead to this. The Kurdish issue's solution will give relief to the whole of Turkey."

 

What is lost from the pockets and tables of 84 million people will be spent on investment and development, not on war, blood and tears. By taking the Kurds on its side, the Republic of Turkey will strengthen its regional peace mission. All Kurds, especially the millions of Kurds living in Syria, Iraq and Iran, will ensure the strengthening of Turkey's democracy and economy. Most importantly, there will be no deaths in Turkey, and the funerals of young people will not break the hearts of mothers and fathers. Partisanship and polarization will be off the agenda, and living together in a more peaceful Turkey will turn into an honorable and virtuous life for everyone.

 

WE GIVE UP OUR LIVES FOR PEACE

 

Our call is primarily to our Turkish brothers: to Edirne, Izmir, Samsun, Adana, Kırşehir and most of all, Ankara. We Kurds support living together in 81 provinces. We only want political assurance through respect for our own language, culture and political will. These are our most natural, most fundamental and most human rights as a people. If the Turkish people see themselves as brothers, they should defend the rights of the Kurds more strongly and willingly than we do. We must now solve our issues of identity, faith, sect, and fight together against poverty and unemployment. The real class struggle is the struggle for labor and bread. So far, we have tried to carry out both struggles intertwined, but if national identity and faith-based issues are solved, the class struggle can be carried out more strongly.

 

For this reason, we call on Turkey's left socialist forces: We hope that they will contribute to a peaceful solution to the Kurdish issue. Our party, DEM Party, should also be self-confident and initiative in ensuring peace. They must use their competence and will to the fullest for a peaceful solution. We, the Kurds, have been searching for a solution for 150 years and paying a heavy price for it. This case was one of them. As we come to the end of this case, I would like to say this once again with all my heart. Let the price we pay lead to peace, we will even give up our lives. I hope everyone will learn the right lessons from all this. They return to the negotiation and the table. We will achieve the peace we promised to our people.

 

LONG LIVE THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE

 

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who showed their selfless and heartfelt solidarity with us during this case. All political prisoners in prisons really showed great solidarity with us.

 

First of all, to all our people who did not leave us alone, to all our politicians from our headquarters, to our lawyer friends who are handling perhaps the most comprehensive case in history, to our party lawyers who are imprisoned in Sincan more than us and whom we will hopefully release from Sincan when this case is over, to my children, my wife, my advisors, I would like to thank my lawyers, my cellmates, my filemates - it is an honor to be tried with them- everyone. We will meet in free days. "An têkoşîn an têkoşîn, bijî têkoşîna azadiyê, an serkeftin an serkeftin. (Either struggle or struggle, live the struggle for freedom, either victory or victory)"