AMED - Amed City Council, which was not operated during the trustee process, came together for its 29th Ordinary Meeting and elected its Executive Board and Co-chairs.   

 

Amed City Council held its 29th Ordinary Meeting at Çand Amed in Yenişehir district for the first time after more than 8 years of trusteeship. The meeting was attended by Amed Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayors Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun, former Co-mayors Gültan Kışanak and Hülya Alökmen Uyanık and Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) deputies. 

 

Diyarbakır Bar Association President Nahit Eren was elected as the chair of the council, while Rosa Women's Association Chair Suzan İşbilen and ÖHD member Rıza Polat were elected as members.

 

Opening the meeting, Amed Bar Association Chair Nahit Eren said that the trustees tried to eliminate the common consciousness of the city and kept the city dynamics away from decisions. Stating that the aim of appointing trustees was not to elect a new chair, Eren said: "The aim is to prevent the dynamics of this city from having a say. They thought they had achieved this, but this city will never give up its consciousness of common life. The trusteeship is a clear blow to democracy and a practice against the right to vote and be elected. It first manifested itself in Wan. But there was a very serious reaction to this practice. The coup that was intended to be carried out by the law was withdrawn with the struggle of the society. This is currently being implemented in Colemêrg." 

 

'CITY DYNAMICS PREVENTED FROM TAKING PART IN GOVERNANCE'

 

A cinevision showing the work of the City Council was screened. Speaking after the screening, Serra Bucak, Co-Mayor of Amed Metropolitan Municipality, drew attention to the spirit of solidarity that developed in Amed during difficult processes despite the trusteeship. Bucak stated that they will fight together against the attempts to sever the ties between civil society and local governments. 

 

Amed Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Doğan Hatun stated that the trustee prevented the institutions in Amed from taking part in the administration for 8 years and emphasized that it is necessary to start working together with all city dynamics. Hatun pointed out that problems can be solved more quickly with city dynamics and said: "We will govern this city together with our institutions and our people."

 

'I CAME TO BE YOUR COMRADE'

 

Gültan Kışanak, former Co-Mayor of Amed Metropolitan Municipality, stated that the city was intervened from outside in a way contrary to the natural dynamics of the city and that the people rejected this intervention and showed their will again in the elections. Kışanak said: "I came here not to say 'where were we' but to see 'where are we' and 'where are we going'. I came to see the resisting dynamics of this city and to be your comrade. Local governance is in the leaven of this land and we have not lost this leaven. This city maintains its claim to govern itself and develop itself. In this city, we are under a great responsibility to act with the weight of this mission and fulfill its necessity." 

 

Hülya Alökmen Uyanık, former Co-mayor of Amed Metropolitan Municipality, said that Amed, which has always been under persecution, has always taken a stance in favor of brotherhood and peace, and that the rulers imposed amnesia in the city where different identities and beliefs can live together. 

 

 Afterwards, the election of the chairship of the council and the members of the executive board of the city council took place. Serra Bucak and Doğan Hatun, who were proposed for co-chairship, were elected as chairpersons. After the discussion where criticism and suggestions were received, 26 people representing civil society organizations and professional chambers were elected to the Executive Board of the Amed City Council.