URFA - Reacting to the attacks against the HDP, women said: ‘’While women are already being killed at home, on the street and in their workplaces, they are also killed in the political parties they go to. HDP is not just a signboard. For us, it is another name of life. We know that if we do not go to the HDP, we will die.’’

 

The AKP-MHP government's rhetoric, targeting the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) at every opportunity, has also increased the racist attacks against the party's provincial and district organizations. One of these attacks was carried out against the party's Izmir Provincial Organization on June 17. Party employee Deniz Poyraz was killed in the attack organized by the fascist Onur Gencer. A few days before the Izmir attack, HDP's headquarters were attacked by a racist attack, and yesterday an armed attack was carried out against Muğla Marmaris District Organization. The government and its media, which manipulated the attack in which Deniz was killed by serving it as a "conflict" and then alleges that the perpetrator had "psychological problems", diagnosed the perpetrator as "not mentally healthy" for the attack in Marmaris.

 

However, these attacks, closure cases did not prevent the party's work and public meetings. Both the "Justice for Women" part of the "Justice for All" campaign of the party continues, and the "Defence Campaign" visits, which started after Deniz's murder, continue.

 

Women evaluated the attacks against the HDP, which did not take a step back.

 

‘Attacks show misogyny’

 

Noting that the aim of the attacks against the HDP is democracy and the desire of the peoples to live together, Peace Mother Aynur Yılmaz emphasized that the HDP is a women's party, and that the basis of the attacks is misogyny. Aynur said: ‘’The murder of Deniz Poyraz is an example of this. While women are already being murdered at home, on the street and in their workplaces, they are also killed in the political parties they go to. We women want to live and keep alive in our party where we are represented. Do not think that women will not be able to go to their parties. Despite the attacks, we will continue to go to HDP. Peoples’ Democratic Party is not just a signboard. For us, it is another name of life. We know that if we do not go to the HDP, we will die.’’

 

Aynur finally told the perpetrators, ‘’We know who you are. You will not reach your goal.’’

 

‘HDP is pioneer of democracy’

 

HDP Vice Co-chair who is resposible from the Labor Commission Şaziye Köse stated that the dirty mentality behind the attacks could not achieve its purpose and said: It also pioneer of democracy. We go to all the provinces and meet with the people. Seeing that the HDP is getting stronger and advancing, the governments turn around and attack the HDP. Because for them, pushing back the HDP means ensuring survivability. That's why they are trying to kill us. The murder of Deniz Poyraz by targeting our Izmir Provincial Organization yesterday, what happened in HDP Marmaris district organization today, and the attack on a Kurdish family in Konya are all part of their plans. They think that they will consume us and put us back with attacks such as the closure cases against the party and the Kobanê Trial. However, what they ignore is that the HDP came out of many such attacks. HDP always took its steps forward without any interruption.’’

 

‘We will continue to lay claim to our party and our ideals’

 

Pointing out that the attacks arised from the rhetoric of the government, HDP member Sercivan Zilan noted that the attack was aimed at the peoples and the future of the country. Sercivan said: ‘’HDP is the party of all good ideals. It may be the work of people with bad mentality and thinking that a party that has such beauty in its statutes is exposed to such attacks. The goal is to darken the future of the country. HDP is a party that embraces all people regardless of language, religion or color and takes life together as a reference. It shows this with its practice. HDP is the party of women and peoples. I condemn this attack. They think they will intimidate us with attacks, but this will never be possible. We will continue to lay claim to our party and our ideals.’’