The echoes of Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan's “Call for Peace and Democratic Society” shared on February 27 continue. While the call has reverberated around the world, the state and the government have yet to take any concrete steps despite the passage of a month. While all these developments are taking place, 48 people, including Republican People's Party (CHP) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and the mayors of Şişli and Beylikdüzü, have been arrested. A trustee was appointed to the CHP Şişli Municipality. 

 

Former Mayor of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and politician Tunç Soyer made evaluations on the Kurdish issue and İmamoğlu's arrest.  

 

Stating that the reputation and reliability of a country and the happiness of the people within the country can be ensured by the rule of law, Soyer said, “We have no way of knowing whether the case against Mr. Ekrem has justifiable evidence or grounds. But we do know that no work has been done on municipalities with much more serious allegations of corruption. For example, the billion dollar garbage investment called Ankapark in Ankara was not held to account. The arrest of Mr. Ekrem and 48 others is unfair and unjust. And that is that our president wants to eliminate and exclude anyone who might be a rival to his presidential candidacy. This is because he wants to create a rose garden without thorns.” 

 

'THE POSSIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE HAS NOT DISAPPEARED'

 

Soyer said that the investigation opened on the grounds of the “Urban Consensus” is hanging over Imamoğlu like “Sword of Damocles” and added, “After creating a climate where people will not show a bigger reaction, this decision may be taken. I can even go one step further. There does not have to be an arrest related to KCK for the appointment of a trustee. In many districts and provinces in the Southeast and East, even a preliminary investigation was deemed sufficient for the appointment of a trustee. The same may be the case here. I don't think that the possibility of appointing a trustee has disappeared. I think that the moment and time are being seized. Such a paradox, such an inconceivable situation is taking place."

 

Pointing out that the concepts of peace and democracy must go hand in hand, Soyer said that there cannot be democracy without peace and peace without democracy. Soyer said that while negotiations for peace are ongoing on the one hand, antidemocratic practices on the other hand will frustrate the hope for peace. Soyer, pointed out that the Parliament is important in the solution of the Kurdish issue. Soyer added that the message sent by CHP Chair Özgür Özel to the Amed (Diyarbakır) Newroz on March 21 was very valuable and said, "I believe that the DEM Party and CHP should cooperate much more closely. I think that the good cooperation they have established so far is not enough.This alliance can expand to include all the opposition in Turkey. If we want both peace and democracy, we need a very strong opposition front against a government that is trying to push peace and democracy away from each other.”

 

AMED NEWROZ 

 

Stressing the importance of rapprochement in the formation of this front, Soyer said, "The Amed Newroz on March 21 was a great festival. I have rarely seen such an enthusiastic, crowded, colorful and beautiful festival. 90 percent of those who came were young. Thousands of people were dancing everywhere at the same time. Everyone was smiling. The main reason for this was the longing for peace and democracy. The poverty, oppression, denial, whatever you want to call it, this is a longing that rises above it all. People have a great hope to get rid of all this. I find this very precious, so politicians have a lot of work to do. No one has the right to destroy this hope. If after so much pain, after so many years, if such a large young population still carries such a lively hope, it means that a significant part of the difficulty has been overcome. From now on, it is up to politicians to turn that hope into reality."