Deputy PM Criticizes HDP For 'Discrediting' PKK Leader

Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesperson Bülent Arınç on Monday criticized the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and accused it of discrediting Abdullah Öcalan, the incarcerated leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), stating that HDP deputies were making demands Öcalan had no knowledge of.

Criticizing the HDP's current attitude regarding the settlement process launched to resolve the country's Kurdish issue, Arınç referred to the HDP in a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Monday saying, “You don't know you are putting him [Öcalan] in a tight spot by making demands not even he has made.”

Arınç noted that the HDP was undertaking a great responsibility, going on to say that as the mediator between the government and Öcalan, the HDP needs to be more understanding and responsible, and grow better ties with the government. “If they [the HDP] stray from this, the settlement process will be negatively affected,” he said.

Arınç went on to say that while there are some people in the HDP who know the importance the settlement process holds for Turkey, there are also those who take orders from other places and risk undermining the settlement process, bringing catastrophe to the whole of the country.

The government spokesperson also criticized the leader of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtaş, for inciting unrest in eastern regions of Turkey on Oct. 6-7. Stating that Demirtaş had been a presidential candidate, Arınç said: “It seems the things he [Demirtaş] said were only valid for that period. They returned to their original identities with the events on Oct. 6-7.”

Demirtaş criticized the government spokesperson in Bursa last week, saying that Arınç was taking his frustration out on them because he did not become prime minister.

Regarding the issue of the visits to İmralı Island, the island prison on which Öcalan is being held, Arınç said: “Are there going to be visits to İmralı? Of course there are. ‘Who will be there, how many will go?' We've also answered this as well. If they [the HDP] have requests regarding [İmralı], the justice minister will evaluate them, but there will be visits as soon as possible -- maybe in a couple of days.”

Date of İmralı visit set

The enlarged HDP delegation is set to visit Öcalan, on the Nov. 30, Ministry of Justice personnel said on Tuesday, noting that permission has been granted by the ministry.

A written statement from the HDP said, “The application made by the HDP delegation to meet with Mr. Öcalan on Nov. 30 has been replied to by the Ministry of Justice.”

HDP deputies İdris Baluken, Sırrı Süreyya Önder, Pervin Buldan, Hatip Dicle and Ceylan Bağrıyanık are to be part of the delegation that will meet with Öcalan in accordance with the settlement process.

HDP deputies respond to deputy PM's comments

HDP deputies replied to Arınç's comments after the group meeting on Tuesday. HDP group deputy chairwoman Pervin Buldan said, “This is what Mr. Arınç always does,” and went on to say that Demirtaş would make the necessary statements.

HDP Muş deputy Demir Çelik said: “These are, before all else, baseless claims. Abdullah Öcalan is a public leader. At a point where he is described by us as the leader of the Kurdish people, discrediting him [Öcalan] is neither our right nor our place.”

Bahçeli: End this ‘sham fight'

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said in his party group meeting on Tuesday that Arınç should end this “sham fight.”

“The deputy prime minister and government spokesperson, who loses his mind in every duel he engages in, yesterday after the Cabinet meeting brazenly defended the chief terrorist [Öcalan],” Bahçeli said.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)