Dêrsim Labour and Democracy Platform protested the dismissal of Dêrsim (Tunceli) Co-mayors Birsen Orhan and Cevdet Konak by the Ministry of Interior and the appointment of trustees in their place. 

 

'YOU CANNOT BREAK THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE'

 

Making a statement on behalf of the platform, Ergin Tekin stated that the appointment of trustees to Dêrsim Municipality is a continuation of the historical attack policy against Dêrsim. Drawing attention to the Dêrsim Massacre in 1938 and the attacks and oppression against Dêrsim in the 1990s, Tekin noted that these practices are continued today with different means. "While these practices remind the people of Dêrsim of their past sufferings, they appear as a strategy aiming to ignore the will of the people and prevent their democratic struggle. However, as in the past, everyone has seen adn will see again today that it will not be possible to break the will of the people despite all the pressures. After the elections, AKP government, which was defeated in the elections, is tring to solve its loss at the ballot box by dispersing the opposition, which it has perpetuated the pressure on. Mass detentions are also a part of this policy," Tekin said. 

 

'ARRESTS ARE AN ATTEMPT TO PUNISH'

 

AKP government uses trustee practices and opress as a means of intimidation said Tekin and added: "The people who organise peaceful protests against these antidemocratic practices are wanted to be silenced with detentions and arrests. The detentions and arrests are a clear attempt to oppress and pubish the collective struggle, cultural identity and democratic rights of the people. However, it is clear that this policy will not succeed. The people of Dêrsim will continue to defend their will today as in the past. Furthermore, the prison sentences given to Cevdet Konak and Mustafa Sarıgül and the house arrest order imposed on Birsen Orhan once again reveal that the judiciary has become an instrument of the government's oppressive policies. The trustee appointments are a usurpation of the people's will and a blow to democracy. The unlawful operations must end and those detained and arrested must be released immediately."

 

'TRUSTEES ARE BLOW TO DEMOCRACY'

 

DEM Party Çêwlîg (Bingöl) MP Ömer Faruk Hülakü stated that the persecutions that Dêrsim witnessed in the 1938 Dêrsim masaccare and said: "Dêrsim is the hometown of Seyit Rıza and the people of Dêrsim did not bow down to the oppression carried out at that time. Dêrsim is the area of those who resisted the White Toros in the 90s. We know very well from their practices that trusteeship is theft and extortion. Trusteeship is the biggest blow to democracy and we will continue to resist against this trusteeship. Today, we see the detention of people while exercising their democratic right, which is a constitutional right, as injustice and unlawfulness and we want this unlawfulness and trusteeship to end immediately."