MHP’s Bahçeli warns Kurdish voters not to be ‘deceived’
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli has issued a warning particularly addressed to Kurdish citizens, asking them not be deceived by a âplot aiming to annul the Lausanne Treaty,â referring to the historic treaty that is widely acclaimed as the basis of the independence and unitary structure of the Turkish state.
âMy sacred citizens should know that the so-called Kurdish problem and âbeing Türkiyeliâ is the cover behind which separatism hides itself,â Bahçeli said in the statement.
âTürkiyeâ being the name of the country, a number of academics have long argued that âTürkiyeliâ should be used instead of âTürkâ in order to express a higher identity that can also include Kurds.
âHiding PKK demands behind the screen of democracy and freedom has been regarded as necessary and a condition for breaking the Lausanne [Treaty], annulling the foundation principles [of the state] and violating the national oath and ideals,â Bahçeli said.
âMy Kurdish-origin brothers are on the eve of a historic duty. All of my Kurdish origin brothers should go to the ballot boxes in order to show the blood merchants their place,â he added, in reference to next monthâs presidential elections.
Bahçeli also argued Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄanâs ascent to presidency will please the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workersâ Party (PKK), Abdullah Ãcalan.
The text of the statement was sent to political parties, civil society organizations, MHP local branches and the editors-in-chief of television stations and newspapers, Anadolu Agency reported on July 23.
The ruling Justice and...
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