HDP co-chair visits slain soldier's family, urges ceasefire between gov't, PKK

HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirta? speaks during an interview with AFP in Brussels on August 6, 2015. AFP PHOTO / JOHN THYS

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirta? has called on the Turkish government and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) to resume ceasefire before visiting the family of a slain soldier.

"We are making a call today to both sides. PKK should immediately remove their hands from the trigger, declaring that it would comply with the terms of the reinforced ceasefire," Demirta? said in a press conference in the eastern province of Van on Aug. 8. "The government should immediately set the military operation option aside, declaring that it is ready for negotiations and dialogue," he added.

Stressing the need of end the ongoing violence as coalitions talks linger on, Demirta? said Turkey's Kurdish peace process should continue from where it halted after the Dolmabahçe agreement reached on Feb. 28 with the government. 

"This is the strongest expectation of the public. A coalition government may be formed or early elections may be called, but in any way peace is an urgent duty," Demirta? noted, claiming that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its leader, Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu, are "obliged" to make peace. "This is not our demand from the AKP. You are obliged to make peace," he said.

In a symbolic move, Demirta? then went to the southeastern province of ??rnak's Silopi district and visited the family of Abdulhalit Araz, a gendarmarie private who was killed by PKK militants with a rocket on Aug. 4. "We can't practice discrimination in our funerals. We can't say one of them is Turkish and the other is Kurdish," Demirta? said in the Araz family's house after a prayer. "The only way to stop this pain is insisting on peace," he added.

It was Demirta?'s second call for ceasefire in a...

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