ANKARA - Evaluating the current developments, DEM Party Women's Assembly Spokesperson Halide Türkoğlu pointed out the assassination of Firyal Süleyman Halid in Kirkuk and said: "This is a political murder. We know the forces behind the massacre very well."

 

Halide Türkoğlu, Spokesperson of the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Women's Assembly, held a press conference regarding the current developments at the party's headquarters in Ankara. 

Stating that women resisted violence and massacres throughout the year, Türkoğlu commemorated Sakine Cansız, Fidan Doğan, Leyla Şaylemez and other women who were murdered in Paris on January 9, 2013.

 

Türkoğlu noted that the struggle of the murdered women is entrusted to women and said: “No matter where in the world; In every period of history, women activists and politicians have been the target of male-dominated governments. Those who murdered the Rosas, Sakines, Sevês and Nagihans showed themselves once again in Kirkuk yesterday. Women activist Firyal Süleyman Halid, who came to Kirkuk from the city of Hesekê in Northern and Eastern Syria, was assassinated. This is a political murder. We know very well the forces behind this massacre.”

 

'THE TEMPLES ARE OUR DEMAND'

 

Referring to the hunger strikes and Justice Watches launched to ensure the physical freedom of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan, Türkoğlu said: "Just and honorable struggles are our struggle, their demands are our demands.”

 

Congratulating the conference held by the Free Women's Movement (TJA), Türkoğlu said: "Our path is right. It is the path of justice and equality. It is the path of equality and freedom. No barricade, no obstacle will stand in the way of the travelers of this path."

 

Pointing to the 17th anniversary of Hrant Dink's murder, Türkoğlu said: "Commemorating Hrant Dink and the forces behind 17 thousand unsolved murders with 'bravery' legitimizes these murders. It is a confession of protecting the perpetrators and the forces behind the perpetrators. It is the confession of Saturday Mothers and Mothers for Peace in the person of Mother Berfo. We will not forget, we will not let people forget. We will continue this struggle until the end, saying that the missing must be found and the perpetrators must be tried."

 

'DEEPENING ISOLATION IS A CRIME'

 

Drawing attention to the recent detentions of women, Türkoğlu said: "In this country, rapists, thieves, people who commit crimes against women, and drug traffickers are not tried. Those who protect those who commit these crimes, leaders of criminal organizations, and those whose photos are published in sheets are not detained or tried. Women who stand for equality, freedom, and justice are being detained. This government's fear and concern about our women's freedom struggle is obvious. This is an operation to take revenge on women. It is nothing more than covering up the results of its own dirty war policy by creating a perception with the male judiciary and the masculine media. This unlawfulness must end immediately, the detained women must be released. We will say this without getting tired; it is not a crime to want the isolation implemented through Mr. Öcalan to end. What is a crime is to deepen the isolation, which is a system of lawlessness."

 

NEW CONSTITUTION DISCUSSIONS

 

Türkoğlu pointed out that femicides increased by 1,400 percent during the AKP period and touched upon the "New Constitution" discussions. Türkoğlu said: "What this government means by 'Constitutional amendment' is to protect the rights of men. This constitutional amendment proposal, which the government instrumentalizes to increase polarization under the excuse of 'protecting the family' and to gain votes by activating the fears of the society, targets women. Another goal is to make women dependent on men. To ensure that women remain silent and swear allegiance in the face of man violence. We do not accept any proposals that are not based on rights and freedoms. Changes to be made in the civil code cannot be prepared without asking women and women's organizations. We will not leave our rights at the mercy of the male-dominated government."

 

PUBLIC VOTE

 

Türkoğlu also made evaluations about the referendum held by DEM Party. Türkoğlu said: "We have achieved a first in this country on the axis of our democratic, ecological, women's libertarian paradigm. Our commitment to witnessing a great feast of democracy with the referendum. Our women delegates and mothers showed their declaration of will by participating in this process regardless of rain or shine. The will united around our female candidates is the name of insistence on democracy from the local."