Saturday, December 19, 2009

Ocalan saves Kurdish party in Turkey

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18-12-2009

Ankara – The voice of the Kurds in the Turkish parliament was saved by a veto of the PKK-leader Abdullah Ocalan reports Al Jazeera.

While first the banned Democratic Society Party (DTP) made it clear it would resign from parliament, the imprisoned PKK-leader called on the Kurdish politicians to remain in parliament.

The former DTP leader Ahmet Türk said the 19 politicians would now join the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), which was founded last spring as a successor party by 42 DTP linked politicians. To form a parliamentary group, the BDP needs 20 members, the BDP is now talking with leftist independent members.

Independent leftist Istanbul deputy Ufak Uras confirmed today he would join the BDP reports ANF. “If I can do something, I would like to join you,” he earlier said.

Opinion-maker and Turkish journalist Cengiz Candar was happy with the decision. “Kurdish policymaking made a very constructive u-turn today, cancelling their decision of boycotting the parliament. I feel happy and relieved.”

Earlier before both the Turkish dailies Taraf and Zaman wrote that the Kurdish politicians would continue. The ban of the pro-Kurdish DTP party was condemned by several human rights organizations, Turkish journalists, politicians and the European Union.

© Rudaw