At least 30 people were killed and more than 100 injured on July 20, when ISIS suicide bomber from the self-styled Islamic State group attacked a cultural centre in the Kurdish town of Suruç, on the Turkish side of the border from Kobane. The victims were members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF) who were travelling to help with the reconstruction of Kobane that has been in the front line against ISIS. The following statement was released on July 20 by Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP). A call for international solidarity by the HDP can be read here
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We condemn the inhuman, unworthy attack that occurred in Suruç today. We wish God have mercy on all our friends who died in the attack, we extend our condolences to our people and to the relatives and wish patience to them. We wish a speedy recovery to our wounded friends as well.
Today, we have witnessed once again what a savage and rapist army that has lost the dignity of humanity is able to do. Turkey’s revolutionaries who were on their way in order to act with solidarity with Kobane to be targeted just after the anniversary of Rojava Revolution shows that this attack is an effort to break the international solidarity around Kobane. This is a message to brave people who are clamped together with revolutionary solidarity spirit to “give up this solidarity”.
All countries and regimes that ISIL has received support are the partners of this barbarism. Those who keep silent and even do not dare to raise their voice against ISIL; governors in Ankara who are threatening even HDP every day and caressing ISIL are the accomplices of this barbarism.
We as HDP want all Turkey’s society to know clearly the following: We are determined to realize our principles of democracy, justice and peace. We will continue to advocate these principles under any conditions. In order to implement these principles, it is the time to stand side by side more and be in greater solidarity against ISIL and the like mentalities. It is the solidarity of the peoples rather than slippery policies of the government which will stop this rapist army. We call everyone from Edirne to Hakkari to come together at the peace blog against ISIL and its derivatives, against those who advocate the mentality of ISIL and represent it in Turkey, and against those who foster ISIL either by direct support or by remaining silent.
The provisional government is obliged to fulfill any responsibility to take measures in order to protect our citizens’ security of life and property. The government taking so-called security measures by stacking tens of thousands soldiers to the border against PYD, must give an account politically regarding those who can explode bomb in Suruç readily. The current government is responsible from all kinds of intelligence and security vulnerabilities.
However, our people, our political institutions, civil society organizations, municipalities, all social structures such as vocational organizations should develop their own security measures. At all our party buildings and collective places, there should be special security measures. We must develop measures to prevent so blithely and blatantly attacks of ISIL against our people and institutions. We want to express that we are ready to become partners with all political parties, movements and groups who want to stand together against Suruç massacre in a spirit of solidarity around the peace, democracy and justice in Turkey and who want to discuss what can be done together against these kind of attacks.
Once again, we wish God have mercy on our comrades who died, and offer our condolences to their families and our peoples.
[Reprinted from Peoples Democratic Party.]