Syriza's Bournous: HDP is Turkey's left's turn away from its historic mistake
EVRİM KEPENEK
İZMİR (DİHA) - Yiannas Bournous, member of Syriza's central committee, said that Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) represents the left's turn away from historic mistakes.
The warm relationship between Syriza and Turkey's HDP has grown stronger every day. As the HDP sets its sights on a historic victory in Turkey's June election, Syriza central committee member and coalition group European Left executive board member Yiannis Bournous headed to the city of Izmir, Turkey on Saturday to show solidarity for the HDP on behalf of Syriza chair Alexis Tsipras.
Bournous, speaking to Dicle News Agency, said the electric enthusiasm in the airat Saturday's 100,000-person gathering reminded him of one of Syriza's 2012 rallies. "That was when Syriza went from a party getting 4% to one getting 20%," he said. The HDP has been struggling in this elections campaign to overcome Turkey's 10% electoral threshold, the highest in Europe and long a major barrier to the success of left parties.
Bournous said that along with its political platform (which foregrounds workers, women and the environment), the HDP also resembles Syriza in its respectful approach to doing politics. "However much our party may be the main player in Greek political life, we reach political consensus with other parties. We're working for a healthy project," he said.
The main historic error of Turkey's left, according to Bournous, has been to reject the Kurdish struggle. Syriza has long declared its support for all peoples around the world struggling for democracy, including Kurds. Notably, the party has supported the resistance of the Kurdish city of Kobanê against Daesh attacks. "We have defended the people in their struggle against barbarism," said Bournous. "We've been by their side and we will continue to be."
Now, said Bournous, the HDP represents an important step for the Turkish left and socialist forces as they join hands with the Kurdish struggle for democracy and freedom. Bournous said that with the rise of the HDP, the alienation and distancing from the Kurdish movement has died away.
"I think the HDP is very important in this sense," said Bournous. "With the spread of the HDP and its open-minded ideas, I see it as a magnet that draws all forces to itself. "
(cm/nt)
