“Our language, identity and Kurdistan are denied.” said Cemil Taskesen, a Kurdish worker (Turkish citizen) who is living in Siirt, a province in the South East of Turkey. He spoke to Meral Aksener during her visit to the region. Aksener is leader of The Good Party (IYI Party) which is affiliated with the nationalist far right Turkish movement in Turkey.
The Kurdish man was later arrested in the night at his home on terorism related charges and released the next day upon public unrest. He commented that he was arrested because he was “telling the obvious truth” .
Taskesen said that the land where Turkish nationalist Aksener is visiting is actually Kurdistan and he further elaborated his views to reporters:
“I asked her if Selahattin Demirtas is a terrorist? Because they are constantly voicing this in the parliament. They are accusing Kurdish voters and Demirtas of being a terrorist. If Demirtas is a terrorist, then we are all terrorists.(…) I expressed that we are Kurdish people and this is where we live, they are ignoring the truth. (…) Kurdistan has existed for thousands of years. (…) and I was expecting to be detained for what I have said.”
Pro-goverment Islamist and far right nationalist media immediately condemned IYI Party leader Aksener for lack of a proper response to this kind of “arrogant manner.”
Aksener, who is currently a leading political figure for the aftermath of Erdogan era, was the infamous interior minister of 1990’s in Turkey associated with unindentified political murders. She is denying any wrong doing during her post.
