Turkey elections will mark the 'end of a long-lasting coup'

Photos: Meral Danış-Beştaş

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Meral Danış-Beştaş, the deputy group leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and a candidate for the Green Left (Yeşil Sol) Party from Erzurum, was involved in a traffic accident on April 13 in the Karayazı district of Erzurum while on the campaign trail.

Beştaş, who survived the accident with injuries, underwent surgery on April 14 due to a fracture in her back.

Currently, HDP deputies are running Beştaş's election campaign in Erzurum in rotation. Due to an ongoing closure case against it, the Kurdish issue-focused party will run in the elections under the Green Left.

We spoke with Beştaş about her election campaign, which she is conducting from afar despite physical difficulties, the May 14 elections, and the attack on İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu in Erzurum.

I narrowly escaped being paralyzed

When we look at what you did in the previous term in the parliament, we see that you tried to reach everywhere and tried to make every voice heard. How does it feel to be away from work during the election campaign process?

It definitely feels very bad. I have never stayed at home like this and worked remotely in any period of my life. Moreover, we are in a historic election period, and not being able to be in the field for the election campaign is a very bad feeling. However, my pains, the severity of the accident I had and the operation I underwent, and the fact that my treatment process is still ongoing do not allow me to conduct an election campaign in the field. I also have to act with this awareness. After all, I had a dangerous accident and narrowly escaped being paralyzed.

It was an unpredictable and unforeseeable accident. I was able to survive when I was almost dead or almost paralyzed. At this point, being alive and being able to work from home makes us feel good to some extent, because the opposite could have happened. The issue should be approached from this perspective to some extent.

How are your remote activities going?

I am trying to be involved in election campaign activities from home by pushing all my conditions to the limit; I am in contact with our Erzurum party officials every day, conducting coordination works. I am going through an election campaign process by participating in television broadcasts, live social media broadcasts, making short videos and sharing them from home, and giving interviews to newspapers.

These days will pass, it may be a little difficult and take a little time, but let's say most of it is gone and only a little remains. I am getting closer to recovery every day and I am eager to meet the people of Erzurum as soon as possible.

I am moved watching my friends

Your election campaign is progressing like a solidarity campaign at the moment. How do your other colleagues build this solidarity? How does this solidarity make you feel?

This is a reflection of our party tradition rather than solidarity, and we work wherever we are assigned under all conditions. This organization continues not only in Erzurum but also in all provinces, and our MPs are conducting election campaigns in every city to support our MP candidates.

Of course, my being a candidate from the top position in Erzurum makes it necessary to carry out a different work because of this unfortunate accident; however, my absence from the field led to a different campaign being carried out. I am happy and moved as I watch the work being done. My friends are working hard without making my absence felt, which makes me feel honored. I want to express once again that I am proud of such a picture and to thank my friends for this opportunity.

The support of our people

The support of our people is undoubtedly making me feel strong, given the sensitivity and efforts of the people of Erzurum to win the election, their support and contributions. This also shows our stance as a popular movement, not with individual concerns. Everyone is working with great sacrifice for Erzurum, and our work is continuing without leaving any gaps in any field. Similarly, with the efforts of our headquarters, members, and volunteers, we do not allow any interruption. I hope that we will crown our people's support with victory.

On the other hand, as a party, we have experienced unity and solidarity in the past, even when our candidates were in prison. We work with great sacrifice in every field, every place, and every condition as we all focus on the same goal and can feel the same responsibility in each other's places. From this point of view, being a part of such a strong movement makes me hopeful and honored.

The People's Alliance is not saying anything new

The AKP-MHP alliance continues to use discriminatory language against the opposition. "Alliance of shame," "Candidates chosen by Qandil," "They are pro-LGBT," are some of the expressions used. Or again, the Interior Minister's statement, "He couldn't say 'I am a Kurd, I am an Alevi' before Erdoğan." What do you think about this attitude in general?

The People's Alliance is not saying anything new; they are repeating their old familiar clichés. By opening they had already opened once 10 more times, they give the impression of providing services. When they speak, they criticize with opposition terminology as if they had not been in power for 21 years and had not created the problems themselves, expressing that they will fix what has happened.

However, they are the architects of this debris we are trying to get out of! They try to play with the sociology of the people with a sharp and ugly language, in addition to the economic bottleneck, destruction, poverty, malfunctioning health and education policies, and lawlessness.

Erdoğan should be relaxed

They used the same language and arguments in the 2018 elections. They have not given up on this discriminatory, polarizing, and alienating language, as they are fed by it. In fact, the government's lies and dangerous language cover up everything they have created and destroyed. They resort to sharp language to cover up everything they have destroyed. However, the people are fully aware of everything, and they are trying to get out of the destruction created by them, and they will come out!

This is an election, a free, democratic method, a system that democratic societies routinely apply. However, the government adopts an attitude that goes to war, not to elections. Their rhetoric is always about the military industry, planes, drones, and UAVs. Erdogan, for some reason, prefers to wear camouflage military clothes when he appears in public, because he sees those who are not like him as enemies. There is no inclusive language.

It's as if we're not having an election in our own country, but going to war with another country. However, let's say to him that there is no war or conflict. The people will only vote, so they should relax (laughs). In democracies, elections are a test for parties, and we must go to the polls with confidence. There are only two possibilities here anyway.

Meral Danış Beştaş and imprisoned former co-chair of the HDP, Figen Yüksekdağ.

Direct intervention into the election

There are only six days left until the May 14 elections. On the one hand, operations against Green Left Party members and voters continue. Your parliamentary candidates are being arrested. What would you like to say about this?

The government is using every method other than elections and competition to avoid losing. They have programmed themselves in this way and do not know democratic alternatives. In the past, the interior, justice, and transportation ministers used to resign during election periods for the security of the elections. Currently, ministers are in the field, and governors and district governors are under the command of the government. There is an election race conducted with state facilities. And in this unequal race, the government is not satisfied with this and is also in a race to criminalize our party.

The government, which constantly uses the law as a tool of pressure against our party, hopes to win the race by arresting our members and candidates. Likewise, they are running a campaign by targeting our party, executives, candidates, component parties, general secretaries of component parties, and Demirtaş, who is being held hostage. So there is a direct intervention in the election! Do not think that we are not aware of this, we just don't make their attitude an agenda because we are currently focused on our own campaign. But they cannot prevent us from succeeding.

While the people go to the polls to look at how they are living, not what they are saying. My advice will also be this: Dear people, do not listen to the government's words, but only rely on what you have experienced. And know that on the morning of May 15, we will celebrate the end of a long-lasting coup!

Erzurum attack was organized

Finally, what would you like to say about the provocation in Erzurum?

The Erzurum incident is certainly a product of the government's dirty language. This incident cannot be attributed to the people of Erzurum and does not reflect the stance of the people of Erzurum. This incident is the language of the losing government that legitimizes violence. It is an organized attack, and it is the responsibility of the administration that did not prevent this danger, despite knowing it was coming.

The response to these attacks with stones and clubs will be given by the people of Erzurum with the stamp they will put on the ballot, and no one should doubt it. We will rebuild the climate where everyone respects each other, every view, and every thought, which reflects the tolerance within Erzurum. It's almost there! (TY/VK)