JINHA

ŞIRNEX – Leyla Zana, a Parliamentary representative for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey, has declared her intention to start a fast to the death if Turkey does not stop its assaults in Kurdistan.

For a week now, the Turkish state has held the Kurdish town of Cizre under blockade, killing 20 residents. Yesterday, a delegation of 40 representatives from the left party HDP set out for the town of Cizre. When soldiers and police cut off the roads, the group continued on foot towards the town. The march is ongoing.

Experienced Kurdish politician Leyla Zana is among the group. As many, including the party’s co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, set out along the mountain paths for Cizre, Leyla gave a statement to the press in İdil. She stressed the historic importance of the peace process between the Turkish state and the Kurdish PKK guerrillas, recently frozen as the Turkish state launches attacks on Kurdish towns.

“But this mindset still does not accept our people,” said Leyla. “We’ve died fighting for 100 years. You saw us fit for death; we had to defend ourselves. Enough already.” She called on the Turkish state to immediately return to the negotiating table. If the deaths continue, said Leyla, she will start a death fast.

Leyla announced that for one month, she had been debating the announcement, but has now made her decision and “everyone who knows me knows that once a word leaves my mouth, I stand behind it no matter what.

“If the youth are going to die, then I will die,” said Leyla. “I may not have enough strength for anyone, but I do have enough strength for myself. Rather than watch young people’s deaths, I’ll face my own death.”

(mg/cm)