The recent development is seen as a step towards HADEP's goal of becoming a
Turkish party
 

Nov 1, 2000
Ankara - Turkish Daily News

The Democracy Movement, a group which includes the former leader of the People's
Democracy Party (HADEP), Murat Bozlak, and former deputies from the defunct
Democracy Party (DEP) as well as some intellectuals, merged with HADEP on Tuesday.

HADEP leader Ahmet Turan Demir told reporters at the ceremony to mark the occasion
at HADEP headquarters in Ankara that the Democracy Movement's decision to cease
operating on its own and join his party would bring many democratic forces together in
the party.

The Democracy Movement was formed about a year ago by a group of intellectuals and
held talks and a series of workshops with opposition political parties which are not
represented in Parliament, labor unions, associations, individuals and nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs).

Demir said that political parties should keep pace with trends as society develops and
changes.

"The recent developments will make important contributions to HADEP. Our party will
become more attractive in Turkey," Demir stated.

The recent development is seen as a step towards HADEP's goal of becoming a Turkish
party.

HADEP has been trying to lose its image of being a party for Kurdish people only and
has been working on becoming a mass party which can represent the whole country.

Despite these efforts, it is still seen as pro-Kurdish and there is an ongoing closure case
against it in the Constitutional Court on charges of having links with outlawed Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK).

HADEP is not represented in Parliament as it failed to pass the 10 percent national
threshold in the last elections. But its mayoral candidates won several municipalities in
southeastern cities, where the majority of the population are Kurdish.
*********************
The Kurdistan Observer
www.kurdistanobserver.com

Click Back In Your Browser To Return To News Headlines