Zana: I am an elected representative and will continue my work

The Prime Minister should not show us the way to prisons; he should find a solution to the Kurdish question, says Leyla Zana MP
While it is being established who has been taken into custody today, Diarbakir MP Leyla Zana spoke to reporters about the police search of her Ankara rented house.
Leyla Zana remarked that “People in this country are living in worry. No one is brave enough to explain their thoughts. This is a sort of empire of fear. Do this government really thing they can oppress this society by using the same approach Saddam Hussein was using? Shame on you – said Zana – this is all I can say.”
House raids had been carried out in many cities this morning within the context of the so called “KCK” (Kurdish Communities Union) operation.
Zana spoke to reporters at Istanbul airport.

“The confidence and hope the Kurdish people had after the success at the last general election [in June 2011] where crashed by the Prime Minister attitude. – said Zana – By excluding the Kurds, he changed the agenda by oppressing them in the hope they would give up claiming for their rights. Our houses – she added – have been searched before. The prime minister told me: “You can go to the mountains”. Let’s address the weapon topic in the end. In the name of assurance I would have expected the Prime Minister to say ‘Weapon is not an assurance. Law is the assurance. The democratic country I develop will be the assurance.’ It’s still not too late even though our houses are searched. He still has a chance. He could be loved and respected as Prime Minister but we will not accept his authoritarian approach. This would result in the loss of sympathy towards him.”

Zana continued by saying that “We have been through many troubles. The Prime Minister should not show us the way to prisons; he should find a solution to the Kurdish question. Even generals are accused of being terrorists”.

“Members of the press are jailed in this country. – she said – Everyone lives with worry. No one is brave enough to explain their thoughts. This is a sort of empire of fear. I do not know why my house was searched. I do not even own the house. A friend of mine found this house and I am leaving in it. Ok let them search it. I am an elected representative in this country and I will continue to do my work”.

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