Kılıçdaroğlu replies to Erdoğan about Atatürk

CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu took part in the opening ceremony of Beşevler Gymnastic Salon organised by Nilüfer Municipality in Bursa.

Kılıçdaroğlu, saying, “We are on the straight and narrow; we account for every kurush. We are on the straight and narrow; we give everyone equal treatment,” commented as follows:

“This, at the same time, was heroic general Kemal Atatürk’s greatest yearning. He would also say, ‘Parliament must account to the people for every kurush collected in tax.’ This is also what lies at the root of the lengthy debate held over the budget. The giving of equal treatment to all citizens was also one of heroic general Mustafa Kemal’s goals. For, he founded the Republic. Nobody is the sultan’s slave or vassal any more. They are the Republic’s free citizens. He opened this goal and horizon for all of us. So, mayors give service and make student hostels in most places. I have a promise to the people: Under our rule, within one year at the most no student in the Republic of Turkey will say, ‘I have no home. Where am I to stay?’ We will solve the hostel problem within one year at the latest. They have been unable to do this in fifteen years; we will do it in one year. All our students will stay in hostels boasting outstanding conditions.”

“WE WILL SPREAD DEVELOPMENT FROM THE CITY INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE”

Kılıçdaroğlu, stressing that they were also obliged to maintain the city’s history and identity while giving service, continued:

“Bursa is a very important place in our history. It is a place that has served the Ottoman Empire as capital. But, Bursa’s identity has to a large extent been obliterated. Bursa used to be known as ‘Green Bursa’. But, nowadays, Bursa is known as ‘Concrete Bursa’. It has lost its feature of greenness to a great extent. I always compare Bursa and Eskişehir. Eskişehir does not have such a splendid history as Bursa. But, today Eskişehir is the capital of greenness. Eskişehir is a city to which more tourists come than Bursa. I have my promise to the people of Bursa: With your support, too, we will take the mayoralty of Bursa Metropolitan Municipality in 2019. We are resolute in this goal and will do it. We will restore Bursa to its former days of splendour. We will proclaim Bursa’s identity not just in Bursa, not just in Turkey, but to the whole world. A Bursa that served the Ottoman Empire as capital should be able to freely call out its identity to the whole world. We will pave the way for this. Is this all? No. Having taken the mayoralty, many of our citizens living in the countryside complain, saying they can’t make ends meet. We will make peace between town and country. We will furnish economic strength. We will bring about a transfer of funds. No farmer will say or be able to say, “I have no income. I’m hungry. I can’t sell my produce.’ We will bring about harmony between the metropolis and the countryside. An example? Izmir Metropolitan Municipality buys milk from producer cooperatives and leaves two bottles at the door of every home where there are children in the 0-6 age group. The producer gains, the family gains, the city gains and the municipality gains. No loss is entailed in this business. We have similar practices at other municipalities. You will see Metropolitan Bursa: all the people of Bursa living in the countryside will gain and will not ask what is to become of them. We will spread development from the city into the countryside and bring it to life.”

Kılıçdaroğlu, also comparing Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir metropolitan municipalities, said, “I will give one more example: you, too, know what happened at Ankara and Istanbul metropolitan municipalities. But, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality’s credit rating is better than the Republic of Turkey’s credit rating. It has far better sources. Additionally, Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is making its metro using its own resources. The Ministry of Public Works is making Ankara and Istanbul’s metros because they cannot manage it themselves. We feel pride at giving account to the people for every kurush and do what is called for. This is a special feature of ours.”

“THEY SHOW THAT THEY DO NOT WANT ATATÜRK”

CHP General Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, also expressing his pleasure at the recent intense interest shown in the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, noted the following:

“Because the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is our shared value. Whatever our political view and whichever identity and faith we are of, the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is the people of the Republic of Turkey’s shared value. It is the duty of all of us to stand by our shared values. But, if we badmouth some people and speak ill of some people while standing by our shared values, our lack of sincerity becomes apparent. I, as the CHP General Chair, feel gratitude to all politicians who did their bit in the country and are no longer alive, and I remember them all with respect. I will not speak ill of the departed. If I have to say anything, I will convey to them my gratitude and wish for them to rest in peace. But, if certain persons give the example of the heroic general Mustafa Kemal and go on about another politician who is no longer alive, they show that in their hearts they do not really want the heroic general Mustafa Kemal, either. We must be sincere in all our feelings and in all we say. The heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is our shared value. The Republic is our shared value. It is the republic of all of us. What does Mustafa Kemal Atatürk say? ‘The Republic is especially the somebody of those who have nobody.’ What does this mean? Nobody will be marginalised on this soil. Everyone will be embraced. So, nobody will feel they do not have anybody. Is this thought the shared thought of all of us? It is the shared thought. The heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is our shared value.”

“WAR IS MURDER WHEN UNNECESSARY”

Kılıçdaroğlu, recalling Atatürk’s comment, “War is murder when unnecessary,” said:

“Also, the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk who came from the battlefields, who for his entire life toiled in all wars and on all fronts from Tripoli to Palestine and from Çanakkale to all regions of Anatolia. And that heroic general said, “War is murder when unnecessary.” What this means is this: it means, “Peace at home, peace in the world.” It is the shared value of all of us to defend peace in the world and peace at home. The owner of this shared value is the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. This means that the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is our shared value.”

Kılıçdaroğlu, noting that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the founder of the CHP, wound up as follows:

“We love the founder of our party. But, the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is also the shared value of supporters of other parties who are not from our party. Our shared aim, to the extent that we stand by him, is to stand by the eighty million. There is one other thing: respect must be felt. People who do a service to their own countries are greeted with respect in all parts of the world. The heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is one of the world’s great leaders who was even respected by his enemies. For, Churchill did not for nothing say, ‘Such people appear once a century. And he was the Republic of Turkey’s good fortune.’ And, also, the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk respected all faiths and respected all identities. His nationalism was patriotism. He respected all faiths. Ataturkism is the following: Ataturkism is not about becoming fixated on the past. Ataturkism is learning the lessons of the Republic of Turkey’s past and carrying it into the future, towards contemporary civilisation. Contemporary civilisation is the shared goal of the eighty million. Who was is that voiced this shared goal? The heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. This means that the heroic general Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is our shared value.”