Turkey's CHP leader urges end to hunger strikes

Turkey’s main opposition leader used a holiday visit to Diyarbakır on Oct. 26 to implore scores of inmates staging a hunger strike to abandon their action while calling on the government to be sensitive to their demands.

“I request that the strikers put an end to their actions, and I would consider myself very happy if they positively reply to this request,” Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said during his visit to the southeastern province.

But people should sit up and take notice if a person is inflicting pain on his own body, Kılıçdaroğlu said. “A convict’s life should be under the guarantee of state authority and there is nothing dearer than human life. Perhaps, they consider this as a means to get their voice heard. Peace means listening to others and being able to express one’s thoughts. I am asking the party in power to be more sensitive to these people’s requests.”

Kılıçdaroğlu visited Diyarbakır Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir together with deputy CHP leaders Gürsel Tekin and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, as well as a delegation of party members.