“Our call for a leaders’ meeting (right after the failed coup attempt) was a call for all the political parties, including HDP, to come together under the chairmanship of the President. The outcome of this meeting should have been a “Roadmap for Democratization” agreed upon by all leaders. The President should have read this roadmap, including the minimum grounds for common action by all political parties, as a declaration at the Yenikapı rally. During the President’s announcement of this text, all political party leaders should have stood by him. This would have sufficed; there would have been no need for any other speeches or messages.
Had we participated in the leaders’ summit, we would have proposed this approach. We would have invited all to take steps in this direction. Our proposed roadmap would have included the following.
We, as all the elected executives who have responsibility in the administration of the country, promise before the public and the whole world:
1. Henceforth, we will resolve the country’s problems as well as the issues among us based on mutual trust, respect, cooperation and dialogue.
2. We will save our citizens from this embarrassing coup constitution as soon as possible, and we will together make a civilian, democratic, and pluralist constitution respectful of freedoms.
3. Together we will stand against any kind of nepotism and the privileges given by the state to specific religious communities, sects, or any other groups. We will join hands to re-organize the state based on contemporary and democratic measures and the principle of merit.
4. We will ensure equal citizenship by providing all people with different identities, faiths, sects and life styles with legal guarantees.
5. We will elevate fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of press and expression and the right to assembly and demonstration, to the level of universal standards.
6. The state should share its administrative powers with the people, with the local. Our essentials in the field of economy are a system of fair taxation and healthy growth based on employment and production. Corruption, bribery and theft shall absolutely be prevented.
7. We will not allow the plundering of our nature, and the cruel looting of our country.
8. Fully dedicated to women’s liberation, we will support the development of women in social, political and economic spheres.
9. We will not accept anyone to use guns and violence in our country; in order to end the war within the frame of law we will offer to negotiate with those who use arms to claim their rights.
10. Keeping all means and channels of democratic politics wide open, we will not allow any tutelage over the people’s will.
11. We will all boldly confront our past mistakes, and work heartily towards building a stronger democracy, a country in peace, and constructing a society in harmony and trust. We will never allow our country to drag into another context of a coup d’état again.”