During a speech in Parliament on Nov. 10 criticizing the government’s Kurdish initiative, which seeks to expand the rights of Kurds in Turkey to alleviate and ultimately end the separatist terrorism of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Öymen said: “Didn’t mothers also cry at the time of the Sheikh Said Rebellion? Didn’t mothers also cry at the time of the Dersim Rebellion?” in response to the government’s use of the phrase “Let no more mothers cry” as part of its efforts to end the PKK’s campaign of terrorism.The rebellion took place in 1937 in Dersim, which had historically been a semi-autonomous region. Despite calls for his resignation and growing protests from Alevis, who were later joined by CHP parliamentary group deputy chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, CHP leader Deniz Baykal defended Öymen. Baykal’s support for Öymen in the face of public outrage caused Tunceli-born Kılıçdaroğlu to make a U-turn, dropping his earlier call for Öymen to resign.
Kılıçdaroğlu had not attended his party’s parliamentary group meeting this week, interpreted by some observers as his decision to protest Öymen and Baykal’s stance over Öymen’s remarks. However, Kılıçdaroğlu on Wednesday said he could not attend Tuesday’s meeting because he wasn’t “feeling too well.” Baykal entered the meeting hall with Öymen at his side in a show of solidarity. After Baykal’s clear message on Tuesday, Kılıçdaroğlu on Wednesday said in a statement to the press, “Our mission is not to weaken our party, but strengthen it,” letting his earlier call for Öymen’s resignation slip.
