Turkish presidential candidate warns of sectarian conflict

Istanbul, July 10 (IANS) Selahattin Demirtas, a presidential candidate of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Wednesday warned of the deepening sectarian conflict based on the ideological polarisation in Turkey.

"I believe that the sectarian violence and conflict that is happening in both Syria and Iraq applied to Turkey as well. The sectarian spilt based on ideological polarisation has been increasing each day in our society," Xinhua quoted Demirtas as saying here.

He noted the only difference in Turkey unlike Syria and Iraq was that the conflict between the Alevis and Sunnis had not yet turn into a violent conflict.

Demirtas said the feeling of coexistence among the citizen in Turkey has become almost impossible.

Demitra also said that he aimed to change the constitution, drawn up by the military authorities of the 1980 coup d'etat. "New constitution will embrace all the people in Turkey. It will be more democratic and comprehensive and peaceful."

The other candidates in Turkey's Aug 10 presidential election include incumbent Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ekmelleddin Ihsanoglu, a rather conservative candidate fielded jointly by the country's biggest opposition parties.