Öznur Değer 

 

SİVAS - Alevi women drew attention to the separation policies in the country and said: ‘’There is still a mass in our country that hesitates to say that they are Alevis. We want to be accepted with our language, religion, race, color, skin, and everything. We want to get our equal citizenship rights.’’

 

In the geography of Turkey, some are separated with their language, some with their colour, some with their thought and some with their belief. In line with the language and policies of the government that separates and marginalizes society, people with different beliefs and thoughts, especially Kurds and Alevis living in Turkey, continue to be murdered, attacked, or live under threat. While most of the society is disturbed by these segregation policies, the instigating rhetoric of the government continues without slowing down. The latest example of this was the murder of Deniz Poyraz in the attack carried out against the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Organization in the past weeks.

 

The Kurds, who are separated by their language in the country, and the Alevis, who are marginalized because of their faith and exposed to various massacres such as Çorum, Maraş and Sivas. Alevi citizens draw attention to the policies of segregation and emphasize that everyone should live by their colour, language and belief.

 

‘There will be no massacres if people’s opinions are respected’

 

Istanbul Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association Eyüp Branch Women's Commission Chairperson Esengül Kılıç underlines that there is a policy of separation in the country. Noting that laws and laws do not work, Esengül emphasizes that it is the government that is responsible. Reminding that people were brutally murdered in Madımak, Esengül said: ‘’The rights and laws granted to us during the Republic period were ignored. If the presidential system is abolished and the laws of religion and justice are changed, I think it will be good. If people's sects and thoughts are respected, such massacres will not happen. But now, a divisive policy is being carried out.’’

 

‘Our intellectuals are in prison, but the perverts are out’

 

Esengül says ‘I am afraid’ and that she is afraid of the possibility that young people may encounter massacres. Reminiscent of massacres such as Çorum, Maraş, Sivas and Suruç, Esengül underlines that there were many massacres of children and femicides. Pointing out that the massacres perpetrated were inhuman massacres, Esengül said: ‘’Nothing will happen if the government, prosecutors, and everyone do their duty. Prosecutors are closed, our journalists and intellectuals are in prison. But sexual perverts, thieves are out. We want justice. We want justice without secta discrimination, without human discrimination. We want to get back the justice we lost. There must be peace, without peace, nothing will happen.’’

 

‘No more massacres in the country’

 

Sultan Altun Cevahir, member of Istanbul Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association Eyüp Branch Women's Commission, states that they should have the same values because they live in the same country. Pointing out that no one is different from anyone else, Sultan said: “’People may have different opinions, but we live in the same country. We hope that no one will be separated and progress together with beauty and friendship. We wish there would be no more massacres in the country. I hope the above executives will put this in their hearts and then on their tongues and walk with us.’’

 

‘We want our djemevis to be given a status’

 

Pointing to the need to raise awareness of the youth, Sultan stated that he believes that the young people will find solutions to everything and said: ‘’I think that if they are not governed by anyone and act in line with their own thoughts, we will live in peace together. Now we want everyone to live the way they want. We want everyone, Kurds, Alevis, Lazs, Circassians, Armenians, to pray wherever they want, wherever they want. We want our djemevis to be given a status.’’

 

‘The world we live in is the Kerbala of the oppressed’

 

Antalya Alevi Cultural Association Kepez Branch Chairperson Seher Yılmaz stated that such policies of massacre and separation have been continuing since Kerbala. Saying that the world they live in is the Kerbala of the oppressed, Seher said: ‘’As an Alevi citizen, I am uncomfortable with the policies of segregation. Many people who believe in democracy and enlightenment are also uncomfortable with this. The segregation language does not seem to run out quickly. Of course, we have a struggle in this sense. I am very hopeful about our youth. Recently, we had a Gezi events. During the Gezi events, our faith in the country's youth and intellectuals was renewed. This segregation language is a very hurtful thing. There is still a mass in our country that hesitates to say that they are Alevis. There is a community that must hide themself. I hope there will not be another 'Sivas'. We do not use this separation language. We try to be selfless for the survival of the society. We will never lose our common sense and we will continue to act as prudent. Our women will carry this torch by taking more roles in organizations and fields.’’

 

‘We want to get our equal citizenship rights’

 

Adding to her words that the basic solution is to become one, Seher emphasizes that there is no question of turning their backs on each other. Saying, ‘’There is no friend but us,’’ Seher ends her words as follows: ‘’We see this every time. We saw it in Maraş, we saw it in Sivas, we saw it in Çorum. I think we can overcome it as long as we are together. We need to be more involved in politics. We should be able to express ourselves in parliament. We need to get legal status. We need to be accepted and this state needs to accept this. This is the root of all our problems. We want to be accepted with our language, religion, race, color, skin, and everything. We want to get our equal citizenship rights.’’