Speaking at İstanbul’s Marmara Hotel yesterday at the opening of the fifth of a series of Alevi workshops organized by the government, State Minister Çelik said: “We are sincere, and the steps we are taking are historic. We are not afraid of paying whatever the cost might be [for democratization].” He said the Alevi workshops, seven of which have been scheduled, seek to bring objective and correct information to the state. “With this workshop, we want to take out the problems of Alevis from a superficial ground and invite the real sides in the problem to talk -- and know and understand this area with a new vision.”In the session held yesterday, the participants, including journalists from over 40 media organs, discussed Alevi representation in the media. Some of the well-known journalists who participated in the workshop were Ali Kırca, Ahmet Hakan, Ali Bayramoğlu, Ali Bulaç, Can Dündar, Emre Kongar, Erdal Şafak, Ergun Babahan, Ertuğrul Özkök, Etyen Mahçupyan, Fehmi Koru, Hakan Albayrak, İsmail Küçükkaya, Mehmet Ali Birand, Mehmet Barlas, Mustafa Karaalioğlu, Neşe Düzel, Oral Çalışlar, Ömer Laçiner, Taha Akyol, Uğur Dündar and Yiğit Bulut.
In his speech, Çelik stated that some Alevi groups were skeptical about the government’s steps to tackle the Alevi question, while some other organizations have been more supportive. He criticized an Alevi demonstration held in İstanbul on Sunday, saying: “Some Alevi organizations prefer to invite people to the street instead of understanding and appreciating the sensitivity we are showing here. We do not want this process to be blocked. We are against all types of discrimination.”
