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Alevis up in arms against CHP's Öymen after Dersim remarks
On Saturday, 43 civil society organizations in the eastern province of Diyarbakır made a joint statement calling on Öymen to resign. Harika Peker from the Diyarbakır Democracy Platform read the joint statement, saying the speech by Öymen has taken its place in history as a disgrace. “We condemn Onur Öymen, who wanted more pain to be experienced through his speech in Parliament and who lacks any conscientious feelings as well as CHP mentality, and those who applauded him.”
During a speech criticizing the government’s Kurdish initiative, which seeks to extend the rights of Kurds in Turkey to alleviate and ultimately end the separatist terrorism of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), in Parliament on Tuesday, 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 used 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. Dersim was renamed Tunceli after the rebellion. The rebellion was led by Seyyid Riza, the chief of a Zaza (Kurdish) tribe in the region. The Turkish government at the time, led by İsmet İnönü, responded with air strikes against the rebels. Thousands were killed in the campaign. Öymen’s reference to the Dersim rebels as an example of terrorists continued to draw anger and resentment from the country’s Alevis and Zazas.
A group of Alevis in the Aegean province of İzmir, a city among the strongholds of the CHP, also gathered on Saturday to protest Öymen and the CHP. Holding banners reading “Racist Öymen will give account” and “Racist CHP go away Dersim,” the group also called on Öymen to resign.
 Alevis across Turkey held demonstrations to protest CHP deputy Onur Öymen’s reference to the Dersim Rebellion as an example of terrorism. They laid black wreaths in front of CHP’s local offices. |
Another harsh reaction to Öymen came from the southern province of Mersin, where various NGOs, including the Federation of Tunceli Residents, marched on Saturday. Democratic Society Party (DTP) members also held a demonstration in the city, holding posters showing Öymen with a Hitler-like toothbrush moustache. The group also chanted slogans protesting Öymen. Group spokesperson and DTP Provincial Chairman Serhat Ölmez said Öymen’s remarks are evidence of the CHP’s years-long policies of denial and destruction. The group laid a black wreath in front of the CHP’s local office. The group then held a moment of silence to remember those who were killed in the Dersim rebellion.
In the eastern province of Batman, a group of people including representatives of political parties and civil society groups also laid a black wreath in front of the CHP’s local office. Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples’ (MAZLUM-DER) Batman branch head Murat Çiçek said in order for the democratic initiative to be successful Turkey should shed light on the past’s unfortunate events. “We condemn Onur Öymen and the mentality he represents and we want everyone in favor of peace to show their reaction,” he said.
Following Öymen’s remarks, residents of Tunceli, a predominantly Alevi city, also put up posters throughout the city showing Öymen with a Hitler-like toothbrush moustache to protest Öymen.
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