Main opposition CHP sees Alevi exodus after Öymen’s remarks

During a speech in Parliament on Tuesday 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.

Dersim was renamed Tunceli after the rebellion. The rebellion was led by Seyyid Riza, the chief of a Zaza tribe in the region. The Turkish government, led by İsmet İnönü at the time, responded with air strikes against the rebels. Thousands were killed in the campaign.

In later remarks, Öymen did not apologize and referred to the Dersim deaths as “collateral damage.” In addition, the party administration did not punish Öymen in any way, but rebuked CHP deputy Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who called on Öymen to resign.

Pictures depicting CHP’s Onur Öymen as Hitler have popped up throughout Tunceli over the past few days.

The remarks, topped with the CHP administration’s reaction, have caused Alevis, who have historically voted for the secular CHP, to question their relationship with this party. The reaction from Alevi associations has yet to die down. Alevi members have been leaving the party in increasingly higher numbers. Observers believe Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, a former CHP member who became a CHP-reject when he attempted to challenge CHP leader Deniz Baykal at a party congress, can benefit greatly from the Alevi exodus.

Some observers believe what started with Öymen’s remarks might turn into a healthy discussion of the relationship between the CHP and Alevis. Some assert that the Alevi community has seen its most difficult times in the republican period under CHP rule. When Alevis walk out on the CHP, the party -- which already has no voter base in predominantly Kurdish eastern and southeastern provinces -- will only have the votes of secular Turks that reside in Turkey’s coastal strips.

Another call on Öymen to resign from the CHP came from the Federation of German-Alevi Unions (AABF). In a written statement released yesterday, AABF said: “We strongly condemn the speech Öymen delivered in Parliament. Öymen should apologize to the Alevi community, resign from his post and from Parliament in order to preserve his dignity.”

The statement said the CHP was not a party of the people but of the state. It also accused all senior CHP members of being unyielding defenders of the Turkish-Islamic synthesis. “We call on Alevis who are still active in the CHP: What do they feel about these developments? What is their reaction going to be? We would like to know the answer to that.”

Reactions from artists also continued on Tuesday. Singer Ferhat Tunç criticized Öymen severely in a statement published on his Web site yesterday. He accused Öymen of deliberately reviving the pains of the past and making Tunceli Alevis live through them again for the sake of mere enjoyment. “This approach, one that seeks to legitimize the most barbaric massacre in the history of the Republic of Turkey, is extremely dangerous,” Tunç said, noting that Öymen’s expression should be prosecuted as it praised massacring a group of people as a solution to ethnic problems. Meanwhile, Democratic Society Party (DTP) leader Ahmet Türk also called for Öymen’s resignation yesterday. “According to [his speech], local Alevis and Kurds are internal enemies. We have tried to prove that the CHP has been cut off from social democracy. It sees Kurds and Alevis as enemies. Can such a mentality continue to exist in the 21st century?” he asked.

Meanwhile, an e-card campaign started by the www.alevidunyasi.com Web site continued for a second day. So far 7,600 e-cards protesting Öymen’s words have been sent to the CHP headquarters. The campaign will go on until the number of e-cards sent reaches 90,000, the estimated number of Alevis killed in the Dersim Rebellion.

Also yesterday, CHP leader Baykal showed solidarity with Öymen, as the two arrived together to the party’s parliamentary group meeting, which Kılıçdaroğlu did not attend. Another party member attending the meeting shouted at Baykal: “I’m an Alevi. Mr. Chairman, will you now say anything about Öymen’s words?” Parliament security officials tried to silence the protestor, but Baykal said: “Let him talk. We have said all there was to be said about that. We have closed that subject.” After this, several party members attacked the protestor. He was taken out of the room after a brief scuffle.

Another word of support for Öymen’s words came from Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who accused Öymen’s critics and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) of condoning and even glorifying rebellions while showing suppressing them as cruelty.