“I was planning to attend the workshop because I believe problems can be settled through dialogue. But, I have decided not to attend in order to avoid being an element of speculation for those who want to bring the Alevi workshops to a halt. Our country has many problems; we have to contribute to their solutions. We should not make problems more serious through useless debates,” Şendiller told Today’s Zaman.
The southern province of Kahramanmaraş was the scene of violent incidents ahead of the Sept. 12, 1980 coup. The incidents resulted in the deaths of 11 people, mostly Alevis, in 1978 after an ultranationalist used a bomb to attack the city’s Alevi population. The bombing was blamed on Alevis, sparking an ultranationalist backlash that resulted in the murder of dozens of Alevis in the city over the course of almost a week.
Şendiller was later held responsible for the incidents. He was tried due to suspected links to the murders, but was acquitted of all charges.
After reports made their way to the press that Şendiller was planning to attend the sixth Alevi workshop, many other invitees announced their decision to protest the workshop.
The Dec. 17 workshop will be the sixth in a series of workshops organized by the government, with participants for the most part comprising Alevi politicians. The government will be represented by State Minister Faruk Çelik, and the moderator will be Professor Necdet Subaşı. A report will be published following a meeting evaluating all topics discussed in the workshops.
