ALEVIS SHOUTED FROM ISTANBUL-KADIKOY: “WE WILL NOT LET FASCISM PASS”

On Sunday, December 10, with the call of Alevi associations, a rally was held at Kadıköy Rıhtım demanding “Secular education, humane life, democratic Turkey”.

In addition to the Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF), Confederation of Alevi Unions of Europe (AABK), Federation of Alevi Associations (ADFE), Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian Cultural Foundation (HBVAKV), Alevi Cultural Associations (AKD), Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association (PSAKD), Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) and Anatolian Alevi Canlar Federation, many institutions, unions and professional organizations, including Partizan, participated in the rally.

PSAKD Istanbul Branches, Partizan, SEP and May Life Cooperative gathered at Kadıköy Altıyol before the rally and marched to the rally site. The march carried a banner with the slogan “Let’s Organize and Struggle for Secular Education, Humane Life and Democratic Turkey”. While police harassment continued throughout the march, the crowd reached the rally area with the slogans “Shoulder to Shoulder Against Fascism”, “We are Alevis, We are Right, We will Win”, “Alevis exist, Alevism is Right”. Partizan, who entered the area with a banner with the slogan “Let’s Break the Wheel of Oppression and Assimilation by Organizing”, was greeted enthusiastically by the masses.

The rally, which brought thousands of people together, started with an opening speech. After a moment of silence, the heads of the Alevi associations organizing the rally took the stage to greet the crowd.

“WE WILL NOT LEAVE THIS COUNTRY TO FASCISTS LIKE YOU”

Alevi Bektashi Federation President Mustafa Aslan criticized the country’s move towards Turkish-type sharia and demanded secular, scientific and mother tongue education.”

At a time when the country is heading towards fascism and Turkish-type sharia, we Alevis are defending the land and the republic of this country. We are not denialists and monists as some people say. This country is ours. We will not leave this country to religious, monist, fascists like you.” Arslan said that the Presidency of Religious Affairs is working like the Ministry of National Education. Drawing attention to the ÇEDES project, he reminded that imams were appointed to schools. “Are we going to allow this?” asked Arslan, to which the crowd answered “No” in unison.

Arslan ended his speech with the following words: “We will fight for the democratization of this country. We say that we will turn this country into a field of flowers where everyone can freely and easily express their language, belief, color. We say that education should be secular and scientific. What the government is doing is turning schools into madrassas. While schools are short of teachers and students are hungry, they are appointing imams to schools. Together we demand secular, scientific and mother tongue education.”

“WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FIGHT TOGETHER”

Seher Şengüllü Yılmaz, President of Alevi Cultural Associations and Cuma Erçe, President of PSAKD read the press text. “We can only stop the monist, imposing, bigoted and denialist policies of AKP and its racist fascist partners by standing shoulder to shoulder. We have no choice but to fight together against this understanding”, the statement said, raising the call for struggle.

In the continuation of the statement, it was stated that Alevis are on the side of the oppressed and against the oppressor wherever they are in the world and added: “We demand an immediate end to the dirty war in Palestinian territories. We call on the governments of the region, who stand by and watch the deaths of children, women and the oppressed, and who condemn Israel but maintain all kinds of military and economic agreements with it, to give up their hamasic speeches and call them to duty.” Pointing out that those who commit war crimes in Syria cannot call for peace in the Middle East, the statement said, “We Alevis will not be in a hypocritical attitude that applauds Syria and laments Gaza.”

The statement said that the dismissal of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association by a court decision is also an unacceptable decision and that this decision is a coup d’état. The statement said that the legal system is shaped in line with the interests of the rulers: “The same understanding that has let the Madımak massacre case, which is one of the most important crimes against humanity, time out and released the murderers of our 33 lives, is the same understanding that has released the murderer of our brother Hrant Dink, misogynists, child molesters, mafia leaders, drug barons, and imprisoned revolutionaries, socialists, intellectuals and journalists unjustly and unlawfully in prisons under heavy isolation conditions. It is putschism to disregard even the anti- democratic September 12 constitution, to ignore the decisions of the Constitutional Court and to wag a finger at lawyers. Appointing trustees to the Turkish Medical Association is putschism.”

“WE WILL NOT LET FASCISM PASS”

In the rest of the statement, it was said that the future of children is condemned with ÇEDES and similar projects, the freedom of women with the sexist and shariaist siege, the sweat of laborers with the order of robbery and exploitation, and millions of young people to unemployment. “We, Alevis, once again cry out from here with our friends. We will not give way to fascism. We will not surrender to darkness.”