‘How do Alevis interpret HDP’s declaration?’ 

2021-10-11 10:49:18


	 

	Melike Aydın 

	 

	ISTANBUL - DAD Executive Nergiz Güzel, who described the lack of a separate title for the demands of Alevis in the ‘Call for Democracy, Justice and Peace’ declaration published by HDP as a deficiency, emphasized that what was expressed in the declaration as a whole coincides with the demands of Alevis for years and that the declaration can be expanded by different segments.

	 

	The 11-item ‘Call to Democracy, Justice and Peace’ declaration published by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) on September 27 continues to be discussed by different circles. While many segments find the document comprehensive and declare that they will claim to it, some segments argue that the demands of peoples and beliefs exposed to discrimination should be given under a different heading. Alevis, one of these segments, also have their criticisms, but they state that they know that the HDP's approach to peoples and beliefs is equal.

	 

	The Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) Executive Nergiz Güzel underlined that HDP's demands coincide with the Alevis’ demand for ‘’with consent’’ and emphasized that the declaration is not a party program and can be expanded.

	 

	‘Even if we find it deficient, it is valuable’

	 

	Nergiz stated that the absence of a separate title on beliefs in the declaration published by the HDP was seen as a deficiency, but that Alevis did not say anything different from what they said in the declaration published by the HDP. She contunied: ‘’Alevis have been saying the discourses about life, nature, justice and peace for years. Evaluating from here, maybe it is deficient. However, it should be evaluated that a party that received 6.000.000 votes has been constantly marginalized and ‘’terrorized’’ by the government since 2015, with nearly 10.000 party members, MPs and Co-chairs in prison. Since 2015, no party or opposition parties have even had a statement of attitude against this fascist regime. In this sense, even if we approach it critically, I find the attitude document valuable.’’

	 

	‘Document for attitude is not a party program, it can be expanded’

	 

	Expressing that they want an equal world, peace, justice and freedom of expression where Alevis can live ‘with consent’, Nergiz stated that all peoples who oppose the one-man regime should want the same things and said: 

	 

	‘’Perhaps the only marginalized belief in this country is Alevism. Therefore it had to be in that attitude document. But the attitude document is not the party program. For this reason, I do not think it should be criticized too much, additions can be made, it can be expanded further. This is not called our party program. A statement of attitude on how to get out of the country's chaotic environment right now. It could only be a comment on belief. Party programs have not changed since 2015. This document of attitude was a document that Alevis wanted and that socialists and women could get cooperate.

	 

	‘On time’

	 

	Nergiz reminded that although the Kurdish problem has started to be discussed again, the main opposition did not offer solutions and did not explain the roadmap on how to solve it. She said: ‘’The timing of the inclusive attitude document for all peoples was right in a place where the HDP was tried to be terrorized, at a place where the Kurdish problem was told how to reach a solution. It turned out that it was wrong to evaluate the HDP only on the basis of the Kurdish people. Because HDP is the party of the peoples of Turkey and it started with this slogan.It started its journey by calling the democracy and equality for everyone.’’

	 

	‘HDP has approached beliefs equally’

	 

	Stating that the HDP’s declaration and the Dolmabahçe Consensus, which was shared with the public in 2015, are also about the democratization of the peoples of Turkey, Nergiz added that the HDP still continues to say the same things. Nergiz continued as: ‘’Turkey needs democratization and equal treatment to peoples and beliefs. There is a need for a world where women are not killed or imprisoned for their thoughts. Among the most visible opposition parties at the moment, we see the HDP as the one carrying this process. We live in a place where the regime puts more pressure on all rights or where injustice is experienced a little more. Maybe we need to breathe a little more.’’