The Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) issued a statement on the 87th anniversary of the execution of Kurdish rebel Seyid Riza, and his companions, which took place on 15 November 1937.
In its statement, the KNK drew attention to the genocide of the Kurdish people in Dersim, where thousands of men, women, and even unborn children lost their lives through execution and chemical gassing by the Turkish state. They wrote: “To confront this genocide, Seyid Riza and his companions fought against the invaders of Kurdistan with a resolute will to resist.”
The KNK also reaffirmed the political-historical memory of the Kurdish nation, emphasising the lasting impact of the Dersim genocide. “The genocide of the Kurdish people in Dersim stands as a clear reflection of the Turkish state’s enmity towards the Kurdish people. This genocide embodies a state-driven mentality of oppression. Seyid Riza, his companions, and the Kurdish nation, both then and now, insist on accountability. Until justice is served, the Kurdish people will not consider their historical mission complete,” the statement stressed.
Reaffirming its commitment to the ideals of Seyid Riza and the liberation of Kurdistan, the KNK called for justice and demanded accountability for the perpetrators of the genocide.
In the Dersim massacres, official records indicate that 737 people, the majority of them children, were killed by the Turkish army in 1937, while 868 more perished in 1938. However, alternative sources suggest that the true death toll in Dersim could have reached as high as 6,868.
This video was released last year, on the 86th anniversary of Seyid Riza’s execution:
🔴 Calls for recognition, apology and compensation continue on the 86th anniversary of the execution of Alevi Kurdish political leader Seyid Rıza.#SeyidRıza | #DersimMassacre | #TwitterKurds
🔗 https://t.co/iGmlapBZne https://t.co/QRwLLtwGyW pic.twitter.com/uhvjPFtOsn
— MedyaNews (@1MedyaNews) November 15, 2023
Despite the passage of 87 years, the continued lack of transparency surrounding Seyid Rıza’s death remains a key issue. Details remain obscured, including the court records, which have been classified as a “state secret”, and the location of Seyid Rıza’s burial, which remains undisclosed.
