On 31 January 2025, a significant panel titled “Aleviler Barışı Konuşuyor” (“Alevis Discuss Peace”) took place in Istanbul’s Bakırköy district, organised by several Alevi associations, including the European Alevi Unions Confederation (AABK), Alevi Bektaşi Federation, Alevi Associations Federation (ADFE), Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association (PSAKD), and the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian Culture Foundation. The event aimed to address the longstanding issues faced by the Alevi community in Turkey and to discuss pathways to peace and equality.
Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları delivered a speech highlighting the recent attacks on Arab Alevis in Syria, noting the destruction of the El Xasidi shrine and the abduction of a female academic. She emphasised the importance of amplifying the voices of Alevis in Syria and strengthening efforts to combat such atrocities.
Hatimoğulları also addressed the Kurdish issue, stating that the Kurdish people’s struggle for freedom and identity has become a significant topic not only in the region but worldwide. She praised the autonomous administrations established by Kurds in North and East Syria as models of secularism and coexistence among diverse communities, particularly highlighting the prominent role of women in politics and society.
Sharing imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s message from a recent meeting dated back to 22 January, Hatimoğulları conveyed his commitment to ensuring the representation of all diverse peoples and beliefs in Turkey based on equal citizenship.
"Today, the Kurdish people themselves would not accept a peace that does not foresee their honour and rights."
Öcalan emphasised that a democratic peace framework should not only address the Kurdish issue but also resolve the historical problems faced by the Alevi community and other marginalised groups. He stated, “I am working to ensure the representation of all diverse peoples and beliefs living in this country on the basis of equal citizenship.”
Hatimoğulları underscored that any peace process must involve the opposition to prevent the ruling government from monopolising the narrative. She affirmed that the DEM Party would not accept a peace that disregards the honour and rights of the Kurdish people, stating, “Today, the Kurdish people themselves would not accept a peace that does not foresee their honour and rights.”
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DEM Party Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan also spoke at the panel, highlighting the ongoing oppression faced by Alevi citizens and the need for strengthened organisation and collective struggle. He emphasised that the DEM Party serves as a platform for all communities seeking democracy and equality, stating, “We are the common ground for all communities that have been denied, assimilated, and oppressed for 100 years.”
Bakırhan called for the active participation of the Alevi community in the peace process, noting that achieving equal citizenship rights would benefit not only Kurds but also Alevis and other marginalised groups.
He stressed the importance of unity and collective struggle to overcome denial and assimilation policies, stating:
"If this process is to proceed, if there is to be a solution, rest assured that whatever the Kurds gain, the Alevis will also gain."
The panel concluded with a call for solidarity among all oppressed communities in Turkey, emphasising that a democratic and peaceful future can only be achieved through collective effort and mutual understanding.
