Human Rights Association makes five requests for Dersim

* Photo: Federation of Dersim Associations

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The Human Rights Association (İHD) released a statement yesterday (May 4) and marked the anniversary of the Dersim Massacre, which began in eastern Turkey on May 4, 1937 and continued in 1938.

The İHD said, "We, as human rights defenders, define these massacres committed in Dersim in 1937-1938 as a genocide, as defined in the Article 76 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). The people of Dersim still define the incidents as 'tertele' [massacre/ genocide in Dimili/Zazaki]."

'A matter of facing the past'

The Association briefly stated the following:

"As per the Council of Ministers Decree dated May 4, 1937 issued within the frame of the Tunceli Law no. 2884 and dated 25.12.1935, military operations were carried out against Dersim and tens of thousands of Kurds/ Alevis were massacred during these operations.

"The military operations continued throughout 1938 and the geography of Dersim was depopulated to a considerable extent due to the massacre, accompanied by the forced migration (exile).

"Defining what was done in Dersim in 1937-1938 as a genocide, the İHD advocates that this historical tragedy is a matter of facing the past in terms of human rights law and it can only be addressed within this framework.

"There is a need for a powerful political will in order to face the past and to reveal the entire truth.

"As we indicated in our statement on November 25, 2011, we considered it to be an important start that Prime Minister Erdoğan, in the meeting of AKP Provincial Chairs in 2011, used the expression of massacre for what happened in Dersim and apologized on behalf of the state.

"In order for the state to face Dersim, there is first a need to establish a 'Truth for Dersim Commission' at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM), then to recognize the genocide by introduing the necessary legal amendments in line with the recommendations of the commission, to offer an apology and to dwell on reperative solutions."

'Transfer them to local representatives'

The İHD made the following requests:

* Reinstate the name of Dersim,

* Announce the burial sites of Seyit Rıza and his friends, who were executed during the Dersim massacre,

* Announce the fate and whereabouts of the girls who were not massacred and captured alive during the military operations; ensure that they reunite with their families,

* Abandon the policy of depopulating Dersim, cancel the ongoing hydroelectric power plant project and other dams, end natural and cultural destruction,

* Take the natural and cultural centers of faith under protection and transfer them to the local representatives of Dersim people (such as the Dersim Municipality). (AS/SD)