Important messages from Özgür Özel to Alevis

Following the recent increase in discussions regarding Alevis, CHP leader Özgür Özel shared his views in a post on his social media account.

Özel shared a clip from his speech at the Serçeşme Hünkar Hacı Bektaş Veli Festival, organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and underscored the debt owed to Alevis.

In his post, Özel stated, "Our hearts are one with the Alevi souls who stand against the oppressor and by the side of the oppressed in the Karbala of every age. This state owes a great debt to the Alevis, who have carried their pain with patience for years but have never once said, 'you owe us.' We are marching toward power to pay these debts and to ensure equality."

"YOU STAND TALL BY THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSED"

In his speech, Özel drew attention to the pain the Alevi community has experienced throughout history and the patience they have shown. "These lands have seen much pain. The Alevi community has always carried this pain in silence. You have carried the pain with pens, paper, lutes, words, serenity, and patience. In the Karbala of every age, you have stood by the side of the oppressed. You have been victims, but you have never been oppressors. Today, too, you stand tall against the oppressor and by the side of the oppressed. I thank the souls who stand tall from the bottom of my heart," he said.

"YOU HAVE ENRICHED THESE LANDS"

Özel emphasized the role Alevis played in the founding of Turkey and in the War of Independence. "You stood shoulder to shoulder with Mustafa Kemal Pasha. You were there during the liberation and the founding. From Karbala to Çorum, from Maraş to Madımak, from Sivas to Gezi, you buried the pain within yourselves and nurtured love, not hatred. You left the children not the cries of the past, but the hope of the future. With your hymns and your breaths, you have enriched these lands. And you continue to enrich them," he stated.

"WE WILL NOT TURN BACK FROM THIS PATH"

Stating that inequalities toward Alevis must be resolved, Özel said, "We are marching toward power with the party of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to pay all these debts at once and as soon as possible. If Alevis say that the state does not treat me equally, it is of no importance for the state to say you are equal. Equality must be felt by everyone in their hearts." Özel emphasized that they will continue to fight for justice in Turkey and will not turn back from this path.