Özgür Özel: Our hearts are one with the Alevis
Özgür Özel, leader of the Republican People’s Party of Turkey (CHP), reposted his speech from the opening ceremony of the fourth “Hacı Bektaş Veli Commemoration” on his social media account — a message that drew wide attention in Turkey’s political and social arena.
In this message, he wrote: “This state owes a great debt to the Alevis, who endured suffering with patience for years and never once said, ‘You are indebted to us.’”
The fourth Serçeşme Hacı Bektaş Veli Festival was held with the support of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) at the Yenikapı event area on September 13–14.
Reposting his opening speech on the social media platform X, Özel emphasized: “In every Karbala of history, we have stood against the oppressor and beside the oppressed. Our hearts are one with our dear Alevi brothers and sisters. This state owes a great debt to the Alevis, who endured suffering with patience for years and never once said, ‘You are indebted to us.’ We are marching toward power to repay this debt and to achieve equality.”
The release of this message came immediately after remarks by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), regarding the Alevi community, and attracted significant attention.
On his return from Qatar, Erdoğan responded to journalists’ questions, saying:
“I condemn these ugly and discriminatory statements against our Alevi brothers and sisters. We are like flesh and nail with the Alevis, and we can never cast them aside. One of the fundamental principles of our state is the equality of all citizens, regardless of religion, sect, ethnicity, or identity. This principle is guaranteed by the Constitution, and everyone must abide by it. Such rhetoric reflects the distorted and unhealthy mindset of those who have for years seen Alevis merely as a reservoir of votes. I believe the judiciary will do its duty, and those behind these provocations will be held accountable in court. No one has the right to recklessly target the unity, solidarity, and social peace of this country. No one can create a division between Alevi and Sunni. With God’s permission, we will never allow this.”
