According to Kurdistan Press, Tolay Hatem Oğulari, co-chair of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), participated in the 63rd national ceremony and the 37th international commemoration of Haji Bektash Vali and its cultural and artistic programs.

After visiting the tomb of Haji Bektash Vali and holding meetings on the sidelines of this program, he gave a speech at the festival grounds located in Haji Bektash Vali Square.The shrine of Haji Bektash Vali should be returned to the Alawites

Hatam Oghulari stated that Alawites have faced multifaceted policies of assimilation throughout history and have been pressured in schools, educational content, and various areas of social life; he also expressed concern about the situation of Alawites in Syria, recalling the massacres of Alawites in Kucgiri, Dersim, Maresh, Çorum, Sivas, and the Ghazi neighborhood, and said that Alawites in areas such as Latakia, Hama, and Homs have faced killings, kidnappings, and forced conversions.

The party’s co-chair added: “Syrian Alevis are not alone. We stand with you, together with Turkish Alevis. Alevis have never given up on their beliefs, despite all the pressures and policies of assimilation.”

Hatem Oghulari considered the Haji Bektash Vali shrine an inseparable part of the historical and religious memory of the Alevis community and called for its official return to the Alevis.

He also considered it necessary to recognize the mosques as places of worship, guarantee the religious freedom of Alevis, and stipulate their equal citizenship rights in the constitution.

Hatem Oghulari suggested that a commission be formed in parliament to investigate the killings, discrimination, and hate crimes against Alevis, and that an official apology be made after the truth is revealed.He also listed changing the educational content, ending the imposition of a one-sided attitude, and the establishment of a libertarian understanding of secularism as the most important demands of the Alawites.

The Framework Law is Only a Beginning

In another part of his speech, the co-chair of the Dem Party addressed the peace process and democratic society, and considered the Framework Law approved by the parliament the result of nearly two years of dialogue to resolve the issue, stop armed conflicts, and establish peace: “The implementation of this law will naturally take some time, but it is important to implement it as soon as possible. This law is undoubtedly a beginning and the first step on a thousand-kilometer path. The cessation of weapons was our biggest demand.»

Hatmoğlu described the cessation of hostilities over the past two years and the loss of lives of soldiers, Kurdish youth and guerrilla forces as the most important achievement of the current process, adding: “The fact that neither Kurdish nor Turkish mothers mourn is the most fundamental achievement of this process.”

The cessation of weapons does not mean the solution of all problems

Hatmoğlu continued to warn that the cessation of hostilities and the adoption of the Framework Law do not mean the solution of all Turkey’s problems. Referring to the continued human rights violations, the appointment of mayors, the arrest of mayors and operations against local administration institutions, he considered the situation of prisoners such as Osman Kavala, Can Atalay, Figen Yüksekdag and Selahattin Demirtaş as examples of unresolved issues. He called on political and social forces to expand the democratic struggle in order to take stronger steps.Alawis at the heart of the peace process

The co-chair of the DAP assessed the cessation of hostilities as an important opportunity for the entire Turkish society and called for the cooperation of the forces of democracy, Alawites and other social groups to institutionalize peace: “Where are the Alawites in this process? The Alawites are right at the heart of this process; because peace and a democratic society are the common struggle of all the peoples who have been harmed in this land and all the beliefs that have been denied, assimilated, suppressed and rejected.”

Hatem Oğulları added: “We know that peace cannot be achieved without the support of the Alawites.” He called for the recognition of the rights of Kurds, Arabs, Laz, Circassians, Alawites, Christians and all other groups of people and believers living in Turkey in the laws and constitution.