Victims of Sivas Massacre remembered on 24th anniversary in Turkey
The Sivas Massacre, an arson attack staged by radical Islamists on mostly Alevi intellectuals inside the Madımak Hotel that killed 33 intellectuals and two hotel personnel, was commemorated on its 24th anniversary on July 2 in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas.
Families of the victims and representatives of Alevi institutions were joined at the commemoration ceremony by lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
Sivas Governor Davut Gül Barut, Sivas Mayor Sami Aydın, Cumhuriyet University Rector Prof. Dr. Alim Yıldız, Cem Association head Erdoğan Döner and lawmakers from the CHP and the HDP laid carnations at a memorial built inside the Madımak Hotel, which is currently used as a science and culture center.
"In 1993, not only the Madımak Hotel and the people were burned, but also Turkey itself and all of humanity were burned and are still burning. That is why we say 'justice.' That is why we are marching for 'justice.' Without justice being ensured in the Madımak case, justice cannot prevail in Turkey," said Istanbul CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu, one of the people who laid carnations at the Madımak Hotel.
"It is disgraceful to differentiate people based on religious or ethnic identities on behalf of humanity. May God rest in peace those whom we lost in the Sivas massacre," wrote the CHP chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu on his Twitter account on July 2.
"This is an incident committed against the unity and brotherhood of our nation and state. The target of this incident is the Turkish Republic. The victims are the Turkish Republic, the families [of the victims], the whole nation and above all Sivas and Sivas residents," Governor Gül was quoted as saying by the...
- Log in to post comments