CHP's Özel Vows to Earn Alevi Community's Consent, Citing Historical Injustice

CHP leader Özgür Özel addressed the International Alevilik Studies Congress in Çorum, a gathering he described as the "Rıza Şehri Alevi Canlar Buluşması." He declared that the current Turkish government owes the Alevi community "consent," a reconciliation he vowed to secure on behalf of his party and the nation's future.

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We have come here to promise that we will, sooner or later, take that consent from the Alevis on behalf of the state.

"We have come here to promise that we will, sooner or later, take that consent from the Alevis on behalf of the state," Özel stated, addressing the attendees with the respectful term "canlar" (souls).

Özel invoked the concept of "Rıza Şehri," a city of contentment, symbolizing a world free from exploitation and injustice. He described it as a place where lives and property are shared, and where people live without worry, founded on mutual consent and satisfaction. He congratulated the organizers for taking the first step toward realizing this ideal by planning a senior care center, kindergartens, and social facilities.

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Rıza Şehri, the embodiment of faith in a world without exploitation and injustice, and a march towards such a society.

The opposition leader drew parallels between the historical suffering of Karbala and injustices faced in Turkey, including incidents in Çorum, Maraş, and Sivas. He commended the Alevi community for enduring centuries of hardship with resilience, patience, and resistance, using art and words to express their struggles. "You have always stood by the oppressed in every era's Karbala," he said. "You were victims, but you were never oppressors. You suffered, but you never made anyone suffer."

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Today, those who govern the country owe the Alevi community consent.

Özel also acknowledged the support his party has received during its own difficult times, seeing it as a testament to the Alevi community's moral compass. He expressed his daily observation of their support, both individually and institutionally, noting their timely and appropriate responses to legal decisions.

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This country has experienced many painful days. For centuries, tears and oppression have continued.