İYİ Party leader Dervişoğlu in Tunceli: 'The cemevi issue must reach a fundamental conclusion'

Müsavat Dervişoğlu, the leader of the İYİ Party, visited Tunceli, a region considered central to the Alevi-Bektashi faith in Turkey. Speaking at a program organized by the Turkish Turkmen Alevi Ocakları Union, Dervişoğlu emphasized the historical and spiritual significance of Tunceli as the first stop for many Alevi traditions migrating from Khorasan to Anatolia. He stated that the issues facing Alevi Ocakları (hearths) and cemevis are well-understood by his party, which is prepared with solutions.

Dervişoğlu asserted that the question of cemevis in Turkey must reach a fundamental conclusion. He argued that for a secular state, addressing the spiritual needs of its citizens is a requirement of that secularism. He specifically mentioned the Directorate of Religious Affairs, stating it should coordinate religious matters with the same spirit and faith. Dervişoğlu stressed that resolving these issues is not merely a political matter but a divine obligation, drawing a parallel to the wisdom of making a gazelle and a lion friends.

"We will not allow anyone to dim the light of the Ocakları or extinguish their fire," Dervişoğlu declared. He highlighted the historical resilience of the Turkish people, who have overcome difficult times together. He invoked the legacy of spiritual leaders like Geyikli Baba, Kumral Abdâl, and Sarı Saltuk, who spread knowledge and faith across Anatolia and the Balkans. Dervişoğlu expressed optimism for the future, grounded in these historical realities and the enduring spirit of his people, believing they can overcome current challenges as they have in the past.