Prime Minister: "I Apologize for Dersim"

After the on-going discussion with opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu about the "Dersim incidents", Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan apologized for what happened during "one of the most painful and most tragic events in recent [Turkish] history", as he put it.

The so-called "Dersim Massacre" refers to the violent suppression in 1937/38 of the local population of Dersim, now called Tunceli Province (eastern Anatolia). Some sources speak of tens of thousands of Alevi Kurds and Zazas that were killed and thousands more that were forced into exile.

Erdoğan's speech at the Extended Meeting with Provincial Chairs of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was based on four documents quoted by the PM.

"I apologize"

The second document dated 8 August 1939 was sent by the Gendarmerie General Command to the premiership high prefecture. In included a record of how many people died, survived and were forced to relocate.

Erdoğan quoted, "It is stated in this document that a total of 13,806 people were killed in 1936, 1937, 1938 and 1939. The signature underneath is very interesting. Faik Öztrak. The Minister of the Interior."

The CHP was the ruling party at the time. Erdoğan addressed Kılıçdaroğlu as the present party chair and asked if he was going to apologize.

"If we have to apologize on behalf of the state and given that such literature exists, I apologize", Erdoğan announced.

Apology from CHP Provincial Chairman

Subsequent to Erdoğan's speech, the CHP Provincial Chairman of Diyarbakır (Kurdish-majority province in south-eastern Turkey), Muzaffer Değer, followed the prime minister's calling and apologized for the incidents that happened in Dersim at the time.

CHP Faction Deputy Chair Hamzaçebi and Deputy Party Chair Tekin on the other hand criticized Erdoğan's statement.

"We have to face our past"

Değer said in an interview with bianet that people from all over Turkey called him after his statement to express their appreciation and to congratulate him.

"We have to face the past if we made a mistake. If the CHP made a mistake in these incidents, the CHP has to apologize. We cannot face our past without revealing the naked truth", Değer remarked.

Negative reaction of the CHP

On the other hand, also negative reactions in answer to Erdoğan's speech were voiced in the ranks of the CHP. CHP Faction Deputy Chair Akif Hamzaçebi criticized that in the prime minister's eyes all insurgents became victims. He blamed Erdoğan of making "cheap" politics.

In Hamzaçebi's opinion, Erdoğan created separatism by spilling enmity, hate and anger. He added that the prime minister declared war to the republic.

CHP Deputy Chairman Gürsel Tekin said in a written statement, "I congratulate the prime minister. With his language, style and statement he put dynamite into the foundation of the unity of our country. He managed to pave the way to make everybody enemies and turn against each other. (...) What is left to say? What is the prime minister's next step? What is the ultimate goal of this campaign?" Tekin questioned. (IC/EKN)