On the 86th Anniversary of the Execution of Seyit Rıza:
Recognize the Dersim Genocide, Face the Genocide, Ensure Restorative Justice!
“We are the children of Karbala. We are blameless.
This is a disgrace, an atrocity; this is murder.”[1]
On 15 November 1937, the Kurdish Alevi opinion leader of Dersim, Seyit Rıza (74 years old), his son Resik Hüseyin (16 years old), and a total of 7 people (according to some accounts, 11 people) were executed in Elazığ’s Buğday Square disregarding any kind of rule of law in force almost by summary execution.
The information provided by İhsan Sabri Çağlayangil, then deputy chief of national police, in his memoirs and what he later told a party leader confirm that there was no rebellion in Dersim as was claimed.
The 1925 Eastern Reform Plan, the 1936 Law on the Administration of the Tunceli Province, the establishment of the 4th General Inspectorate, which was established based on the Eastern Reform Plan and included Dersim, all point to the fact that Dersim, which was seen as an obstacle to the building of the “nation-state,” was targeted first and foremost for the destruction of its opinion leaders, the genocide of those who opposed it, and exile of the local population.
The minutes of the General Inspectors’ Meeting held on 5-22 December 1936 stated that “Dersim, which is considered the center of Kurdishness and banditry (…) has become an integral part of the conquered community of the Republic of Turkey. There is 99% peace and order in the region.” This statement provides enough explanatory information about the background of the execution of Seyit Rıza and his friends in Dersim.
In the Dersim Genocide of 1937-1938, 13,160 people, including women and children, were killed while 11,818 were deported. Another dimension of the genocide is the fact that a generation known as the “Lost Girls of Dersim” were taken away from their families and handed over as foster children or wives to families they did not know. Considering that even today the total population of Dersim is 86,500, it becomes even clearer that a genocide took place 86 years ago.
Despite the 86 years that have passed, what Seyit Rıza was accused of and what kind of trial he was subjected to has not been disclosed, and the minutes of the trial have not been made public, just like in the case of the Maraş Massacre, claiming that they are “state secrets.” Moreover, the place where Seyit Rıza was buried is still kept secret.
In 2011, then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke about the Dersim Genocide at the AKP’s Expanded Provincial Chairpersons’ Meeting where he showed the Dersim Report prepared by the Gendarmerie General Command and blamed the CHP of the time, confirming the above-mentioned information. He said: “If an apology is to be made on behalf of the state, if there is such a literature, I apologize, I do. (…) Dersim is one of the most painful and tragic events in our recent history. Dersim is a tragedy waiting to be illuminated.” However, no concrete steps have been taken so far to fulfill the apology.
The Human Rights Association calls on the ruling party, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and political parties with a group in the parliament:
- Steps must be taken to “Recognize, Apologize, Compensate” the Dersim Genocide.
- A special law must be enacted to restore the dignity of Seyit Rıza and his friends, and the unlawful trial must be abolished with all its consequences.
- The grave sites of Seyit Rıza and his friends must be disclosed.
- An apology must be made to the people of Dersim, and the name Dersim must be reinstated.
Human Rights Association
[1] “Evlâd-ı Kerbelâyıx. Bi-hatayıx. Ayıptır, zulümdür, cinayettir.”