HATAY - Speaking in a statement on the attacks in Syria and Rojava, DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tülay Hatimoğulları said: "I appeal to the state authorities; Today you have developed relations with HTS, negotiations should be held with them and a call should be made for them to end the attacks against the peoples there as soon as possible. We must fight together for the construction of a democratic Syria."

 

Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Co-Chairs Tulay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan visited Hatay's Samandağ district and came together with Civil Society Organisations (NGOs), Alawite organisations, sheikhs and opinion leaders against the attacks against Alawites in Syria and North East Syria. The Co-Chairs visited the Tomb of Hızır in the district and received information about the tomb from sheikhs and opinion leaders.

 

'They slaughter you by saying ’Are you Alevi or not?

 

Speaking first in front of the mausoleum, Sheikh Ahmed stated that the conflicts in Syria have affected all Alawites and that they are in sorrow, and that sedition has been introduced among Muslims. Sheikh Ahmed said, "Both the beheader and the beheaded say “Alla hu Akbar”. The events in Syria need to be dealt with in a way to at least relieve the minorities of these injustices and oppression. Alawites are being massacred in Syria with the claim that there is an Alawite regime. There has never been an Alawite regime in Syria. There may have been some incidents under the Baath regime, but it is unfair to attribute this to Alawites. As far as we see in the virtual media, they massacre them by saying ‘Are you Alawite or not?’. It is important that they are Alawites, not regime supporters. We have been persecuted a lot, but if this persecution of Alawites continues, we will not welcome it."

 

‘We have no choice but peace’

 

DEM Party Co-Chairperson Tülay Hatimoğulları stated that they gathered at Hz. Hızır Tomb to call for peace and added that the peoples in the Middle East have had enough of war and conflicts. Tülay Hatimoğulları continued her words as follows: "There is more human blood under the ground than water, more than oil. Alevis were massacred in Karbala, they have been massacred in Turkey until today, and now they are being massacred in Syria. Today, with the regime change in Syria, they are slaughtering the Alawite community like sacrificial lambs, we cannot accept this, we will not accept the attacks on churches and patriarchs. We must struggle together for the construction of a democratic Syria where peoples can live in Syria with their own colours. We are calling out to the whole world from the border point; we must stop this war and massacres together. I call out to all human rights organisations; I invite everyone to duty. We can no longer tolerate being massacred. I appeal to the Alevi community; let's be together more. Let's get stronger to make the voice of our brothers and sisters who are being massacred in Syria heard by the world. I appeal to the state authorities; today you have improved relations with HTS, they should hold talks with them and call on them to end the attacks against the people there as soon as possible. We have no choice but peace, let's embrace peace together. May Hızır help you and help you."