‘Commemoration Ban’ on Events To Mark Anniversary of Maraş Massacre

*Writing on the shop window says, "In the name of Allah, to war"

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Maraş Governorship has banned all "meetings, demonstration marches, rallies, commemoration events, setting up stands and tents, press statements and similar activities in Maraş for one month.

The ban has been issued retrospectively and will be in effect from December 12, 2017 and January 12, 2018.

Issued four days before the 39th anniversary of Maraş Massacre on December 19, 1978, the ban covers all commemoration activities as well.

The commemoration activities marking the massacre had been banned by the Governorship in the previous years as well and all entries to and exits from the province were restained.

Maraş Massacre

Between December 19-24,1978, 111 people were killed, according to official reports, in Maraş province when the Sunni residents brutally attacked their Alevite neighbors. According to the unofficial figures, the number of casualties exceeded 500.

Lawsuits were brought against 804 people. 29 of the suspects were sentenced to death penalty, seven other to life in prison and 321 suspects to from 1 to 24 years in prison.

Although thirteen provinces of the country were put under martial law in direct response to the Maraş massacre, this did little to guarantee security of life. Political assassinations continued to occur on a daily basis; just in the course of the trial three lawyers acting for the victims of the massacre, were murdered, and the others faced death threats and were obliged to switch their places of lodging in Adana for the duration of the proceedings.

Discussing and explaining the December 1978 massacre in Maraş has been largely confined to Alevi and leftist circles. There has been little wider discussion, apart from by some on the far right associated with the events. For those who have discussed the events, the overwhelming focus has been on the fact of the killings being the result of a planned conspiracy, the work of rightists and allegedly deep state elements. In some quarters it is even argued to have been the work of international intelligence agencies. That the military court made no attempt to get to the bottom of the incidents has of course fuelled this speculation about the dimensions of the conspiracy.

* Source: bianet article  by Emma Sinclair-Webb

(AS/DG)