CHP Unable to Apologize For Dersim Massacre After 76 Years

“I am Republican People’s Party (CHP) Vice Chairman and I apologize for a thousand times,” Sezgin Tanrıkulu said last night during a live TV show on CNN Türk. 

“On behalf of CHP, I am making this apology for everyone who has been hurt, killed or exiled [due to the Dersim Massacre]”. 

Tanrıkulu’s words were related to a Turkish military campaign between 1937 and 1938 against the Dersim Region where 12,000 Alevi Kurds and Zazas killed and tens of thousands exiled. At the period, CHP was in power. Tanrıkulu’s words marked the first apology after 76 years. 

Öymen: Kılıçdaroğlu must condemn the apoligy 

Claiming that Tanrıkulu’s statement can not be accepted, CHP Vice Chairman Onur Öymen expressed his hopes that the statement will be condemned by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, CHP Chairman. 

“Otherwise, it is possible for him to continue his post in the chair of  Atatürk [CHP’s founder].

Tanrıkulu: CHP has nothing to be ashamed of 

After the reactions, Tanrıkulu told BirGün newspaper the following: “I have received positive feedback as well. CHP has nothing to be ashamed on its history. It would be naive to expect a reaction from someone who calls himself ‘Kemal of Dersim’ on matter that directly or indirectly concerns Atatürk.

Öztürk: I don’t apologize or something

CHP Mersin deputy Ali Rıza Öztürk said: “I don’t apologize or something. I don’t want these outdated matters to be abused politically.”

Yılmaz: Not CHP, imperialists…

CHP deputy Dilek Akagün Yılmaz said the following on Twitter: “It is not CHP that must apologize for the Dersim Incident. It should be the imperialists and their collaborators who must do that. 

Ağbaba: State must apologize 

CHP Vice Chairperson Veli Ağbaba, on the other hand, told Al Jazeera Türk the following: “It is not CHP that should apologize. It must be the state. Putting all the burden on CHP is unfair and immoral.”

He added that CHP already faced with Dersim Incident by electing a chairman (Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu) from Dersim. (EÖ/BM).

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.