Alawite massacres in Syria: Police block protest outside Syrian consulate in İstanbul

Alawite organizations and political parties protested attacks on Alawite communities in Syria’s Latakia, Tartus, and Hama provinces. However, a planned demonstration outside the Syrian Consulate in İstanbul’s Şişli district on Mar 9 was blocked by police.

Several Alawite organizations, including the Alevi Bektaşi Federation, Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association, and Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian Culture Foundation, had called on the public to denounce the killings and place a black wreath in front of the consulate.

After the public announcement for the demonstration, the Şişli District Governor’s Office issued a three-day demonstration ban in the district. In the face of the ban, the crowd gathered in the Maçka Democracy Park on the borders of the Şişli and Beyoğlu districts, where they chanted slogans such as "No to sharia, fascism, and darkness" and "Do not stay silent, say no to massacres" to protest the violence against Alawites.

Protests in Adana and Hatay

Similar demonstrations took place on Mar 8 in Adana and Hatay, southern provinces with a notable Alawite population.

The Adana Alevi Platform and Adana Labor and Democracy Forces held a protest in front of the Salman-ı Pak Culture Center, displaying banners that read "Peace, secularism, and democracy will prevail in Syria" and "Staying silent means being complicit in massacres."

Speaking on behalf of the platform, Hüseyin İncesu accused international actors of committing "crimes against humanity" through their military policies in Syria. "Has the systematic massacre of Alawites reached the point you wanted? Is your conscience at ease?" he asked.

Yakup Ataş, head of the Human Rights Association (İHD) Adana Branch, issued a statement on behalf of Adana Labor and Democracy Forces, saying, "Genocide and massacres are crimes against humanity, no matter where or against whom they occur." He added, "Alawites are being killed in Syria, and both Turkish and international public opinion remain silent. One does not need to be Alawites or Kurdish to speak out against a massacre—being human is enough."

Ataş also criticized Turkey’s foreign policy, stating, "The Turkish Foreign Ministry claims to support both the Syrian people and the government. You cannot stand with both. The Syrian government is carrying out massacres against Alawites today. You cannot align yourself with such a mentality."

Mass gathering in Samandağ

In Hatay, demonstrators gathered in Samandağ’s Abdullah Cömert Square following calls from Alawite organizations, including the Samandağ Alevi Values Association and Pir Sultan Abdal Culture Association.

The event was attended by the main opposition Republican People's Party's (CHP) Hatay MPs Nermin Yıldırım Kara, Mehmet Güzelmansur, and Servet Mullaoğlu, along with Samandağ Mayor Emrah Karaçay and Alawite community leaders. Protesters chanted, "Stand together against the massacre" and "Murderer Culani, get out of Syria."

According to Sendika.org, speakers at the protest described the ongoing violence in Syria as a "systematic massacre" and called on the United Nations, the international community, and human rights organizations to intervene.

CHP lawmaker Nermin Yıldırım Kara stated, "For months, we have warned about this situation, but our concerns were ignored. The images coming from Latakia today clearly show that a massacre is being carried out against civilians under the pretext of a 'security operation.'"

CHP’s Servet Mullaoğlu added, "We fear the consequences of remaining silent in the face of oppression. Today, we protest the pitting of communities against each other, imperialist schemes, and the targeting of people simply for being Alawites."

Samandağ Mayor Emrah Karaçay described the situation as "devastating." "After 13 years of war, the regime changed. Alawites were among the first to celebrate, believing the war had ended. But unfortunately, it was the beginning of darker days," he said.

He warned that the killings in Syria were approaching the scale of genocide, adding, "They are massacring civilians openly, in front of the entire world, yet no one speaks out."

Background

Reports indicate that security forces affiliated with Syria’s new leadership have continued operations against Alawite communities in the country’s western regions, including Latakia, Tartus, Hama, and Homs.

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), recent killings have taken place in Tartus’ Quneitra neighborhood, Baniyas district, Latakia’s Datur neighborhood, and the villages of Ramliya and Rasafe in Hama province.

SOHR data shows that at least 973 people, including women and children, have been killed in 39 separate attacks targeting Alawites. The reported death toll includes 545 civilians in Latakia, 262 in Tartus, 156 in Hama, and 10 in Homs. (VK)