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Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the presidential candidate of the opposition Nation's Alliance, has spoken out for the equal citizenship of Turkey's Alevi religious minority.
In a Twitter video released late yesterday (April 18), Kılıçdaroğlu, who is himself an Alevi, emphasized the importance of protecting one's identity and demanded an end to the divisive system in Turkey.
"As an Alawite, I am a sincere Muslim raised with the belief of Haqq - Muhammad - Ali," he said. "Our identities are the assets that make us who we are; of course, we must protect them with honor. But there are important things we can choose in life. We can choose to be a good person, to be honest, moral, conscientious, virtuous and just."
The Alevis of Turkey have been calling for equal citizenship rights and for Alevism to be recognized by the state. Alevism is a heterodox Islamic tradition with roots in Anatolia, but not all Alevis identify as Muslims. Because of their unrecognized status, there is no official figure regarding the Alevi population in Turkey, with estimates ranging from 5 to 15 percent.
Alevis have been subjected to atrocities in recent history, including the 1978 Maraş Massacre, the 1980 Çorum Massacre, the 1993 Sivas Massacre, and the 1996 Gazi Massacre. Their places of worship and homes are still occasionally attacked in various parts of the country, mostly by marking buildings with an "X."
Turkey will hold dual parliamentary and presidential elections on May 14. Kılıçdaroğlu, leader fo the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), seeks to end President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's two-decade rule.
Alevi. pic.twitter.com/C9Pd1ZaKoN
— Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu (@kilicdarogluk) April 19, 2023
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