MADIMAK: The Story of Retrogression, Injustice and Unmitigated Pain

28 years ago, the murder of 33 people by burning to death at Madımak Hotel in Sivas, remind us of the Alevi society’s history that full of grievances, the failure of justice to be manifested, and the retrogression of democracy in Turkey. Streets of Sivas make its visitors feel the pain and sadness of Alevis that have not mitigated since Karbala.

In the 28^th year of the Sivas Massacre, thousands of people that gathered in Sivas to commemorate the losses and demand the punishment of the perpetrators, once again commemorated the 33 people with sadness. Thousands of Alevis from various cities of Turkey and Europe attended the commemoration program organized by the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association (PSAKD). People departing from PSAKD’s Sivas branch marched to Science and Culture Center that was opened after the massacre building, Madımak Hotel’s renovation, with slogans under the supervision of law enforcers.

Observing the people attending the commemoration in the streets of Sivas makes you feel the mourning. Because the pain of the Alevi society, which commemorates Karbala, Maraş and Çorum before Madımak, is as fresh as the first day. Despite a diminishing interest due to resultless demands, Alevis are determined to fight for justice that hasn’t been served and everything that hasn’t changed in 28 years. The local people of Sivas, who watched the crowd in front of their houses or on the pavement, were a little nervous; stayed away to avoid questions or comments.

The judicial process in the Sivas Case has been going on for 28 years with fugitive suspects and some perpetrators whose names are still unknown. The impact of the trial on Alevis could be seen in the speeches of the people who attended the commemoration, in the pictures of the missing they carried with sadness, in the anger caused by the failure of a fair trial process, and in their determined stance to follow the case.

Among those who say ‘We will not forget Sivas, we won’t let it be forgotten. We have sworn to bring justice to bloodstained Sivas’, those who shared their opinions and feelings among the thousands, showed the reflections of the Sivas Massacre on today’s Turkey.

A mother, Yeter Sivri, who lost Yasemin and Asuman, who were 19 and 16, in the massacre, sat on her chair in front of the Science and Culture Center established on the site of the Madımak Hotel, with her pain still fresh, and said, ‘We did not see the justice of the judges; I seek refuge in divine justice,’ and shared the anxiety that accompanied the anger and pain in her, saying that a similar massacre could happen again and again anytime, anywhere in Turkey.

‘Commemoration of Madımak is Worshipping!’

The Alevis we spoke to often referred the Sivas Massacre as a continuation of the other massacres and sufferings they have been subjected to since Karbala. Therefore, for Alevis, commemorating Madımak is like worshipping.

Gülsen Karabulut, a hairdresser in the Seyrantepe District of Sivas, where Alevis live mostly, said, ‘I was 6 years old; nothing has changed since then. If we are Alevi, anything can happen to us. We are the ones who burn, and we are the ones who suffer. Nothing happened to the other ones!’

Retired Murat Cömert, who said that he has been going to Sivas from İstanbul every year for 28 years, also gave a reference to the past: ‘These atrocities, these cries have existed in these lands since Selim the Grim. 33 souls cry out here every year. It’s just like Karbala, but not a drop of water exists.’

HDP’s MP from Antalya Kemal Bülbül, who served as the General President of the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association and the General Secretary of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, explained the importance of Sivas for Alevis with these words: ‘Even if this commemoration lasts for 528 years, we will continue to fight for democracy to the end so that the perpetrators are tried and punished according to human rights, freedoms and universal law. Commemoration of Madımak is worshipping.’

‘Madımak is a Reflection of Massacre Culture in Society’

İsmet Çağlayan, an electrical engineer who lives in Sivas, evaluated the massacre from a broader perspective: ‘Madımak should not be considered alone. There is a culture of slaughter in this society. It is necessary to remember Karbala, Çorum, Maraş and Gazi. We are here not only for Madımak, but for the culture of massacre not to be legitimized.’

Turgut Öker, Honorary President of the Confederation of European Alevi Unions, expressed his concern that similar massacres may occur like many Alevis: ‘The mentality that burned this place and created the conditions for its burning is in power. Today is Friday, the same thing can happen again here or anywhere in Turkey. The danger has increased even more today than yesterday.’

HDP’s MP from İstanbul Ali Kenanoğlu, one of the founders of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, emphasized the reflection of the Sivas massacre on Turkish politics: ‘As Alevis lived in an unfavorable position 28 years ago, they live in a worse situation today. The same can be said for Turkey’s struggle for democracy. In 28 years, we went backwards, not forwards.’

‘Organized Alevis, Simple Alevis and Non-Alevi Apolitics’

We talked about the traces left by the Sivas massacre in the Alevi society with two young people who were directors of the youth branch of the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association, which organized the festivities, and who did not want their names to be published (in this article, we’ll mention them as Ali and İsmail). The bitter anger of Ali and İsmail and their criticism of the Alevi society were remarkable.

Ali, who has been coming to Sivas from İstanbul every year for 13 years to commemorate the massacre, said that he has observed depersonalization in the society and a decreasing interest in the issue in recent years.

Explaining the difference in manifestations of Alevi identity in metropolitan cities and small cities of Anatolia, Ali made a distinction as ‘an organized Alevi and a simple Alevi’. According to Ali, the ‘simple Alevi’ is a person that turns its back on the Djemevi, does not speak out against the Alevi massacres, is not even apolitical, and cannot even be defined as Alevi. Stating that there is a serious segregation in the Alevi society, as in other segments of the society, Ali explained the reason for the Sivas massacre and other grievances is because Alevis could never unite under one purpose.

Saying that he also feels like a minority in Turkey, Ali shared the meaning of the Sivas massacre and the depth of suffering for Alevis: ‘We have been wanting a museum here since 1993, but even this request has not been met yet. We are ignored in this society. Therefore, it is very difficult to come to Sivas. These are very deep feelings for us. We feel shattered.’

‘We come to Sivas every year, claim our shame and go back’

Like Ali, İsmail is of the opinion that the new generation does not show sufficient interest and sensitivity to the sufferings and problems of the Alevi society.  Stating that he finds it essential to ensure unity in the Alevi community in order to prevent similar massacres and to get the perpetrators to a fair trial, İsmail conveyed his criticisms of the Alevi community: ‘Despite being a society that has been subjected to so many massacres, it is our greatest shame to come to Sivas for 28 years and not be able to ensure that none of our demands are met. We come to Sivas every year, claim our shame and return. After all, nothing changes. Although we have been fighting for years, we have not succeeded in turning the Madımak Hotel into a Museum of Shame.’

‘There is a Massive Massacre, but It’s not Clear Who Did It’

It is not easy to learn the feelings of the Sunnis about the massacre in the streets of Sivas because many of them refused to talk. The general tendency of the storekeepers on the street and the people of Sivas watching the participants on the sidewalks is to describe the massacre as ‘an event that happened outside of Sivas’ local people and Sunni society’. In general, the local people in Sivas are of the opinion that there is no possibility of a similar event to be happen and they are ‘unjustified prejudices’ about the city.

Mehmet Doğan (50), who lives in the city center and says he is a storekeeper, said, ‘This shame cannot be attributed to Sivas. We live here with Alevis. Those who did this are not one of us,’ he said. Another storekeeper who runs a package store is sure that there is no similar danger for Alevis in the city. A motor courier (22) who watches the demonstrators from afar and does not share his name, says that he grew up with listening the fight between Alevis and Sunnis. Sunnis say, ‘We didn’t do this’ and Alevis blame them with saying ‘You did this’. He stated that he believed that ‘the massacre was committed by outsiders’. Emphasizing his devotion to his city like many Sivas residents, the young man said, ‘There is a massive massacre, but it’s not clear who did it. We want to stay out of these stuffs,’ and with these words he summarized the Sunnis’ view of the massacre in the city.