Dêrsim (Tunceli) Co-Mayor Cevdet Konak and Pulur (Ovacık) Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment each for "being a member of an illegal organisation" at the hearing of the case on 20 November. Two days later (22 November), the Ministry of Interior appointed trustees to replace Konak and Sarıgül.

 

 

Since the day the trustees were appointed, the people of Dêrsim have been expressing their reactions in the fields. Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) Co-Chair Kadriye Doğan made evaluations on the usurpation of the will of the people by appointing trustees to the Dêrsim Municipality for three terms.

 

'DÊRSIM DOES NOT FIT THE PROFILE OF THE SYSTEM'

 

Stating that Dêrsim was deliberately chosen after Esenyurt, Mêrdîn (Mardin), Colemêrg (Hakkari), Xelfetî (Halfeti) and Êlih (Batman), Kadriye Doğan said that Dêrsim has always been seen as a "problem" in the eyes of the state from past to present. "Dêrsim is a special, unique place. Historically, during the Ottoman and Republican periods, it has always been seen as a 'problem' that needs to be dealt with. It is a city that has been subjected to extermination with the decision of the Council of Ministers. Because its structure, beliefs and culture of life do not fit the profile defined by the system," Kadriye Doğan said.

 

The founding codes of the Republic of Turkey were constructed on the basis of Turks and Sunnis said Kadriye Doğan and added: "In order to create this identity, they persecuted and massacred those who did not belong to them. One of the places that experienced the heaviest persecution is Dêrsim. Many massacres took place. In the name of what? One identity, one state, one flag... The extermination style is a method that we encounter again and again today."

 

BECAUSE THE MASSACRES WERE NOT CONFRONTED...

 

Kadriye Doğan stated that while confrontation with the massacres was expected, they were faced with the policy of ignoring them again and said: "Something that exists does not disappear when you say 'it does not exist'. If you try to destroy it, it becomes oppression and resistance develops in the face of oppression. They formulate this struggle with the definition of 'terrorist' and persecute through this. This is what we call 'shame, sin and persecution'. In 1938, we shouted 'we did not kneel', but today the same sin is committed. Because the injustices and massacres were not confronted. If they had been confronted, if the different beliefs, cultures, identities and languages of the society had been able to be spoken, if an environment of peace had been established, we would not be talking about these things here today. The trustee would not have appeared before us as a justification." 

 

'OUR OPTION IS CO-MAYOR SYSTEM'

 

Stating that the trustee policy is aimed at the co-mayor system, Kadriye Doğan continued as follows: "The trustees want women to obey within the family. However, the co-mayor system is the only serious line of struggle that will ensure the elimination of femicides. We have no other option but to transform this system into democracy and protect the common life. It is the duty of all of us to transform Turkey into a democracy. The process ahead leaves us no other option but this. Those who make a life through oppression are in a state of ignorance if they believe that they can build a life by condemning themselves behind concrete barriers and looking from there with those black heads. The future stands in a place where those who fight justly will win."