ALB wrote:Thanks, Janet.

June 6, 2013 at 11:08 am #86655

Participant

ALB wrote:

Thanks, Janet. Interesting stuff. As you are on the ground there can you cast some light on the group behind this leaflet that was handed out at the May Day demonstration we went to in London:

Alevis/Alawites wherever they are are a sect of Shia Islam. Defenders of separation of religion and state – secularists who believe in individual freedom of choice, They have no mosques, but instead cemevis which are simple gathering places for prayers and other events. Our next-door village is largely Alevi and we see them as more liberal in all senses of the word than the majority Sunni. (Alevis generally considered to be around 20% of pop.) We attend their annual picnic day where men and women gather together freely in dancing, drinking alcohol and eating, generally having a good time together. In Sunni gatherings the men and women tend to gather separately by custom and even if the men drink the women don't.Nationally the Alevi community has been persecuted for a long time – they are perceived as a breakaway sect – and, not being Sunni , as outcasts. They have been targeted by nationalists and by 'weirdos' recruited by elements of the 'deep state' – fire bombs into hotels where they were gathering or incidents at cemevis. The media will often report on arrests of suspects but they are dilatory on following up.As to whether Alevis are represented in the protests, I've seen nothing that shows them as a discrete group but I'd be very surprised if they weren't involved in large numbers as individuals. Similarly, as yet, political parties per se are not represented although some members of parliament have been/are there, certainly from the CHP (republican people's party) and the BDP (the Kurdish party, Peace and democracy). The people prevented the leader of the CHP from speaking early on in the protests by singing loudly over him.I've got more to add re the communist Party, but as I lost all I'd written a little while ago, I'll do it in a separate post.

Quote:

No constitution without Alevis. Alevism cannot be forbidden.We Alevis are raising our voice for recognition in Turkey. Alevis are once again protesting Turkey's Alevi policies. We are demanding a "Secular and Democratic Turkey for Equality for all". British Alevis says NO to discrimination, assimilation and Alevi rights violations in Turkey. Freedom for Alevism.This protest is for:(…) compulsory religious lessons to be abolished.To terminate Ministry of Religious Affairs(…) Stop building mosques at Alevi villages and towns.Policies promoting assimilation to be stopped.Stop our homes being marked, threats and blackmailing.Stop alienation of those fasting or not fasting (…)To end Sharia domination in Turkey.To end questioning of people based on their religion, language and ethnic background.

It was signed "Alevi Cultural Centre and Cemevi".According to wikipedia "Alevis" are a breakaway group from mainstream islam (similar to the Alawites who are said to hold sway in Syria). They seem an enlightened lot. Wikipedia says they could make up as much as 25% of the population of Turkey. In which case they could be a bulwark against the re-islamisation of Turkish society pursued by the present government there.Have you come across them? Are they involved in the current unrest?[/quote]