Turkey: The situation of Alevis (January 2002 - April 2005)

Treatment of Alevis in Turkey

In February 2002, Martin van Bruinessen, professor of Islamic studies at Utrecht University in The Netherlands, stated that Alevis "'ha[ve] long been discriminated against and ... [have had] a strong awareness of always having been second-rate citizens'" (RFE/RL 28 Feb. 2002). However, according a report by David McDowall, who was commissioned to conduct a fact-finding mission to Turkey in October 2000, even though Alevis have not been "wholeheartedly embraced as citizens in the fullest sense of the word ... broadly speaking, Alevi Turks have not been persecuted within the Republic" (McDowall Nov. 2002, 57). The 2002 Official General Report on Turkey, prepared by The Netherlands delegation to the Council of the European Union, indicated that since the incidents of violence directed at Alevis in 1978, 1993 and 1995, "[n]o further incidents overtly victimising Alevis are known to have occurred" as at January 2002 (15 Apr. 2002, 93). Similarly, the Istanbul-based daily newspaper Hurriyet reported that "there are no clashes anymore of right and left, nationalist and reformist, Sunni and Alevi" (20 Mar. 2004).

Identified as a "sectarian leader" by the Turkish language, Ankara-based daily newspaper Milliyet, Fethullah Gulen made the following statement regarding the situation of Alevis in Turkey:

[t]he Alevis have not experienced any serious problem in Turkey so far. Some unpleasant events occurred and they were probably persecuted during the initial years of the Republic. Now, the Alevis take part in all social activities and practice any profession. They can establish political parties and become military officers and governors. ...They can carry out educational activities in accordance with the State's laws (10 Jan. 2005).

Conversely, a BBC news article reported in November 2004 that many Alevis "complain that none of the senior jobs in government or the military come their way, even at a provincial level" (19 Nov. 2004).

The International Religious Freedom Report 2004 states that in Turkey "Alevis freely practice their beliefs" (15 Sept. 2004).

Reports of incidents of ill-treatment by state and/or non-state agents during the period of January 2002 to April 2005 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Societal Attitudes Towards Alevis

According to one local Alevi human rights lawyer, "Sunni Muslims think Alevi rites include sexual orgies and incest" (The Economist 19 Mar. 2005, 11). Additional information on societal attitudes towards Alevis in Turkey could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Common Alevi Complaints

The most common complaints of Alevis in Turkey, include the following:

Alevis are regarded as Muslims, and not as adherents of a separate religion by state authorities (CEU 15 Apr. 2002, 89, 91; see also BBC 19 Nov. 2004; AFP 15 Dec. 2004). As a result, they are not an officially recognized religious minority, and their identity cards have "Islam" written as their religion (CEU 15 Apr. 2002, 91; EU 6 Oct. 2004, 12; see also BBC 19 Nov. 2004; Hurriyet 1 Oct. 2004). Most recently, Alevis presented a petition containing 600,000 signatures to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which called for the legal recognition of the Alevi identity (Turkish Daily News 16 Dec. 2004; Ozgur Politika 15 Dec. 2004). Sources also indicated that the petition would be delivered to the European Parliament (ibid.).

Recent news reports indicate that Alevis do not want to be categorized as a minority because "the definition of 'minority' has far more political and social baggage attached to it" (Washington Report on Middle East Affairs 1 Mar. 2005). According to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, "[t]o be identitified as a 'minority' ... is seen by many in Turkey as highly negative. Rather than as a way of guaranteeing cultural and educational rights and combating discrimination, it often is seen as a form of alienation, division and a kind of singling out" (ibid.; see also Milliyet 14 Oct. 2004).

Alevis allege that by regarding Alevism as a culture rather than as a religion, the Directorate of Religious Affairs (also referred to as the Diyanet), which provides financial aid to religious establishments such as Sunni mosques, does not allocate any funding to them or Cem houses (Hurriyet 9 Aug. 2002; International Religious Freedom Report 2004 15 Sept. 2004, Sec. II; McDowall Nov. 2002, 58; The Economist 19 Mar. 2005, 11). Accordingly, Alevis pay taxes that ultimately benefit Sunnis (BBC 19 Nov. 2004; Turkish Daily News 10 Dec. 2004). In May 2004, "[when] a group of Alevi[s] in the Istanbul district of Kartal asked for land to be allocated for a cemevi [Alevi houses of worship], the local governor said they were Muslims and Kartal had enough mosques already. Indeed it has: almost 700 of them. But there is only one cemevi" (The Economist 19 Mar. 2005, 11).

There is no Alevi representation within the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Milliyet 3 Mar. 2005; EU 2003, 36), which Alevis allege is "geared solely towards the Sunni faith" (CEU 15 Apr. 2002, 92; Country Reports 2004 28 Feb. 2005, Sec. 2.c). One example of this, according to Alevis, is the building of Sunni mosques by the Directorate, in Alevi villages, which the Alevi find very offensive (McDowall Nov. 2002, 58).

Alevi children are subject to compulsory religious education that only includes information on Sunni Islam (Hurriyet 9 Aug. 2002; International Religious Freedom Report 2004 15 Sept. 2004, Sec. II; McDowall Nov. 2002, 57-58; Sabah 1 Sept. 2002; CEU 15 Apr. 2002, 89). Classes entitled "Religious Culture and Knowledge of Morality" that teach students about the Sunni religion without any reference to Alevis and minimal reference to other non-Islamic faiths, continue to be compulsory for all students, except Protestants and Christian Syriacs (MRG July 2004, 28; EU 2003, 36). Minority Rights Group International (MRG) reported that references to non-Islamic religions include "incorrect or discriminatory statements" (MRG July 2004, 28). Alevi children are required to attend these classes, and the Alevis are opposed to this requirement (ibid.).

State-controlled radio and television stations do not broadcast religious Alevi programs (Hurriyet 9 Aug. 2002; Sabah 1 Sept. 2002). In May 2002, the Turkish High Audio-Visual Board (RTUK) banned the "Voice of Anatolia" for 180 days after they aired a programme on the closure of the Cultural Association of the Union of Alevi-Bektashi Establishment (Turkish Daily News 11 Oct. 2002; Country Reports 2002 31 Mar. 2003, Sec. 2.a).

Alevis claim that they are denied participation in the government (Turkish Daily News 28 Jan. 2003) and complain that they are "'only remembered prior to elections and then continuously forgotten'" (Sabah 1 Sept. 2002). In addition, Alevis, Bektashis and Mevlevis claim that their interests and values were not being represented at the government level, and that the government was "'resist[ing]' ... the issue of Alevi rights" (ibid. 9 Nov. 2003).

The International Religious Freedom Report 2004 states that "Alevis freely ... build 'Cem houses'" (15 Sept. 2004). However, an MRG report that was submitted to the European Union noted that on 15 July 2004, the Turkish government amended the Act on Construction so as to permit the establishment of places of worship (MRG July 2004, 26). The law, however, does not identify the types of places of worship that can be established, and so "applications for establishing cemevis have been rejected on the basis that they are cultural centres rather than places of worship" (ibid., 27).

Measures Taken to Improve the Situation of Alevis in Turkey

In a 2 February 2004 interview with the Milliyet, described by the United States' Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) as a centrist, Istanbul-based daily newspaper, the head of the Turkish Religious Affairs Directorate, Ali Bardakoglu, stated that the Directorate was wrongly perceived to be a Sunni establishment and declared that he was committed to "correct [the] mistakes" that were made which gave life to that perception (2 Feb. 2004). Bardakoglu also added that "[t]he Alevites are our Muslim brothers. We cannot accept attempt[s] ... to portray Alevism as a separate religion. Alevism is a cultural system and a sect within Islam..." (Milliyet 2 Feb. 2004). In an effort to evoke a positive change in the attitude of the Sunni community towards Alevis in Turkey, Bardakoglu stated that there are plans to publish Alevi reference books that educate the public about Alevism (ibid.).

In October 2004, Bardakoglu once again declared that "Alevism is not an alternative to Islam" and that "Alevis are Muslims" (Hurriyet 10 Oct. 2004). He also added that cemevis "enrich [Turkey's] cultural heritage [and] must be allowed to continue. The[y] are not alternatives to mosques" (ibid.).

Following the election of the Justice Development (AK) Party on 3 November 2003, the Education Minister officially agreed to allow schools to teach about Alevism (Turkish Daily News 25 Feb. 2004). According to the Turkish Daily News, the government had begun to implement this initiative and approached the Religious Affairs Directorate for its assistance (ibid.). In late 2004, the government announced its intention to introduce Alevism into the school curriculum (Sabah 2 Dec. 2004). Instruction on Alevism will begin in grade eight and will form a part of the lessons on Tasawwuf, or Islamic mysticism, which identify Alevism as "a mystical movement" (ibid.). According to Sabah, "[t]he final unit of the eighth grade books on Religious Culture and Morality will carry a chapter called 'Different Approaches in the Religion,' which will cover Alevism (ibid.). The books are expected to be released in time for the 2005-2006 academic year (ibid.). In February 2005, Alevis "launch[ed] a campaign to eliminate the mandatory religious classes from school curricula and the entry of religion in identity cards, as well as to ensure legal guarantees for the cem houses" (Roj TV 20 Feb. 2005).

Government Reforms

In an 11 August 2004 news article on minority rights in Turkey, Minority Rights Group International (MRG) declared that although reforms aimed at improving the treatment of minorities in Turkey "look progressive on paper," in actuality they "remain unimplemented, due in part to an institutional inability to fully accept principles of minority rights." MRG argued that what is necessary is "the very basic acceptance and recognition of minorities [and] the actual implementation of both the letter and the spirit of new laws that purport to allow rights including the practice of language and religion" (MRG 11 Aug. 2004).

Cases Before the Judiciary Related to Alevi Rights

A search conducted by the Research Directorate revealed only one positive decision taken in favor of Alevis over the past two years, and that decision took place in April 2003, when the previously banned Union of Alevi and Bektashi Associations was granted legal status (EU 2003, 36).

In October 2004, the 11th Court of First Instance in Izmir rejected a lawsuit initiated by an Alevi resident of Izmir, Sinan Isik, who requested to have "Alevi" written on his identity card instead of "Islam" (Hurriyet 1 Oct. 2004).

In December 2004, Turkish Daily News reported that a number of lawsuits had been filed by Alevis in Turkey: one alleged that Alevis and their beliefs were not being recognized in Turkey; another four lawsuits alleged that cem houses were not being recognized as places of worship (10 Dec. 2004). The courts decided that all of the lawsuits were "without merit" (Turkish Daily News 10 Dec. 2004). However, the cases were appealed and are currently pending before the Council of State (ibid.). If unsuccessful, lawyers for the Alevis have indicated that they will petition the European Court of Human Rights (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France-Presse (AFP). 15 December 2004. Sibel Utku Bila. "Turks Grapple with Minority Taboo as EU Imposes Change." (Dialog)

BBC. 19 November 2004. Jonny Dymond. "Turkish Journey: A Town Called Trouble." [Accessed 4 Apr. 2005]
_____. 2003. Regular Report on Turkey's Progress Towards Accession. [Accessed 6 Apr. 2005]

Council of the European Union (CEU). 15 April 2002. The Netherlands Delegation. Official General Report on Turkey (January 2002). [Accessed 23 Oct. 2003]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. 28 February 2005. "Turkey." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 4 Apr. 2005]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2002. 31 March 2003. "Turkey." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 23 Oct. 2003]

The Economist [UK]. 19 March 2005. "Looking to Europe: A Survey of Turkey." The Economist Group: London.

European Union (EU). 6 October 2004. Commission of the European Communities. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament: Recommendation of the European Commission on Turkey's Progress Towards Accession. [COM(2004)656final] [Accessed 4 Apr. 2005]

Hurriyet [Istanbul, in Turkish]. 10 October 2004. Tarik Isik. "Turkey's Religious Affairs Director on Alevis, EU Accession." (FBIS-WEU-2004-1010 12 Oct. 2004/WNC)
_____. 1 October 2004. Umut Erdem. "Turkish Alevi Leader Says Alevism is Not Islamic 'Sect'." (FBIS-WEU-2004-1001 6 Oct. 2004/WNC)
_____. 20 March 2004. Emin Colasan. "Colasan Analyzes Turkey's Political Situation Prior to 28 March Local Elections." (Dialog)
_____. 9 August 2002. Yalcin Bayer. "Turkish Daily Highlights Call for Meeting to Discuss Alevis' Religious Rights." (FBIS-WEU-2002-0812 13 Aug. 2002/WNC)

International Religious Freedom Report 2004. 15 September 2005. "Turkey." United States Department of State. Washington, DC. [Accessed 4 Apr. 2005]

McDowall, David. November 2002. Asylum Seekers from Turkey II. A Revised, Updated Edition of the Report of a Mission to Turkey, October 2000. [Accessed 23 Oct. 2003]

Milliyet [Istanbul, in Turkish]. 3 March 2005. Derya Sazak. "Turkish Column on TESEV Report Urging Reform in Religious Affairs Directorate." (WNC)
_____. 10 January 2005. Mehmet Gundem. "Turkey's Gulen on Reasons for Warning About Possible Murders, Alevi Demands." (FBIS-WEU-2005-0112 13 Jan. 2005/WNC)
_____. 14 October 2004. Taha Akyol. "Columnist on Europe's, Turkey's Perception of 'Minority Status'." (Dialog)
_____. 2 February 2004. Derya Sazak. "Turkish Daily Interviews Top Muslim Clergy on Islam, Terror, Reform Process." (FBIS-WEU-2004-0204 5 Feb. 2004/WNC)

Minority Rights Group International (MRG). 11 August 2004. "Turkey Must Improve Minority Rights Reforms or Face EU Exclusion." [Accessed 19 Aug. 2004]
_____. July 2004. Minorities in Turkey. Submission to the European Union and the Government of Turkey. [Accessed 19 Aug. 2004]

Ozgur Politika [Neu-Isenburg, in Turkish]. 15 December 2004. "Turkey: Alevis Submit 600,000 Signature Petition to Govt, European Parliament." (Dialog)

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 28 February 2002. Jean-Christophe Peuch. "Turkey: Court Ruling Shows Authorities' Refusal to See Alevism As a Religious Community." [Accessed 23 Oct. 2003]

Roj TV [Copenhagen, in Turkish]. 20 February 2005. "Turkey: Alevi's Launch Campaign to End Religious Classes, Legalize Cem Houses. Announcer-Read Report Over Video." (WNC)

Sabah [Istanbul, in Turkish]. 2 December 2004. Betul Kotan. "Turkey: Cem Foundation Head Reacts to Education Ministry's Definition of Alevism." (FBIS-WEU-2004-1202 6 Dec. 2004/WNC)
_____. 9 November 2003. Izzettin Dogan. "Turkey: Govt Warned Against Failing to Officially Recognize, Respect Alevi Faith." (FBIS-WEU-2003-1111 13 Nov. 2003/WNC)
_____. 1 September 2002. Hayati Kilic. "Turkey: Meeting of Alevi Community Representatives Indicates Support for CHP." (FBIS-WEU-2002-0902 3 Sept. 2002/Dialog)

Turkish Daily News [Ankara]. 16 December 2004. "Alawis Press for More Rights." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2005]
_____. 10 December 2004. "Alawis to Petition Human Rights Court." [Accessed 21 Jan. 2005]
_____. 25 February 2004. "Schoolbooks to Teach About Alawite Sect." [Accessed 19 Aug. 2004]
_____. 28 January 2003. Beril Aktas. "Ali Ates: A Young Politician Who Can't Abandon Turkey." [Accessed 23 Oct. 2003]
_____. 11 October 2002. Edited by Ilnur Cevik. "Letter to the Editor." (Dialog)

Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. 1 March 2005. Jon Gorvett. "Following December's EU Summit, Turkey Forced to Reassess Issue of 'Minorities'." (Dialog)

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Al Bawaba, Amnesty International (AI), European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI), Freedom in the World 2004, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF-HR), Jane's (Online), MidEastWeb Gate Way, Middle East Times (Online), TurkishPress.com, Zaman.