Kemal Öztürk, the former general manager of Anadolu Agency, who is known for his closeness to the government, made reference to the massacre of Nusayris (Arab Alevis) on NTV, where he appeared as a commentator.
In the program where he talked about the developments in Syria, Öztürk said that he listened to what was done in Idlib, Afrin and Aleppo during the Assad period and said, "I listened to such stories in Sednaya Prison. You say, 'It would be appropriate to hang or shoot even the garbage collector who worked there.' Such terrible stories. I listened to such terrible stories in Idlib, Afrin and Aleppo rural areas that you think, 'It is appropriate to slaughter all these Nusayris.' But "Look, they didn't take revenge," he said.
"JOURNALISM IS NOT TARGETING THE PEOPLE"
Alevi organizations reacted to Öztürk's scandalous words. In the statement made by the Turkish Alevi Federation, it was stated that Öztürk's statements regarding the Alevi community living in Syria were unacceptable and said:
"Alevi belief is based on people, life and human dignity. Just as we do not accept violence against any people, belief or identity, we will not remain silent in the face of discourses that threaten the right to life of the Nusayri/Alevi community, incite social violence and legitimize massacres.
Words targeting an entire community of faith from a television screen cannot be seen as an ordinary political assessment. What is at stake is not people's political preferences, but their right to life. Alevis know very well what the language that collectively blames people based on their beliefs and identities, turns them into enemies and prepares the ground for violence against them has caused in the past.
We carry this memory not to carry grudges, but to ensure that no other nation will experience the same pain again. Journalism does not mean targeting people. "Freedom of expression does not prevent the questioning of discourses that devalue people's right to life and endanger the security of a society."
In the statement, "We are in favor of life. We are in favor of peace. We are against the killing of human beings. The right to life of every human being, regardless of their faith and identity, including Nusayri/Alawites, Sunnis, Christians, Druzes, Kurds, is equally sacred. While defending the right to life of one life, we do not ignore the right to life of another life. Because in our way, a human being is a human being, a life is a life. Violence and massacre targeting a society, no matter where and from whom it comes, "We will continue to stand against their rhetoric."
In his statement, Hüseyin Mat, President of the Confederation of European Alevi Associations (AABK), reacted to Öztürk and noted that the mentality that makes Alevis hostile is not foreign. Mat said, "Alawites were once again targeted in order to conceal the responsibility for ISIS and similar barbarities, to direct social anger to another target and to cover up the dark past."
Stating that the hate language behind the Maraş, Çorum and Madımak massacres is reproduced in different forms today, Hüseyin Mat stated that any discourse that portrays Alevis as criminals, threats or scapegoats re-injures the memory of past massacres and that this language, which has a heavy price, should never be allowed to normalize.
HE TAUGHT JOURNALISM!
Öztürk, who made a significant contribution to the transformation of the public institution into a propaganda tool of the government when he was the General Manager of Anadolu Agency between 2011 and 2014, last showed his closeness with the government through the interview that BBC Turkish wanted to do with him.
Öztürk turned down BBC Turkish's request for an interview on the occasion of the AKP's 25th anniversary, saying, "When I saw the questions, I saw that the interviewers were not aiming to tell the AK Party's quarter-century-old story, but to highlight the problems and debates in that story. For this reason, I did not accept the interview."
DEM PARTY REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION
DEM Party reacted to Öztürk's words with its statement and demanded an investigation:
"An investigation should be launched immediately regarding the remarks made by journalist Kemal Öztürk in a television program in which he participated, targeting the Arab Alevis (Nusayris) in Syria. We condemn this genocidal mentality.
The fact that the words "they should all be shot" can be used against Arab Alevis in front of millions of people in the media shows the dangerous point that impunity for hate crimes has reached. This language clearly constitutes a crime. An investigation should be initiated immediately against the person concerned.
History has repeatedly shown us how such discourses, which target communities based on their identities and beliefs, pave the way for pogroms, massacres and deep social divisions.
Arab Alevis are not alone. We will continue to expose and stand against this mentality that turns people and beliefs against each other and normalizes calls for massacres. "We will not surrender coexistence and social peace to the politics of hate."
