Sivas Massacre and Turkey’s Persecution of the Alevi Community

On July 2, 1993 a mob set fire to the Madimak Hotel in Sivas, Turkey—where a group of prominent Alevi writers, poets, and thinkers had gathered. Reports show 37 people died in what became known as the Sivas (or Madimak) Massacre. For Alevis, the incident reflected the prejudice and hate the community faced in their native homeland of Turkey, where today Alevis make up an estimated 10 to 20 percent of the population.

Discrimination against the Alevi community is rampant and pervasive in Turkey’s government, society, and the education system. While this prejudice is hardly new, the situation under the leadership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his AKP party is only getting worse.

USCIRF Policy Analyst John Lechner joins us on the anniversary of the Sivas Massacre as we discuss Turkey’s Alevis, their beliefs, and the challenging daily life as an Alevi in Erdogan’s Turkey.