More and more discussions are being held on the slaughter and massacres that took place in Dersim in 1938, in spite of the fact that this topic has not been discussed for decades. The issue was recently discussed when deputy leader of Turkey’s Republican Party Sezkin Tanrekulu publicly apologized for the incidents that took place in Dersim. His statement led to schism within the political party, and member Ali Rza Eozturk said: “I don’t apologize or anything. It’s good that we attacked them”, reports horizonweekly.ca.

Democrat Haber news website’s correspondent Hrant Gasparyan reports that a rally was held recently at the square in Galatasaray on the occasion of the 77^th anniversary of the murder of Sheikh Seyit Rza, who was give a life sentencing during the events of Dersim, and his friends. The participants of the rally expressed views that apologizing for the events of Dersim isn’t enough, more needs to be done and the archives need to be opened.

Among the several unions participating in the rally was the Union of Armenians of Dersim.

Hatun Esen spoke on behalf of the Unions of Dersim and mentioned that even the places where Seyit Rza and his other friends were buried are kept confidential. Later, Esen addressed the government of Ankara and said: “If you really want to apologize and if your goal is sincere, then tell us where the bodies of the deceased are. Open the archives! Do everything to make sure genocide is not repeated on these lands.”

During the years of the Armenian Genocide, the people of Dersim provided shelter to more than 40,000 Armenians. Many Armenians having taken shelter in Dersim became Alevis and adapted to the lifestyle of the people of Dersim.

In 1938, the tribes of Dersim went against Turkish pressures under the leadership of Seyit Rza. According to modern-day intellectuals of Dersim, thousands of converted Armenians supported the people of Dersim during the 1938 revolution, and more Armenians were killed and massacred alongside the people of Dersim during the massacres perpetrated by the Kemal army following the sad ending of the revolution.

Today, several European historians accept the theory that 70,000 residents and Armenians of Dersim were slaughtered by the Kemal forces in 1937-38.