Commemorating the 26th Anniversary of the Siva Massacre in London, on Tuesday 2 July approximately 200 community members, including community representatives, gathered at the Madımak Memorial in Stoke Newington.
Alevi Grandfather Ali Dereli, made a short opening speech. Saying that the massacre of those who lost their lives is something that neither the state nor the Alevi community still can not face. After this a moment of silence was held, the names of those who lost their lives were read. Enfield Alevi Cultural Center Board Member Inan Ciftci’nin individually read the names of those who read, he “Here,” he replied.
Mahmut Aydoğan, Vice President of the British Alevi Federation, took the floor and spoke of the process by saying “July 2 is the expression of the massacre of Alevis in Sivas by a rejectionist, centralist state…”
The writer Aydın Çubukçu also said “The majority of those who lost their lives in this disaster are our Alevi brothers. It is of course the right of the Alevis to commemorate them, to grieve in their memory and to encourage ourselves for new struggles. ” He also reminded that there were non-Alevi people who lost their lives that day, he spoke on their behalf.
İnci Kaya, who spoke after Çubukçu on behalf of The Democratic Forces Union began his speech with a poem. Kaya said in his speech that “We know this massacre from Çorum, Maraş, Gezi, Gazi, Armenian massacre, We know from Dersim.”
Closing the speeches Çiftç said: “This fire has not been extinguished for 26 years; our hearts are still burning with our lives slaughtered. Unless we find the balance of justice, the criminals are not punished, we will not forget our lives, nor the fire. ”
After the speeches, the Enfield Alevi Cultural Center students played the instrument and recited the remembrance program.
