KCK: Dersim massacre reveals policies of extermination, Turkey must confront It openly

The Co-Presidency of the Executive Council of KCK issued a statement to the public, recalling leader Seyid Riza and his comrades from the Dersim resistance, who were executed on this day in 1937.

The statement read:

“The most heinous massacres were carried out in Dersim, and the Kurdish people suffered immense pain. It is a painful history in every sense, with children being killed while still in their mothers’ wombs. This massacre has thus been etched into the memory of every human being. The Dersim massacre clearly revealed the reality of a state that denies rights and practices genocide, and its significance also lies in demonstrating the depth and extent of hostility toward the Kurdish people. This black stain on humanity will not be erased, and Turkey will not be able to achieve any real change unless it confronts the Dersim massacre openly.

Seyid Riza, the leader of the Dersim resistance, was arrested and executed while on his way to meet state officials to resolve the issue through dialogue and peace. His execution, along with that of his comrades, exposed the state’s intentions and preparations. The state had decided to carry out a massacre and used every possible plan and conspiracy to achieve this goal. The execution of Seyid Riza and his comrades was the result of this conspiracy.

By refusing to submit to the perpetrators of the massacre, Seyid Riza left a great legacy of resistance for the Kurdish people. As painful and profound as the Dersim massacre was, Seyid Riza’s steadfast stance was equally profound and honorable. The Kurdish people’s resistance to massacres and genocide in Kurdistan was thanks to the steadfast positions of Seyid Riza and Sheikh Said, and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, which defeated the mentality of denial and affirmed the existence of the Kurdish people through 52 years of continuous struggle, undoubtedly relies on this historical legacy.

We once again commemorate Seyid Riza and his comrades and bow in reverence to their cherished memory. There is no doubt that all the suffering endured by the Kurdish people and the sacrifices they made have not gone in vain, with the success of the peace process and the democratic society initiated by Leader Apo, the resolution of the Kurdish issue, and the democratization of Turkey. History will immortalize all this suffering and sacrifice, and we will have fulfilled our historical responsibility.”

A-H 

ANHA