Great Alevi Convention: 'New Constitution should be made including equal citizenship'

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The "Great Alevi Convention" was organized jointly by the Alevi Bektashi Federation (ABF), the Federation of Alevi Associations (ADFE), the European Alevi Unions Confederation (AABK), the Hacı Bektaş Veli Anatolian Culture Foundation (HBVAKV), Alevi Cultural Associations (AKD), the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Foundation (PSAKD) and Democratic Alevi Associations (DAD) with the slogan "For a secular and democratic Türkiye" on Sunday (December 25) in İstanbul, in Yenikapı Performance Center.

"Equal citizenship" was emphasized in the final declaration of the convention.

The final declaration of the Great Alevi Convention says that the demands are being announced once again, and lists them in eleven articles:

* Place of warship status should be given to djemevis, and all associated rights granted, seized dervish lodges and venues should be returned and legal regulations made against us repealed.

* The compulsory religion classes which are like a straitjacket on a whole range of sections of society should be made voluntary and religionizing of education should be stopped.

* The initiatives of the Directorate of Religious Affairs aiming at dominating the whole society should be stopped at once, it should be removed from being an authority for reference on all our basic political issues and steps should be taken in order to liquidate it in the end.

* Both public sources and public positions should be distributed based on merit, and according to principles of justice and equality, the discrimination against all sections of society that are marginalized and first of all Alevis should at once be stopped.

* That Madımak in Sivas is made a museum of shame.

* The hate crimes against Alevis to be brought to life and the necessary legal measures in order to prevent such hate crimes to be taken.

* That the massacres, killings, and assimilation against Alevis should be confronted.

* That plunder, looting, and seizure of our religious venues and our geography be stopped.

* Changing the names of the Allevi settlements is stopped and the old names are returned to use.

* That the days that have a special in Alevi belief be declared an official holiday.

* That public broadcasting is rid of discrimination. So in short that a new constitution is made including equal citizenship. (RT/PE)