The establishment of the "Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi Presidency" announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday has been met with immense appreciation by the religious community. Alevi dedes, the socio-religious leaders of the Alevi community, thanked Erdoğan and said the move exceeded their expectations as they shared their opinions.
“President Erdoğan's statements were beyond our expectations. He gave us very good news. The Culture and Cemevi Presidency is established under the Culture Ministry. The establishment of an independent presidency with a budget pleased us. Frankly, we didn't expect this much," said Hüseyin Öz, dede of Hüseyingazi Cemevi.
The dede explained that they were surprised to learn that the presidency would cover their electricity and water expenses. "We did not expect such a development. We only expected that the legal status of cemevis would be recognized. The establishment of the presidency and the fact that the dedes are paid a salary made us happy and satisfied,” said Öz.
“This is the first time a president has done such a thing in Türkiye. The ministry has been working for four years, and finally, President Erdoğan made the announcement. The state did not ignore the Alevis,” he added.
Mehmet Şahin, dede of Mersin Toroslar Cemevi, echoed the sentiment as he expressed that the community is very pleased with the president's announcement. "As Alevi Bektashi dedes, we were honored. We are pleased that our state has taken care of us. It was a very good step, especially the fact that an independent presidency will be established. We thank our president very much. We look forward to the continuation of the steps taken," Şahin said.
In addition, Nergiz Bolat, vice president of the European Association of Alevi Thought, said that they found Erdoğan's statement encouraging.
"We agree with the statements of President Erdoğan. We think positively and we believe that good things will happen. Political parties should also support this," Bolat said.
Earlier on Friday, Erdoğan announced a new initiative for the country's Alevi community and said that Türkiye will establish a "Culture and Cemevi Presidency."
The institutional body to be formed by the government will handle the affairs and address the problems Alevi citizens face, Erdoğan said during a visit to the Şahkulu Sultan Cemevi – an Alevi house of worship – in Istanbul.
"We are establishing an institutional structure that will follow up and execute the issues of the places where Alevi and Bektashi citizens come together," he said.
"All problems related to the lighting, drinking and utility water, construction, repair and maintenance expenses of the cemevis will be solved.
"Alevi-Bektashi faith leaders, who are responsible for carrying out the ceremonial services in cemevis, will be able to be appointed within the body of this institutional structure," he added.
As part of the national unity and solidarity work carried out under the coordination of the Interior Ministry and the Culture and Tourism Ministry, 1,585 cemevis were visited and the interlocutors were listened to, Erdoğan said.
"The Presidency of Alevi-Bektashi Culture and Cemevi, which we will establish, will manage the cemevis affiliated with mukhtars, associations, municipalities and federations," he explained.
In a parliamentary group meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Tuesday, the president had said he would announce new steps to meet the expectations of Alevis, despite attempts to turn the community against the country.
The government has taken action to address the needs of the community. Under the coordination of the Interior Ministry and Culture and Tourism Ministry, all 1,585 cemevis in the country were visited by officials.
As a result of the visits, officials have recorded 8,740 demands and have already responded to 5,600 of them.
Both ministries have also sped up work to address other demands of Alevi citizens.
In July, Turkish officials condemned attacks targeting cemevis, including three in Ankara and one in Istanbul’s Kartal district.
Alevis, who make up the second-largest religious community in the country with approximately 20 million followers, have a list of concerns about various issues, including the public recognition of their identity, the legal status of cemevis and funding, as well as the prerogative for Alevi students to be excluded from compulsory religion classes in elementary and high schools.
The cemevis were regarded as foundations under the Interior and Culture and Tourism Ministries, rather than recognized as houses of worship, which would legally entitle them to receive state funding like mosques, churches and synagogues of recognized religious minorities in the country. Some 80% to 90% of all cemevis in the country were built during the successive AK Party governments since 2002.
The Alevi faith is explained as a combination of Shiite Islam, the Bektashi Sufi order and Anatolian folk culture, rather than a separate religion.
In 2009, the first Alevi initiative was launched during the term of then-Prime Minister Erdoğan. Alevi leaders and representatives attended several workshops with the government over a six-month period. Later in 2011, Erdoğan issued an unprecedented apology on behalf of the Turkish state for the Dersim tragedy, which took place in 1937, when 13,806 people were killed following a military campaign after the predominantly Alevi Zaza Kurdish tribes opposed the 1934 Resettlement Law passed by the Republican People's Party (CHP) during the single-party regime.
The discussion process was interrupted during the Gezi Park riots in 2013, but an "Alevi opening" initiative was launched in 2014 and a council was formed to discuss issues in 2016, however, there were no concrete developments.
