A pro-Kurdish party leader attending a commemoration ceremony for over 30 Alevi artists and intellectuals killed 21 years ago has told a crowd "this country's real owners, its poor, its laborers, its women, its workers and its young will liberate the country."
Selahattin Demirtas from the Peace and Democracy Party spoke to a rally of thousands Wednesday to remember the 37 mostly Alevi artists and leftists who died when their hotel was deliberately set alight by protesters in Sivas, central Anatolia, in 1993.
The victims lost their lives as they attended a gathering in the eastern Turkish city to celebrate the life of a famous poet, Pir Sultan Abdal.
Turkey's main opposition People’s Republican Party sent a delegation of deputies to the ceremony. The delegation and the families of those who died in Sivas laid flowers in front of the site of the former Madimak Hotel, now converted into a science and cultural center.
CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu did not attend the events but tweeted: "We will not forget the Sivas Massacre. Those who wanted to enlighten society were killed by a bunch that were provoked by dark minds."
Memorial events were also held in Istanbul on Wednesday. During a commemoration held in the Besiktas district of the city, the names of the people who died were read out. A one-minute silence was observed and a music recital was held.
Besiktas mayor, Murat Haznedar, expressed his sadness over the deaths and underlined the importance of unity as Turkey.
Commemorative marches are expected to be held in the Besiktas and Kadikoy districts of the city this evening.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the joint presidential candidate of Turkey's two largest opposition parties, released a statement saying: "The pain of those who were killed in Madimak Hotel in 1993 is still alive in our hearts."
He also pledged, if elected president, to convert the Madimak building into a museum where people can learn lessons from the massacre.
The thousands who attended to the commemorations marched to the street where the Madimak Hotel was located, holding pictures of those who lost their lives.
The names of the people who died were read out in front of the hotel after which relatives of the victims were able to enter and sign a book of condolences. Some also prayed.
A huge security operation with over 2,000 police was mounted. Police helicopters flew over the city and officers from the surrounding regions were drafted in for the operation in Sivas.
The street where the Madimak Hotel was located was closed to car traffic. A security cordon has been set up around the city, to enable police to set up check points.
