TURKEY'S RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000747

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/01/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY'S RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE'S
SUPERFICIAL OUTREACH TO ALEVIS

REF: ANKARA 0112 ISTANBUL 0015

Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner, for reasons
1.4(b),(d)

1.(U) This cable has been coordinated with Consulate General
Istanbul.


2. (C) Summary. Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate
(Diyanet) recently described two outreach initiatives
targetting Turkey's Alevi community. The new programs
include more in-depth training on Alevism for Sunni religious
officials, government sponsored trips to Europe for Alevi
religious leaders to support Alevi education and plans to
publish a definitive Alevi history. Our Alevi contacts
criticized GOT efforts as insincere and charged that they
fall considerably short of achieving the equality of faith
they seek. End summary.

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Diyanet's Efforts at Alevi Outreach
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3.(SBU) Turkey's estimated 15 to 20 million Alevis have
several long-standing disputes with the GOT, not least of
which are assessments of the community's size, which the GOT
asserts is seven million (ref B). Far from a cohesive group,
Alevis hold diverse opinions concerning religious identity.
The government considers Alevism to be a heterodox Muslim
sect, however most Alevis view their faith as distinct from
Sunni Islam. Their most pressing demands are equal treatment
in public school religion courses and in the allocation of
government resources for the construction and administration
of Alevi gathering places (cem evi).


4. (SBU) Diyanet Foreign Relations Vice Chair Mehmet Gormez
recently told us that the Diyanet is increasing its outreach
efforts to Alevis to dispel the notion that the Diyanet is an
exclusively Sunni organization. Gormez said the Diyanet has
incorporated materials on Alevi history, traditions, and
principles in its training programs for government-appointed
muftis (religious officials) in Turkey and abroad. The
education effort, according to Gormez, is part of Diyanet
President Ali Bardakoglu's effort to "broaden the Diyanet
tent" by helping muftis better address Alevi concerns.

5.(SBU) Gormez told us the Diyanet bases its Alevism
teachings on academic findings made over four years of
studying original Alevite sources. Based on its rigorous
academic research, the Diyanet plans to publish a written
record of Alevi history that will prevent distortions of
Alevi principles for political gain. The Diyanet recently
published the first three (of 17) books of Alevi writings
with Turkish translations. Gormez said the Diyanet will send
these books to all its Muftis and sell them in its bookstores.

6.(SBU) The Diyanet also recently began a program to send
Alevi Elders (Dedes) to Europe to assist in Alevi education
efforts, Gormez said. At the request of three Alevi
associations in Germany, the Diyanet sent several Dedes to
Germany to participate in conferences, speaking engagements,
and other educational efforts held at cem houses. Most
Alevis responded positively, Gormez said, and the Diyanet
plans to continue the effort. Some "radical" Alevi
organizations rejected the program, claiming it will hinder
efforts to promote their own versions and approaches to
Alevism, according to Gormez.

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Alevis Remain Unimpressed, Critical of Diyanet
-------------- -

7.(C) Alevi contacts and academic experts criticized the
Diyanet's efforts as insincere and hypocritical. Pir Sultan
Abdal Alevi Association President Kazim Genc told us the
Diyanet remains an exclusive, discriminatory Sunni
organization. The Diyanet employs only Sunnis, and only
meets with Alevi groups that share its views, he said.
Middle East Technical University (METU) Anthropology
professor Aydan Erdemir, Turkey's foremost expert on Alevi
issues, agreed. He told us the Diyanet has never asked to

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speak to a diverse set of Alevi organizations in order to
avoid hearing conflicting views. "This discriminatory
attitude discredits and delegitimizes the Diyanet's efforts,"
Erdemir stated.

8.(C) Alevis also resent the Diyanet's attempts to publish an
authoritative interpretation of Alevism. According to Genc,
there is no grassroots Alevi demand for the Diyanet to
publish what it believes to be the authoritative version of
Alevism. Such an "absurd" idea was akin to the Catholic
Church publishing an authoritative Orthodox canon to explain
to Orthodox Christians the true, correct meaning of Orthodox
writings. Professor Erdemir told us the Diyanet's research
and publishing endeavor showed a "shocking" level of
ignorance of Alevi theology because it ignores the fact that
most Alevis value oral tradition much more than written
texts. The Diyanet's teaching of "truths" based on written
text was based on a faulty premise, he explained.

9.(C) Genc and Erdemir both found the Diyanet's labeling of
certain Alevi groups as "radical" unacceptable. The Diyanet
labels as "radical" any group that advocates a position
distant from Sunni teachings or opposed to the interests of
the Diyanet, Genc said. Erdemir charged that the Diyanet has
no authority or mandate to label different factions within
non-Sunni religious groups in a pejorative manner.

10.(C) Comment: Many of Turkey's Alevis have long found it
offensive that the GOT does not recognize them as a distinct
relgious group or allow them to freely practice their
religion. They do not buy the Diyanet's outreach attempts,
which they see as window-dressing to placate the EU's demand
for more tolerance toward Alevis. The Diyanet's attempts at
inclusivity are at least a positive step, but the depth of
the Alevi reaction illustrates how wide the gap remains. The
GOT will not placate many Alevis until it recognizes their
faith as a distinct, official religion. Rather than
interpreting Alevi doctrine, Alevis want the government to
treat Alevism equally in public school religion courses and
in the allocation of public funds for the construction and
administration of cem houses. End comment.

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WILSON