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. -------------- Diyanet's Efforts at Alevi Outreach -------------- 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. -------------- - 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 ANKARA 00000747 002 OF 002 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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