On 15 November 1937, Seyit Rıza, leader of the great resistance of Dersim (tr. Tunceli), and his companions were executed.
On the occasion of the anniversary of their execution, the co-presidency of the KCK Executive Council said in a statement: “We once again honor Seyit Rıza and his companions with respect. At the same time we honor all the martyrs who gave their lives for the revolution and democracy. We bow our heads in respect before their precious memories and once again condemn the Dersim Massacre, which was one of the most brutal and ruthless massacres in human history.
A painful massacre was conducted against the Kurdish people of Dersim. It is a painful and instructive history in every respect. It has gone down in memory as a massacre where rivers ran red with blood and where unborn children were murdered in their mothers’ wombs. The Dersim Massacre is history that lays bare the reality of a denialist, genocidal state. It also witnesses the depth and extent of hostility against the Kurds. Facing the historic reality of the Dersim Massacre is necessary to erase the black mark on humanity and enable real change in Turkey. Solving the Kurdish issue and democratizing Turkey can only be achieved by facing history, and this has to start with the Dersim Massacre.”
The statement added: “Seyit Rıza, the leader of the Dersim resistance, was abducted and executed in the course of a complot while heading to a meeting with state officials in order to resolve the issue through dialogue and peace. The execution of Seyit Rıza and his companions in this manner revealed the state’s preparations and intentions. The state had decided on the massacre and put every kind of game and conspiracy into action for this purpose. The execution of Seyit Rıza and his companions was also the result of a conspiracy.
By refusing to bow to the perpetrators of the massacre, Seyit Rıza bequeathed to the Kurdish people the invaluable legacy of resistance. As painful and devastating as the Dersim Massacre was, Seyit Rıza’s unyielding stance was equally great and honorable. The Kurdish people’s resistance against massacres and genocide in Kurdistan was also thanks to the unyielding stance of Seyit Rıza and Sheikh Said and all those who followed them. The PKK, which defeated the denialist mentality through 52 years of uninterrupted struggle and cemented the existence of the Kurdish people, drew on this historical legacy.”
The state continued: “Once again, we commemorate Seyit Rıza and his companions, bowing respectfully before their precious memories. Undoubtedly, the immense suffering endured by the Kurdish people and the heavy price they have paid have not been in vain. With the success of the Peace and Democratic Society Process developed by Kurdish people’s leader Abdullah Öcalan, the resolution of the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Turkey will give this suffering and sacrifice their rightful place in history, and we will have fulfilled our responsibility to history.”