Turkey's ruling party deputy blames ‘German deep state’ for Sivas massacre

ISTANBUL

Thirty-five people died in the arson attack on Sivas's Madımak Hotel on July 2, 1993, in one of the worst civil pogroms in Turkey’s recent history.

A prominent deputy from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has blamed the “German deep state” for the Sivas massacre, one of the worst civil pogroms in Turkey’s recent history that claimed 35 victims, including many Alevi intellectuals.

Şamil Tayyar, who is among the AKP’s most controversial individuals for his often extravagant remarks, claimed that the arson attack on the Madımak Hotel by a group of fundamentalists was conspired by foreign states aiming to trigger a sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Alevis.

“I once again condemn the Sivas massacre on its anniversary, which was one of the dark acts carried out by the German deep state in 1993,” Tayyar stated via Twitter on July 2.

“As the Turkish/Kurdish conflict deepened in the year 1993, conflict between Alevis and Sunnis was added to the sequence of dark events carried out by several states,” he added.

His words came ahead of the 21st anniversary of the massacre, with the wounds still open after the judicial process was halted two years ago due to the statute of limitations.

The burning of the Madımak Hotel targeted artists and scholars participating in a conference organized by an Alevi organization, who were accused of being “faithless” by a group of fundamentalists.

Poets Metin Altıok, Behçet Aysan and Uğur Kaynar, writer Asım Bezirci, as well as popular Alevi musicians Muhlis Akarsu and Nesimi Çimen, all perished in the fire. Legendary short story writer Aziz Nesin, who had become a public target, was among the survivors.