Turkey: Information concerning Haci Bektas Veli Association; whether it is still operating; if not why and when did it cease operations (1998-2002)

The Research Directorate was unable to find reports of an organization with the name "Haci Bektas Veli Association" ceasing operations within the time frame of this information request. However, a number of Alevi and Bektashi organizations, foundations, associations and groups in Turkey contain the words "Haci Bektas" and/or "Veli", including the following list drawn from recent reports:

Haci Bektas Veli Culture and Promotion Association (Anatolia 25 Aug. 2001),

Haci Bektas Veli Culture and Solidarity Foundation (Turkish Daily News 11 July 2000),

Haci Bektas Foundation (Istanbul Milliyet 29 May 2001; Turkish Daily News 26 June 2000) and,

Haci Bektas Veli Anadolu Cultural Foundation (ibid. Istanbul Hurriyet 25 June 2000)

Haci Bektas(i) (Veli) Association(s) (Kurdish Observer 27 July 2001; Turkish Daily News 27 Aug. 2001; Istanbul Hurriyet 25 June 2000).

In this list, Riza Ozturk is listed as the "Chairman" of both the Haci Bektas Veli Culture and Promotion Association, and the Association of Haci Bektas Veli in August 2001 (Turkish Daily News 27 Aug. 2001; Anatolia 25 Aug. 2001).

The Alevilik-Bektaşilik Research Site lists the following Alevi groups as separate entities in their register of Alevi institutions, last updated 22 May 2001: Hacı Bektaş Veli Kültür Dernekleri, Hacı Bektaş Veli Anadolu Kültür Vakfi, and İstanbul Hacı Bektaş Veli Derneği.

According to correspondence received from a professor at the International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World, Utrecht University, the Netherlands, who has conducted extensive fieldwork in Kurdistan:

One association that had "Bektashi" in its name was banned about two months ago, but this was not the Haji [sic] Bektash Cultural Association.

The Turkish Law on Associations does not allow associations based on ethnicity or religious identity, which are deemed to divide the unity of the nation. That's also the reason why there are no Kurdish or Islamic parties possible in Turkey, but only "pro-Kurdish" and "pro-Islamic" parties, which cannot overtly refer to Kurdish identity or Islam. (And when their leading members make statements that are too explicit about these matters, the parties are banned, as happened to HEP, DEP, ÖZDEP, DKP and to MNP, MSP, Refah, Fazilet.)

Similarly, explicitly Alevi associations are, at least in theory, not possible. The associations of the Alevis are therefore defined as "cultural associations" and named for Alevi saints. The largest of them, with numerous local branches, are the Haji Bektash Cultural Association and the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association. The latter is slightly more anti-establishment than the former, but neither has had problems with the authorities. There are several other associations, all of [them] legal and active in the public sphere.

The association that was banned recently, on purely formal grounds, was the Union of Alevi-and-Bektashi Organizations (Alevi Bektasi Üst Kuruluslari Birligi). Because of the "Alevi-and-Bektashi" in its name, which explicitly refers to a religious community, it violated the Law on Associations and was considered to sow division within the Turkish nation (3 Apr. 2002).

A RFE/RL report corroborates this information by listing the Cultural Association of the Federation of Alevi-Bektashi Institutions as the group banned on 13 February 2002 (RFE/RL 25 Feb. 2002). The reason, according to RFE/RL, was that an "Ankara court ruled ... [it] was promoting a sectarian belief and religious separatism" (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Anatolia [Ankara, in Turkish]. 25 August 2001. "Turkey: Association Leader Condemns Religious Officials' Remarks Against Alevis.' (FBIS-WEU-2001-0826 25 August 2001/WNC).

Alevilik-Bektaşilik Research Site Website. 22 May 2001. "Bazi Alevı-Bektaşı Kurumlari." [Accessed 9 Apr. 2002]

Istanbul Hurriyet. [Internet edition, in Turkish]. 25 June 2000. "Turkey's Alevi Associations on Meeting Between EU Embassy, Alevis." (FBIS-WEU-2000-0626 25 June 2000/WNC)

Istanbul Milliyet [Ankara, in Turkish]. 29 May 2001. "Turkey: Alevi Leader Said Complained of Ostracism." (FBIS-WEU-2001-0531 29 May 2001/ WNC)

Kurdish Observer. 27 July 2001. "HADEP Calls for its Missing Administrators to be Found." [Accessed 9 Apr. 2002]

Professor, International Institute for the Study of Islam in the Modern World, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. 3 April 2002. Correspondence.

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). 18 February 2002. Jean-Christophe Peuch. "Turkey: Court Ruling Shows Authorities' Refusal to See Alevism as a Religious Community." [Accessed 9 Apr. 2002]

Turkish Daily News. 27 August 2001. "Alawi Reaction: 'We Don't Pay Taxes to be Insulted.' [NEXIS]

_____. 11 July 2000. "Call for a New Constitution." [Accessed 9 Apr. 2002]

_____. 26 June 2000. "Alawite Foundations: Meeting with EU Brought More Chaos." [NEXIS]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

NEXIS

World News Connection

Internet sites including:

Alevilik-Bektasilik Research Center

Hellenic Resources Network

Etudes Kurdes (2000-2001)

Institut Kurde de Paris

Turkish Press Review

Turkish Daily News