JINHA

NEWS CENTER - The Journalist and Documentary Producer Fuat Ateş is carrying out a documentary named 'Lost Continent of Alevis South America' in Argentina and Chile.

It is estimated that the number of Arab Alevis who live in South American Continent are three million. 'Lost Continent of Alevis South America' is about the Alevis who immigrated to Argentina and Chile during Ottoman period and their life now. The documentary was prepared with the contributions of Germany Alevi Associations Federation (AABF) and Yol TV. The documentary consists of three parts, each part is 45 minutes. The documentary is scheduled for completion in January 2016.

'The idea of this documentary was broken out from the war in Syria'

The Journalist and Documentary Producer Fuat Ateş said, " I stayed in Argentina and Chile for long time to work on the documentary 'Lost Continent of Alevis South America'. I collected many documents and photos. When the war in Syria broke out, the Alevis in Argentina and Chile contacted with us. They immigrated to South America 150-200 years ago to run away from the wars and other problems. The population who immigrated to South America is about 20 millions. Nearly three million of these groups consists of Arap Alevis. The idea of this documentary was broken out from the war in Syria because they contacted us to learn what is going on in Syria. We documented them. Except of them, there are a big Arap Alevis population in Bolivia, Brazil and Venezuela too.

'They don't lose their culture'

Fuat said, "The first Alevis Association founded in Buenos Aires the capital of Argentina in 1930 and now they have about 40 associations. These people don't lose their culture. They still speak Arabic and they do the worship in the same way when they were in Syria and Lebanon 150 years ago. They immigrated to Arjentina with Ottoman passports so they are called as 'El Turco'. Carlos Menem who was the president of the Argentine state between 1988-1989 was also an El Turco.

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