Piroz Zırığ/JINHA

MEREŞ - Alevis, who have faced with massacre and astracism for their faith, say they don't want to leave their lands once again by stating the container housings for refugees have been built in the Terolar village of Maraş on purpose.

Resistance, which has begun in the Sivrice Höyük (Kurdish name: Terolar) village of Dulkadir, Maraş province under the leadership of women, has continued on the 12nd day. Alevi people most live in this region. The people say that the camps are wanted to build in this area deliberately. Gangs members will be placed here not the people who need help. They want to implement the policy of assimilation by placing Arabic people.

Constructions equipments have been sent to the region despite all people are against the container housings. Soldiers attacked the people who wanted to enter the area, by using tear gas and water cannon. After these attacks, the citizens have continued their action in djemevi (A house where Alevi people gather). Elif Bünül, who has lived in the Terolar village for 25 years, explains why they don't want container housings for refugees in their region. She said that their faith has been tried to be assimilated for years. They built a life for themselves. Elif pointed out that they have resisted against the assimilation. "If they build a container housing here, our order will be break down. This land is our only land. If the refugees come here, we cannot live here anymore." said Elif.

Döne Göksungur, who set up the first resistance tent in the Terolar village, said they don't want the container housings for refugees to not break the peace of the people in the village and local people who live around the village. Döne said, "I have lived in this village for more than 30 years. We have made a great effort for this land." Döne said that many Alevi people were forced to immigrate to European countries during Maraş massacre (Hundreds of Alevi people were killed in Kahramanmaraş on December, 1978). They don't want experience it again. "Many of them went and never return back. They ran away from oppression. We know what immigration is. But, will they bring who to here? Why particular this village? We live here without discriminating who is Kurdish, Turkish, Alevi or Sunnis. We want to continue to live here in safety.

"The state doesn't provide work to those who they are trying to bring here. If they don't have job, they will do another thing out of the desperation. We can go out at night withour fear. Women don't live under pressure here. I am thinking about how we can go out at nights."

(gc/gd)