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German Greens demand justice for massacre of Alevis

GERMANY’S Green Party has demanded that perpetrators of the 1993 Sivas massacre in Turkey are charged with “crimes against humanity” for the killing of the 35 Alevis who were burnt to death.

Two Green MPs, Fadime Topac and Benedikt Lux, filed a criminal complaint with the Federal Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday.

They demanded that eight people involved in the massacre who now live in Germany be investigated and brought to justice.

Ms Topac said: “We watched how people were burnt alive live on air. Then it is a terrible pain to come here and witness [the attackers’] escape from the massacre without punishment.

“The wounds of Sivas will never close until justice is done.”

The massacre took place at the central Turkish city’s Madimak Hotel on July 2 1993 after hundreds of Alevis, a long-persecuted minority in Turkey, had gathered there to attend a cultural festival celebrating the life and works of poet Pir Sultan Abdal.

Left-wing thinker Aziz Nesin was due to address the festival. His presence angered many Sunni Muslims already irate at his plans to publish British author Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses. Thousands of Sunnis headed to the hotel after Friday prayers — during which they had been encouraged to attack the hotel — and a mob broke in and set it on fire.

Mr Nezin escaped, but 35 artists and musicians perished in the blaze, including Metin Altiok and Behcet Aysan, writer Asim Bezirci and popular musician Muhlis Akarsu. Two members of the hotel staff were also killed. Police were accused of complicity by standing by and refusing to halt the attack.

A 2015 official report found that the state had been responsible for the attacks, with city officials showing “serious negligence and failures” in failing to prevent the massacre.

Eight of those responsible for the massacre fled to Germany. Some have been granted asylum and German citizenship. Vahit K, who was sentenced to death for his role in the killings, runs a successful business in Berlin, with his identity protected by the German authorities.

Turkey has been accused of failing to press for their return.

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