PodcastAlevi villagers voice opposition to mosque project
The residents of a village in the eastern province of Kars inhabited by members of the Alevi faith have voiced their opposition to a regional government project that seeks to build a mosque in the village, according to local news reports. The village of Aşağısallıpınar is home to 38 households, and villagers believe a mosque would be detrimental to the structure of the village. They see it as an assimilation attempt.
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The residents of a village in the eastern province of Kars inhabited by members of the Alevi faith have voiced their opposition to a regional government project that seeks to build a mosque in the village, according to local news reports on Thursday.
Kutlay Emelet, the village chief of Aşağısallıpınar (Muhtar) told the Alevi-focused Pirha news agency that the administration of Kars' Sarıkamış district declared it was going to build a mosque in the village, despite not having consulted with anyone from the village.
Making up 15-20 percent of Turkey's population, Alevis practice a non-Sunni faith. Alevis were persecuted during Ottoman times and suffered several massacres throughout the 20th century following the establishment of the Turkish republic in 1923.
The village of Aşağısallıpınar is home to 38 households. Its villagers believe a mosque would be detrimental to the structure of the village and regard it as an attempt at assimilating their community into mainstream Sunni Islam.
According to Hüseyin Candan a local village association leader, the village was established over a century ago and locals have suffered persecution ever since.
“Our village has been around since 1913. Since then, our village leaders have always firmly stood against the pressure and persecution. A mosque has not been built. We do not want to be assimilated. Assimilation begins with the construction of a mosque,” maintained Hüseyin Candan.
Rather than in mosques, Alevis gather in a particular place of worship referred to as "Cemevi". Candan argued the village would have embraced the construction of a cemevi.
“The district government had previously offered to build a mosque but our village headman did not accept it. Our village headman requested services related to infrastructure and roads but the district government said these would be provided alongside the construction of a mosque. This is the only village in the area without a mosque. We are against this project and we don't want it,” said the villager Hasan Yalçınkaya.