Izmir Labor and Democracy Forces and Alevi institutions made a statement in front of the Alsancak Türkan Saylan Cultural Center to commemorate those who lost their lives in the Madımak massacre on 2 July 1993. Banners reading "Madımak is everywhere, everywhere is on fire. We have not forgotten, we will not forget" and "The light of those who stand in the whirling at the fires is the light of our struggle for equal citizenship" and "We will not forget those who burned in Sivas or Sivas" were opened.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir MP Burcu Gül Çubuk, representatives of many political parties and institutions, as well as many people attended the statement, in which slogans such as "We will not be the Alevis of the state" and "Don't forget Sivas" were shouted.

Madimak has been burning for 30 years

Gülbahar Kaplan, the Aegean Regional Officer of the Alevi Bektashi Federation, said that Madımak has been burning for 30 years and added that despite all this time, the state has not faced 2 July, just like it didn’t face other massacres. Kaplan said that it is the duty of the state to reveal the dark forces behind the massacre, and added: "Addressing the massacre means that the state also comes to terms with itself. Because the commemoration of Pir Sultan Abdal, which was held for the fourth time that year, was a joint event held with the permission of the governor of Sivas and the Ministry of Culture. Therefore, the activities of the state were attacked and 33 citizens lost their lives."

Call to be in Sivas on 2 July

Kaplan said that the massacre was planned and added that the state did not prevent it. Kaplan underlined that Madımak was a turning point in the black democracy record of the Turkish Republic.

Stating that the Madımak massacre was a crime against humanity, Kaplan said: "There is no statute of limitations for crimes against humanity. Let's be in Sivas on 2 July to say no to the statute of limitations."