45 years have passed since the massacre against Alevis in Mereş between December 19-26, 1978. More than 100 people were killed in the massacre. According to some sources, the number of those murdered is 111, and according to some sources, this number is 120; however, it is estimated that this number is over 500. During the massacre, 559 houses and nearly 290 workplaces belonging to Alevis were burned. In the case opened after the massacre and lasted 23 years, 22 people were sentenced to death, 7 people were sentenced to life imprisonment, and 321 people were sentenced to imprisonment from 1 to 24 years. 68 people who played an important role in the massacre could not be reached.

 

After the decision was overturned by the Supreme Court, the death sentences were not implemented. The sentences of the defendants who were sentenced were postponed by the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) enacted in 1991 and the defendants were released. Ökkeş Kenger, who was acquitted and was one of the main defendants of the massacre, later changed his surname to Şendiller and was elected as a member of parliament from the Welfare Party (RP) in 1991.

 

37-year-old Mehmet Mengücek also lost his life in the massacre, which remains fresh in memories even though 45 years have passed. Mengücek, who lives in the Xidiranli village of Bazarcix (Pazarcık) district of Mereş, moved to the center of Mereş when the attacks started. Mengücek, who joined the team that resisted attacks in the Namık Kemal neighborhood called "Karamaraş", was injured while defending the neighborhood. Mengücek was taken into custody on December 24, injured, by the soldiers who blockaded the house where he took shelter, and he died as a result of the fire opened by a soldier.

 

His brother-in-law İsmail Onatça (74) and his sister Gül Onatça (69), who were in the same defense with Mengücek, talked about what happened during the massacre that has passed 45 years.

 

'THE FUNERALS WERE STONED'

 

Gül and İsmail Onatça couple, who stay in Denizli village of Mereş's Dulkadiroğlu district, are struggling to survive in the container because their house was severely damaged in the earthquake. Drawing attention that he was young when the events started, İsmail Onatça said: "Two leftist teachers, Hacı Çolak and Mustafa Kaptanoğlu, were murdered. The Turkish state did not give the bodies of the teachers. After taking the bodies, we went to the school where the teachers worked. From there, we wanted to take the bodies to the Ulu Mosque. Before we could take the bodies to the mosque, the idealists blocked us. From the castle to us, they started throwing stones. The police were also around, but they were not there at all. We had to leave the corpses in the open. Stones were raining down on the corpses. We were able to take shelter in the shops. They were burning cars and houses. They were howling like wolves. They raided Karamaraş. We resisted with weapons and tried to protect the neighborhood." 

 

'SOLDIERS SHOT MENGÜCEK'

 

Stating that his brother-in-law Mehmet Mengücek was shot a hundred meters away from him, Onatçı said: "The murdered Mengücek was a 'barricade' against the attackers. He was injured when he ran out of bullets. Then he hid in a house. Then the soldiers came to the neighborhood. They surrounded the house where the injured Mehmet was hiding. Mehmet was injured in his foot. The soldiers arrested Mehmet. After his arrest, one of the soldiers fired a gun at Mehmet from behind. When Mehmet died, they took him to the ice warehouse. There was another friend named Şêxo. He was also shot and lost his life while resisting. We wanted to take Mehmet's body from the ice warehouse, but the officials there said that they would not give the body, they would take it and bury it. There was a lawyer with us. That lawyer also asked for information from his family. They had murdered the person. His pregnant nephew's baby was also murdered. The lifeless body of the baby was lying next to him. The lawyer objected. Later, we took our bodies on the condition that the bodies would be buried by the soldiers without a march. While we were taking the bodies for burial, the fascists blocked us and pointed guns at us. Accompanied by the soldiers, we took our bodies to the Xidiranli village of Bazarcix. We brought him and buried him.`` 

 

'ALEVIS MUST ACT ORGANIZED MANNER'

 

Stating that the events were deliberately caused by the state, Onatça said: "Although 45 years have passed, the perpetrators of the massacre have not been punished. They sent 4 MİT personnel to Mereş before the massacre. They also admitted it later. The soldiers were not intervening in the events. If they had intervened, so many people would not have lost their lives. Guns were being fired at us from the front and the soldiers did not intervene. The state committed this massacre. Those who were arrested were acquitted. Later, they were rewarded by becoming members of parliament and serving in various state institutions. The monument that was intended to be built for those murdered in Meresh is also not allowed."

 

Emphasizing that Alevis should act in an organized manner to prevent similar incidents from occurring, Onatça said: “We need to be united and organized to prevent these incidents from happening again. We need to resist. These massacres took place in Sêwas(Sivas), Çorum and many other places." 

 

'I WILL NOT FORGET'

 

Gül Onatça, Mehmet Mengücek's sister, said that her tears have not stopped even though 45 years have passed. Onatça said, "It's been 45 years, but I haven't forgotten a single second. I won't forget it until I die. My sister was getting married when the events started. My brother also came to the wedding. He said to us, 'What kind of a wedding is this, when our people are being massacred?' He never came again. One morning "My husband, Ismail, came. He said, 'They killed Mehmet.' Then they brought the body. The pain of the Mereş massacre will never end." 

 

MA / Mahmut Altıntaş