Auteur - yazari: Seyfi Cengiz Tarih, gün ve
saat : 09. Mayis 2005 23:02:27:
DERSIM/ZAZANA - AN INTERNAL COLONY OF THE
TURKISH STATE
By Seyfi Cengiz
This is an account of the land, people,
language, religion and history of Dersim,
intended for the people who have a concern in.
It is based on a study by myself which could be
found on the Internet under the title of “Dersim
ve Zaza Tarihi-Sözlü Gelenek ve Tarihsel Gerçek“.
For some additional information see articles
“Kal u Bal`dan Beri (Dersim-Zaza Tarih Tezi)”
and “Tarih Bizi Mansur Kılacaktır!”, also on the
Internet.
LAND
Dersim is an ancient ethnical and geographical
name, which has been mentioned in the historical
sources, at least since Xenophon`s book called
Anabasis, written at the turn of the 5th century
BC. The name was recorded under different forms,
such as Derxene/Xerxene in Xenophon, Pliny and
Strabo; Tzanica in Procopius and Agathias; and
Derjan or Chaniuk in Armenian geography. The
once extensive territory has been reduced to
Inner Dersim, that is today a province in the
eastern part of Turkey, situated between the two
branches of the river Euphrates, known as Karasu
and Murat. It was renamed as “Tunceli” during a
Turkish military expedition in 1935. Arriving
Turkish troops appeared on all sides to complete
the occupation, which was eventually suceeded
through a genoside in 1938. Thus the land
remained to be officially known as “Tunceli”,
though it was never accepted by the nation
itself.
An alternative historical name for Dersim is
that of Zazana, mentioned in B.C. 521 in the old
Persion inscription of Behistun. It has menaged
to survive over the course of the centuries
under diferent forms such as Zavzan, Gozan/Guzana,
Zozan, Zauzan, Zawazan (Andzevatsik in Armenian
sources) and Sason.
PEOPLE
The name of the Dersimis is often used
synonymously with those of the Zazas and
Dailamits (Gilanis), simple because they all are
branches of the same race.
Although there are some who regard them as
Kurds, this designation neither corresponds with
the historical facts, nor with the
self-definition of the people itself. Besides
none of their many traditions and legends points
to a Kurdish connection. Quite the contrary all
of them suggest otherwise.
In other words they are a seperate people
clearly distinguished from the Kurds.
Combining the account given in the oral
tradition with that of the historical record and
archaeological findings, the above mentioned
study comes to the conclusion that the early
Dersimis are descendants of Mamans (the
Mamikonians of Armenian sources), who were
otherwise known as Tzanians to the classical
writers. Sin, San or Çan are only different
forms for Tzan, which can also be seen forming
the second half of the name Der-Sim in a
slightly distinct shape, i.e. Sim.
As to the name Zaza, it is simply a different
pronunciation of that of Sasan. The account of
their Sasanian origin is also recorded by many
writers, the first Kurdish historian Sharaf Khan
among them.
It is almost impossible not to come to the
conclusion that the Mamans (Tzanians) and
Sasanians (Zazas of modern times) were infact
different sections of one and the same people.
There is also a Parthian element in the ethnical
make-up of Dersimis as their traditions suggest.
Briefly; Mamans, Sasanians and Parthians are the
ones that formed the early substrata of the
people of Dersim/Zazana.
According to the tradition these early Dersimis
during their migration were headed by two
brothers, Kal Mem and Kal Ferat, who are seen as
ancestors. In the study mentioned above this
tradition is identified with that of the
Mamikonians, in which the Mamik-Konak brothers
are mentioned instead.
Given the fact that nationalities are
personified in legends, the study arrives at the
conclusions that the name Kalmem in the Dersimi
tradition is a reference to Mamikonians and that
of Kalferat to Parthians.
Thomas Artsruni, a 9/10th century historian,
mentions an ancient tradition, according to
which, or rather his interpretation of it, the
name Zaza or Sasan is derived from that of
Sanasar, son of the Assyrian king Sennacherib
(705-682 B.C), who took refuge in Armenia (Zazana)
together with his brother, army and followers,
and settled on Mount Sason (Mt. Sin) after being
defeated by his half-brother Esarhaddon in 681
B.C.
The tradition spoken of is indeed an historical
event, connected with the origin of the Zazas.
However it must be added that the House of Angle
(Gel, Gilan) and that of Sennacherib are often
confused or identified in the then traditons as
Toumanoff warns us. For that matter the above
statements can hardly refer to the Assyrians
proper, though there certainly existed an
Assyrian colony among them, whose traces can
still be seen in the names of some Dersimi
tribes, such as “Asuran” and “Munzur”.
The names Sasan and Sanasar seem to me to be
related.
The Dersimi legends of their origin also speak
of some late migrations into Dersim, headed by
Shah Hasan and Sayyid, sons of a certain Shaikh
Ahmet.
This, again, is also supported by written
records almost fully, except that two separate
waves of migrations with the same sets of the
names be understood instead of a single one as
suggested in the legend, which merges the two
into one.
Thus, the name Shaikh Ahmet actually refers to
two seperate person of the same name:
The first of whom is Ahmet Basri (Ahmet Rifai,
1118-1182), founder of the Rifai order of
Darvishes, who is frequently replaced with one
of his descendents and namesake Ahmet Kucheki
Rifai (d. 1251/52), otherwise known as Karaja
Ahmet and occasionally as Hajji Bektash, the
elder brother of Shaikh Mahmut Harrani (Mahmut
El Rifai, d. 1268/69); and the other, named as
Ahmet Yesevi, is none other than one of the
Safawi leaders, most probable Shah Haydar the
Safawi (d. 1488).
The rest of the names that still remains to be
identified are those of Shah Hasan and Sayyid.
Shah Hasan represents at least three separate
people of that name. Of the three, the two are
being identified in the study with the Emirs of
Chemishgezek Principality, namely Shah Hasan the
First (d. c. 1473) and Shah Hasan the Second (d.
1543/44), Saltuqids by descent; and the other
with the famous Uzun Hasan the Akkoyunlu (d.
1478), who married his daughter Alemshah Begum
to Shah Haydar the Safawi. Alemshah Begum is
called by her nisba ‘Kıncısur’ (the one dressed
in red) in Dersimi tradition.
Finally, by the name Sayyid in the tradition,
the following two persons are meant: Seyit Ali
(Darvish Gewr) and Shah Haydar the Safawi.
These late migrations took place between the11th
and 15/16th centuries A.D and the new comers
referred to in the tradition are identified in
the study with the Saltuqids, Rifais (Goranis),
Aqqoyunlus and Safawids, who were mostly from
the same stock as that of early Dersimis, so far
as their origins and nationality are concerned.
To sum up, the Dersimis/Zazas of modern times
are descendants of the country`s early and late
inhabitants mentioned above.
The above conclusions are reached through a
detailed examination of the tradition as well as
a comprehensive study of the written history.
The identity of Dersimis/Zazas being thus
established, one can proceed further to discuss
the rest which becomes easier to deal with.
LANGUAGE
The People of Dersim speak an Iranian language
called Zaza (Zazaki). Although some as pointed
above reject the non-Kurdish identity of Zazas
and thereby regard their language as a dialect
of Kurdish, the speakers of both languages
cannot communicate with one another unless
Turkish, the language of the colonial power, is
used.
What this simple fact indicates is that the two
languages have nothing much to do with one
another except that they both are Iranian
languages and therefore have some similarities
further strenghten by mutual contacts between
the two peoples as neighbours.
Zazaki, if we search back, is the surviving
representative of Parthian (Pahlavi) and
Sasanian languages, both of which to my
knowledge were the same.
It is not yet quite certain whether or not the
language of the sacred book of the Zoroastrian
religion related to Zazaki, though the two seem
to be akin.
RELİGİON
The religious ideas of the Dersimis/Zazas have
always been of great interest to the outside
world.
They were at first among the adherents of an
Iranian religion called Mazdaism, founded by
Zoroaster (Zarathustra), the Prophet of ancient
Iran, who is thought to have lived in the 6th
century BC. From 4th century on, some sections
of them converted to Christianity mainly through
the Gregorian and Paulician sects. The Magian
(Mazdaic) and Christian traces are still easily
detectable in the land and beleifs of
Dersim/Zazana.
The religion of Islam among Dersimis spread in
the form of the Sufi ideas, introduced by the
orders like Kadiris, Rifais (Babais, Bektashis),
Ismailis of Alamut, Ehl-i Haks and Safawids.
From late 15th century onward they adopted a new
religion, called Kızıl-Bash (Turkish word for
the İranian Surh-i Ser, having reference
especially to the red head-dress worn by its
adherents), founded by Shah Haydar Safawi of
Ardabil, who in Dersimi and Kızılbash traditions
is referred to under numerious names or
‘nisbas’, such as Father Mansur, Kalemamsor or
Kalman Sar (this title slightly differing in
spelling and pronunciation denoted “the one
dressed in red”, “Surkhalaman” or “Surkhjamagan”
in its original form), Sayyid, Pir Sultan (Kodja
Haydar), Sultan Baba, Father Düzgün (Shah
Haydar), and sometimes also as Ahmet Yesevi and
Hajji Bektash.
In his time millions took him to be a universal
god.
The term “Yesevi” is infact a distorted form of
that of Safawi. Therefore the religio-political
movement that labeled as “Yesevism” in later
periods cannot be anything else other than
Safawism.
Shah Haydar the Safawi is regarded as the
founder of their religion by Dersimis.
It was a religion seperate from both the
Christianity and Islam though influenced by both
to a certain extent. Due to their new religion,
consedered as heretical (Rafizi or Gulat in
Arabic), Dersimis/Zazas were heavily persecuted
by the Ottoman and Turkish rulers time and
again. These persecutions occasionally turned
into the massacares of the worst kind.
Eventually a section of the Zazas living outside
Inner Dersim, that is, under ottoman occupation,
converted to mainstream Sunni Islam, which has
caused an internal division within the nation.
HİSTORY
The Kingdom of Urartu (880/850-590 B.C) could be
taken as a reference point to start with, as it
was the first political entity which had unified
almost all the lands populated by Zazas.
At peresent it is difficult to determine for
certain whether or not the Kingdom of Urartu was
a Zaza monarchy.
After the collapse of Urartu, its territory was
first conquered by the Medes and at a later
period by the Akamenids, i.e. Old Persions, who
replaced them in Iran.
By this time the former land of Urartu, at least
a great portion of it, received a number of
other names. Of them the commonest were those of
Armenia and Dersim/Zazana.
Under Akamenids, perhaps since the time of the
Medes, Dersim/Zazana had nominally been governed
by the Dynasty of Orontids (401-200 B.C), and
then, at the time of Macedonians, by two other
dynasties related to them, Sophene (Tsophk) and
Artaxiad (200-1 B.C). In ethnical sense both
Orontids and the ruler of the latter were
Gilanians, which is another name for modern
Zazas as mentioned before.
Parthians (247 B.C-224 A.D) and Romans, who
defeated the Macedonians, were next to rule.
Thereafter we find Byzantines and Sasanians
(224-651 AD) in the possession of the land.
The Sasanian rule came to an end with the Arab
invasion of the 7th century A.D.
The tradition refers to the Parthians and
Sasanians as the ancestors of Dersimi/Zaza
people alongside with the Mamikonians.
In the 11th century the country was invaded by
the late Dailamits (Gilanis) and Seldjuq Turks.
After the periods of Mongols and Timurids the
land fell into the hands of the tribal
confederations known as the Karakoyunlu and
Akkoyunlu, who were mainly Mamakonians in
origin, but mixed and partly Turkicized in later
times. Eventually, the Akkoyunlu, who gained a
decesive victory over the Karakoyunlu exercised
the supremacy until they were replaced by the
Safawids, their succesors.
The brief rule of the Safawids was followed by
that of the Ottomans.
As is known from historical sources during the
centuries-long war between Safavids and
Ottomans, Dersimis had sided with the former
against the latter.
When all combined together these facts clearly
show that despite foreign interventions,
frequent interruptions and fragmentation of the
country, the Zazas, under different names, have
been repeatedly spoken of during the historical
times. At least since the Persian domination we
find them governing some parts of the country
here and there though not always independently.
Nevertheless it is important to note that they
are most easily recognisable during the times of
the Parthians and Sasanians, who are referred to
as ancestors. It was their golden millenium, the
end of which marked by the Arab invasion. They
returned to power in the person of Dailamits and
menaged to maintain it for a century (945-1055)
until the coming of the Saldjukid Turks. The
Arab and Turkish invasions were obviously the
most unfortunate for the Zazas. They rose to
power once more with the early Safawids and
continued to share their fate ever after.
SEARCH FOR JUSTİCE
The collapse of the Ottomans had left a power
vacuum, filled by the Turkish nationalists,
called Kemalists at a later time. In order to
create a Turkish nation from above, they waged a
bloody campaign against Armenians, Zazas and
Assyrians, the non-Turkish elements of the
empire. It was a deliberate and sustain war, in
the course of which the national resistance of
the Zazas with the sole purpose of self-defence
in 1920 (Kochgiri), 1925 (Shaikh Sait) and
1937-1938 (Inner Dersim) had been ruthlessly
suppressed one after another and thousands were
forced into exile.
That`s how the previously independent part of
the country, known as İnner Dersim, has also
been subdued and colonised by Turks.
In 1937-38, i.e., at a time when world attention
was focused on the Second World War, Turkey
commited a genocide, by killing approximately
70.000 people in the process.
Especially the year 1938 became one of the most
important date in the nation`s calender
commemerated every year, in particular by its
Kızılbash section. Hence the people speak of
“before and after the year 1938” whenever the
recent history is concerned.
What happened back then has been handed down to
the later generations by their parents and
grand-parents, who witnessed the onslaught, and
of whom some are still alive. Furthermore the
sites of the mass graves all over Dersim are
well known and can easily be located if and when
need be. The ruins of the country`s cultural
heritage including churches belonged to the
nations`s Christian section are still visible.
Let there be no doubt that a legal action
against Turkey will at long last be taken at
some time in the future. A search for justice
has already began. People wish to see the
justice served.
Despite a long interval the Zaza aspirations for
a free homeland has never died out. The turning
point arrived in the late-1980s, when a new
patriotic movement began to emerge. This
movement has continued to gather momentum up
until now.
The struggle for a democratic self-rule is still
on.
It is a struggle for survival.
II
AN İNTRODUCTİON TO THE LAND, LANGUAGE,
RELİGİON AND HİSTORY OF DERSİM
by Seyfi Cengiz
LAND
Dersim is an ethnical and geographical name that
has been mentioned in the historical sources, at
least since Xenophon`s book called Anabasis,
written at the turn of the 5th century BC. The
once extensive territory has been reduced to
Inner Dersim, that is today a province in the
eastern part of Turkey, situated between the two
branches of the river Euphrates, known as Karasu
and Murat. It was renamed as “Tunceli” during a
Turkish military expedition in 1935.
An alternative historical name for Dersim is
that of Zazana, mentioned in B.C. 521 in the old
Persion inscription of Behistun. It has menaged
to survive over the course of the centuries
under diferent forms such as Zavzan,
Gozan/Guzana, Zozan, Zauzan, Zawazan
(Andzevatsik in Armenian sources) and Sason.
LANGUAGE
The People of Dersim speak an İranian language
called Zaza (Kırmancki, Dımılki, Zazaki).
Although some reject the non-Kurdish identity of
Dersimis (Zazas) and thereby regard their
language as a dialect of Kurdish, it is infact a
distinct and seperate language, more ancient
than Kurdish. This is also the view widely
shared among the linguists. Zazaki, if we search
back, is the surviving representative of
Parthian (Pahlavi) and Sasanian languages, both
of which were the same.
RELİGİON
The religious ideas of the Dersimis/Zazas have
always been of great interest to the outside
world. They were at first among the adherents of
an Iranian religion called Mazdaism, founded by
Zoroaster (Zarathustra), the Prophet of ancient
Iran, who is thought to have lived in the 6th
century BC. From 4th century on, some sections
of them converted to Christianity mainly through
the Gregorian and Paulician sects. The Magian
(Mazdaic) and Christian traces are still easily
detectable in the land and beleifs of
Dersim/Zazana. The religion of Islam among
Dersimis spread in the form of the Sufi ideas
after 9/10th century A.D. From late 15th century
onward they adopted a new religion, called
Kızıl-Bash (Turkish word for the İranian Surh-i
Ser, having reference especially to the red
head-dress worn by its adherents), founded by
Shah Haydar Safawi of Ardabil. Due to their new
religion, consedered as heretical,
Dersimis/Zazas were heavily persecuted by the
Ottoman and Turkish rulers time and again. These
persecutions occasionally turned into the
massacares of the worst kind.
ORİGİNS AND HİSTORY OF THE PEOPLE
The early Dersimis are descendants of Mamans
(the Mamikonians of Armenian sources), who were
otherwise known as Tzanians to the classical
writers. Sin, San or Çan are only different
forms for Tzan, which can also be seen forming
the second half of the name Der-Sim in a
slightly distinct shape, i.e. Sim.
As to the name Zaza, it is simply a different
pronunciation of that of Sasan. The account of
their Sasanian origin is also recorded by many
writers.
The Mamans (Tzanians) and Sasanians (Zazas of
modern times) were infact different sections of
one and the same people.
There is also a Parthian element in the ethnical
make-up of Dersimis as their traditions suggest.
Briefly; Mamans, Sasanians and Parthians are the
ones that formed the early substrata of the
people of Dersim/Zazana.
The Dersimi traditions also speak some late
migrations into the country. These late
migrations took place between the11th and
15/16th centuries A.D., and the new comers
referred to are identified with the Saltuqids,
Rifais (Goranis), Aqqoyunlus and Safawids, who
were mostly from the same stock as that of early
Dersimis, so far as their origins and
nationality are concerned.
The Dersimis/Zazas of modern times are
descendants of the country`s early and late
inhabitants mentioned above.
As is known from historical sources during the
centuries-long war between Safavids and
Ottomans, Dersimis had sided with the former.
After the collapse of the Ottomans, Turkish
nationalists waged a bloody campaign against
Armenians, Dersimis/Zazas and Assyrians, the
non-Turkish elements of the land. It was a
deliberate and sustain war in the course of
which the national resistance of the
Dersimis/Zazas with the sole purpose of
self-defence in 1920 (Kochgiri), 1925 (Shaikh
Sait) and 1937-1938 (Inner Dersim) had been
ruthlessly suppressed one after another and
thousands were forced into exile.
In 1937-38, at a time when world attention was
focused on the Second World War, Turkey commited
a genocide, by killing approximately 70.000
people in the process, which has never been
forgotten.
III
LET THE RİVER RUN!
By Seyfi Cengiz
The dam construction over River Munzur is in
progress under tight security. Munzur, which is
our life-blood, is being barricated. A legal
initiative to stop the construction has turned
down by the Turkish Suprim Court. There has also
been a series of peacful protests across Dersim.
Thousands of people took streets chanting “Let
the river run (flow)”.
Fighting is not yet died down. Anger is growing
stronger.
Turkey has so far ignored this oppsition to the
project. This is still the case.
Her insistance on the project seems to be a
decleration of another war against Dersim. She
is interested not so much prooducing energy, but
destroying the country and dispersing its
people. By building eight dams over River Munzur
means to employ different methods beside
military force to this end. The real aim is to
evict the innermost part and hart of Dersim
which has always been the stronghold of the
national resistance up until now.
In short not only the River Munzur but Dersim as
a whole is under threat.
The River Munzur is sacred in our country’s
religion. Some holiest sites of the land are on
or along this river. The religious life of the
country is already disrapted by the construction
work.
If not abundant, people might lose faith in
peacfull means and the anger could well turn
into a bitter struggle including perhaps a
guerilla warfare, though no one would normally
prefer it.
One thing is certain. We shall defend our
homeland. People of Dersim do not let the
occupiers get on with this project for long. It
is a national issue and the struggle to save the
river would be a part of the struggle for
national freedom.
Let me tell you how the River Munzur emerged in
our country before I finish.
This is the legend:
“Once upon a time in Dersim there was a king
called Cemşit. Munzur was his sheperd. One day
this king went away with his army to fight wars.
When on front he wished some ‘helva’ to eat.
Munzur knew what his master wished for. He told
this to his master’s wife and asked her to make
the ‘helva’ to take to his master. She thought
it is Munzur himself who wishes some and did
what he asked for. He took the helva and
disappeared. Coming back a few minutes later he
said to her that the plate would be brought back
by his master.
This is what happened afterwards:
People went to welcome and kiss his hands when
King Cemşit came back. He told them about what
happened and showed them the plate. Then asked
them to kiss Munzur’s hands instead. By hearing
this Munzur run away. People went after him. As
he was running with a cup full of milk in his
hands, the milk was pouring down. İn each place
where the milk dropped a spring was emerging and
of which the River Munzur”.
IV
THE DERSIM QUESTION
by Seyfi Cengiz
The region named as ‘Tunceli‘ by Turkish
occupiers is the inner and central part of the
historical Dersim.
It is the homeland of a non-Turkish people known
as the Dersimis or KIzIlbaş, who suffer from
both religious and national opression at the
hands of the Turkish invaders.
The country‘s language, identity, beleifs, in
short its whole culture and whole future as a
people is under immidiate threat.
THE YEAR 1938 AND THE GENOCIDE
Dersim used to be an autonomous (self-governed)
region for centuries up until 1938, the very
date that became a reference point in our
people’s recent history due to the genocide and
mass exile planned and executed by the Turkish
state at the time.
The then Turkish strategy was to settle "The
Dersim Question" once and for all by using
military force. Opposed by a strong and
desperate resistance, the invaders couldn’t
achieve this. But our homeland has become an
internal colony of the Turkish state and
remained as a ‘forbidden land‘ ever since.
EVIL DEEDS OF THE COLONIAL GOVERMENT FROM
1994 TO 1997
Insisting upon the policy to destroy the land
and disperse its inhabitants, Turkish occupiers
tried time and again to realise their aim
whenever the opportunity arrived.
The most recent example of this had been
witnessed over the period between 1994 and 1997.
Under the pretext of "PKK terrorism" hunderds of
villages were destroyed and thousands of people
forced to emmigrate over those three years. In
1994 sixteen people disapperad during military
operations and it is still not allowed to
investigate what happened to them.
THE TURKISH SECRET PLAN BEHIND THE DAM
PROJECT
After 1999 there has been no "PKK terrorism" for
five years and people have expected to be helped
in order to recover from mass unemployment and
poverty, hoped at least some freedom for their
language, religion and culture. Let alone these
expectations being fulfilled, people were
surprised to hear of a project which envisaged
the construction of eight dams on River Munzur
high on the agenda.
The issue of the dam once again reminded us all
the tragic events of the year 1938, simply
because this project, which is already in
progress and about to reach a vital stage, will
eventually,
1) displace hunderds of families living in the
villages around the dam site,
2) damage the region’s ecology,
3) endanger the existing plants and creatures in
the valley,
4) ruin the countryside life,
5) destroy the holy places on and along the
river.
In short this project poses a major threat to
the fabric of our society.
That’s why we are against it.
People of Dersim believe it to be a
politically-motivated initiative, aimed to
dislocate and disperse themselves by flooding
the country. It is something that makes people
think of 1938, when the Turkish military
commited a genocide by killing approximateley
fifty-thousand people. This project openly aims
to finish whatever remained of Dersim.
Six-years long people’s protest across Dersim
and in some European countries is being ignored.
Despite local opposition and countless legal
initiatives the Turkish Goverment seems to be
quite determined to go ahead with the project.
The Munzur River is the life-blood of the
country. There can be no life in Dersim without
Father Munzur and ist valley. The dam project
imposed on our country must be stopped.
We would like to make it known to the whole
world that we won’t permit the River Munzur to
be treated in this way. This River is sacred in
our country’s tradition. We are determined to
act in defense of our homeland in case we have
to.
DERSIM NEEDS HELP
We call upon the Hüman Rights Organisations,
environmental and ecological groups and all the
other people and bodies concerned to put
pressure on Turkish Goverment,
-to stop obstructing investigations into
disappearances and many other hüman rights
abuses in Dersim,
-not to go ahead with the dam project over River
Munzur,
-to acknowledge the genocide commited in 1938
-to remove the restrictions imposed on the local
language, religion and culture.
