Labour leader promises to raise community’s fears and concerns at parliament meeting
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Enfield North MP Joan Ryan were among those attending an event in parliament organised by Britain’s Alevi community.
The meeting on Wednesday 25 January, which was also attended by Edmonton MP Kate Osamor, saw participants express their concern over developments in Turkey.
Alevi officials spoke at the meeting of how thousands of people had died in the country and that many Alevi representatives, journalists and politicians had been imprisoned in an environment of oppression.
They also made reference to proposals to introduce an executive presidency system in Turkey, which they said bore no relation to secular, democratic foundations upon which Turkey was founded.
Officials also said the governing AK Party and the MHP, a small nationalist party, were imposing a Turkish-Islamic programme that disregarded all other sections of society within Turkey and that Alevis had serious concerns for their future.
Mr Corbyn told the meeting, which was held in parliament, that they would pay close attention to developments in the country and share Alevi concerns with the UK’s Foreign Office.
Representatives from an array of Alevi community groups from across the UK, including Hackney, Sheffield, Doncaster, Northamptonshire, Leicester and Enfield were in attendance.