HACIBEKTAS - The 40th traditional and 14th national ceremonies started in Hacibektas town of central province of Nevsehir to commemorate Hadji Bektash Veli on Saturday.
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Deputy Parliament Speaker Yilmaz Ates, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, Culture and Tourism Minister Erkan Mumcu, Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Judge Eraslan Ozkaya, Prime Ministry Undersecretary Fikret Uccan, Presidential Secretary General Kemal Nehrozoglu, deputies and citizens attended the ceremonies.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hacibektas Mayor Mustafa Ozcivan criticized the Re-association Law saying, ''unfortunately, the law includes suspects of Sivas incidents. Such a situation could lead similar incidents. Pardoning murderers of Sivas is nothing but a social provocation.''
A total of 37 people lost their lives when a group of fundamentalists set Madimak Hotel on fire in Sivas on July 2, 1993.
PRESIDENT SEZER: ''HADJI BEKTASH VELI'S THOUGHTS ARE STILL VALID''
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer said, ''Hadji Bektash Veli's thoughts exalting affection, peace and tolerance are still valid in our world with their reformist characteristics.''
Speaking at the ceremonies, President Sezer said, ''a country's development does not depend on progress of science and technology. It depends on people's protecting their values shaping their history and culture. Nations could achieve success in the race of modernization with their cultural assets and their contributions to universal civilization. Turkish nation has always protected its culture and values for centuries.''
''Our thinkers such as Ahmet Yesevi, Mevlana, Yunus Emre and Hadji Bektash Veli laid foundations of peace and prosperity in Anatolia with their philosophies based on humanity. They started enlightenment in Anatolia centuries ago. Their thoughts have universal characteristics,'' he said.
President Sezer noted, ''Our thinkers' humanist teachings have the enough dept to end violence, one of the important problems of today's world, and make peace and friendship dominant in the world.''
''In accordance with principle of secularism, state's social, economic, political and legal order cannot be based on religious rules. Holy feelings cannot be included in state affairs. Fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be used to create a religious discrimination and to found another state order. Anybody cannot use religious feelings and religious values for their individual and political purposes. I want to stress that secularism is the milestone of our national unity,'' he added.
BAYKAL: ''OUR PEOPLE SHOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND HADJI BEKTASH VELI''
He paid a visit to Hacibektas Mayor Mustafa Ozcivan.
Speaking at the meeting, Ozcivan said, ''more than 100 thousand people attend this year's ceremonies. They will shed light to brilliant future of Turkey.''
Meanwhile, Baykal said, ''Hadji Bektash Veli bestowed us a great understanding of peace, affection and tolerance. Our people should better understand him and his teachings.''
(UK-MS) 16.08.2003