Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan again criticized the opposition in connection with the Dersim pogroms, during a meeting with the heads of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s regional structures.

As the Turkish Radical writes, the PM mentioned that Turkey’s Armed Forces are working towards opening the archives concerning the Dersim pogroms. Erdogan criticized those who made the government as a target for the Dersim pogroms.

“Dersim was a tragedy which was covered in 1939 but the way of thinking due to which it was realized did not change. After the Dersim, great tragedies continued to happen in this country. We want to change that way of thinking,” Erdogan said.

To note, earlier the Turkish PM had apologized for the Dersim pogrom of 1937-1938. Erdogan had said that he apologized on behalf of the Turkish government and he accused the National Republican Party which was ruling then.

To remind, the Turkish authorities drowned the Dersim uprising in blood and destroyed thousands of villages. According to different facts around 100 thousand people were killed.

Thousands of Armenians who had survived the 1915 Armenian Genocide were again subjected to mass killings in 1938.