"Turkey’s Alevis: Who are They and What Do They Want?
Written by Aykan Erdemir
Published Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Turkey is often described as a secular country where 99 percent of the population is Muslim. Few people know or bother to mention that there is great diversity among Turkish Muslims. For some, the statement that Turkey is predominantly Muslim can be considered accurate. But only if we are also ready to accept as accurate the statement that Germany is three fourths Christian. In the German case, most people would feel it necessary to mention that there are Catholics, Protestants, and the Orthodox in the country. It is, however, often deemed not important to point out that Turkey’s Muslims are deeply divided among Sunnis (79 percent), Alevis (20 percent), and Shi’is (1 percent)."
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