APRIL 24 COMMEMORATED FOR FIRST TIME IN TURKEY
Today’s Zaman
April 26 2010
Turkey
Various demonstrations were organized in Turkey, Armenia and the US
on April 24, the day Armenians commemorate the anniversary of the
so-called genocide in 1915.
Though similar demonstrations have become a tradition, this year was
somewhat different because a group of Turkish intellectuals expressed
their sadness over the sufferings that occurred almost a century ago.
Three protests took place on Saturday in Taksim Square, at the
HaydarpaÅ~_a Train Station and in front of the Turkish-Armenian Agos
weekly. There were also counter protests in all three locations.
Possible clashed were prevented by police.
A sit-down strike organized by the Say No to Racism and Nationalism
initiative in Taksim Square was attended by a group of public figures
including Professor Ahmet Ä°nsel, columnists Ali Bayramoglu, Roni
Marguiles, Alper GörmuÅ~_, Ferhat Kentel, Erol Katırcıoglu and Umit
Kıvanc, Birikim journal Editor-in-Chief Omer Laciner, pro-Kurdish
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) deputy Ufuk Uras and artists Nur
Surer and Zeynep Tanbay.
"The huge pain this great catastrophe puts on our consciences is here.
We call all Turkish citizens who feel this huge pain in their hearts to
bow respectfully before the victims of the memories of 1915," Tanbay
said on behalf of the group. A nationalist group shouted slogans such
as "This is Turkey" and "We are soldiers of Mustafa Kemal [Ataturk]"
in reaction to the statement. No major incident occurred thanks to
police intervention.
While members of the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed (ESP) left
carnations in front of the Agos newspaper, another sit-down protest
was organized at the HaydarpaÅ~_a Train Station by the Human Rights
Association (Ä°HD). There was a counter protest in response to the
Ä°HD’s demonstration. Speaking on behalf of that group, retired Gen.
Edip BaÅ~_er said it was "shameful" that such a protest occurred
in Turkey.
Protests in Armenia were not that peaceful. In Yerevan, Turkish flags
as well as posters of President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu were burned in
a rally of 10,000 people, which was organized by ultra-nationalist
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun.
Protests took place in front of the Turkish Embassy in Washington,
D.C., as well. Almost 200 people from each side gathered in front of
the embassy and shouted slogans. The Turkish group was later received
by Turkish Ambassador Namık Tan.