ASBAREZ Online [07-13-2005]

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07/13/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1)'Toronto Star' Editorial Board and Community Reps Meet on Armenian Issues 2) International Court Finds Turkey in Grave Violation of Human Rights 3) Iraq's Kurd Rebels Vow to Keep up Fight 1)'Toronto Star' Editorial Board and Community Reps Meet on Armenian Issues TORONTORepresentatives of Canada's Armenian Community met the Toronto Star's editorial board headed by editorial editor Bob Hepburn, to exchange views on a variety of issues, including the Armenian genocide Canada-Armenia relations, Mountainous Karabagh, and the establishment of a Canadian Embassy in Armenia. The Armenian delegation included Aris Babikian, president of the Armenian National Federation of Canada (ANFC); Shaen Mirakian, of the Armenian Community Centre of Toronto (ACC); and Vahan Ajemian, Armenian National Committee of Toronto (ANCT). "In light of recent developments, we had to update and sensitize the Toronto Star editorial board--especially after the April 23, 2004 House of Commons resolution recognizing the Armenian genocide," ANFC's Babikian said, describing the frank and open exchange. Since the adoption of that resolution, the Armenian National Committee of Canada and the ANFC, and their affiliated chapters in Montreal, Laval, Toronto, Hamilton, Cambridge, St. Catharines, Kitchener, London, Guelph, and Vancouver have routinely contacted the Canadian media asking them to clarify their stance on the ethical issue. A September 9, 2004 meeting between ANCC and ACC members and CTV-TV board, initiated an excellent segment on the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. Following the efforts of ANCC members, the Literary Review of Canada published David Warner's January 2005 review of Taner Akcam's book "From Empire to Republic: Turkish Nationalism and the Armenian Genocide." As a follow-up, ANCC facilitated Michael Enright's CBC Radio "Sunday Morning" interview with Taner Akcam. On January 14, 2004 ANCC successfully secured a resolution from the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada--which represents over 400 newspapers and magazinesrecognizing the Armenian genocide. The ANCC broke the news of the banning of Atom Egoyan's "Ararat" in Turkey. Immediately afterwards, an explosion of coverage ensued, including editorials in The Globe and Mail and the National Post condemning the Turkish government's action. In 2002, renowned Canadian journalist and broadcaster Michael Coren, hosted a unique panel discussion between representatives of the ANCC and Turkish community, who debated the Turkish government's policy of denying the Armenian genocide. Following the success of that show, Coren invited ANCC representatives to talk about the Armenian genocide on his hour-long CFRB radio program. More recently, the ANCC disseminated to the media, unknown details of why a conference devoted to the Armenian genocide was "postponed indefinitely," due to pressure from the Turkish government and extremist groups. The ANCC has also introduced to the Canadian media, writings of progressive Turkish scholars and journalists who, in the past years, have condemned their government's denialist policies and have called on Turkish leaders to acknowledge the historical reality of the Armenian genocide. In addition, due to the persistence and behind-the-scenes efforts of ANCC and its members, The Globe and Mail and the National Post now refer to the Armenian genocide without ambiguity, and without quotes--or the prefix "alleged" in their editorials and stories. "We firmly believe that the media has an important role to educate and bring the truth of the Armenian cause to the Canadian public. With that in mind, the ANCC has, over the years, established an excellent relationship with Canadian media, based on mutual trust and respect," stated ANCC President, Girair Basmadjian. "As in the past, we intend to continue our communication with the Canadian media in an open, objective, and positive manner." 2) International Court Finds Turkey in Grave Violation of Human Rights (AFP)--The International Court of Justice (ICJ), on Tuesday, found Turkey guilty of inhumane treatment of a 17-year old boy while in police custody, and demanded they pay 8,000 euro to the boy. The ethnic Chalean was arrested on December 25, 1991, holding a Molotov Cocktail during a demonstration in Istanbul. The boy was condemned to death in 1996; the sentence was later reduced to 16 years imprisonment. The ICJ found that the boy was tortured while in police custody, and though he sustained physical injury, details were deliberately left out of medical reports. The ICJ also found that the crime against the youth is a grave violation of human rights, according to European law. 3) Iraq's Kurd Rebels Vow to Keep up Fight By Yahya Barzanji KHUNERA (AP)--In the jagged mountains along the Iranian border, a leader of the Kurdish rebels--who have been battling Turkish soldiers for two decades--vowed to keep up his fight until Turkey agrees to open a dialogue with militants. But it remains a request that Turkey refuses, saying all the guerrillas of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) must surrender or die. Fighting has recently intensified. Since May 30, soldiers and 24 rebels have been killed as the rebels stepped-up attacks, concentrating more on bombings than direct assaults. On Sunday, a bomb planted by a rebel splinter group injured 18 Turks and three tourists in Cesme, a popular Turkish resort. Both sides are looking to Washington to help create a solution to a two-decade fight that has left some 37,000 people dead and parts of southeastern Turkey in ruins. Turkish generals say the United States, which controls Iraq, must do more to stop rebels from crossing the border and carrying out attacks. Murat Karayilan, the military leader of the PKK, says that Washington, which is pressing for more democracy in the Middle East, must allow the Kurds a voice and vows to keep fighting. "We seek peace, but Turkey seeks war and wants our surrender," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "It wants to get rid of us entirely. The Kurds' resistance will continue." He also said that the rebels, who were once fighting for a Marxist Kurdish state in the southeast of Turkey, now want to be part of a democracy. "We want to live in a democratic way and establish a democratic Kurdish movement while giving up extremist socialist ideas," Karayilan said. "We also notice a change in American policies, which now support democratic governments. America came to change the Middle East, and Kurds have a great role in this matter." Turkish officials have dismissed that claim as a mere change in tactics by the group, which the Turkish government and the US consider a terrorist organization. Turkish land forces commander, Gen. Yasar Buyukanit recently rebuffed a suggestion that the army end its offensive against the rebels. "In Turkey, no one in their right mind could say yes" to that request, the Cumhuriyet newspaper quoted Buyukanit as saying last month. "Our struggle against terrorism is continuing and will continue." Turkey considers all of its Muslim citizens to be Turks and has rejected Kurdish aspirations as an attempt to break apart the country. It was illegal in Turkey to speak Kurdish until 1991, and broadcasting in Kurdish only began in 2004. Statements from the rebels are rarely printed in Turkey, where such comments could be considered as aiding a terrorist organization, and rights activists have been jailed for saying that there should be a negotiated solution to the fighting in the southeast. The PKK announced a unilateral cease-fire in 1999, shortly after its leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured but annulled it in 2004, saying that Turkey had not responded. During a recent visit, Kurdish fighters escorted a journalist along a curvy, five-hour nighttime route to meet Karayilan. The visit included a stop at the PKK's "Martyr's Cemetery," which contains the graves of 25 fighters killed in battle and a large picture of Ocalan. "We no longer believe only in armed struggle as we did in the past," Karayilan said. "Today we believe in the diplomatic and political struggle in order to obtain our legitimate rights." The presence of an estimated 3,500 PKK fighters in Iraq--which effectively remains under US control more than two years after the U.S.-led invasion--complicates American efforts to rebuild this country after decades of dictatorship, war, and ongoing insurgency. It is believed that there are some 2,000 PKK fighters in Turkey. Confident of the safety of their mountain redoubt, the PKK fighters seemed to enjoy good relations with local villagers and Iraqi arms merchants who sell them weapons. As a concession to Iraqi sensitivities, however, PKK fighters routinely move about only at night. "We want to solve the problem through dialogue," Karayilan said. "But if they attack us, we will defend ourselves." All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress