The Scotsman, UK
Sept 24 2005
Turkey to debate Armenian massacre
A twice-cancelled conference on the massacre of Armenians in the late
Ottoman Empire has begun in Istanbul, a test of Turkey’s willingness
to allow an open discussion of its painful past.
The academic conference is apparently the first time that an
institution in the modern Turkish Republic, the successor state of
the empire and now European Union candidate, hosted an event in which
speakers will be permitted to argue that the fathers and grandfathers
of today’s Turkish citizens committed the first genocide of the 20th
century.
In their fiercely-opposed efforts to hold the conference – the
organisers were accused of “stabbing the people in the back” by the
justice minister in May and the conference was shut down by an
Istanbul court on Thursday – a group of academics became emblematic
of a country struggling to advance democracy and basic rights to free
expression.
Stating that Turks may have committed genocide against Armenians not
only opposes the state line and can lead to prosecution, but it
deeply offends a large percentage of the Turkish people, who see the
Ottoman Empire as a symbol of Turkish greatness and the war that
coincided with its collapse as a heroic struggle for national
independence.
An increasing number of governments recognise the massacres of
Armenians between 1915 and 1923 by Ottoman Turks as genocide, but the
Turkish government is adamantly opposed to the notion.
The resistance the scholars faced in holding the conference was
intense and came from many sides.
But the academics were insistent that they were not only examining
Turkish history, but were acting, as Halil Berktay, programme
co-ordinator of the history department at Sabanci University, said,
“for Turkish democracy, for freedom of speech, for academic freedom”.
The conference was ordered stopped by an Istanbul court on Thursday,
drawing criticism from the European Commission, whose spokeswoman
said “we strongly deplore this new attempt to prevent Turkish society
from freely discussing its history”.
The organisers skirted that court order by changing the venue from
Bogazici University to Istanbul Bilgi University.
EU observers have said they will note any developments as Turkey
heads toward membership negotiations on October 3.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Sept 24 2005
Turkish People Is At Peace With Its History, Gul

ISTANBUL – ”The Turkish people is at peace with itself and with its
history,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.
Sending a message to the opening session of the Conference entitled
”The Armenians during the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire”, Gul
said, ”the approaches of our government and our people towards our
past, including Turkish-Armenian relations, constitute an indication
of our confidence in ourselves and our future.”
In his message, Gul said, ”the last era of the Ottoman Empire is
subject to discussion and research in academic circles, with
increased interest. Nearly every day new documents from the era
emerge and new books, articles and research papers are published.
Yet, it is not possible to say that all data and documents related to
those times have been properly analyzed. With an aim to help redress
this shortcoming, our government is in the process of taking
important steps to enable the Ottoman Archives to serve researchers,
in modern conditions. Our Archives have begun to serve scientists
through documents converted to a digital medium since 2003. Within
this context, many researchers, coming from 75 different countries
have completed their research on the Ottoman Archives. These
activities are ongoing.”
-HISTORICAL COMMISSION PROPOSAL TO ARMENIA-
”We want not only our own archives but at the same time all other
archives that will shed light on the history of the day to be opened
in an organized fashion, that will serve all researchers. We believe
that deeper research into that era will bring new historical facts to
light and serve an improvement in relations between countries and
peoples. Thus, we have proposed to the Government of Armenia to
establish a historical commission between our two countries, which
will research the joint Turkish-American history and which will make
its findings public. We hope to reach a conclusion on this subject,”
indicated Gul.
Gul also said, ”The history of Turkish-Armenian relations is one of
co-existence and common life of almost 1,000 years. During the course
of this period, the Turkish and Armenian peoples have contributed to
each other’s culture, prosperity and security. We should not ignore
this reality when we examine the tragic period when the Ottoman
Empire was crumbling and the Turks and Armenians were deeply
suffering, like all other peoples of the Empire.”
-EVEN IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES…-
”It is a fact that in some chapters of history, or even today, some
societies cannot tolerate one other’s language, religion, identity or
even very existence. It is an unfortunate reality that such
intolerance can turn into a deep-rooted and destructive ideology,
which gets ingrained in the social subconscious. Some serious and
very dangerous trends, from xenophobia to racism and from
anti-Semitism to attitudes against Muslims are present and are on the
rise today, even in societies which represent the highest level of
contemporary civilization,” underlined Gul.
Gul stressed, ”it is a source of pleasure that such a psychology
does not exist between the Turks and Armenians. This also constitutes
a major advantage for the future of relations between the two
peoples.”
”Another issue I want to draw your attention to is that, many
studies so far held on the theme of the Conference, particularly
outside Turkey, have been conducted with political motivations, in a
manner inconsistent with scientific ethics and objectivity.
Regretfully, humanitarian issues have been sacrificed to political
designs, and double standards have been applied in determining and
presenting human suffering. There were attempts to impose subjective,
non-legal and artificial claims upon Turkey and the Turkish people,
with political motivations. Furthermore, there have been situations
in which some foreign circles could not even tolerate scientific
skepticism,” said Gul.
Gul concluded, ”young generations from all nations must know and
draw lessons from the facts that during the last era of the Ottoman
Empire the imperialist-colonial powers ruthlessly exploited peoples’
ethno-religious sensitivities for their own gains and that some
elements, knowingly or unknowingly, became instruments to these
provocations. I hope that your Conference will be a contribution to
raise awareness on this issue. The Turkish people is at peace with
itself and with its history. The approaches of our government and our
people towards our past, including Turkish-Armenian relations,
constitute an indication of our confidence in ourselves and our
future. I convey my best wishes to all participants and hope that the
Conference will be a success.”

IranMania News, Iran
Sept 24 2005
“Iran builds thermal powerplant in Armenia”
Saturday, September 24, 2005 – ©2005 IranMania.com

LONDON, September 24 (IranMania) – Armenian Energy Minister said Iran
has invested $150 mln in construction of the fifth unit of the
thermal powerplant of “Razdan”, according to IRNA.
Speaking to reporters, Armen Movsisian said, according to the
contract, the Iranian side will finish the construction operation in
two years and the Armenian side will pay back the investment by
delivering electricity to Iran for a ten-year period.
He added Iran and Armenia will construct the third transferring high
voltage electricity line with a capacity of 1,200 mega watts.
Movsisian said the Armenian government, after considering many
options, chose the Iranian company as a contractor for the fifth unit
of Razdan Powerplant.
Concerning Iran’s gas pipeline to Armenia, Movsisian said the
construction operation is underway and it will be finished four to
five months before due time.
The gas pipeline was scheduled to be commissioned at the end of 2006.

New York Times
Sept 24 2005
Armenian massacre conference to proceed at new site in Turkey
ISTANBUL, Turkey – After a Turkish court’s decision to cancel an
academic conference on the killing of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians during World War I, the conference’s organizers said Friday
that the event would go ahead at a new site today.
The organizers were encouraged by a wave of support from the European
Union and senior Turkish government officials.
A court on Thursday blocked Bogazici University in Istanbul from
holding the event, a debate and symposium on the killing of Armenians
by Ottoman forces in the eastern part of what is now Turkey.
In its ruling, the court called into question the credentials of the
scholars taking part.
It was the second time the courts blocked the conference at the
request of nationalist groups. The event was canceled in May, as
well, and at that time Justice Minister Cemil Cicek condemned
continued attempts to hold the meeting as “treason.”
But the conference’s organizers said it would go ahead today after
Bilgi University in Istanbul agreed to be the new host.
The conference is to be the first time in Turkey that the killings
have been publicly examined.
More than 50 intellectuals, scholars and writers are to analyze the
massacres, which took place from 1915 to 1917 and have been
recognized as genocide by several European governments.
Turkey has long maintained that the deaths were part of a war in
which an equal number of Turks died.

kurdishinfo.com, Germany
Sept 24 2005
The Armenian Conference is protested by the nationalists and Labor
party fans

ISTANBUL (DIHA) – A group of protesters formed by the nationalists
and fans of Labor Party came to the Bilgi University, where the
postponed Armenian Conference is to be held, and protested those
coming to the conference.
The nationalist protesters gathered in front of the Dolapdere Campus
of Bilgi University before the conference and shouted slogans such as
‘Either love or leave’. After a while another group of protesters
holding Turkish flags and a placard saying ‘The Armenian Genocide is
an international conspiracy’ joined to the former group. They
frequently shouted slogans saying ‘The government resign’, ‘Tayyip to
America’, ‘We do not want to Soros in the universities’ and ‘Either
liberty or death’.
Giving a speech, the province chairman of Labor Party Erkan Önsel
claimed that the aim of the conference if to divide the national
state. He said the rectors of Bogazici, Sabanci and Bilgi
Universities should immediately resign.
On the other hand the protesters booed to the ex-deputy and ex-leader
of SHP Erdal Inonu coming to the conference.
The conference is expected to be launched in Bilgi University where
there are dense security precautions while the tension is still on
peak.

United Press International, US
Sept 24 2005
Turkey confronts Armenian genocide

ISTANBUL, Turkey (UPI) — University scholars in Turkey planned a
weekend ground-breaking conference on the mass killings of Armenians
under Ottoman rule.
Armenians worldwide have been campaigning for decades for the deaths,
thought to have been more than a million, to be recognized
universally as genocide, the BBC said.
Debate of the killings has been taboo in Turkey but the nation is
under outside pressure for greater freedom of speech.
An Istanbul court banned the conference from Bosphorus University
after complaints by nationalists that the historians behind it were
‘traitors.’ But the session was moved to Bilgi University.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Sept 24 2005
Pro-Armenian Istanbul Conference Starts Under Protests
Hundreds of Turkish nationalists have been protesting outside a
controversial conference on the Armenians Issue in Istanbul.
The Turkish protesters chanted slogans and booed delegates entering
Istanbul’s Bilgi University for the two-day event. The conference had
been due to open on Friday, at another venue, but was stopped from
doing so by a court order. After the court decision the organization
was moved to Bilgi University from Bosphorus University. Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul declared that the court decision was not right. Both said that
Turkey is a free country and anyone could organize any conference on
any subject.
Debate of the Turkish-Armenian killings has been taboo in Turkey and
in Armenia. Now pro-Armenian books and articles can be published in
Turkey and pro-Armenians may organize such lectures as being
witnessed in Bilgi University while it is still taboo in Armenia and
Armenian diaspora. Armenians strongly reject t discuss the Armenian
issue with the Turks. `The Armenians consider discussion as a treason
to their ancestors’ Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from ISRO says.
Armenians worldwide have been campaigning for decades for the deaths
– they claim it is more than a million, around the time of WWI – to
be recognized universally as genocide. The Turkish historians on the
other hand argue that the Armenians rioted and supported the
occupying Russian Armies during the First World War, and the Istanbul
Government had to decide to relocate more than 500,000 Armenians from
the war theatre to the Syrian province of the Ottoman State. However
many Armenians died due to the bandit attacks, ethnic clashes and war
circumstances. Bad weather conditions and famine caused a great
tragedy. More than 520,000 Turkish and Kurdish villagers were also
massacred by the Armenian armed groups. The Tashnaks (Armenian
ultra-nationalists) attacked the Turkish and Kurdish villages and
massacred many civilians. The Armenian groups continued their attacks
after the war. The Armenian terrorists killed many Ottoman
high-ranked bureaucrats and former generals after the war. The ASALA
terrorism during the 1970s and 1980s massacred more than 40 Turkish
diplomats in the name of revenge of the past.
COURT BANNED; PM ERDOGAN DEFENDS
The conference discussing the issue was due to be held at Istanbul’s
Bosphorus University, but it was banned by an Istanbul court after
complaints by nationalists that the historians behind it were
“traitors”. However Turkish Government leaders regretted the court
ruling which “cast a shadow on the process of democratisation and
freedoms”, according to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan
said `Turkey has nothing to be afraid’. `If we have confidence in our
own beliefs, we should not fear freedom of thought’ he added.
EU enlargement commissioner Krisztina Nagy said Brussels strongly
deplored the court’s “attempt to prevent the Turkish society from
discussing its history”.
“The Armenian genocide is an international lie,” read a huge banner
carried by members of the left-wing Workers’ Party.
Turkey begins talks on joining the EU in two weeks’ time.
NOT A SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
Dr. Davut Sahiner said that the Istanbul Armenian Conference is not a
scientific one:
`Almost all of the participants pro-Armenian. It is not scientific.
No academicians could give a reference to this conference in their
serious studies. It is political and they make pro-Armenian
propaganda. They invite no serious Turkish researchers. You cannot
see Ilber Ortayli, Turkkaya Ataov or Mim Kemal Oke. They called the
journalists, populists names, Armenians and pro-Armenians. But, I
still support the conference. It should be made. Turkey is not
Armenia. Turkey is not Switzerland. Even the Armenians or
pro-Armenians can say anything they wish, and no one will be punished
or put to prison. You remember, a Turkish scholar from Duke
University was put to the Armenian prisons in Yerevan last Summer due
to his scientific researches in Armenian archives. No Turkish
historian can go to Armenia after this. And all of us know that no
pro-Turkish speaker can speak in Lyon or California on Armenian
issue.’
Dr. Nilgun Gulcan similarly argued that a similar conference cannot
be organized in France or in Armenia. `Because they are not sincere
and democratic enough’ Gulcan added.

Turkish Press
Sept 24 2005
Baykal Pleased With Ongoing Armenian Conference
ANKARA – Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition Republican
People’s Party (CHP), expressed on Saturday pleasure that the
Conference entitled ”The Armenians during the Collapse of the
Ottoman Empire” was being held in Istanbul.
Releasing a statement, Baykal regretted the court decision that
suspended the conference, and said, ”obstructing people from
expressing their views is contrary to principles of state of law and
democracy.”

Turkish Press
Sept 24 2005
Preserving And Maintaining Academic Freedoms Is Important, Soysal

ISTANBUL – ”Where this meeting (the conference on the Armenians
during the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire) is being held is not
important. What is important is to preserve and maintain academic
freedoms,” said Bogazici University’s President Prof. Dr. Ayse
Soysal.
Soysal, Sabanci University’s President Prof. Dr. Tosun Terzioglu and
Bilgi University’s President Prof. Dr. Aydin Ugur took the floor at
the opening session of the Conference entitled ”The Armenians during
the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire”.
Terzioglu underlined importance of this conference for Turkey, while
Ugur said, ”for Bilgi University, this is an issue of freedom of
thought and freedom of organizing scientific activities.”
Meanwhile, around 300 people, including members of some political
parties and NGOs, carried Turkish flags and chanted slogans to
protest the conference.
Erkan Onsel, the chairman of the Labor Party’s (IP) branch in
Istanbul, said that the conference had nothing to do with history,
but had political intentions.
Also commenting on the conference, Sevgi Erenerol, the press & public
relations official of the Independent Turkish Orthodox Patriarchate,
said that Turks had never carried out ”genocide” during their
history.

The UCLA Daily Bruin, CA
Sept 25 2005
Groups campaign to educate campus
By Saba Riazati
DAILY BRUIN CONTRIBUTOR
[email protected]
A group of several UCLA students sit together inside a small office.
They aren’t playing cards or discussing their plans for Saturday
night like most young adults would do during a lazy summer-vacation
day. Instead, they are planning how to educate the thousands in the
UCLA community on the Armenian Genocide of 1915.
Members of the Armenian Students Association, and many other student
organizations on campus, initiate projects to educate and take action
on issues that they feel need attention.
Issues tackled by student groups range from the ongoing genocide in
Darfur, rising textbook prices and energy-preservation campaigns.
UCLA has over 800 registered organizations on campus, and many
students find themselves involved in one of these groups and
dedicating their time to its cause.
Educational campaigns are nothing new for established student groups,
and they often play a huge role in the existence of the organization.
Last year, the Armenian Students Association facilitated a weeklong
awareness campaign, including a candlelight visual commemorating the
90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Student groups with similar goals and interests will often pool their
resources to host large-scale programming and potentially impact more
students.
For instance, this year, the Aremenian Students Association, the
Darfur Action Committee and the Jewish Student Union are planning a
genocide awareness film screening, to educate students on the
holocaust, the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and the current ongoing
crisis in Darfur, a region in western Sudan.
Early last year, the Darfur Action Committtee was four people working
out of a small apartment. By the end of the year, their
letter-writing campaign was mailing over 300 student letters to
elected officials every week to draw attention to the Darfur crisis.
Some students feel so passionate about their causes that their
educational and career goals may temporarily have to take the back
seat.
Adam Sterling, a fifth-year Afro-American Studies and political
science student, also a Darfur Action Committee steering member,
chose to stay a fifth-year at UCLA, picking up a minor just so he
could continue to work to engage the UCLA community in campaigns of
letter-writing, fundraising, education and divestment.
“I stayed because we believe that humanity should come before
politics and all arguments aside; we are working to stop a genocide.
That’s why I believe in this cause; that’s why I’m back,” Sterling
said.
“Its been a great experience because we’ve been able to work with so
many different clubs. … We got to see the UCLA community come
together,” Sterling said.
Fourth-year political science and ecology, behavior and evolution
student Greg Wannier has been involved with the California Public
Interest Research Group since his first year at UCLA, and he is now
the organization’s state chairman, in charge of collective efforts
all across the state.
CALPIRG’s initiatives have educated thousands of students on
California campuses, and the organization implements a variety of
programs, including organizing letter-writing campaigns directed to
elected officials on matters such as lowering the energy usage in
universities.
Currently, there is a bill in Congress as a result of CALPIRG’s
efforts, proposing to mandate solar panel usage on campuses
nation-wide.
“When I originally joined, it was because the issues seemed
interesting, but being with (CALPIRG) has made me more of an
activist,” Wannier said.
Last year, CALPIRG was successful in pressuring and negotiating with
textbook companies to produce cheaper paperback textbooks, without
color or images, to cut costs for students.
CALPIRG’S large campaign this year is focused on what they have began
planning as the “campus climate challenge.”
The long-term campaign calls universities across the country to
reduce energy consumption by 90 percent by the year 2050.
“I enjoy being a part of CALPIRG because I feel like we are effective
and can actually make a change,” Wannier said.
“(Being in CALPIRG) has taught me how to organize, coordinate and
really be a leader,” he added.
While there is a seemingly endless list of student organizations that
do advocacy work, as third-year history student Annie Voskerchian,
public relations director of the Armenian Students Association, said:
“We’re all different groups, but we all have one similar goal – to
raise awareness and educate (the UCLA community).”
“Personally, it’s been a learning experience for me in organizing,
planning and reaching out (to the UCLA community),” Voskerchian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress