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04/11/2005
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1) Turkey to Debate Genocide Denial Strategy
2) Erdogan Refutes Existence of Kurdish Minority in Turkey
3) President Meets with Students, Discusses Genocide Recognition
4) Armenian Communities of Turlock and Modesto Give Warm Welcome to Marchers
5) Armenian Collegiate Student Groups Join Forces for Genocide Awareness,
Justice
1) Turkey to Debate Genocide Denial Strategy
ALGIERS (Combined Sources)–Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul stated that
Turkey’s action plan to counter the Armenian genocide will be discussed at the
Turkish parliament on Wednesday.
Speaking to journalists accompanying him on a trip to Algeria, Gul confirmed
that he would take the floor at a special parliamentary session, scheduled for
Wednesday, to detail Ankara’s strategy, Anatolia news agency reported.
“Like it or not, Turkey has fallen behind on this issue,” Gul said. “Turkey
should have been more active and addressed this problem with courage to better
inform the international community.”
Asked if a United Nations committee could be formed to look into the issue,
Gul expressed that the UN is a political organ and not one that deals with
legal matters. “The UN may make mistakes in voting. Individuals raising their
hands to vote may vote wrongly based on political gains and interests. History
has many examples of voting that proved to be fallacious.”
Noting the existence of a strong Armenian lobby in the US, Minister Gul
remarked, “Every year, around this time, lobbies of the Armenians and Turks in
the United States work hard. There has never been a period when the Turks
disregarded Armenian attempts in the United States. We, as Turks, have an
ethical and moral obligation to inform the world about certain allegations.”
According to Gul, “enlightening US congress members” is a task that should be
done by all Turkish citizens and friends of Turks.
On April 24, Armenians will mark the 90th anniversary of the beginning of the
World War I massacres, which has already been acknowledged as genocide by
several countries, including France–home to a large Armenian diaspora.
Ankara worries that the Armenians are using the anniversary to step up their
campaign, particularly in the United States, whose traditionally close ties
with Turkey are today markedly strained amid differences over Iraq. Some
European Union politicians also maintain that Turkey should address the
genocide claims and mend fences with neighboring Armenia as it prepares to
launch membership talks on October 3.
Gul noted that “something which never occurred and bears no truth has
become a
tool of propaganda to win hearts in the West.”
“We must work with full force to create extraordinary efforts to illuminate
the truth,” commented Gul.
2) Erdogan Refutes Existence of Kurdish Minority in Turkey
OSLO (AFP)–Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan refuted the existence
of a Kurdish minority in Turkey on Monday, saying, “There is no concept of a
‘Kurdish minority’ in Turkey. The concepts of ‘Kurdish’ and ‘PKK’ should
not be
mixed up.”
Prime Minister Erdogan, who is currently on a state visit to Norway, met
Turkish citizens at the Oslo Military Museum Meeting Hall.
Differentiating between the Kurds and the PKK, Erdogan said, “Kurdish people
are citizens of the Republic of Turkey. On the other hand, PKK is a terrorist
organization. It is a serious mistake to characterize all Kurdish people as
members of PKK.”
“We have three red lines: ethnic nationalism, regional nationalism, and
religious nationalism. We will try everything to prevent them. There are some
western circles trying to divide our country,” he said.
Claiming that Kurdish people are one of the components of forming Turkey,
Erdogan said, “The most important thing is to understand each other. We should
not allow those who try to divide our country.”
3) President Meets with Students, Discusses Genocide Recognition
YEREVAN (Armenpress)–Speaking to the students and faculty of the Yerevan
State
University’s Economics Department on Monday, President Robert Kocharian
stated,
“The recognition of the Armenian genocide is a top priority for us. No state
entity has to date, however, raised the issue of territorial claims.”
During his talk, Kocharian told students that future statesmen will determine
the legal ramifications stemming from the recognition of the genocide
committed
against the Ottoman Armenian population, adding that any expectations
resulting
from such claims should not be too far removed from reality if disappointment
is to be avoided.
“We must be steadfast in our pursuit to gain international recognition of the
Armenian genocide,” Kocharian concluded.
4) Armenian Communities of Turlock and Modesto Give Warm Welcome to Marchers
TURLOCK–The March For Humanity grew close to 100 in number over the
weekend as
AYF members from Fresno and Los Angeles traveled to Turlock, California to
join
the group of marchers, who have now completed half of their journey from
Fresno
to Sacramento.
After spending two nights at the United Methodist Church in Merced, the
marchers were given a warm welcome over the weekend by the Holy Cross Armenian
Apostolic Church and the Armenian Community of Turlock and Modesto.
Arriving at the Turlock Adult Day Healthcare Center, the marchers received a
standing ovation and were greeted by representatives of the local Armenian
television program “Ararat.” After a brief rest, they enjoyed a delicious warm
meal prepared by the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church Ladies Society.
During dinner, Kurt Vander Weide, Turlock City Council member and Field
Representative to California Assembly member Greg Aghazarian, visited the
center and congratulated the marchers.
As the night drew to an end, close to 100 children of genocide survivors
participated in a candle light vigil in memory of the 1.5 million souls that
perished during the genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman regime in 1915. The
participants sang “Godoradsn Ankout” and observed a moment of silence in honor
and memory of Pope John Paul II.
The Armenian families of Turlock and Modesto graciously accepted the marchers
into their homes that evening so that they may shower before embarking on
their
next stretch of road. They spent the night at the Turlock Adult Day Healthcare
Center, whose management kindly granted the marchers full access to its
facilities.
The marchers sent their best regards and gratitude to the Holy Cross Armenian
Apostolic Church, the chairman of the parish council Hagop Karakashian,
superintendent of the Armenian Language School Daniel Aydenian, the Ladies
Society of the Holy Cross Armenian Church, the management of Turlock Adult Day
Healthcare Center Vigen Mirzakhanian, and to council member Kurt Vander Weide.
Also inspiring the marchers and reminding us all that kindness still
exists in
the world, a homeless woman saw the March For Humanity van and approached it,
telling the marchers that she has heard about them and would like to support
them by donating all she had: $3.
5) Armenian Collegiate Student Groups Join Forces for Genocide Awareness,
Justice
LOS ANGELES–Local area Armenian college students will gather to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The All-Armenian Student
Association’s Genocide Recognition Committee, a coalition of collegiate
Armenian student groups, has been busy organizing two major events set to take
place this month–an educational panel presentation on genocide and denial,
which took place on April 7 at Cal State Long Beach, and the annual
candlelight
vigil, which will take place this Thursday, April 14, at UCLA.
The UCLA campus’ Bruin Plaza will serve as the site for the 2005 All-ASA
Candlelight Vigil. Hosted each year at a different college campus, this year’s
vigil will feature a reenactment of the genocide death march, performances by
UCLA students, and the premiere of an educational video commissioned by the
committee. The event will also feature UCLA Professor Paul Von Blum, a
specialist on media and genocide, as well as rapper Knowledge from the Axis of
Justice, a non-profit, social justice organization formed by Tom Morello of
Audioslave and Serj Tankian of System Of A Down. Local student and community
groups have been invited to participate and table at the event.
The panel presentation and the vigil will not be the first genocide-related
event of the year for many of the committee’s participating organizations. The
UCLA Armenian Student Association has also been addressing the impact of past
genocides on current affairs. In February, it co-hosted a similar panel
presentation on genocide denial as coalition student groups concerned about
the
genocide in Darfur. The event drew over 150 students and members of the
faculty.
“When groups of people are systematically oppressed and targeted for
destruction, it is our duty as humans to do something. Genocide and denial
seems to run hand in hand,” noted Matthew Sablove, a member of the Darfur
Action Committee at UCLA. “Students can lead the way for social justice as
well
as social change to stop the current genocide in Darfur.”
Earlier in November, the USC Armenian Student Association, another Genocide
Recognition Committee participant, co-hosted a reception and book signing
featuring Colgate University Professor Peter Balakian and his NY Times
Bestseller, Burning Tigris. The event was held in conjunction with the opening
of USC’s Edward L. Doheny Jr. Memorial Library exhibition documenting the Near
East Foundation’s relief efforts–commonly cited as an example of one of the
first world-wide humanitarian relief efforts in the global age–to help
survivors of the Armenian genocide.
The committee also addresses issues regarding education about the Armenian
genocide such as its proper inclusion in human rights-related curricula and
exhibitions such as the local Museum of Tolerance.
“The Museum of Tolerance issue is a continuing source of concern to the
student community,” explained Arineh Der Petrosian, president of the Glendale
Community College Armenian Student Association and representative to the
committee. In 2003, college students protested the lack of a permanent and
prominent exhibit on the Armenian genocide at the museum. The GCC ASA
supported
their efforts by collecting 1,500 signatures in support of this initiative.
“As of today, there is still no permanent exhibit. We think it is important
that the student community continues to work on this issue. The lack of an
adequate and prominent acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide in a place
like
the Museum of Tolerance only serves to embolden deniers of all genocides.”
“The panel and the vigil being organized by the committee are critical not
only because they mark the April anniversaries of such tragedies as the
Armenian Genocide, Rwandan Genocide, and Holocaust, but also because we are
living in a world today in which genocide is being committed, specifically in
Darfur,” emphasized Raffi Kassabian, chair of the committee and president of
the UCLA Armenian Student Association. “I think this is a clear illustration
that if people continue to turn a blind eye or deny such atrocities the cycle
of genocide will continue to turn.”
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