Tweet
ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
03/20/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) Protest against Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül's Visit to Los
Angeles
2) Turkish Groups Rally against Armenian Genocide Memorial in France
3) Armenian Genocide Demonstration Takes Place in Berlin
4) Tensions Mount during Nevruz Celebrations in Turkey
1) Protest against Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül's Visit to Los
Angeles
GLENDALE--Thousands of Armenian Americans will gather at the Beverly Hills
Hotel on Friday, March 24 at 11:00 AM to protest Turkish Defense Minister
Vecdi
Gönül's visit to the Los Angeles area, reported the Armenian National
Committee
of American - Western Region (ANCA-WR).
The Armenian American community will rally in front the Beverly Hills Hotel,
where Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül will be a guest speaker at a luncheon
hosted
by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. During the luncheon, the Defense
Minister will brief the audience on "The Evolving Security Environment and
Turkey's Strategic Role in Eurasia." He will discuss Turkey's role in relation
to the European Union, as well as the changing strategic landscape of Eurasia.
There will be a question answer session following his speech, during which
issues such as the Armenian genocide and Turkey's dismal record of human
rights
should be addressed.
In traveling to California, Defense Minister Gönül will be visiting a state
that has not only recognized the acts perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish
government in 1915 as Genocide, but one that teaches the history of this crime
to its public school students, and has officially set aside a full week every
April to honor its victims.
The Defense Minister's visit comes at an especially sensitive time in
US-Turkey relations. In recent weeks, the film "Valley of the Wolves," a
fiercely anti-American movie, has been a box office hit in theaters across
Turkey. According to BBC News, "the film clearly capitalizes on a wave of
anti-American feeling." It depicts US troops as cold blooded killers, causing
hostility among Turks against the United States, and encourages anti-Semitism
by portraying a Jewish US army doctor who cuts out the organs of Iraqi
prisoners and sends them to Israel and the West. The film has been publicly
praised by many Turkish leaders, including Prime Minster Erdogan, whose wife
attended its premiere showing.
The film has prompted the US military to issue warnings to our troops
stationed in Turkey. American troops have been advised to avoid theaters in
which "Valley of the Wolves" is playing, according to a February 7 report in
Stars and Stripes. A partner in the film's production company says "Valley of
the Wolves" is not an exaggeration and shows the reality of the war in Iraq.
Three million tickets have been sold since its release on February 3. It is
most expensive film ever produced in Turkey, continues to break box office
records, and is due for release soon in Europe and the United States. The
release of "Valley of the Wolves" is not the only recent demonstration of
anti-Semitic and anti-American sentiment in Turkey; last year, Hilter's "Mein
Kampf" was a best-seller in the country.
The ANCA-WR encourages the community to voice their concerns against the
Turkish government's denial of the Armenian genocide and its continuing
violations of human rights by joining thousands of protesters at the Beverly
Hills Hotel on March 24. The Beverly Hills Hotel is located on 9641 Sunset
Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Those wanting to travel to the demonstration on
community buses should contact call (818) 507-1933. For those who wish to
attend the luncheon, please contact the Los Angeles World Affairs Council at
(213) 628-2333 or visit their website <http://www.lawac.org/>www.lawac.org for
information on making reservations.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout
the
United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
2) Turkish Groups Rally against Armenian Genocide Memorial in France
LYON (AFP/Winnipeg Sun)--Several thousand people joined a rally in the
southeastern French city of Lyon Saturday organized by Franco-Turkish
associations opposed to the construction of an Armenian genocide memorial.
The meeting turned rowdy when another group, students staging their own
protest against a controversial new employment law for youths, crossed paths
with the Turkish march Saturday.
Riot police used water cannons and tear gas to separate the two groups after
some of the Turks attacked the demonstrating youths, police said.
Police estimated the pro-Turkish gathering at about 3,200 protesters, who
carried signs claiming "There never was an Armenian genocide".
"We do not want a monument erected. It is a verdict without a judgment," said
Sevda Gog, a representative of the Franco-Turkish committee, which plans to
petition the Socialist mayor of Lyon, Gerard Collomb.
In 2001 France passed a resolution recognizing the Genocide against
Armenians,
which took place under the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917, leaving 1.5
million dead. The French decision angered Turkey.
In 2003 Collomb announced that Lyon would build an Armenian memorial, though
plans were suspended on the advice of the regional commission.
3) Armenian Genocide Demonstration Takes Place in Berlin
BERLIN (DPA)--More than 2,000 Turkish nationalists demonstrated in Berlin on
Saturday against recognition of the Armenians genocide that took place under
the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
The protesters demanded, among other things, the repeal of a resolution
passed
by a unanimous vote in the German parliament last year that called on
Turkey to
hold an open dialogue on the Armenian genocide.
The resolution has contributed to a rift between Germany and Turkey.
A Berlin court on Friday allowed the demonstration to take place under strict
conditions, including not characterizing the Armenian genocide as a lie in
either speech or on placards.
The march had originally been banned by the police.
4) Tensions Mount during Nevruz Celebrations in Turkey
ANKARA (Combined Sources)--Nevruz spring holiday celebrations turned into
altercations between police and thousands of Kurds Sunday in several Turkish
cities.
The clashes erupted in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district as more than 50,000
Kurds carried signs and chanted slogans supporting imprisoned Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Several armored personnel carriers were deployed around the meeting area
anticipating further violence.
The Anatolia news agency reported that 4,500 policemen, 500 gendarmerie and
1,000 soldiers were there ensure security for Sunday's festivities in
Istanbul.
A crisis center was set up at provincial police headquarters to follow any
possible clashes closely.
In the Aegean port of Izmir, police used tear gas to break up a demonstration
by an estimated 10,000 Kurds.
Nevruz celebrations started in Semdinli, Hakkari on Saturday with a bonfire
that symbolizes the arrival of spring.
In Hakkari, located on the Iranian border, Democratic Turkey Party (DTP)
co-chair Ahmet Turk told a rally attended by thousands that Ankara should open
up a dialogue with the PKK to agree on a peace deal.
Turk said that the country's problems cannot be solved through military means
but through reason and brotherhood. Asking for a general amnesty for all
political prisoners convicted on charges of being affiliated to the PKK, Turk
said that Turkey cannot become a member of the civilized world by denying the
identity of some communities.
In Sanliurfa, 15,000 people attended the celebrations featuring prominent
members of the PKK and Ocalan's brother, Mehmet Ocalan.
Violence erupted when police tried to stop around 200 Kurds from marching
toward the DTP headquarters. At least 27 people were arrested by the police
who
also beat several protesters.
Nevruz, which means "new day" in Kurdish, has long served as a rallying cry
for Kurdish nationalism and public celebrations were illegal in Turkey until
2000, when fighting between security forces and separatist guerrillas fell
sharply.
But there has been an upturn in violence in the impoverished region since the
banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) ended a unilateral ceasefire in 2004.
Turkish authorities barred civil servants from taking part in this year's
Nevruz celebrations amid fears of increased separatist violence.
Hidir Kahveci, deputy governor of Diyarbakir, the biggest city in the
southeast, said civil servants ignoring the order would face disciplinary
action.
Nevruz is not a public holiday in Turkey and civil servants are expected to
work.
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) 2006 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.
TOP STORIES
03/20/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <http://www.asbarez.com/>HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM
1) Protest against Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül's Visit to Los
Angeles
2) Turkish Groups Rally against Armenian Genocide Memorial in France
3) Armenian Genocide Demonstration Takes Place in Berlin
4) Tensions Mount during Nevruz Celebrations in Turkey
1) Protest against Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül's Visit to Los
Angeles
GLENDALE--Thousands of Armenian Americans will gather at the Beverly Hills
Hotel on Friday, March 24 at 11:00 AM to protest Turkish Defense Minister
Vecdi
Gönül's visit to the Los Angeles area, reported the Armenian National
Committee
of American - Western Region (ANCA-WR).
The Armenian American community will rally in front the Beverly Hills Hotel,
where Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül will be a guest speaker at a luncheon
hosted
by the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. During the luncheon, the Defense
Minister will brief the audience on "The Evolving Security Environment and
Turkey's Strategic Role in Eurasia." He will discuss Turkey's role in relation
to the European Union, as well as the changing strategic landscape of Eurasia.
There will be a question answer session following his speech, during which
issues such as the Armenian genocide and Turkey's dismal record of human
rights
should be addressed.
In traveling to California, Defense Minister Gönül will be visiting a state
that has not only recognized the acts perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish
government in 1915 as Genocide, but one that teaches the history of this crime
to its public school students, and has officially set aside a full week every
April to honor its victims.
The Defense Minister's visit comes at an especially sensitive time in
US-Turkey relations. In recent weeks, the film "Valley of the Wolves," a
fiercely anti-American movie, has been a box office hit in theaters across
Turkey. According to BBC News, "the film clearly capitalizes on a wave of
anti-American feeling." It depicts US troops as cold blooded killers, causing
hostility among Turks against the United States, and encourages anti-Semitism
by portraying a Jewish US army doctor who cuts out the organs of Iraqi
prisoners and sends them to Israel and the West. The film has been publicly
praised by many Turkish leaders, including Prime Minster Erdogan, whose wife
attended its premiere showing.
The film has prompted the US military to issue warnings to our troops
stationed in Turkey. American troops have been advised to avoid theaters in
which "Valley of the Wolves" is playing, according to a February 7 report in
Stars and Stripes. A partner in the film's production company says "Valley of
the Wolves" is not an exaggeration and shows the reality of the war in Iraq.
Three million tickets have been sold since its release on February 3. It is
most expensive film ever produced in Turkey, continues to break box office
records, and is due for release soon in Europe and the United States. The
release of "Valley of the Wolves" is not the only recent demonstration of
anti-Semitic and anti-American sentiment in Turkey; last year, Hilter's "Mein
Kampf" was a best-seller in the country.
The ANCA-WR encourages the community to voice their concerns against the
Turkish government's denial of the Armenian genocide and its continuing
violations of human rights by joining thousands of protesters at the Beverly
Hills Hotel on March 24. The Beverly Hills Hotel is located on 9641 Sunset
Boulevard in Beverly Hills. Those wanting to travel to the demonstration on
community buses should contact call (818) 507-1933. For those who wish to
attend the luncheon, please contact the Los Angeles World Affairs Council at
(213) 628-2333 or visit their website <http://www.lawac.org/>www.lawac.org for
information on making reservations.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout
the
United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
2) Turkish Groups Rally against Armenian Genocide Memorial in France
LYON (AFP/Winnipeg Sun)--Several thousand people joined a rally in the
southeastern French city of Lyon Saturday organized by Franco-Turkish
associations opposed to the construction of an Armenian genocide memorial.
The meeting turned rowdy when another group, students staging their own
protest against a controversial new employment law for youths, crossed paths
with the Turkish march Saturday.
Riot police used water cannons and tear gas to separate the two groups after
some of the Turks attacked the demonstrating youths, police said.
Police estimated the pro-Turkish gathering at about 3,200 protesters, who
carried signs claiming "There never was an Armenian genocide".
"We do not want a monument erected. It is a verdict without a judgment," said
Sevda Gog, a representative of the Franco-Turkish committee, which plans to
petition the Socialist mayor of Lyon, Gerard Collomb.
In 2001 France passed a resolution recognizing the Genocide against
Armenians,
which took place under the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917, leaving 1.5
million dead. The French decision angered Turkey.
In 2003 Collomb announced that Lyon would build an Armenian memorial, though
plans were suspended on the advice of the regional commission.
3) Armenian Genocide Demonstration Takes Place in Berlin
BERLIN (DPA)--More than 2,000 Turkish nationalists demonstrated in Berlin on
Saturday against recognition of the Armenians genocide that took place under
the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
The protesters demanded, among other things, the repeal of a resolution
passed
by a unanimous vote in the German parliament last year that called on
Turkey to
hold an open dialogue on the Armenian genocide.
The resolution has contributed to a rift between Germany and Turkey.
A Berlin court on Friday allowed the demonstration to take place under strict
conditions, including not characterizing the Armenian genocide as a lie in
either speech or on placards.
The march had originally been banned by the police.
4) Tensions Mount during Nevruz Celebrations in Turkey
ANKARA (Combined Sources)--Nevruz spring holiday celebrations turned into
altercations between police and thousands of Kurds Sunday in several Turkish
cities.
The clashes erupted in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district as more than 50,000
Kurds carried signs and chanted slogans supporting imprisoned Kurdistan
Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan.
Several armored personnel carriers were deployed around the meeting area
anticipating further violence.
The Anatolia news agency reported that 4,500 policemen, 500 gendarmerie and
1,000 soldiers were there ensure security for Sunday's festivities in
Istanbul.
A crisis center was set up at provincial police headquarters to follow any
possible clashes closely.
In the Aegean port of Izmir, police used tear gas to break up a demonstration
by an estimated 10,000 Kurds.
Nevruz celebrations started in Semdinli, Hakkari on Saturday with a bonfire
that symbolizes the arrival of spring.
In Hakkari, located on the Iranian border, Democratic Turkey Party (DTP)
co-chair Ahmet Turk told a rally attended by thousands that Ankara should open
up a dialogue with the PKK to agree on a peace deal.
Turk said that the country's problems cannot be solved through military means
but through reason and brotherhood. Asking for a general amnesty for all
political prisoners convicted on charges of being affiliated to the PKK, Turk
said that Turkey cannot become a member of the civilized world by denying the
identity of some communities.
In Sanliurfa, 15,000 people attended the celebrations featuring prominent
members of the PKK and Ocalan's brother, Mehmet Ocalan.
Violence erupted when police tried to stop around 200 Kurds from marching
toward the DTP headquarters. At least 27 people were arrested by the police
who
also beat several protesters.
Nevruz, which means "new day" in Kurdish, has long served as a rallying cry
for Kurdish nationalism and public celebrations were illegal in Turkey until
2000, when fighting between security forces and separatist guerrillas fell
sharply.
But there has been an upturn in violence in the impoverished region since the
banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) ended a unilateral ceasefire in 2004.
Turkish authorities barred civil servants from taking part in this year's
Nevruz celebrations amid fears of increased separatist violence.
Hidir Kahveci, deputy governor of Diyarbakir, the biggest city in the
southeast, said civil servants ignoring the order would face disciplinary
action.
Nevruz is not a public holiday in Turkey and civil servants are expected to
work.
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) 2006 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.