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Armenian National Committee of Canada
Comité National Arménien du Canada
130 Albert St., Suite/Bureau 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622 Fax/Téléc. (613) 238-2622
E-mail/courriel:national.office@anc-canad a.com
www.anccanada.org
PRESS RELEASE
May 3, 2008
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian
CBC Ombudsman Rejects Turkish Government's Denial of the Armenian Genocide
Ottawa - A well-financed campaign to censor CBC Radio's `As It
Happens' program, orchestrated by the Turkish government and its
agents, has been rejected by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Ombudsman Vince Carlin.
After a professional examination of the Turkish denialists complaint
that CBC `did not give sufficient attention to Turkey's official claim
that the events of 1915 did not constitute a genocide,' Mr. Carlin
said, `While not ignoring significant dissent from 'mainstream' views,
the journalist must not distort the concepts of 'balance' by giving
equal weight to any contending theory.'
The ombudsman added, `In the cases at issue, the preponderance of
credible academic work has found that the Turkish government took
deliberate action against the Armenian population and those actions
fit what became the definition of Genocide.'
The ombudsman elaborated on the journalist's ethical conundrum of
`giving voice to those who deny events which were part of the
historical consensus.' On this thorny issue, Mr. Carlin said, `the
implications of such notion are evident when one thinks of giving
substantial time to those who deny that there was a genocide directed
against Jews during World War II.'
In the ombudsman's view, ` while fairness and balance would impel
journalists to be on the look-out for credible contradictory evidence,
appropriate weight must be given to broad-based conclusion, in this
case not only academic-based, but also endorsed by UN agencies and the
Canadian Government.'
The CBC ombudsman concluded his findings by noting that `the concept
of balance is not mathematical.' Accordingly, he found that `no
violation of CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices in treatment
of theses items.'
The latest campaign of silencing freedom of speech in Canada was
launched after CBC's `As It Happens' program interviewed United States
Congressman Adam Schiff (Oct. 18, 2007), Turkish historian Taner
Akçam (Oct. 12, 2007), and an official from the Toronto District
School Board on the proposed Grade 11 Genocide Curriculum (Dec. 14
2007).
The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) cognizant of the
campaign, responded to the Turkish government's misinformation by
making essential presentation (testimonies of historians' and
scholars, books, and other relevant documents) to the ombudsman to
refute the Turkish denialist fabrications.
Aris Babikian, Executive Director of ANCC, commended the CBC
ombudsman's findings and conclusions. 'Once again CBC has demonstrated
that it is not willing to compromise its journalistic integrity. We
congratulate the CBC ombudsman and `As It Happens' staff for not
capitulating to the Turkish government's propaganda machine, threats,
intimidation, and bullying.'
`It is high time the Turkish government recognized that its Armenian
Genocide denial policy is a bankrupt one and that Turkey can not
muzzle freedom of the press and suppress freedom of expression in the
civilized world, as it has done in Turkey,' Babikian said, urging the
Turkish people to rise against the `Turkish Deep State' and
utranationalists who are running the country's denialist policy.
Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of ANCC observed that `By its
persistent policy of denial, the present Turkish Government is making
itself automatically the inherent target of responsibility for the
1915 Genocide.'
####
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of
issues.
------
Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus
large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux,
chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations
affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des
inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.
Regional Chapters/Sections régionales
Montréal - Laval - Ottawa - Toronto - Hamilton - Cambridge - St. Catharines - Windsor - Vancouver
Comité National Arménien du Canada
130 Albert St., Suite/Bureau 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622 Fax/Téléc. (613) 238-2622
E-mail/courriel:national.office@anc-canad a.com
www.anccanada.org
PRESS RELEASE
May 3, 2008
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian
CBC Ombudsman Rejects Turkish Government's Denial of the Armenian Genocide
Ottawa - A well-financed campaign to censor CBC Radio's `As It
Happens' program, orchestrated by the Turkish government and its
agents, has been rejected by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)
Ombudsman Vince Carlin.
After a professional examination of the Turkish denialists complaint
that CBC `did not give sufficient attention to Turkey's official claim
that the events of 1915 did not constitute a genocide,' Mr. Carlin
said, `While not ignoring significant dissent from 'mainstream' views,
the journalist must not distort the concepts of 'balance' by giving
equal weight to any contending theory.'
The ombudsman added, `In the cases at issue, the preponderance of
credible academic work has found that the Turkish government took
deliberate action against the Armenian population and those actions
fit what became the definition of Genocide.'
The ombudsman elaborated on the journalist's ethical conundrum of
`giving voice to those who deny events which were part of the
historical consensus.' On this thorny issue, Mr. Carlin said, `the
implications of such notion are evident when one thinks of giving
substantial time to those who deny that there was a genocide directed
against Jews during World War II.'
In the ombudsman's view, ` while fairness and balance would impel
journalists to be on the look-out for credible contradictory evidence,
appropriate weight must be given to broad-based conclusion, in this
case not only academic-based, but also endorsed by UN agencies and the
Canadian Government.'
The CBC ombudsman concluded his findings by noting that `the concept
of balance is not mathematical.' Accordingly, he found that `no
violation of CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices in treatment
of theses items.'
The latest campaign of silencing freedom of speech in Canada was
launched after CBC's `As It Happens' program interviewed United States
Congressman Adam Schiff (Oct. 18, 2007), Turkish historian Taner
Akçam (Oct. 12, 2007), and an official from the Toronto District
School Board on the proposed Grade 11 Genocide Curriculum (Dec. 14
2007).
The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) cognizant of the
campaign, responded to the Turkish government's misinformation by
making essential presentation (testimonies of historians' and
scholars, books, and other relevant documents) to the ombudsman to
refute the Turkish denialist fabrications.
Aris Babikian, Executive Director of ANCC, commended the CBC
ombudsman's findings and conclusions. 'Once again CBC has demonstrated
that it is not willing to compromise its journalistic integrity. We
congratulate the CBC ombudsman and `As It Happens' staff for not
capitulating to the Turkish government's propaganda machine, threats,
intimidation, and bullying.'
`It is high time the Turkish government recognized that its Armenian
Genocide denial policy is a bankrupt one and that Turkey can not
muzzle freedom of the press and suppress freedom of expression in the
civilized world, as it has done in Turkey,' Babikian said, urging the
Turkish people to rise against the `Turkish Deep State' and
utranationalists who are running the country's denialist policy.
Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of ANCC observed that `By its
persistent policy of denial, the present Turkish Government is making
itself automatically the inherent target of responsibility for the
1915 Genocide.'
####
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and
affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances
the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of
issues.
------
Le CNAC est l'organisation politique canadienne-arménienne la plus
large et influentielle. Collaborant avec une série de bureaux,
chapitres et souteneurs à travers le Canada et des organisations
affiliées à travers le monde, le CNAC s'occupe activement des
inquiétudes de la communauté canadienne-arménienne.
Regional Chapters/Sections régionales
Montréal - Laval - Ottawa - Toronto - Hamilton - Cambridge - St. Catharines - Windsor - Vancouver