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GENOCIDE COMMEMORATED IN TURKEY
asbarez
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
Genocide commemoration event participants at Taksim Square in Istanbul
ISTANBUL--Hundreds gathered in Taksim Square Tuesday to commemorate
the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reported Today's Zaman.
A sit-down gathering organized by the Say No to Racism and Nationalism
initiative in Taksim Square was attended by a group of public figures,
including wife of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, Rakel Dink; Peace
and Democracy Party (BDP) Istanbul deputies Sırrı Sureyya Onder and
Sebahat Tuncel; former Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) head Ufuk
Uras; journalists Oral CalıÅ~_lar, Huseyin Hatemi and Hilal Kaplan
as well as other intellectuals.
Protesters laid carnations in front of a banner that read, "This
pain belongs to all of us." ZiÅ~_an Tokac, who made a statement on
behalf of the protesting group, said Armenians were sent into exile to
places where they could not survive, recounting atrocities committed
at that time.
Uras told reporters that Turkey will face its history and "shared pain"
in building a 21st century democracy. He added that people from all
walks of life were present at the sit-in protest.
Dink said Armenians had gone through things that she cannot even say
aloud and that they are still facing similar problems. Meanwhile,
two nationalist groups protested the gathering; however, police didn't
allow them to approach the group.
asbarez
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
Genocide commemoration event participants at Taksim Square in Istanbul
ISTANBUL--Hundreds gathered in Taksim Square Tuesday to commemorate
the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reported Today's Zaman.
A sit-down gathering organized by the Say No to Racism and Nationalism
initiative in Taksim Square was attended by a group of public figures,
including wife of murdered journalist Hrant Dink, Rakel Dink; Peace
and Democracy Party (BDP) Istanbul deputies Sırrı Sureyya Onder and
Sebahat Tuncel; former Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP) head Ufuk
Uras; journalists Oral CalıÅ~_lar, Huseyin Hatemi and Hilal Kaplan
as well as other intellectuals.
Protesters laid carnations in front of a banner that read, "This
pain belongs to all of us." ZiÅ~_an Tokac, who made a statement on
behalf of the protesting group, said Armenians were sent into exile to
places where they could not survive, recounting atrocities committed
at that time.
Uras told reporters that Turkey will face its history and "shared pain"
in building a 21st century democracy. He added that people from all
walks of life were present at the sit-in protest.
Dink said Armenians had gone through things that she cannot even say
aloud and that they are still facing similar problems. Meanwhile,
two nationalist groups protested the gathering; however, police didn't
allow them to approach the group.