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Business Spectator , Australia
Jan 23 2012
Turks march in Paris to against bill
Published 2:15 AM, 23 Jan 2012
AAP
Thousands of Turks from across Europe marched through Paris on
Saturday denouncing a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago was
genocide.
Turks young and old, waving their country's red flag, or wrapped in
it, marched to the Senate, where the bill will be debated on Monday
after passage in December in the lower house.
They carried banners reading "No to Sarkozy Shame Law," "History for
Historians, Politics for Politicians" or other slogans denouncing an
alleged bid by President Nicolas Sarkozy to "fish for votes" among
French Armenians before the two-round presidential elections in April
and May.
Critics claim the real aim of the bill is to ensure votes for
President Nicolas Sarkozy from French Armenians in the two-round
presidential elections in April and May. An estimated 500,000
Armenians live in France.
The measure would make it a crime to deny that mass killings of
Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks constitute genocide. It sets a
punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros
($A56,793) for those who deny or "outrageously minimise" the killings
- putting such action on par with denial of the Holocaust.
France formally recognised the 1915 killings as genocide in 2001, but
provided no penalty for anyone refuting that.
Despite the passing of nearly 100 years since the killings, the issue
remains a deeply emotional one for Armenians who lost loved ones and
for Turks who see a challenge to their national honour.
An irate Turkey briefly recalled its ambassador to France and
suspended military, economic and political ties.
"Politicians who haven't read an article on this say there was a
genocide," said Beyhan Yildirim, 35, a demonstrator from Berlin. He
was among those bused into Paris from Germany and elsewhere for
Saturday's march.
Scores of buses from France, Germany and elsewhere lined the streets
of southern Paris where the march began.
Armenians plan a demonstration near the Senate on Monday before the
debate and vote.
It was unclear whether the measure would get the easy ride it did in
the National Assembly, the lower but more powerful house.
The Senate is controlled by the rival Socialists who had earlier
backed the bill. However, the Senate Commission on Laws voted against
its passage last week, saying the measure risks violating
constitutional protections including freedom of speech. The question
is whether the Socialists will heed the recommendations if only
because the issue is becoming an electoral hot potato.
Compromising freedom of expression in France, considered the cradle of
human rights, has been a key argument of the Turkish government
against the measure.
It is unclear whether politicians in the National Assembly had an
inkling in advance that their vote giving the green light to the bill
would trigger a diplomatic dispute. There appeared to be less than 100
polticians present for the December 22 vote - out of 577.
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Turks-march-in-Paris-to-against-bill-QRLEQ?OpenDocument&src=hp8
From: A. Papazian
Jan 23 2012
Turks march in Paris to against bill
Published 2:15 AM, 23 Jan 2012
AAP
Thousands of Turks from across Europe marched through Paris on
Saturday denouncing a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks nearly a century ago was
genocide.
Turks young and old, waving their country's red flag, or wrapped in
it, marched to the Senate, where the bill will be debated on Monday
after passage in December in the lower house.
They carried banners reading "No to Sarkozy Shame Law," "History for
Historians, Politics for Politicians" or other slogans denouncing an
alleged bid by President Nicolas Sarkozy to "fish for votes" among
French Armenians before the two-round presidential elections in April
and May.
Critics claim the real aim of the bill is to ensure votes for
President Nicolas Sarkozy from French Armenians in the two-round
presidential elections in April and May. An estimated 500,000
Armenians live in France.
The measure would make it a crime to deny that mass killings of
Armenians in 1915 by Ottoman Turks constitute genocide. It sets a
punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros
($A56,793) for those who deny or "outrageously minimise" the killings
- putting such action on par with denial of the Holocaust.
France formally recognised the 1915 killings as genocide in 2001, but
provided no penalty for anyone refuting that.
Despite the passing of nearly 100 years since the killings, the issue
remains a deeply emotional one for Armenians who lost loved ones and
for Turks who see a challenge to their national honour.
An irate Turkey briefly recalled its ambassador to France and
suspended military, economic and political ties.
"Politicians who haven't read an article on this say there was a
genocide," said Beyhan Yildirim, 35, a demonstrator from Berlin. He
was among those bused into Paris from Germany and elsewhere for
Saturday's march.
Scores of buses from France, Germany and elsewhere lined the streets
of southern Paris where the march began.
Armenians plan a demonstration near the Senate on Monday before the
debate and vote.
It was unclear whether the measure would get the easy ride it did in
the National Assembly, the lower but more powerful house.
The Senate is controlled by the rival Socialists who had earlier
backed the bill. However, the Senate Commission on Laws voted against
its passage last week, saying the measure risks violating
constitutional protections including freedom of speech. The question
is whether the Socialists will heed the recommendations if only
because the issue is becoming an electoral hot potato.
Compromising freedom of expression in France, considered the cradle of
human rights, has been a key argument of the Turkish government
against the measure.
It is unclear whether politicians in the National Assembly had an
inkling in advance that their vote giving the green light to the bill
would trigger a diplomatic dispute. There appeared to be less than 100
polticians present for the December 22 vote - out of 577.
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Turks-march-in-Paris-to-against-bill-QRLEQ?OpenDocument&src=hp8
From: A. Papazian