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Today's Zaman, Turkey
June 15 2012
Turkey's Syria stance aggravates plight of Iran's Turks
by by Gozde Nur Donat
The Iranian regime has increased its decades-old pressure on the South
Azerbaijani Turkish population after Turkey adopted an unequivocally
critical stance on President Bashar al-Assad's deadly offensive in
Syria, a member of the newly founded International South Azerbaijani
Turks' National Council has said.
The Assad regime in Syria has significant military and intelligence
support from Iran to continue to its offensive against opponents.
Azerbaijani-speaking Turks in Iran, who define themselves as South
Azerbaijani Turks, highlighted the fact that Iran is continuing its
decades-old oppression on Turks with full force, depriving them of
important cultural rights, during a press meeting at the Azerbaijani
Cultural Association in Ankara on Friday.
Cemal Mehmethanoglu, spokesperson for the council gave details about
the council's planned activities over the coming three-month period
during the conference, which includes forums and seminars on the
situation of South Azerbaijani Turks to be held in Sweden and Russia,
in August and September, respectively. Furthermore, on Sept. 22, the
council will hold a public rally in Taksim Square in Istanbul, under
the title "Solidarity with South Azerbaijani Turks." A similar rally
is also planned for Baku on Sept. 27.
Having no right to press and education in their mother tongue, the
Azerbaijani speaking population have taught their children Turkish in
their houses and at some Turkish associations. "But recently, Iran has
started to run a campaign against Turkish teachers, arresting them.
This is inextricably linked to an increasing anti-Turkish stance in
Iran due to Turkey's very clear negative stance regarding the Syrian
administration," Hosrov Emiri, a member of the council has said.
There are a total of 35 million Azeri Turks living in Iran, which has
a population of 79 million, said Hadi Musevi, but this fact is covered
up by the Iranian administration and Azeri Turks have always been
suppressed in the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Some 200,000 Armenians
enjoys comprehensive cultural rights in Iran as opposed to Turks. Iran
has proved that it is not a disingenuous Islamic republic, conducting
a clear fascist policy," Musevi added.
Members of the council also requested more support from Turkey. "The
existence of South Azerbaijanis is not very well-known in Turkey.
However, 35 million is a significant number and could have a lot of
potential. Turkey should realize that potential, which is right
next-door," said Zaur Bayramli, another council member noted.
Addressing the speculations that have appeared in Iran-linked media
claiming that the movement organized by South Azerbaijani Turks is a
joint US and Turkish plot to divide Iran, Mehmethanoglu highlighted
that their movement is purely civil oriented and free of links with
any state. "Our council is a national, modern, democratic one,
established on a civil society based movement. Our first principle is
to increase the recognition of the South Azerbaijani population around
the world in public opinion and to draw attention to the exposure of
this population to clear human rights violations at the hands of the
Iranian authorities," Mehmethanoglu said.
Claiming that they are closer to Ankara and Baku than they are to
Tehran, Mehmethanoglu maintained that the Turkish population aspires
for independence in the long term, reviving the Azerbaijan People's
Government which was formed in 1945 and ended in 1946 under the
leadership of Sayyed Jafar Pishevari, taking Tabriz as its capital.
From: Baghdasarian
June 15 2012
Turkey's Syria stance aggravates plight of Iran's Turks
by by Gozde Nur Donat
The Iranian regime has increased its decades-old pressure on the South
Azerbaijani Turkish population after Turkey adopted an unequivocally
critical stance on President Bashar al-Assad's deadly offensive in
Syria, a member of the newly founded International South Azerbaijani
Turks' National Council has said.
The Assad regime in Syria has significant military and intelligence
support from Iran to continue to its offensive against opponents.
Azerbaijani-speaking Turks in Iran, who define themselves as South
Azerbaijani Turks, highlighted the fact that Iran is continuing its
decades-old oppression on Turks with full force, depriving them of
important cultural rights, during a press meeting at the Azerbaijani
Cultural Association in Ankara on Friday.
Cemal Mehmethanoglu, spokesperson for the council gave details about
the council's planned activities over the coming three-month period
during the conference, which includes forums and seminars on the
situation of South Azerbaijani Turks to be held in Sweden and Russia,
in August and September, respectively. Furthermore, on Sept. 22, the
council will hold a public rally in Taksim Square in Istanbul, under
the title "Solidarity with South Azerbaijani Turks." A similar rally
is also planned for Baku on Sept. 27.
Having no right to press and education in their mother tongue, the
Azerbaijani speaking population have taught their children Turkish in
their houses and at some Turkish associations. "But recently, Iran has
started to run a campaign against Turkish teachers, arresting them.
This is inextricably linked to an increasing anti-Turkish stance in
Iran due to Turkey's very clear negative stance regarding the Syrian
administration," Hosrov Emiri, a member of the council has said.
There are a total of 35 million Azeri Turks living in Iran, which has
a population of 79 million, said Hadi Musevi, but this fact is covered
up by the Iranian administration and Azeri Turks have always been
suppressed in the Islamic Republic of Iran. "Some 200,000 Armenians
enjoys comprehensive cultural rights in Iran as opposed to Turks. Iran
has proved that it is not a disingenuous Islamic republic, conducting
a clear fascist policy," Musevi added.
Members of the council also requested more support from Turkey. "The
existence of South Azerbaijanis is not very well-known in Turkey.
However, 35 million is a significant number and could have a lot of
potential. Turkey should realize that potential, which is right
next-door," said Zaur Bayramli, another council member noted.
Addressing the speculations that have appeared in Iran-linked media
claiming that the movement organized by South Azerbaijani Turks is a
joint US and Turkish plot to divide Iran, Mehmethanoglu highlighted
that their movement is purely civil oriented and free of links with
any state. "Our council is a national, modern, democratic one,
established on a civil society based movement. Our first principle is
to increase the recognition of the South Azerbaijani population around
the world in public opinion and to draw attention to the exposure of
this population to clear human rights violations at the hands of the
Iranian authorities," Mehmethanoglu said.
Claiming that they are closer to Ankara and Baku than they are to
Tehran, Mehmethanoglu maintained that the Turkish population aspires
for independence in the long term, reviving the Azerbaijan People's
Government which was formed in 1945 and ended in 1946 under the
leadership of Sayyed Jafar Pishevari, taking Tabriz as its capital.
From: Baghdasarian