NATIONALIST DEPUTY TARGETS ARMENIAN MEMBER OF WISE MEN WITH RACIST REMARKS
Today's Zaman, Turkey
April 5 2013
A Turkish nationalist deputy has ferociously criticized the inclusion
of a Today's Zaman columnist of Armenian descent in the group of
"wise men" tasked with explaining to the public the necessity to
move forward with the settlement process in the hope of ending the
decades-old conflict between the Turkish military and the terrorist
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Balıkesir deputy of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
Ahmet Duran Bulut on Friday criticized the inclusion of Armenians on
the list. It was not immediately clear which people he was referring
to but there is only one person on the list, Etyen Mahcupyan, who
openly identifies himself as Armenian. Bulut ridiculed Mahcupyan,
belittling him and mocking the description of him as "wise."
"I don't need the brain of an Armenian. What could an Armenian think
for the Turkish nation? We have Armenian citizens in Turkey. I respect
and love them. But they [the government] appointed those people who
want to take revenge on the Turkish state as wise men," Bulut said.
The deputy also said he was saddened to see prominent Turkish movie
actor Hulya Kocyigit listed among people he described as "dirty." He
claimed that the people on the wise men list are "tools" to divide
Turkey and that they are disturbed by the notion of "Turkishness." He
also labeled most of them as "disabled in their race."
Members of the wise men group, made up of 62 public opinion leaders,
academics and artists, were announced on Wednesday. The formation of
the "wise men" list sparked debates in the media and among the public.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the common
aim of all people within the commission is the solution of the
Kurdish conflict.
The commission is made up of groups organized on a regional basis and
will be active in seven regions across the country, but its duties
are not yet clear. There will be a chairman, a deputy chairman and
a secretary for each region's group of wise people.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-311754-nationalist-deputy-targets-armenian-member-of-wise-men-with-racist-remarks.html
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman, Turkey
April 5 2013
A Turkish nationalist deputy has ferociously criticized the inclusion
of a Today's Zaman columnist of Armenian descent in the group of
"wise men" tasked with explaining to the public the necessity to
move forward with the settlement process in the hope of ending the
decades-old conflict between the Turkish military and the terrorist
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Balıkesir deputy of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP)
Ahmet Duran Bulut on Friday criticized the inclusion of Armenians on
the list. It was not immediately clear which people he was referring
to but there is only one person on the list, Etyen Mahcupyan, who
openly identifies himself as Armenian. Bulut ridiculed Mahcupyan,
belittling him and mocking the description of him as "wise."
"I don't need the brain of an Armenian. What could an Armenian think
for the Turkish nation? We have Armenian citizens in Turkey. I respect
and love them. But they [the government] appointed those people who
want to take revenge on the Turkish state as wise men," Bulut said.
The deputy also said he was saddened to see prominent Turkish movie
actor Hulya Kocyigit listed among people he described as "dirty." He
claimed that the people on the wise men list are "tools" to divide
Turkey and that they are disturbed by the notion of "Turkishness." He
also labeled most of them as "disabled in their race."
Members of the wise men group, made up of 62 public opinion leaders,
academics and artists, were announced on Wednesday. The formation of
the "wise men" list sparked debates in the media and among the public.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the common
aim of all people within the commission is the solution of the
Kurdish conflict.
The commission is made up of groups organized on a regional basis and
will be active in seven regions across the country, but its duties
are not yet clear. There will be a chairman, a deputy chairman and
a secretary for each region's group of wise people.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-311754-nationalist-deputy-targets-armenian-member-of-wise-men-with-racist-remarks.html
From: Baghdasarian