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ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS MARK 1915 AT CEREMONIES IN ISTANBUL
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 25 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Civil society organizations from Europe meet in Istanbul to remember
the Armenian killings of 1915. US President Obama honors those who
perished
Vercihan [email protected]
A series of activities were held in Istanbul yesterday to mark the
98th anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians during World War I.
Along with a delegation composed of 25 people from diaspora
organizations, various non-governmental organizations from Europe
attended the events held by Stop Nationalism and Racism Platform and
Human Rights Association (Ä°HD).
"Armenian organizations' participation in the commemoration activities
is of a great importance. We are here to support NGOs' struggle for
the recognition of the [Armenian] genocide," The European Grassroots
Antiracist Movement (EGAM) president Benjamin Abtan told the Daily
News.
The day was marked by commemorations worldwide, with the U.S.
President Barack Obama releasing a statement which avoided the term
"genocide."
"Today we commemorate the Meds Yeghern and honor those who perished in
one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century," the statement read.
In Yerevan, a crowd flocked to a hilltop memorial to mark the 98th
anniversary of the killings, as many headed to the memorial that
commemorates the massacres to lay flowers at the eternal flame,
Agence France-Presse reported.
Visit to Turkish governor
In Istanbul, the participants of the events firstly headed to
Zincirlikuyu Muslim Cemetery and visited the grave of Faik Bey Ozansoy,
the Ottoman Empire's Kutahya governor who helped Armenians during
the 1915 incidents. A commemoration ceremony was held in front of
the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, which served as a prison in
which many Armenian intellectuals were jailed during that period.
Federation of Armenian Organizations in The Netherlands and the Abovian
Armenian Cultural Association President Mato Hakhverdyan was also in
Turkey to participate in the commemoration ceremonies.
Hakhverdyan said it was his first time in Turkey and that he was happy
to be in the first delegation that came to Turkey to participate
in the commemoration activities. "Only with dialogue will we be
able to overcome issues. There is an awakening in Turkey; no doubt
nongovernmental organizations play a huge role in this," hne said.
Seta Papazian, a representative of the France-based association
Collectif Van, said: "If they had told me a few years ago that I
would come here and participate in the commemorations, I would not
have believed it," she said.
Within the framework of activities, the grave of Sevag Å~^ahin
Balıkcı was also visited in the afternoon. Sevag Å~^ahin Balıkcı
was killed while doing his military service two years ago on April
24 in the eastern province of Batman, by a bullet fired from his army
mate's weapon.
April/25/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-organizations-mark-1915-at-ceremonies-in-istanbul.aspx?pageID=238&nID=45586&NewsCatID=341
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 25 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Civil society organizations from Europe meet in Istanbul to remember
the Armenian killings of 1915. US President Obama honors those who
perished
Vercihan [email protected]
A series of activities were held in Istanbul yesterday to mark the
98th anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians during World War I.
Along with a delegation composed of 25 people from diaspora
organizations, various non-governmental organizations from Europe
attended the events held by Stop Nationalism and Racism Platform and
Human Rights Association (Ä°HD).
"Armenian organizations' participation in the commemoration activities
is of a great importance. We are here to support NGOs' struggle for
the recognition of the [Armenian] genocide," The European Grassroots
Antiracist Movement (EGAM) president Benjamin Abtan told the Daily
News.
The day was marked by commemorations worldwide, with the U.S.
President Barack Obama releasing a statement which avoided the term
"genocide."
"Today we commemorate the Meds Yeghern and honor those who perished in
one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century," the statement read.
In Yerevan, a crowd flocked to a hilltop memorial to mark the 98th
anniversary of the killings, as many headed to the memorial that
commemorates the massacres to lay flowers at the eternal flame,
Agence France-Presse reported.
Visit to Turkish governor
In Istanbul, the participants of the events firstly headed to
Zincirlikuyu Muslim Cemetery and visited the grave of Faik Bey Ozansoy,
the Ottoman Empire's Kutahya governor who helped Armenians during
the 1915 incidents. A commemoration ceremony was held in front of
the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, which served as a prison in
which many Armenian intellectuals were jailed during that period.
Federation of Armenian Organizations in The Netherlands and the Abovian
Armenian Cultural Association President Mato Hakhverdyan was also in
Turkey to participate in the commemoration ceremonies.
Hakhverdyan said it was his first time in Turkey and that he was happy
to be in the first delegation that came to Turkey to participate
in the commemoration activities. "Only with dialogue will we be
able to overcome issues. There is an awakening in Turkey; no doubt
nongovernmental organizations play a huge role in this," hne said.
Seta Papazian, a representative of the France-based association
Collectif Van, said: "If they had told me a few years ago that I
would come here and participate in the commemorations, I would not
have believed it," she said.
Within the framework of activities, the grave of Sevag Å~^ahin
Balıkcı was also visited in the afternoon. Sevag Å~^ahin Balıkcı
was killed while doing his military service two years ago on April
24 in the eastern province of Batman, by a bullet fired from his army
mate's weapon.
April/25/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-organizations-mark-1915-at-ceremonies-in-istanbul.aspx?pageID=238&nID=45586&NewsCatID=341