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NEWS: TURKISH DENIAL OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RAISED DURING CONGRESSIONAL HEARING ON THE FUTURE OF TURKISH DEMOCRACY
[ Part 2.1.2: "Attached Text" ]
Armenian Assembly of America News
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide Raised During Congressional
Hearing on the Future of Turkish Democracy
By Peter Kechichian
AAANews Blog
July 18, 2014
This week, Turkey's 99-year campaign of Armenian Genocide denial and
other significant Armenian American issues were raised at a special
subcommittee hearing by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The hearing, held on Tuesday, July 15th, at the U.S. House Foreign
Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, was
entitled "The Future of Turkish Democracy," under the direction of
Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). House
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was
also present to deliver introductory remarks.
Chairman Royce repeatedly criticized the increased consolidation of
power by the Erdogan government as well as further restrictions on
human rights in Turkey. Royce stated that "I am very concerned by
recent events that indicate a shift by Prime Minister Erdogan away
from democratic ideals and reverting to more authoritarian rule,"
further adding that Erdogan has "consistently chosen to use strong-arm
tactics against opponents."
The committee heard testimony from several experts on Turkey. These
included Mr. Nate Schenkkan, Program Officer at Freedom House; Dr.
Elizabeth H. Prodromou, Visiting Associate Professor of Conflict
Resolution at Tufts University; Dr. Soner Cagaptay, Turkish Research
Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Dr. Kilic
Kanat, Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research;
and Hakan Tasci, Executive Director, Tuskon-US.
Chairman Royce began the hearing by reiterating his support for
HR 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act, which
requires the U.S. State Department to issue an annual report on the
fate of Christian properties in Turkey and the status of their return
to their rightful owners. HR 4347 was overwhelmingly adopted by the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs late last month.
Turkey's state-sponsored campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide was
also referenced several times during the hearing. Congressman Albio
Sires (D-NJ) stated that Turkey appeared to be "very sensitive"
about discussion of the Armenian Genocide in the U.S.
He also referred to some Turkish officials as "thugs" and referenced
Turkish pressure on Members of Congress. "When you vote here, you feel
like you're voting with a Turkish sword over your head," Sires said.
Turkey Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who last
month vigorously opposed the passage of HR 4347, also indirectly
referenced the Armenian Genocide. He stated "Turkey has to come to
acknowledgment with some of its past... But so do others. And we need
to deal with the Turkey of here and now. Not of the Turkey of a hundred
years ago or two hundred years ago or 500 years ago for that matter,"
Connolly said. "Some of us are still hung up on Constantinople," he
said, as he attempted to humorously portray the death of 1.5 million
men, women, and children.
Only two of the five witnesses at the subcommittee hearing made
reference to issues of concern to the Armenian American community.
Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou spoke in depth about Christian minorities in
Turkey, the persecution they continue to face, and the destruction of
Anatolia's Christian heritage. She not only mentioned the Armenian
Genocide in her prepared remarks but also strongly criticized the
treatment of Christian Armenians in Turkey, as well as the status of
Armenian and Greek holy sites in Turkey and Cyprus.
Dr. Prodromou referred to the status of religious minority rights in
Turkey as revealing a "sobering picture of no substantive change,"
further adding that "if one uses religious freedom for Turkey's
minority communities as a metric for the overall robustness and quality
of democracy in Turkey, there is cause for grave concern." She also
implored the U.S. to hold Turkey to "international standards and to
the expectations of a U.S.
partner and NATO ally."
In his prepared statement, Dr. Soner Cagaptay made reference to the
re-opening of the Armenian Akhtamar Church in Eastern Turkey as an
example of "improvements in terms of religious freedoms."
However, he failed to mention that the very same church officially
functions as a museum and only allows a liturgical service once a year.
The subcommittee hearing dealt with various issues relating to the
status of democracy in Turkey. Some other areas covered include
restrictions on religion, internet censorship, and the rise of
authoritarianism in Turkey.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1rxu6rL
[ Part 2.2, Image/JPEG 251KB. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]
[ Part 2.1.2: "Attached Text" ]
Armenian Assembly of America News
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://armenianassembly.tumblr.com/
Turkish Denial of the Armenian Genocide Raised During Congressional
Hearing on the Future of Turkish Democracy
By Peter Kechichian
AAANews Blog
July 18, 2014
This week, Turkey's 99-year campaign of Armenian Genocide denial and
other significant Armenian American issues were raised at a special
subcommittee hearing by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The hearing, held on Tuesday, July 15th, at the U.S. House Foreign
Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, was
entitled "The Future of Turkish Democracy," under the direction of
Subcommittee Chairman Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). House
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was
also present to deliver introductory remarks.
Chairman Royce repeatedly criticized the increased consolidation of
power by the Erdogan government as well as further restrictions on
human rights in Turkey. Royce stated that "I am very concerned by
recent events that indicate a shift by Prime Minister Erdogan away
from democratic ideals and reverting to more authoritarian rule,"
further adding that Erdogan has "consistently chosen to use strong-arm
tactics against opponents."
The committee heard testimony from several experts on Turkey. These
included Mr. Nate Schenkkan, Program Officer at Freedom House; Dr.
Elizabeth H. Prodromou, Visiting Associate Professor of Conflict
Resolution at Tufts University; Dr. Soner Cagaptay, Turkish Research
Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Dr. Kilic
Kanat, Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research;
and Hakan Tasci, Executive Director, Tuskon-US.
Chairman Royce began the hearing by reiterating his support for
HR 4347, the Turkey Christian Churches Accountability Act, which
requires the U.S. State Department to issue an annual report on the
fate of Christian properties in Turkey and the status of their return
to their rightful owners. HR 4347 was overwhelmingly adopted by the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs late last month.
Turkey's state-sponsored campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide was
also referenced several times during the hearing. Congressman Albio
Sires (D-NJ) stated that Turkey appeared to be "very sensitive"
about discussion of the Armenian Genocide in the U.S.
He also referred to some Turkish officials as "thugs" and referenced
Turkish pressure on Members of Congress. "When you vote here, you feel
like you're voting with a Turkish sword over your head," Sires said.
Turkey Caucus Co-Chair Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA), who last
month vigorously opposed the passage of HR 4347, also indirectly
referenced the Armenian Genocide. He stated "Turkey has to come to
acknowledgment with some of its past... But so do others. And we need
to deal with the Turkey of here and now. Not of the Turkey of a hundred
years ago or two hundred years ago or 500 years ago for that matter,"
Connolly said. "Some of us are still hung up on Constantinople," he
said, as he attempted to humorously portray the death of 1.5 million
men, women, and children.
Only two of the five witnesses at the subcommittee hearing made
reference to issues of concern to the Armenian American community.
Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou spoke in depth about Christian minorities in
Turkey, the persecution they continue to face, and the destruction of
Anatolia's Christian heritage. She not only mentioned the Armenian
Genocide in her prepared remarks but also strongly criticized the
treatment of Christian Armenians in Turkey, as well as the status of
Armenian and Greek holy sites in Turkey and Cyprus.
Dr. Prodromou referred to the status of religious minority rights in
Turkey as revealing a "sobering picture of no substantive change,"
further adding that "if one uses religious freedom for Turkey's
minority communities as a metric for the overall robustness and quality
of democracy in Turkey, there is cause for grave concern." She also
implored the U.S. to hold Turkey to "international standards and to
the expectations of a U.S.
partner and NATO ally."
In his prepared statement, Dr. Soner Cagaptay made reference to the
re-opening of the Armenian Akhtamar Church in Eastern Turkey as an
example of "improvements in terms of religious freedoms."
However, he failed to mention that the very same church officially
functions as a museum and only allows a liturgical service once a year.
The subcommittee hearing dealt with various issues relating to the
status of democracy in Turkey. Some other areas covered include
restrictions on religion, internet censorship, and the rise of
authoritarianism in Turkey.
Available online at: http://bit.ly/1rxu6rL
[ Part 2.2, Image/JPEG 251KB. ]
[ Unable to print this part. ]