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Let's commemorate the Armenian Genocide in Turkey
March 15, 2015
It has been one hundred years since the genocide of the Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire - a massacre in which a million and a half
Armenians were murdered.
For one hundred years too many, the denial of this crime has been at
the heart of the policy and diplomacy of the Turkish state, which was
founded in part on the expropriation of the Armenians and the
destruction of their culture.
One hundred years on, the denial or the condoning of this genocide are
still causing victims, feeding violent nationalism and racism,
breeding conflict and stifling democracy and freedom of expression in
Turkey.
For several years, a growing number of voices have made themselves
heard at the heart of civil society in Turkey, with increasing support
from European civil society, to recognize the reality of the genocide
and to commemorate this crime in Turkey itself. It is in this context
that, since 2010, commemorations of the Armenian genocide have been
held in Turkey.
This year, the Turkish state has cynically planned commemorations of
the battle of Gallipoli on April 24 in a new attempt to overshadow the
Armenian genocide. In addition, Turkish officials are engaged in a
charm offensive to prevent international involvement in the
commemorations of the Armenian genocide.
We Europeans, Armenians, Turks and Kurds, who have initiated,
organized, supported or participated in these commemorations, call on
all those who care for the truth to commemorate together, peacefully,
in Istanbul, on April 24the genocide perpetrated against the
Armenians.
The commemoration of this genocide concerns not only Turks and
Armenians, but all of humanity. Today, the front line in the fight
against genocide denial is also at the heart of Turkish society. Our
shared campaign is universalist in character. It is a future-oriented
campaign for solidarity, for justice and for the promotion of
democracy.
It is a campaign of solidarity among all those who fight for
historical truth. The dividing line is not between Turks and
Armenians, but between those who fight against denial and those who
promote it, irrespective of their origins or nationalities.
This is a campaign for justice. Genocide is the most violent political
act which racism can lead to, and denial is a part of the act itself.
To fight against denial is to fight racism and therefore for a more
equal and just society.
This is a campaign for the promotion of democracy. To remember those
who disappeared is an act of humanity and of symbolic reparation that
involves all of us. To remember in Turkey is to contribute to freedom
of expression and to question the very foundations of the undemocratic
nature of power in this country.
We call on all those who share these values and this vision to join us
and commemorate in Istanbul on April 24th the one hundredth
anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
Benjamin Abtan, President of the European Grassroots Antiracist Movement - EGAM,
Alexis Govciyan & Nicolas Tavitian, President & Director of the
Armenian General benevolent Union - AGBU-Europe,
Levent Sensever, Spokesperson of Durde (Turkey)
http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/03/15/lets-commemorate-the-armenian-genocide-in-turkey/
From: A. Papazian
March 15, 2015
It has been one hundred years since the genocide of the Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire - a massacre in which a million and a half
Armenians were murdered.
For one hundred years too many, the denial of this crime has been at
the heart of the policy and diplomacy of the Turkish state, which was
founded in part on the expropriation of the Armenians and the
destruction of their culture.
One hundred years on, the denial or the condoning of this genocide are
still causing victims, feeding violent nationalism and racism,
breeding conflict and stifling democracy and freedom of expression in
Turkey.
For several years, a growing number of voices have made themselves
heard at the heart of civil society in Turkey, with increasing support
from European civil society, to recognize the reality of the genocide
and to commemorate this crime in Turkey itself. It is in this context
that, since 2010, commemorations of the Armenian genocide have been
held in Turkey.
This year, the Turkish state has cynically planned commemorations of
the battle of Gallipoli on April 24 in a new attempt to overshadow the
Armenian genocide. In addition, Turkish officials are engaged in a
charm offensive to prevent international involvement in the
commemorations of the Armenian genocide.
We Europeans, Armenians, Turks and Kurds, who have initiated,
organized, supported or participated in these commemorations, call on
all those who care for the truth to commemorate together, peacefully,
in Istanbul, on April 24the genocide perpetrated against the
Armenians.
The commemoration of this genocide concerns not only Turks and
Armenians, but all of humanity. Today, the front line in the fight
against genocide denial is also at the heart of Turkish society. Our
shared campaign is universalist in character. It is a future-oriented
campaign for solidarity, for justice and for the promotion of
democracy.
It is a campaign of solidarity among all those who fight for
historical truth. The dividing line is not between Turks and
Armenians, but between those who fight against denial and those who
promote it, irrespective of their origins or nationalities.
This is a campaign for justice. Genocide is the most violent political
act which racism can lead to, and denial is a part of the act itself.
To fight against denial is to fight racism and therefore for a more
equal and just society.
This is a campaign for the promotion of democracy. To remember those
who disappeared is an act of humanity and of symbolic reparation that
involves all of us. To remember in Turkey is to contribute to freedom
of expression and to question the very foundations of the undemocratic
nature of power in this country.
We call on all those who share these values and this vision to join us
and commemorate in Istanbul on April 24th the one hundredth
anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
Benjamin Abtan, President of the European Grassroots Antiracist Movement - EGAM,
Alexis Govciyan & Nicolas Tavitian, President & Director of the
Armenian General benevolent Union - AGBU-Europe,
Levent Sensever, Spokesperson of Durde (Turkey)
http://cyprus-mail.com/2015/03/15/lets-commemorate-the-armenian-genocide-in-turkey/
From: A. Papazian