David Rankin clan chief and researcher Ngapuhi Maori called to boycott the centenary celebrations of the ANZAC (battles of the Dardanelles) this year “because the Turkish government used the event to distract the Armenian Genocide in which more than a million indigenous Armenians were killed by the Turks. ”
“The Armenian holocaust began April 24, 1915, so what better way for Turkey to hide than putting all the attention on ANZAC Day,” said Mr. Rankin. “The indigenous Armenian population was killed by the colonizers Turks and our involvement in the centenary of the Gallipoli ANZAC supports the genocide of the colonizer. Indigenous peoples must stand up and fight the oppressor ”
“Turkey was the Islamic State of his day,” said Mr. Rankin. “It killed nearly a million and a half Armenians because they were Christians and that they were the territories that the Turks wanted to colonize. We effectively support by going to the commemorations that are orchestrated at Gallipoli. This is a diversionary tactic. ”
Mr. Rankin has written to the Turkish ambassador in New Zealand about it in January, but has not received a response. “This shows me that their attitude towards indigenous peoples has not changed in a hundred years. We can still be ignored and treated like crap, “said Mr. Rankin.
Mr. Rankin called Maori and other indigenous groups to boycott the events of the ANZAC Memorial Day this year and as a sign of solidarity with the indigenous Armenians, to stop wearing poppies this year.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015,
Stéphane © armenews.com