Cycle Against Genocide Denial Set for April 10 in Santa Monica

March 25, 2016 By administrator

cycleagainstdenial SANTA MONICA — For the first time, the Cycle Against Denial bike-a-thon hosted by the Armenian Youth Federation San Fernando Valley “Sardarabad” Chapter will be held in the city of Santa Monica on April 10.

The Cycle Against Denial is an annual bike rally to commemorate the Armenian Genocide and to raise awareness against all genocides. The bike rally usually takes place in the San Fernando Valley and starts from the Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church in Encino but for the first time, the “Sardarabad” Chapter decided to branch out and bring something new to this annual event.

“We feel that we needed to change an aspect of this great event and thought that taking the bike rally to Santa Monica would bring more exposure to our cause, especially since the location is near the Santa Monica Pier,” said Arek Soulahian, Cycle Against Denial Committee Co-Chairperson. “From the new location, there will be a great deal of people that will get to see the cyclists participating in the event and learn why we work so hard to spread awareness and genocide recognition,” added Soulahian.

The location where the registration table will be set up and the bike rally will begin is at 1640 Appian Way, Santa Monica, California 90401.

Registration will begin at 11 a.m. at the location mentioned above. It will be free and includes a t-shirt. The ride will begin approximately at 1 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes but there will be bike rental locations close by where participants will be able to pay and rent bikes for the event.

The bike rental locations close to the registration table are the following:

Sea Mist Rentals, 1619 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Santa Monica Bike Center, 1555 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Breeze BikeShare, located at Palisades Park.

Please join us in commemorating the 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The event is open to all ages. For any questions, please email cycleagainstdenial@gmail.com or visit the Facebook Event page https://www.facebook.com/events/786236234853740/.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation is the largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization in the world, working to advance the social, political, educational and cultural awareness of Armenian youth.

NICOLAS SARKOZY IN FRENCH OVERSEAS “I’m for the criminalization of denial of the Armenian genocide”

March 17, 2016 By administrator

image-14-465x290-465x290 Nicolas Sarkozy, who was Wednesday night with Manuel Valls the guest of honor at the dinner Crefom (Representative Committee of French Overseas), reaffirmed his support for a law criminalizing denial of the Armenian genocide. In his introductory speech, Patrick Karam, president of Crefom, asked a series of questions to his guests, including one on their position on a possible extension of the Gayssot law in denial of the Armenian genocide and slavery. In his speech, former President of the Republic then grabbed up the ball for recall, with conviction, his positon on the subject.

The voluntary evocation of the principled position of Nicolas Sarkozy on the issue outside the Armenian context, that it was under his mandate had been voted the Boyer Act, which was eventually censured by the Constitutional Council, chaired by the the time by Jean-Louis Debre. This invalidation took place in an extremely tense between France and Turkey climate. The diplomatic situation between the two countries has since normalized, whereas this penalty law promised by the left yet to find a realization, a year before the end of term François Hollande.

Several hundred people attended the second dinner of the French overseas, including many problematics similar to those of the Armenians. Also participating in the evening a wide range of personalities among whom were Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister of Education, Mrs Valérie Pécresse, President of the Ile-de-France, as well as co-chairs of CCAF, Mourad Papazian and Ara Toranian.

Intervention Özgüden during the day on genocide and Holocaust denial

February 3, 2016 By administrator

arton121442-454x293 As part of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of victims of the Holocaust, the cell Democracy or barbarism of the Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation organized 25 January 2016 in Brussels a day of reflection dedicated to genocide deniers and revisionism.

In the first part of the day, Laurence Schram (Doctor of History) and Mr. Eric David (Professor Emeritus of International Law) spoke about the denial and the laws in force in Belgium and Europe. Mr. Yves Ternon (Doctor of History, Paris IV-Sorbonne) made a presentation on the Armenian genocide and the Tutsis.

In the second part of the day, first Özgüden Dogan, chief editor of Info-Türk, presented the Turkish denial about the 1915 genocide and its impact in countries hosting immigrants from Turkey.

Then a panel of M.Elias Constas (scientific collaborator MRAH) and representatives of the three resources Centres spoke concrete examples of situations or about whether they experienced themselves or that have been reported by their field actors (teachers, educators …)

The intervention of Dogan Özgüden

Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all I must make a clarification. Frankly, I’m not an expert on issues of genocide and denial … For cons, I’m a witness, both in my private life that in all my professional activities and social policies, including for over forty years ‘exile.

I just listened to the speech of dear Yves Ternon which is one of the foremost authorities on the subject of the first genocide of the 20th century. I had the honor of serving as an intermediary between him and my friend Zarakolu, there are more than twenty years, for publication in Turkey of the Turkish translation of his work, Armenian Tabou .. .

Indeed, until 1993, the genocide of Armenians in 1915 was a taboo in Turkey … Turkish public opinion has never known or recognized that the most bloody and shameful episode in its history.

All generations, including mine, have been raised in the schools of the Kemalist republic which inculcates the superiority of the Turkish race … As neighboring peoples such as the Russians, Arabs, Bulgarians, Greeks, Persians, non-Turkish peoples of Anatolia, as Armenians, Assyrians, Greeks, Kurds were considered enemies of the Turkish nation.

Genocides, massacres, pogroms committed against these people appeared nowhere in the curriculum or in the Turkish media.

Fortunately, despite the brainwashing, as the child of a family of itinerant railroad, I had the chance to know in the Anatolian steppes or in the neighborhoods of cities such as Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul, some descendants of genocide survivors.

However, despite sharing the same social fate that my Armenian friends, they never raised this issue, because it was a taboo which forced the non-Turkish families to keep silent to not suffer harassment by official authorities or even by their neighbors proud of being Turkish and Muslim.

They were right, after the extermination and deportation, there were only a few tens of thousands of Armenians and Greeks in Turkey. But Turkish nationalism was not entirely satisfied with the ethnic cleansing done by the Ottoman power. During the Republican period, repressive operations against non-Turkish communities continued incessantly.

During the first year of the republic, in 1923, over one million Greeks were deported to Greece.

In 1934, after an anti-Semitic campaign in the Turkish media, Jews from the cities of Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli and Çanakkale were victims of pogroms.

From 1923 to 1937, the Turkish army has carried out several genocidal operations against the Kurdish population in the southeast provinces.

And it continues: during the second world war, many Armenians, Greeks and Jews were sent to forced labor camps in the east of the country under the pretext that they did not pay a tax on their property.

And pogroms and atrocities on 6 and 7 September 1955 against the Greek community in Istanbul and Izmir … I was personally eyewitness rampages in Izmir as a young journalist.

Of course, I have to add to the blacklist pogroms against Alevis in the 70, 80 and 90 in the cities of Kahramanmaras, Corum and Sivas.

While these pogroms were sometimes criticized by opposition parties and media, the 1915 genocide was never discussed in the media until recent years.

Even the 50th anniversary of the genocide in 1965, while the Armenian diaspora launched a genocide recognition campaign, the Turkish media remained deaf and dumb.

Neither the parties of the left or progressive unions have made no comment on this black page of history. All this despite the fact that there were Armenians, Greeks and Jews who were active in these organizations.

When someone dared to ask a question about this subject, we preferred to just say that during the first world war, imperialism sow hostility among the peoples to weaken the Ottoman Empire and share these territories.

About this silence, I remember an anecdote of my professional life with bitterness … In 1967, when I ran a week left, we hired a young academic as assistant technical director Inci Tugsavul.

He was wearing a Turkish name. After several months of collaboration, one day he told me: “I must confess one thing that bothers me since day one. Yes, my name Yasar Uçar, but I’m not Turkish. My family was forced to hide his real identity and wearing a Turkish name. I do not want you to have problems working with an Armenian then you already have dozens of lawsuits and threats … “

I reassured … “No Yasar, nothing to fear … This is an honor for me to work with an Armenian origin colleague. “

A second anecdote which I always remember with bitterness … After the second coup in 1971 … At the beginning of our exile with my wife Inci Tugsavul. We were organizing a protest campaign against the regime of generals in Turkey. One evening we were with our friend Marcel Croës with another guest. When I related violations of human rights in Turkey, this guest asked me a direct question: “What do you think of the genocide of Armenians in 1915? “

After a few seconds of hesitation, I tried to repeat the same argument that progressive organizations in Turkey, “Yes, there have been dramatic episodes in the history of our country, but they are the consequence of imperialist provocations. “

My interlocutor was not happy with this evasive answer, me neither!

It is from that time that I got into a closer study on the subject … It is above all thanks to the documents provided by the diaspora that my work team and I are better informed about this happened in 1915.

When the Armenian Asala organization launched in 1975 its violent actions against Turkish targets in order to force the Ankara regime for the recognition of the 1915 genocide, the subject is nilly entered the agenda of democratic organizations Turkey.

When these actions aroused anti-Armenian campaign in the media in the service of the Ankara regime in 1981 in an opposition newspaper that we were heading to Brussels, we published the first article calling on the Turkish democratic forces to seriously on the issue of the Armenian genocide.

In 1987, we published a voluminous black book on the violations of human rights in Turkey in which devoted a chapter about the oppression of Kurds and Christians in the country. To date, we are not alone in the search for historical truth.

Late 70s and especially after the third hit of 1980 state, the influx of Armenians, Assyrians and Kurdish political refugees fleeing repression is a real turning point in the community life of Turkish citizens in Europe.

While almost all Turkish immigrant associations were subject to the repressive policies of the military junta, the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish have set up their own organizations in all host countries in Europe.

The historical struggle of the Diaspora for the recognition of the 1915 genocide has gained a new dimension with the support of these new associations that have always kept their narrow organizational relations with Turkey.

It was at that time that we expanded continuing education activities and expression and creativity within our intercultural association Les Ateliers du Soleil. This center is frequented since tens of years by citizens from more than fifty backgrounds, including Armenian, Assyrian, Kurd from Turkey.

In the 90s, the Association of Democrats Armenians of Belgium, the Belgian Institute of Assyrian, Kurdish Institute of Brussels and the Info-Türk Foundation have established a platform for the defense of human rights and peoples in Turkey.

It is this platform that, with the European Armenian Federation, organized in 2005 a series of academic and cultural activities to mark the 90th anniversary of the genocide of Armenians and Assyrians.

Enraged by these developments, the Turkish lobby has not hesitated to provoke Turkish ultranationalist groups against Armenian organizations, Kurdish and Assyrian.

Already in 1994, the Grey Wolves had attacked a hundred Kurds participating in a peaceful march. I remember with horror from firing, in 1998, the premises of the Kurdish Institute of Brussels and another Kurdish association in the Bonneels street in front of the Brussels police!

In 2007, the offices of a Kurdish Association in Saint-Josse were ravaged by arson. That same year, an Armenian trade in Saint Josse was sacked twice by the Grey Wolves.

Same year, the Turkish journalist Mehmet Köksal who had achieved a critical work of communalism and denial was the victim of a physical assault under the cries of “traitor”.

A year later, in 2008, a call to lynching campaign was launched against the leaders of Info-Türk because of our criticism against Holocaust denial. The Belgian government had to place me under protection.

A turning point in the fight against Ankara’s denial was the assassination of the Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in 2007 by the sinister forces of the Turkish state. It is for the first time in Turkey, tens of thousands of Turkish democrats have mobilized to protest against this last step of the Armenian Genocide while chanting “We are all Armenians … We are all Hrant Dink ! “

The recognition of the 1915 genocide has since become a key demand of Democratic Forces of Turkey

However, the Ankara regime, despite the fact that he is a candidate for decades in the EU persists in its denial. Not only in Turkey but in all the countries hosting Turkish immigrants, denying the 1915 genocide is one of the red lines of the Turkish state.

Organizations subject to Turkish lobby are forced at every opportunity to protest against the recognition of the 1915 Genocide … Even politicians from the Turkish community and belonging to the Belgian political parties manifest as burning during the genocide deniers elections …

Among them, there are some who promised the voters of Turkish origin to demolish the monument in Ixelles dedicated to the victims of genocide and to erect a monument in Brussels to honor the Ottoman Empire.

To my disappointment, the Belgian political leaders have preferred to close their eyes to this submission to negationist lobby of the Turkish state in order to attract votes in the municipalities inhabited by Turkish nationals.

That is why the resolution adopted last year by the Belgian parliament is not a real recognition of the 1915 genocide, because it absolves all the leaders of the Turkish Republic.

But several officials of the Ottoman genocide of 1915 were incorporated into the Republican politicians as ministers, MPs or military commanders.

In addition, the resolution praised the two main current leaders, Erdogan and Davutoglu, while they still deny the Armenian genocide.

Obviously, it was a game to keep politicians elected some deniers of Turkish origin in their ranks, giving them a chance to vote a version “soft” resolution.

Even more disturbing … Last year was commemorated in the world the 1915 genocide centennial Meanwhile, in Belgium, the head of denial and despotic regime was welcomed with full honors, red carpet the occasion of the inauguration of Europalia-Turkey.

Valuing the Belgian home as a diplomatic victory in its propaganda in the elections of November 1, Erdogan has strengthened its parliamentary majority.

Worse, this prestigious festival program was devoted solely to the promotion of the greatness of the Ottoman Empire without making any reference to the Armenian civilization, Assyrian, Greek or Kurdish that existed there even before the Turkish conquest.

After his conquest of Brussels and its electoral victory, Erdogan has launched a new campaign of repression against its opponents in order to establish a despotic presidential system and adapt all public institutions of Turkey to Islamic standards.

Is it not that Erdogan who, in the name of religious solidarity, provided logistical support Daech?

Currently, the Kurdish people in Turkey is subjected to an unprecedented bloodbath by Turkish security forces and Kurds in Syria are the only forces fighting against the Islamic state and they are constantly threatened by the power of Erdogan.

In Turkey today, not only the Kurdish politicians but also journalists, academics, artists who dare to protest against this repression suffer every day new threats, insults and searches.

More than a thousand scholars are accused of treachery to the fatherland by the media at the service of the Erdogan government.

Why ?

Because they have discovered that most of these academics had said: “We are all Hrant, we are all Armenians! “After the assassination of Hrant Dink.

Here are some testimonials from me in the time limit allotted to each speaker.

I believe that the Belgian democratic forces always have vis-à-vis duty of the peoples of Turkey and vis-à-vis the Turkish democrats, victims of repression by the leaders of this country which is a member of the Council of Europe , NATO member and candidate to the European Union.

Erdogan and his accomplices never deserve the red carpet, but a red light as they do not respect the universal and European conventions on human rights and peoples.

Thank you for your patience…

http://www.info-turk.be/449.htm#Intervention

Wednesday, February 3, 2016,
Stéphane © armenews.com

Russia Duma mulls outlawing denial of Greek, Assyrian genocides

December 19, 2015 By administrator

202638 A group of Socialist-Revolutionary deputies introduced a bill to Russia’s State Duma, seeking to criminalize public denial of genocide against the Greeks, Assyrians and Yezidi Kurds perpetrated between 1915 and 1922 in Turkey.

It is proposed to introduce a penalty of up to 200.000 rubles or a sentence of forced labor or imprisonment for up to three years.

According to one of the authors of the bill, head of the faction Just Russia Sergei Mironov, a bill on outlawing the denial of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1922 is currently under consideration at the Duma.

“Our bill has a simple and obvious logic,” Mironov said. “Not only Armenians, but also representatives of other nations were affected by Turkey’s genocide of 1915-1922: millions of people fell victim, starved to death, lost their homeland. It is necessary to recognize the crimes of the Turkish regime to restore historical justice.”

Professors from 4 different universities discuss denial of Armenian Genocide

November 8, 2015 By administrator

Leeks Lim/The Daily Northwestern
Kerem Ӧktem, a professor at the University of Graz in Austria, discusses the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian Genocide during a conference in remembrance of 100 years since the genocide. The conference, hosted by the Buffett Institute of Global Studies’ Keyman Modern Turkish Studies on Friday, featured professors of different universities who discussed their research and views on the genocide.

Aaron Lewis, Reporter
November 8, 2015 •

In remembrance of 100 years since the Armenian Genocide, professors from four different universities spoke out against denial of the genocide as part of “Denial and Memory,” a conference held at Northwestern on Friday.

Held by the Buffett Institute of Global Studies’ Keyman Modern Turkish Studies, history Prof. Ipek Yosmaoğlu introduced the event to an audience of about 30 people.

“Denial of violence is even more serious,” said Yosmaoğlu. “The most terrible thing is not about the suffering, but the erasure of its memory.”

Mustafa Aksakal, who teaches about Turkish history at Georgetown University, was the first speaker. He began by telling the story of five young Armenian boys who struck an undetonated shell that fell during World War I, killing two and injuring three. Aksakal used this as an example of the destruction war brought to Armenian communities.

“In short, the first World War devastated the Middle East,” he said. “Violence begets violence, but more violence begets violent identities.”

Rachel Goshgarian, a professor at Lafayette College, spoke about Armenian historical monuments and how since the 20th century, hundreds have either been destroyed or are vanishing.

“Does this destruction, this continued use of destruction, act as a byproduct of the Armenian Genocide?” she asked the crowd.

Some of these buildings had been used for demonstrations of explosive power, or target practice for the military, Goshgarian said. Other times these places lose parts of their structures for people to repurpose them for homebuilding.

“These have been the fate of these structures” she said. “Even when the ministry recognizes these buildings have some sort of historical importance, some buildings get turned into a children’s playground.”

Kerem Ӧktem, a professor at the University of Graz in Austria, discussed memory versus recognition of the genocide and ideas like the Turkish government’s denial of the genocide. He also talked about the connection between societal power groups and recognition of the genocide.

“With very little reach out in society, it is important to see how many sides can exist in society,” he said. “Denialists are losing ground.”

Barbara Lyons, an Evanston resident who was at the event, said she is interested in the topic of the Middle East and the Armenian Genocide.

“Everything they told me were things I didn’t know,” she said. “I read about the West carving out the East arbitrarily, forming countries, and that is how this whole thing got started.”

She also commented on the shock factor of the lecture.

“The destruction of Armenian culture is what surprised me,” she said. “They didn’t just get rid of the Armenians, they wanted to get rid of remembering they were there.”

Email: aaronlewis2019@u.northwestern.edu

Source: dailynorthwestern.com

Pressure on Israel to deny the Armenia Genocide

November 3, 2015 By administrator

By Harut Sassounian,

Publisher, The California Courier
www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
As relations between Israel and Turkey have become increasingly strained in recent years, shifting from strategic alliance to outright hostility, many analysts began to wonder about the Israeli government’s uncharacteristically muted reaction to Turkish Pres. Erdogan’s anti-Semitic diatribes and anti-Israeli actions.
Under these circumstances, Armenians and their supporters are puzzled by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s continued complicity in the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian Genocide and the blocking of its recognition by the Knesset (parliament).
Some Middle East experts offer two explanations of Israel’s puzzling stance:
1) Despite the apparent bad blood between Israel and Turkey, the two countries continue their covert intelligence sharing and arms trade.
2) Azerbaijan, Turkey’s junior brother, has taken an aggressive role in pressuring Israel not to recognize the Armenian Genocide by using as leverage its purchase of billions of dollars of advanced Israeli weapons, providing Israel much needed petroleum products, and a base in Baku to infiltrate and spy on Iran with which it has a 400-mile border.
The Israeli government has become so overly sensitive to Azerbaijan’s diktats that during a recent visit by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to Jerusalem, Israel’s Foreign Minister rudely refused to meet with him. Only through a last minute intervention, Mr. Nalbandian managed to meet with the President of Israel.

An article in the November 1 issue of The Jerusalem Post fully illustrates the extent of Israel’s kowtowing to Azerbaijan. At a time when most Western groups, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), refused to monitor Azerbaijan’s Parliamentary elections because of restrictions imposed by Baku, four Israeli Knesset members rushed to Azerbaijan to show their support for Aliyev’s despotic regime!
The Israeli delegation, led by former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, now chairman of the Israel-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Group, included ex-ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, Sofa Landver, and Yoel Razbozov.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Lieberman, as Foreign Minister, “worked to strengthen Israeli ties with Azerbaijan,” and quoted him saying in Baku that it is “an important country and a good friend of Israel…. Even in the time of the Soviet Union, [Azerbaijan] was known to treat its Jewish community well, and there is no anti-Semitism there. We must continue strengthening our relations with Azerbaijan.” Azernews also quoted him telling the Azeri Elections Media Center that Azerbaijan “is an example of democracy, stability, and successful foreign policy.” Most knowledgeable people would dismiss such ridiculous and false statements.
One wonders why the former Foreign Minister is so anxious to whitewash Azerbaijan’s past and present practices of anti-Semitism? After the four Knesset members return from Baku, they should be asked to disclose the lavish gifts they must have received in appreciation for their rubber stamping of the fraudulent elections in Azerbaijan. Not surprisingly, Aliyev maintained its tight grip on power after his ruling party retained its majority in parliament, while the mainstream opposition boycotted last Sunday’s elections.
The Jerusalem Post reported that “Azerbaijan is considered the Muslim country friendliest to Israel, and the two countries have close ties and significant trade. Azerbaijan is Israel’s biggest oil provider, and trade between the two countries reaches $5 billion, more than with France. In recent years, Lieberman, then-president Shimon Peres, and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon visited Baku.”
In pursuing its arms for oil policy, Israeli officials have conveniently ignored Azerbaijan’s gross violations of human rights, lack of freedom of speech, and jailing of journalists and activists, including Leyla Yunus, head of the Baku-based Institute for Peace and Democracy, and investigative reporter Khadija Ismayilova of Radio Free Europe.

While it might be somewhat understandable that Israel and Azerbaijan are pursuing their self-interests, no matter how reprehensible the means, Armenia must also pursue its own national interests and counter the actions of any country that jeopardizes its security and questions the Genocide. The Armenian government should make crystal clear to Israeli officials that by selling multi-billion dollar sophisticated weapons to Azerbaijan, they become responsible for putting at risk thousands of Armenian lives. Azerbaijani officials have publicly announced that they intend to use the arms acquired from Israel to attack Nagorno Karabagh (Artsakh) and Armenia.

Lastly, Armenia should warn Azerbaijan that its unwarranted denials of the Armenian Genocide and pressures on other countries, such as Israel, to join its denialist cause, would further antagonize Armenians, making it impossible for them to accept any concessions on the Artsakh conflict.

PARIS The fifth national conference of the fight against Holocaust denial

October 30, 2015 By administrator

The focus was on the genocide of Armenians on the occasion of the fifth national conference of the fight against Holocaust denial. Under the patronage of the Minister of Justice, Christiane Taubira, the symposium brought together a hundred people, mostly students from the Paris School of business just connoisseurs of the Armenian question, Thursday, October 29 in the premises of the Hotel City of Paris.

This is the Geopolitics and Professor Frédéric Encel who organized and hosted this meeting fifths. “This is the first time they occur at the Mairie de Paris, it gives them more luster, more prestige,” said t -he explained in his introduction, before thanking Anne Hidalgo and Patrick Klugman for this welcome. If they could not be present as they are traveling in Erbil, Catherine Vieu-Charier, Assistant to the Mayor of Paris in charge of memory, represented them.

In her speech, she explained that genocide question is remember that it is all the time followed by a negation. Yet “the denial must be condemned with firmness, even if this is not enough. That is why, in addition to the exhibition that was held in the town hall of Paris a few months ago, the League of Education printed a brochure to tell the story of the three big genocides “ for children. “For the children of today do not become the executioners of tomorrow,” concluded Catherine Vieu-Charier, before leaving his place to Mourad Papazian.

It also emphasized the importance of the younger generation, “who must hold high the values against racism”. The co-chairman of CCAF signified how important it was that such a meeting take place now, as the ECHR has just made its verdict on Perincek case. “The climate is not healthy, s is he worried. But we want to believe in a burst of values. Freedom should not be recovered to justify the denial “.

Hosted by journalist Vartan Kaprielian, the first of three round tables of the day was then able to start at 11am. Titled “Origin, nature and implementation of the negation”, it brought together historians Duclert Vincent, Yves Ternon and Claire Mouradian.

Vincent Duclert an update on the role of research, having been ignored for many years, has refined his answers against denial over the years, particularly since the 80 He expressed how, for him before the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, the search was in some impasse in the fight against Holocaust denial. But this year, the importance of literature that removes all publishing space for Holocaust deniers, work on Armenian history (notably Gaïdz Minassian), support to researchers, the strength of the political response (Francois Hollande Yerevan, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem symposium at the Sorbonne), textbooks and a better knowledge of the situation in Turkey shows some success in the fight against the denial.

Yves Ternon then spoke: “the negation is first a lie, that one tries to raise doctrine”, he was first proclaimed. After histories denials of the Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide, the historian explained how one of the Armenian Genocide was singular. “The Republic of Turkey was founded on this genocide.” He continued by explaining that the perverse game led by Erdogan today, especially towards refugees, leave no hope.

Then it was Claire Mouradian who spoke, referring in particular to the treatment of criminals, the Treaty of Sevres that of Lausanne.

After lunch, a new round table was held, this time on the theme of “Armenian Genocide and International Law”, marked by the interventions of Bernard Bruneteau Raffi-Philippe Kalfayan and Armen Couyoumdjian. The first returned to the genesis of the concept of genocide: “it must be understood that this concept is at the mouth of an era, it was not applied but was artificially manufactured by a historical process between 1918 and 1930” explained the historian.

Raffi-Philippe Kalfayan was then asked about the criminalization of genocide denial: is this the right solution? Is this political undertaking timely?

Armen Couyoumdjian is, meanwhile, returned to the trial of Istanbul 1919-1920. Three in particular caught his attention: the Yozgat, which opened the way for a discussion of the massacres against Armenians in the press; the lawsuit against Union and Progress, which makes a distinction between those responsible for genocide and simple accomplices; and the secretaries of the Unionists.

At 15:30 started the third and final roundtable of the day. On “Review and Prospects”, co-chairman of CCAF Ara Toranian, journalist Gaïdz Minassian and Turkish political scientist Ali Kazancigil concluded the day, led by Frédéric Encel.

Ara Toranian cited Cornelius speaking of “time rule things well”, by questioning on why the relationship genocide does not improve over the years. “The right to justice can not be extinguished,” said the co-chairman of CCAF.

Gaïdz Minassian then tried to take stock of this year’s centennial. If the institutionalization of the Armenian message is for him a satisfaction he regretted the lack of political reflection on the future of the Armenian question. According to the journalist, polarize on the world stage, support and encourage research and assert itself in other ways gathering that genocide could be three axes to dig.

Finally, the Turkish political scientist Ali Kazancigil arrived late, but in time to stack mention the developments in Turkish society. According to him, we can see two symbols of emancipation. The beginning of a working memory that goes beyond the issue of genocide, and Taksim events “Today in Turkey about the Genocide is not considered a scandal, “argued political scientist who said it remained” optimistic “.

Frédéric Encel concluded this day full of interventions intended for a young audience by announcing that the sixth national conference of the fight against Holocaust denial will take place Sunday, January 24 at the School of Business. The theme of the genocide and its denial in the Arab world, including Darfur.

Montreal: State of Denial: New play links Armenian Genocide to that in Rwanda

October 5, 2015 By administrator

Montreal’s Teesri Duniya Theatre is presenting its offering directed by Liz Valdez and written by playwright Rahul Varma. The play is called State of Denial and explores a very painful and often forgotten part of the history in the 20th century, the Montreal Rampage reports.

The play links the Turkish-denied Armenian genocide of 1915 with the 1995 genocide in Rwanda, connecting them through the Canadian diaspora experience. When Odette, a Rwandan-born Canadian filmmaker, travels to Turkey to investigate stories of genocide and hidden identity, she interviews Sahana, an elderly and respected Muslim woman who has devoted her life to assisting Armenian survivors. On her deathbed, Sahana confesses a chilling secret that challenges a long-standing state of denial that Odette promises to make public at any personal cost.

In the words of the Director Liz Valdez, “This is incredibly important at a time when we all seem to be so aware and informed, and yet here are these moments in history that most people don’t know anything about. Moments that actually lead to other moments in history. The truth that I had no idea of the similarities between what happened in Turkey in 1915-18 and the holocaust. How? Why? How did we not see it happening again when Hitler came to power? And since then, happening over and over in different horrific ways and for different reasons.”

“History has been written by victors who have the power to exclude what they do not wish the public to know. So learning about history is important, but history constitutes the background – the research that goes on is about peoples’ lives. Learning what history did to people tells us more about history,” playwright Rahul Varma (founder of Teesri Duniya Theatre) said in an interview with Sinj Karan of the Montreal Rampage.

“If we had learned from the Armenian genocide, we may have prevented the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda and many other genocides,” he said.

“Today, the role of an artist is not to revisit history but to allow the public to learn important lessons from it, so horrible acts of history are not repeated. State of Denial is presented to draw attention to, and the elevation of, human misery and to create a world of diminished violence,” the playwright said.

The fictional State of Denial is derived from multiple true stories from the research project, Life Stories of Montrealers Displaced by War, Genocide and other Human Rights Violations housed at Concordia University. Varma affirms, “The stories of elsewhere are Canadian stories affecting all citizens. They go beyond biography and facts, revealing truth while instigating further inquiry. My aim is to address global issues locally.”

From Armenian Genocide To Kurdish Rebels, Turkey Is A Nation In Denial

September 10, 2015 By administrator

Anti-PKK protests in Ankara

By Worldcrunch

ISTANBUL — One of the most distinguishable qualities of Turkey’s Sunni Muslim majority is their penchant for jumping. Jumping one step forward from where they’re supposed to be, jumping one paragraph below the one they should actually read, jumping just clear of the matter they should consider or the historical issue at hand.

They can’t, for example, discuss Armenian genocide. Because it’s not possible to talk about the period when the genocide was planned and practiced. They always jump to what happened after because that is where Armenian acts of revenge can be found. They rationalize the mass organized slaughter and deportation of people from their homeland by saying, “but, but…” and talking about “Armenian gangs” and their actions. Somehow, though, there is never consideration for how and why these gangs were formed in the first place.

I start with Armenian genocide because I don’t think the handling of the Kurdish issue is isolated from that. In fact, I don’t think any issue in Turkey is isolated from that. This is our national style.

The objection, “but the PKK!,” the acronym for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, comes the second the Kurdish issue is mentioned. This is how the majority and the government rationalizes dealing with and talking about this persecuted minority. Because the PKK considers murder part of politics. The PKK kills people and does things that many supporters of equal citizenship and civil rights for Kurds find deplorable.

Denying the facts

But most of the people who blindly hold anti-Kurd views and who fail to consider why there is a militant faction of Kurds simply don’t want to accept the truth. They would have to do something about if they accepted the truth. They would have to share life in this country with the Kurds as equal citizens, an idea that disturbs them. The Sunni majority doesn’t want to lose its dominance.

What are these unacceptable truths that make them jump?

First: The truth that the Kurds are oppressed in this country. Why should they be oppressed? Why is this an unchangeable situation? The majority doesn’t have an answer. Neither does the state. “It is like that. You will be oppressed. Who will we oppress if not you?”

Second: The majority of Kurds consider the PKK the “armed organization of the Kurds.” There is a bond between them that can’t be severed by speaking about the crimes and wrongdoings of the PKK, no matter how justified the criticism. The majority and the state have burned their villages, which only further convinces these people that they should have an armed organization.

Am I going too far? Excuse me if I go back to the Armenian genocide again. Memories from that time push a threatened and oppressed people to prioritize how they can survive. Most of the surviving Armenians who managed to escape were from areas where they could arm and defend themselves.

Can the Kurds, who were siding with the oppressors back then, forget this? What do the state’s actions regarding Kobane, Tal Abyad and Carablus tell the Kurds? The message is clear: “We can have you killed for our own benefit. We can turn a blind eye to your women being kidnapped and sold as slaves. We can take your land from you.” For those who might have doubts, check to see that Qandil is being bombed again.

Turkey’s self-created monster

The Kurdish belief that they need an army is a direct consequence of actions by both the state and the Sunni majority more generally. Because too many Kurds who tried to create change through politics and not arms wound up dead or in jail.

Burning down villages and forests were important counter-guerrilla methods of the state in the 1990s. These methods alone must have gained the PKK a few thousand militants. This also caused domestic migration and created a poor and angry young generation in the cities. This message from the Turkish government was, “I can burn your village. I can burn your forests. I can kill your cattle. You will not make a peep. You will move to the ghettos of the city and become beggars, street vendors and porters.” The Kurds preferred to make a peep. Is that so strange, so unexpected?

Read the full article: From Armenian Genocide To Kurdish Rebels, Turkey Is A Nation In Denial
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Nalbandian Says Turkish Denial a ‘Sinking Ship’

April 18, 2015 By administrator

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian

YEREVAN—“Turkey finds itself more and more isolated on the sinking ship of denialism,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service (Asatutyun.am) on Tuesday while commenting on Turkey’s reaction to the European Parliament’s resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

“It has been clear for a long time that the policy of denial has no perspectives. By recalling ambassadors, by harshly criticizing those states, organizations, which pay tribute to the memory of 1.5 million innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide, and which are raising their voices against denial for prevention of new crimes against humanity, Turkish authorities find themselves more and more isolated on the sinking boat of denialism,” Nalbandian said.

“Turkey attempts to put pressures, I would say to blackmail international structures, numerous countries. But hardly they can succeed in this regard, maybe with the exception of those countries, where human rights and fundamental freedoms are not respected, where democracy is on shaky ground,” he continued.

The Armenian foreign minister also commented sardonically on Ankara’s decision not to recall its ambassadors from EU member states. “What is the meaning of recalling ambassadors? We remember very well that after each recall they were obliged to send them back. It is the Parliament representing 28 European countries that adopted a resolution yesterday. It is good that Ankara at least realized not to recall their ambassadors from 28 countries. Otherwise that would create a serious unemployment problem for Turkish Ambassadors,” he said.

“The reaction of Turkish authorities is similar to a zugzwang in a chess game, where each of the following steps further worsens a player’s position.

“As the European Parliament resolution states: ‘without truth there can be no reconciliation,’ and I would add that this includes reconciliation with the international community, as well.”