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Armenians in Istanbul offer 5,000 meals to Muslims refugees during Ramadan

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Armenians in Istanbul offer 5,000 meals to Muslims during RamadanOn the occasion of Ramadan, the Foundation of the Armenian Hospital Sourp Prguitch (Saint Sauveur) in Istanbul offered a dinner to 5,000 Muslims from the Zeytinbournou region. According to the Turkish site Iskurnet at the dinner hosted by the Sourp Prguitch Hospital fund, Muslim refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan took advantage of this gesture from the Armenians in Istanbul. At this dinner the guests listened to music. Mourad Aydin, the mayor of Zeytinbouroun was present at the demonstration.

Krikor Amirzayan

Armenian school marks 150th anniversary in Istanbul

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Armenians in Istanbul have celebrated the 150th anniversary of Kalafyan School, the cradle of national identity and culture, Agos reports.  
Students in national costumes performed ethnic songs and dances at the ceremony which featured also a video reel telling about the school’s foundation and history.
“Today, Kalafyan is the only school which, apart from Istanbul-Armenian students, admits also children from different corners of Western Armenia as a boarding school. For them, Kalafyan it is the source of revealing their Armenian identity, culture and language,” said Diana Kamparosian, the chairperson of the school’s orphanage foundation.
Founded in 1887, the school initially pursued a mission to educate and give safe haven to orphans.

Istanbul: ‘Recognize, Apologize, Compensate,” Say Turks During Istanbul Commemoration

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During a commemoration event in Istanbul Monday, participants called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide and apologize and make compensations for the crime.

ISTANBUL—During an event on Monday to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum located in Sultanahmet district organized by Human Rights Association Commission against Racism and Discrimination, participants called on Turkey to recognize the Genocide and apologize and make compensations for the crime.

Organized by “April 24 Commemoration Platform,” the commemoration event was held with a poster reading “Armenian Genocide, recognize, apologize, compensate,” while participants carried carnations and photographs of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Istanbul-based Agos newspaper.

A group chanting “We are the soliders of Mustafa Kemal” and “We are the soldiers of Erdoğan,” attempted to interrupt the event but was prevented from provoking participats.

“We are trying to fight against the inherent hatred and vengeance of the state. We are talking about an annihilation that is going on for 102 years,” said Benjamin Abtan, Head of European Grassroots Antiracist Movement, during whose remarks the group attempted the interruption.

Abtan said that commemorating the victims of genocide is to defend democracy. “Fighting against denial of genocide and genocide itself are not peculiar to Turkey. That is why we, non-Armenians, are a part of this struggle.”

Following Abtan’s speech, Meral Cıldır, member of Human Rights Association Commission against Racism and Discrimination, read a written statement on behalf of April 24 Commemoration Platform, which also mentioned the Ottoman Turkish massacres of Syriacs and Pontus Greeks.

Below is the text of the statement:

“Today is April 24. The symbolic beginning of Armenian Genocide. We have to remind that Syriac people had been subjected to genocide in Asia Minor between 1914 and 1923, and Pontus Greeks were subjected to genocide both by Ottoman state and Kemalist movement.

Rule of darkness trivializes even the most horrific evils. It makes criminal actions and situations ordinary. People get used to the injustices to which they have to resist and they experience them as a part of daily life.

Talat Pasha planned Armenian Genocide with a cold-blooded precision; he executed the plan, followed its course and meticulously recorded its results. Today, Talat Pasha and Enver Pasha are buried in mausoleum. They are honored with the place that is given to them in Monument of Liberty.

We invite all people who object against genocide denial to protest the naming of schools after Talat Pasha and his grave in the Monument of Liberty. Anatolia is a land of genocide. Turkey is a land of genocide denial. Today, the mentality of genocide and denial still prevails.”

A second event, a silent vigil commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide, took place in Taksim Square and was attended by the Armenian member of the Turkish Parliament Garo Paylan and the parents of Sevag Balıkcı’s an Armenian soldier who was killed on April 24, 2011 in his barracks.

The event, which was organized by the Commemoration of Armenian Genocide Victims Committee, issued a statement, which was read by one of the group’s members Murat Celikkan.

Below is the statement, which did not use the word genocide but called on Turkish authorities to apologize for the crime and referenced Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan “condolence” message to “Ottoman Armenians.”

“We expect an apology, instead of condolence messages talking about the suffering of both sides. It’s been 102 years; don’t wait for 103rd year. Apologize!”

“While a people was annihilated with its entire culture, culture of coexistence was damaged fatally. Anatolia became barren without its cultures and peoples, making all of us, all people who lived in Anatolia for generations alone. This barrenness that influenced, surrounded and sickened all generations can only be ended with confrontation.”

Saying that “In fact, barrenness and loneliness is not the only problem,” Celikkan added: “Confronting the events of 1915 would contribute to adoption of the essence of democracy as the norm.”

The pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), of which Paylan is a member, also issued an announcement on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Istanbul police hamper Armenian Genocide march

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The police in Istanbul hampered Armenian Genocide commemoration events after members of the opposition People’s Democratic Party started a peaceful march from their headquarters in the city’s Şişli district.
Held under the slogan Confront the Genocide, the event was joined also by Armenian youth association Nor Zartonk (new awakening).
Speaking to reporters at the protest site, a spokesperson for the organization, Norayr Olgar called for the different ethnic groups in Turkey must to eventually come to terms with their past to make future peace possible.
Melis Tatan, the head of the party’s district headquarters, said he sees Turkey still continuing its genocidal policies.
“They continue committing genocide by naming the schools and streets here after Talaat [Pasha] and Armenian-populated districts – after Turkish villains. The Genocide  continued also with the covering up of the murders of Hrant Dink, Sevak Balikci and Marisa Kucuk,” he said.

Turkey: Protests have been staged in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Antalya & Eskişehir.while #Trump Congratulate #Erdogan

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People protesting referendum result

Protests have been staged in Istanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Antalya and Eskişehir.

People claiming that there had been irregularities in the referendum staged protested in different cities of Turkey.

In Kadıköy district of Istanbul, people carrying posters that read “No, we will win” marched to the office of Supreme Board of Election of Turkey.

People shouted slogans like, “We are calling SBE to account”, “No to one-man regime, dependent judiciary, party-state and presidential system”.

Police intervention and detention in Antalya and İzmir

Police attacked the people protesting in Antalya and İzmir, and some protesters are detained.

In Ankara, students of Middle East Technical University marched. They shouted, “No, it is not over, we have just started”, “We won’t surrender to the dictator”. People also staged protests in different districts of Ankara, objecting the last minute decision of SBE.

In Eskişehir, university students staged protests.

Play featuring Armenian Genocide survivors goes on stage in Istanbul

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Istanbul’s Muhsin Ertugrul theatre has staged a peformance telling the story of Armenian Genocide survivors.
The Grief, written by Salih Elfioglu, Director of the Istanbul City Theatres’ Association, features a family whose members narrowly escaped the big horror to face tragedy and plights in other countries abroad.
But emigration was not the only trouble of the heroes who headed to Istanbul from Western Armenia to later settle in Paris. The journey into uncertainty begins in 2013, with the nostalgia for homeland haunting the family all the time, and the wars and political tensions in Europe keeping them in a state of permanent anxiety.

The performance will run through April 22.

Istanbul: Application pending, waiting for the referendum

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(Agos) General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan said, “The President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election. Thus, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.”

Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital Foundation Chair Bedros Şirinoğlu, after he came together with President Erdoğan, stated that “Erdoğan will deal with the patriarchal election after the referendum.” This statement caused an uncertainty concerning the election. Recently, General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan said, “The President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election. Thus, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.”

On October 26, 2016, the Clerical Assembly decided to hold an election, and after that, General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan and Head of the Clerical Assembly Bishop Sahak Maşalyan wrote a letter to send to the governor’s office. In order to deliver it to Governor Vasip Şahin directly, the governor’s office was expected to set a meeting. For about 2 months, the governor’s office hadn’t taken any step and on January 6, Archbishop Aram Ateşyan said that they will deliver the letter to the governor’s office, if they don’t set a meeting. After these developments, Surp Pırgiç Armenian Hospital Foundation Chair Bedros Şirinoğlu came together with Erdoğan on January 18. Erdoğan stated that he will deal with the election after the referendum, causing an uncertainty concerning the application that will be made to the governor’s office. General Vicar of Patriarch Aram Ateşyan stated that they won’t make an application to the governor’s office. Speaking to Agos, Archbishop Ateşyan said: “Bedros Şirinoğlu talked about this problem during his meeting with President Erdoğan. Since the President knows about the problem concerning the patriarchal election, we won’t apply to the governor’s office.” Thus, the process of election is interrupted and postponed to be dealt with after the referendum.  

Istanbul is a place of collective amnesia, says Turkish author of Genocide novel

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Elif-shafakIn an interview with The Guardian, Turkish writer Elif Shafak, has addressed her novel The Bastard of Istanbul, which shines light on the history of the Armenian Genocide.
The author shared thoughts about the difficulties she faced in the Turkish society after writing the book.
“Istanbul is a place of collective amnesia. Our history is full of ruptures and every new establishment that comes to power starts by erasing the legacy of the previous establishment. I write about minorities and wanted to address the unspeakable tragedies of the past, to talk about the Armenian genocide, share the grief, try to build bridges.

 

“The novel was widely read in Turkey but I was attacked by the nationalist media and put on trial under article 301, which is supposed to protect Turkishness against insults. This article is so vague, no one knows what it means. The trial took over a year. There were groups on the streets burning EU flags and spitting at my pictures. I was acquitted but it was a turbulent time. I had to live with a bodyguard, which was surreal. What made it still more surreal was that, for the first time in Turkey, a work of fiction was tried. My Turkish lawyer had to defend my fictional Armenian characters in the courtroom,” she said.

Armenian Genocide documentary to premiere in Istanbul on February 9

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Armenian-Genocide-documentary-premiere-Istanbul Armenian Genocide documentary “The Children of Vank” will premiere at Istanbul’s Beyoglu Cinema on February 9, Ermenihaber.am reports.

The documentary is a story about Armenian family that survived the Dersim Massacre in 1938. All members of the family were driven away and lived in different cultures and beliefs.

Zeynep is a schoolteacher who lives in Izmir. In 2000s, she accidentally learns that her mother is an Armenian woman born in Dersim (Tunceli). Following the 1938 Massacre, she was given out for adoption and her name was changed to Fatma Kiremitci from AslihanKiremitciyan, her ethnic identity and belief changed to Turkish and Sunni.

She organizes a reunion with some of her mother’s relatives in the village that her mother lived. She traces the stories of her mother and tries to feel and appreciate what she lived in her childhood. Zeynep learns more about the village named Vank and its monastery.

The documentary was screened in Yerevan as part of the Golden Apricot Film Festival in 2016.

Istanbul: 10 years without Hrant Dink 2007-2017

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Today marks the 10th anniversary since the assassination of Hrant Dink, the founding editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.
Tens of thousands in Istanbul will head to the editorial office today to commemorate the slain journalist and intellectual who is firmly believed to have fallen victim to his outspoken criticism of the Turkish authorities, their discriminatory policies towards ethnic minorities and denial of the Armenian Genocide.
“There are Turks who don’t admit that their ancestors committed genocide. If you look at it though, they seem to be nice people… So why don’t they admit it? Because they think that genocide is a bad thing which they would never want to commit, and because they can’t believe their ancestors would do such a thing either,” he said.
Dink was gunned down in broad daylight outside his office on January 19, 2007.

“10 Years without Dink” is the slogan of this year’s commemoration events.
Ten years ago today, people headed to the site “to eternalize Dink” (as his wife, Rachel, would say). And they did it. But he was alone before – both in his article “Lyrical Solitude” and the in front of Turkish nationalists in court – where only two or three friends would attend the hearings to offer their support to Dink. But Hrant’s bright presence later filled the hearts of millions of people who re-found and reshaped, and reproduced themselves and their own lives and relationships, as well as their own past.
“I had Armenian roots before Hrant[’s assassination]; now I am an Armenian,” says Selin, a character depicted in Turkish writer Leila Niazi’s novel “Talking to Each Other”.
Hrant, a son of Armenians from Sebastia (currently Sivas), was born on September 15, 1954 in the Western Armenian province of Malatia. In 1960, the six-year old boy migrated to Istanbul with two younger brothers; without a home to live, the three spend one cold winter day outside the Armenian Patriarchate then.