PRESS RELEASE
FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (FAON)
24 April Committee
Weesperstraat 91
NL – 2574 VS The Hague
Contact: M. Hakhverdian
Tel. 070 4490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Press Release
COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 1915-2005
Great public interest for commemoration of Armenian Genocide at the Armenian
Genocide memorial in Assen
Assen/The Hague, 24 April 2005 – By buses, train and cars from several parts
of the country more than thousand Armenians and other interested persons
attended today the commemoration ceremony of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide at the Armenian Genocide memorial in Assen. A survivor of
the Armenian Genocide, meanwhile the 92 years old lady was also present this
year in Assen.
The commemoration meeting was organised by the 24 April Committee of the
Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON). The ceremony
started with laying of wreaths and prayer of the Armenian priest at the
memorial in the cemetery De Boskamp in Assen. This memorial was erected at
the request of an Armenian inhabitant of Assen four years ago following
intensive protest of rightist Turks and procedures up to the Council of
State.
This year’s commemoration is significant for the Armenians living in Holland
by the fact that the Dutch parliament has recognised the Armenian Genocide
last year by adopting the Rouvoet motion.
After the ceremony at the memorial a commemoration meeting took place in the
auditorium with Armenian declamation and music (among others doudouk) and
with several speakers like Dutch MP Farah Karimi, professor René Diekstra,
the Armenologist professor Jos Weitenberg, representative of the Armenian
embassy Tigran Balayan and father Armen Melkonian. On behalf of the
organisation Mato Hakhverdian spoke as Chairman of the FAON, Noubar Sipan as
Chairman of the 24 April Committee, and Inge Drost as member of the 24 April
Committee. The commemoration in Assen was covered by Dutch national and
regional Radio and TV and almost all Dutch newspapers.
The speakers expressed each in his own way heavy criticism on the Turkish
denial of the Genocide. Farah Karimi indicated that at recent discussion of
the Armenian question in the Turkish parliament an ovation had taken place
at the declaration that there was no Genocide. Instead, according to Karimi,
it would have been appropriate to observe a minute of silence for the
victims of the Genocide. Professor Diekstra, prevented by circumstances to
be present personally, criticised in his text Erdogan’s call for an ‘open
debate’ on this question. Nonsense, according to Diekstra, because one
cannot debate the truth. He is supporter of the imposition of recognition of
the Armenian Genocide to Turkey, namely by putting this as a condition for
the negotiations with the EU. This is the best way, also for the
democratisation and human rights in Turkey, according to Diekstra.
The recognition of the Genocide by the Dutch Parliament does not mean that
the 24 April Committee will remain quiet. The Committee wants, in
co-operation with Dutch organisations, to do something for the information
deprivation in the Netherlands about this subject, among others by means of
lesson material. Furthermore the Committee puts: denial of the Armenian
genocide must be stopped, to start with the Netherlands. To this end the
committee will not be afraid of taking legal steps against denialists of the
Genocide.