Armenian Lobby in Brussels on ‘Witch Hunt’

By Selcuk Gultasli
Published: Thursday 28, 2005

zaman.com

Armenians are on a “witch hunt” in Belgium that resembles the
aggravations that took place in the US during 1950s, which accused
individuals of being communists. Politicians of Turkish origin are
being targeted in Brussels over the expected approval of a bill that
considers the denial of the so-called Armenian genocide as a crime.

The Armenian lobby in Europe has turned their attempts to make Turkey
recognize the so-called Armenian genocide into a political lynch
campaign against any politicians of Turkish origin. The “Witch hunt”
against Turks began without waiting for approval of the bill regarding
the punishments for those who deny the so-called genocide. A campaign
is being conducted for political partiesto expel Turkish politicians
who “deny the so-called genocide”. These attempts have been likened to
the “witch hunt” operations in the US where many people were aggrieved
and labeled as communists during the 1950s.

However, the Belgium Senate has to approve the bill, which was been
adopted in Parliament last week, for it to become law. Although the
bill has not yet come into force, Armenians have already started to
viciously label Turkish descent politicians as “deniers” on television
and in newspapers. These politicians are Sevket Temiz, Mustafa Ozturk,
Halis Kokten, and Emir Kir. Political parties are being pressured to
expel these politicians. Previously on April24, an Armenian group
burned the Turkish flag in Brussels and announced the names of the
so-called genocide deniers who are members of Belgium political
parties.

Increasing activities by the Armenian Diaspora, have forced
politicians of Turkish origin to increase their activities as
well. The first Turkish minister in Europe to be targeted was Kir, who
was explicitly labeled as a “denier” on a primetime news broadcast
aired on the official Belgium television channel, RTBF. Parliament
last week adopted a bill that will penalize the deniers ofthe
so-called Armenian genocide with a prison sentence and a fine.

Attention has been drawn to the historians’ who were formerly dealing
with the issue in France with the Armenian Diaspora and have remained
silent over the recent events. In 1995, a Paris Court had ruled that
the famous historian Bernard Lewis to pay compensation because of an
article regarding the Armenian issue that he published in Le Monde
newspaper.

Temiz a committee member of the Schaerbeek Municipality representing
the Liberal Party in Brussels was transferred to the council for
discipline, an incident that has been discussed recently, because of
his denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. Temiz frequently
referred to as a “denier” on TV and in newspapers told Zaman that a
joint commission should immediately be formed and the issue should be
left to the Turkish and Armenian historians to debate.

Brussels

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress