Srebrenica massacre commemorated in Keciören
Saturday, July 16, 2005
ANKARA * Turkish Daily News
A park and monument commemorating the Srebrenica massacre was
dedicated in the Keciören Municipality of Ankara on Monday in a
ceremony organized by the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in
conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the killings.
The ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Algeria, Tunisia, Palestine and
Kuwait, Bosnian Chargé d’Affaires Yasmina Saraylic, Justice and
Development Party (AKP) Sakarya deputy and Turkish-Bosnian
Parliamentary Friendship Group Vice Chairman Suleyman Gunduz and
Keciören Mayor Turgut Altinok all attended the solemn ceremony held
in the Baglarbasi neighborhood of Keciören.
Mayor Altinok delivered a speech and said thousands of Bosnian
Muslims died in a war that exploded after the dissolution of the
Soviet Union. Altinok described the incidents as “genocide”
and said the entire world — especially international foundations —
had simply watched the massacre unfold. “Turkey isn’t only big
as its geography; it’s bigger than that. Turkey will help the people
there to live in safety. Our mission is to provide unity and
peace,” said the mayor.
‘One of the biggest brutalities the contemporary world has seen’:
AKP deputy Gunduz said the Srebrenica massacre was one of the
biggest brutalities the contemporary world has seen. “But ironic
as it is, nowadays we’re accused of an Armenian ‘genocide.’ This kind
of brutal, systemic and coldly calculated violence never happened in
Ottoman lands,” said the deputy.
Bosnian Chargé d’Affaires Saraylic thanked all for the respect
shown to the Bosnian people. Saraylic said Bosnian officials are
still trying to find mass graves and properly bury the victims of
massacres. “There are 30 more mass graves not yet unearthed.
This pains us, but it helps when friends like you lend us
your support. Please don’t forget the massacre for the sake of every
weeping child and mother in Bosnia,” said Saraylic. Following
the speeches a red ribbon was cut to open the park, while the
monument was unveiled with the cutting of a black ribbon.
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