The Anatolian Times, Turkey
June 2 2006

A Resolution Submitted To British Parliament About Genocide Committed
By Belgium In Congo

ANKARA – A resolution was submitted to the British parliament for
recognition of genocide committed by Belgium in Congo.
The resolution submitted to the parliament upon initiatives of the
British-Turkish Dialogue Committee calls on Belgium to acknowledge
the massacres it committed in today’s Democratic Republic of Congo
(formerly known as Belgian Congo and Zaire) between the years of 1885
and 1908, and to apologize from Congolese people.

Members of the British-Turkish Dialogue Committee held a series of
talks with British MPs after a resolution was submitted to the
Belgian parliament with the aim of punishing individuals who deny the
so-called Armenian genocide.

They also met Andrew Dismore, one of the architects of the resolution
on Armenian claims.

Committee members told Dismore that Turkish-Armenian war tragedy was
a reciprocal tragedy, it could not be defined as a genocide, and
asked his support for a resolution about the massacres committed by
Belgium in Congo.

A detailed study was carried out on basis of the official library
records of the British parliament and Dismore submitted the
resolution to the parliament on May 24th.

A total of 13 British MPs have signed the resolution so far.
Signature of at least 50 MPs is required for the resolution for its
inclusion in the parliamentary agenda.

In 1998, Belgian parliament made a decision, recognizing the
so-called Armenian genocide and calling on Turkey to accept it.

Committee members said that Belgium did not have the right to make
such a call, and should deal with its history first.