Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
29 Sep 06

TURKISH MP SLAMS DUTCH PARTIES FOR REJECTING CANDIDATES OVER GENOCIDE VIEWS

Ankara, 29 September: Canan Aritman, an MP of the main opposition
Republican People’s Party (CHP), sent letters to leaders of Dutch
political parties to condemn their decision not to accept the
candidacies of three people of Turkish descent for they reject the
so-called Armenian genocide.

In her letters to Dutch PM Jan Peter Balkenende and Labour Party
leader Michiel van Hulten [title and name as published], Aritman
qualified this decision as an anti-democratic approach.

Aritman said that such a thing cannot be allowed in any political
party which advocates democracy, and noted that this decision is a
violation of freedom of thought, and is against human rights.

Stating that this is a stroke on the democratic rights and liberties
of Turkish community and the parliamentary democracy in the
Netherlands, Aritman said that such moves will prevent Turkish
community from participating in active politics.

Aritman wished that Dutch parties will change their mind soon to
ensure a real democracy, human rights and freedoms.

Three people of Turkish origin, namely Erdinc Sacan (Social Democrat
Labour Party-PvdA), Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci (Christian Democrat
Party-CDA) were excluded from parliamentarian candidacy lists due to
the campaigns launched by the Armenian diaspora. They were running
for the early general election in the Netherlands due on 22 November.