Zaman, Turkey
Oct 19 2006
Turks to File over 6,000 ‘Genocide’ Lawsuits
By Adem Yilmaz, Anadolu News Agency (aa), Cihan News Agency,
Gaziantep
Thursday, October 19, 2006
zaman.com
Sevret Saltan, president of the Turkish National Power Veterans
Association said they would open lawsuits for each of the 6,317 Turks
martyred by the French and Armenians while defending their hometown
of Antep, a southeastern Turkish city which was occupied by France
during World War I.
Saltan visited current Gaziantep Mayor Asim Guzelbey.
During their visit, Saltan announced their intention to pursue a
legal course of action, adding, "Our aim is to prove that Armenians,
in cooperation with the French forces, perpetrated genocide in
Gaziantep."
Saltan remarked that they would not remain silent when faced with the
notorious French bill and said that they were ready to provide all
the documents supporting the atrocities perpetrated against innocent
civilians during the occupation of Gaziantep by France.
Saltan said that they were going to open compensation lawsuits on
behalf of the 6,317 massacred people and defend the violated rights
of their ancestors in the international arena.
Saltan further noted that they spoke to Aziz Canatar, president of
the Gaziantep Bar Association, and asked the association for
assistance.
"The Gaziantep Bar Association is going to help us and will conduct
the required research. We will call those accusing us of genocide to
account for what they did in Gaziantep."
Emphasizing the documents in their possession concerning the mass
killings of Turks by French forces, Saltan remarked "If we win the
lawsuit, we will build a great monument for the martyrs of
Gaziantep."
Saltan also said they discovered that 93 women were martyred in
either their homes or in the street in addition to male victims.
Noting that 36 out of 93 women were martyred in their homes, he
stated that their intention was to gather all the documents and
information together in one place.
Gaziantep Bar President, Aziz Canatar said they would submit Servet
Saltan’s demand to the Turkish Bar Association, and confirmed that
they were willing to take action on behalf of Turkey at the European
Court of Human Rights after accumulating all the evidence and
documents available