BELGIUM PRESENTS AN APRIL 24 GIFT TO ARMENIAN LOBBY
Selcuk GultaÞli Brussels

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
April 26 2007

The Belgian government has sacked the coordinator of the Belgian
Association of Ataturk Thought (BADD) for organizing a conference on
the Armenian "genocide."

Belgium officially notified BADD that Pierre Bastin, the coordinator
of the conference, had been fired on April 24, a day Armenians use
to commemorate the alleged genocide. BADD Chairman Ýsmail Sonmez said
Belgium had presented a gift to the Armenian lobby on that day.

BADD, together with other Turkish associations in Belgium, organized
a conference on the Armenian question and invited Professor Yusuf
Halacoðlu as the keynote speaker. Following an initial report by a
journalist of Turkish origin, a fierce campaign was launched against
BADD in the Belgian press, with several TV stations claiming that
state funds were used for "genocide denial propaganda." Following
the campaign, the Ministry of Labor initiated an investigation, after
which not only was the coordinator sacked but also the office of the
coordinator was abolished.

During a press conference yesterday in Belgium, Sonmez lambasted
the Belgian government decision as a brazen attack on freedom of
expression. Sonmez accused parliaments that had adopted "Armenian
genocide" resolutions of attempting to replace the judiciary and
of challenging the principle of separation of powers. In a written
statement, BADD said that as terrorists were sheltered and given the
freedom to express their opinions in Belgium, the attempt to silence
BADD clearly indicated a double standard.

In a stunning move, Belgium last week released terror suspects, members
of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front (DHKP/C). BADD has
also stated that it will file a complaint and pursue a judicial remedy.

–Boundary_(ID_alxv89jFibXSC0w54XfMTQ)–