Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON)
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31704490209
Website:
and
Hay Tad Netherlands
The Hague, The Netherlands
Website:
Contact: M. Hakhverdian and M. Arseenian
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Tel. +31624272574 or +31652501463
PRESS RELEASE
Armenians holding rally and demonstration for
Turkish recognition of Armenian genocide
and for a memorial in The Hague
Submission of petition to Dutch Parliament
The Hague, 19 April 2010 – On 20 April 2010 the Joint Armenian Organisations
of The Netherlands are holding a rally and demonstration in The Hague to
mark the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. They protest against the
policy of the Turkish government, that after 95 years still denies not only
the Armenian Genocide but also the facts as they occurred. The
organisations, namely the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian
Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON) and Dutch Armenian Committee for
Justice and Democracy (Hay Tad Netherlands), also will give the starting
shot for their efforts for a memorial in The Hague, the city of
international law.
Besides the demonstration on 20 April 2010, the 95th anniversary events in
the Netherlands include wreath laying and commemorative ceremonies in Assen
and in Almelo. Armenians worldwide commemorate on 24 April the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire, in which 1.5 million
Armenians lost their lives with many victims also among other Christian
minorities.
The demonstration on 20 April will start at 12:45 p.m. in Het Plein in The
Hague, where several Members of Dutch Parliament from different factions,
like Harry van Bommel, Kees van der Staaij, Kathleen Ferrier, Joël
Voordewind, will address the rally. Also Ronny Naftaniel, director of CIDI
(Centre for Information and Documentation Israel), who has already sharply
condemned the denial of the Armenian Genocide, will deliver a speech.
A petition will be submitted to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the Dutch Parliament at 1:45 p.m. The petition request includes:
* Increased alertness and action on the Turkish Genocide denial in line with
motion of Mr. Rouvoet from 2004 and sharp condemnation of this attitude at
every opportunity;
* More and overt support to those in Turkey and elsewhere who promote an
open discussion on the Armenian Genocide;
* To promote the effective prosecution of the Armenian Genocide denial in
the Netherlands, which is punishable as Minister Hirch Ballin stated;
* To support or to cooperate for building a Genocide memorial in The Hague,
city of international law.