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
Wide support at rally and demonstration for Turkish recognition of Armenian
Genocide and for a Memorial in The Hague
The Hague, 20 April 2010 – Armenians from all over the Netherlands came to
The Hague today for participating in a rally and demonstration organised by
the Joint Armenian Organisations of The Netherlands to mark the 95th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. A wide range of members of Dutch
parliament joined the rally and gave their support by expressing protest
against the policy of denial by the Turkish government. The organisations,
namely the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in
The Netherlands (FAON) and Hay Tad Netherlands, also welcomed declarations
of support by the Dutch politicians to the idea of erecting a Genocide
memorial in The Hague, the city of international law.
The rally took place amid a great public and press interest in Het Plein
Square in The Hague, in front of the Dutch Parliament. Successively Mr.
Harry van Bommel of Socialist Party (SP), Mr. Kees van der Staaij of
Reformed Party SGP, Mrs. Kathleen Ferrier of Christian Democrat Appeal
(CDA), Mr. Joël Voordewind of Christian Union (CU) and Mr. Hans ten Broeke
of Liberal Party (VVD) addressed the rally and made very clear that Turkey¹s
Armenian Genocide denial is unacceptable. Ronny Naftaniel, director of
Centre for Information and Documentation Israel (CIDI), gave full support to
the Armenians and condemned Turkish official position on the Armenian
Genocide.
The organisations¹ starting shot for a Genocide memorial in The Hague was
explicitly welcomed by him as well as by Mr. J. Voordewind, Mr. H. ten
Broeke and Mr. K. Van der Staaij. Speeches also were delivered by leaders of
24 April Committee and Hay Tad. Duduk music and Armenian songs were also
performed on the stage.
A delegation of Armenian organisations then submitted a petition to Mr. Henk
Jan Ormel (CDA) Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in
Dutch Parliament at the presence of all members of the Committee in the
Dutch Parliament. 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 Hirsch Ballin stated;
* To support or to cooperate for erection of a Genocide memorial in The
Hague, city of international law.
In an atmosphere of unanimity the participants of the demonstration marched
to the Turkish Embassy.
The 95th anniversary of Armenian Genocide will be marked in the Netherlands
by wreath laying and commemorative ceremonies in Assen and Almelo on 24
April 2010.
From: Baghdasarian