SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CYPRUS PARLIAMENT MARIOS GAROYIAN AT THE POLITICAL GATHERING IN NICOSIA-CYPRUS AT THE 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra
mp;page_id=120&path=120
Saturday 24 April 2010
Nicosia – This annual event of remembrance for the great and atrocious
crime of the Armenian Genocide and, at the same time, honouring our
ancestors who were victims of your greatest savagery of the Young Turks
in the 20th century is an act of duty and struggle as well. Because
we must keep the memory alive and not let our debt to our ancestors
unsettled nor let their sacrifice and martyrdom go unjustified.
It is with great joy and sensation that this year too I address the
event for the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Together with
you, I pay tribute to the victims of Turkish savagery. And all of us
together we ask, we demand that the international community recognises
this crime against humanity and condemns the criminal straight out
and without mincing its words.
We note with satisfaction that our issue is mobilised in many
countries. Some actions in some countries are unsatisfactory for us,
but we want to hope that the Armenian Genocide will be globally
recognised. Only then will humanity prove it has high rates of
moral and morality and does not tolerate and forgive barbaric crimes
against humanity.
On the occasion of this event, I salute with honour and respect all
Armenians of Cyprus, as well as all Armenians of the Diaspora.
At the same time, I send a message of support and solidarity to
the Republic of Armenia, which during this period Ankara, with evil
machinations and supposed friendly approaches, attempts to use in
order to present a facade of a peaceful and just state.
Unfortunately for Turkey, her responsibilities for the great crime
against the Armenians remain grave and leaden, and her guilt can not be
washed off with evil, supposedly friendly approaches towards Armenia.
At this point, I really feel the need to say one more thing: they tell
us, some from the international community, to be realistic; let us be.
They tell us not to let history guide our acts, our actions to the
future. They ask us to be flexible. Some ask us not to pay so much
attention to principles and values, but to see ahead to the prospect
and realities, quote and quote.
In fact, over the last period, Turkey, ex cathedra, is also giving
lessons of how should states behave, how should international
organisations behave, how should people behave, people that for years,
for decades, for centuries have gone through hell, both by the Young
Turks and modern Turks.
We are also told to forget, we are told to keep quiet, we are told
that oblivion can sometimes be a healer of any wounds. So we say one
thing: Turkey is the last one entitled to demand, Turkey is the last
one entitled to give lessons, Turkey is the last one entitled to speak
of peace, to speak about good neighbouring relations, to speak about
International Law, human rights and universal principles and values.
Look, at what happened to Armenia in October… What for? So that she
will have the facade, the alibi in December, to receive praises from
the international community in view of its own assessment. She says,
she supposedly signed the two protocols with Armenia. What is the
outcome? Which are the practical steps? Which are her actions towards
this direction? Whom did she convince? Whom does she convince? Only
the forgetful ones, only those who want to fool themselves.
Turkey will not make any steps. If she really wanted to make steps,
she ought to do the simplest one: to recognise her guilt, to recognise
the genocide of 1 ½ million Armenians, to recognise the things she
did in Cyprus in 1974, to recognise what she did to the Pontians,
to recognise what she did to the Kurds, to recognise what she did
in Syria, where she occupies Syrian territories, to recognise the
obvious and administer justice to a people.
How did we all find ourselves in the Diaspora? By accident? How did
these find themselves in France, in the United States, in Lebanon,
in Syria, in Cyprus, in Greece? By accident? It was the result of
Genocide, which some forget. And they try to convince us to forget
it too.
Well, we will not forget, neither the Genocide, nor the invasion,
nor the occupation in Cyprus. We have an obligation and a duty for
our dead, for our history, to give our best so that at last justice
is done in this place, in this community, in this international system.
This is our obligation.
And I finish by saying, and this is not an exaggeration or nationalism,
that as long as there is Armenian soul on this planet, justice will
come. As long as there is Greek soul on this plant, it will struggle
to restore justice for Armenians, and as long as there is a single
Armenian in this international community, the people of Cyprus must
know that the rights will be claimed.
This is the solidarity of the people of Cyprus to the Armenian people.
And this is the solidarity of the Armenian people to the people of
Cyprus. Only this way will solidarity be guaranteed. Only this way
will law be restored.
With these few words, I say one more thing. Lawlessness will not pass.
Impunity should not pass. Justice will prevail. The power of the
strong one will not pass. Justice will pass. And the Armenian people
and the Cypriot people have the right with them. Be well.