ACTIVISTS ASK CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE PLANNED WILSON CENTER AWARD TO DAVUTOGLU

Armenian Weekly
Thu, May 20 2010

WASHINGTON-Citizens from across the United States are asking their
Members of Congress to look into the controversial decision by the
Woodrow Wilson Center to award Armenian Genocide denier, Turkey’s
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, with their public service award,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Through an ANCA Action Alert, Armenian American and other anti-genocide
activists are expressing "profound anger and disappointment" over
the Woodrow Wilson Center’s plans to travel to Turkey to bestow the
award on Davutoglu, who had recently openly threatened the United
States against speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide.

"This award dishonors President Wilson’s vision of justice for the
Armenian nation," explains the letter to Senate and House members.

"Mr. Davutoglu represents a government that, in its aggressive denial
of the Armenian Genocide and ongoing obstruction of justice for the
Armenian nation, makes a mockery of the Wilson Center and its founding
commitment to fostering scholarship commemorating ‘the ideals and
concerns of Woodrow Wilson.’"

The letter makes special mention that "Mr. Davutoglu leads a Foreign
Ministry that reflects and actively reinforces the anti-Armenian
hatreds and intolerances that fueled the Armenian Genocide in the
first place," noting that the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC hosted
a group of demonstrators who insulted and mocked Armenians gathered
on April 24th, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, to mark the murder
of 1.5 million men, women, and children, and the exile of a people
from their ancient homeland. Video from the Turkish protest can be
viewed at:

T he Woodrow Wilson Center receives one-third of its annual funding
from Congress. Senators and Representatives are being encouraged to
"formally investigate this matter and to share [their] concerns on
this deeply troubling development directly with the leadership of
the Woodrow Wilson Center."

The ANCA Action Alert can be viewed at:
id=15045776

The complete text of the letter is provided below.

***

Dear Senator / Representative:

I am writing to share with you three reasons behind my profound anger
and disappointment over the recently announced decision of the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars, a U.S. government-supported
institution, to honor the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu,
who, only weeks ago, openly threatened the United States against
speaking honestly about the Armenian Genocide.

1) This award dishonors President Wilson’s vision of justice for the
Armenian nation

Mr Davutoglu represents a government that, in its aggressive denial
of the Armenian Genocide and ongoing obstruction of justice for
the Armenian nation, makes a mockery of the Wilson Center and its
founding commitment to fostering scholarship commemorating "the ideals
and concerns of Woodrow Wilson." President Wilson, throughout his
time in public office, was a tireless champion of Armenian rights
and security. He sharply condemned the Armenian Genocide, provided
extensive relief to its survivors, and pressed, both domestically
and internationally, for a viable Wilsonian Armenia as a means of
restoring to the Armenian people their rightful place at the table
of nation’s following this horrific crime. Mr. Davutoglu, whose
government blockades the very Armenia that Woodrow Wilson sought to
protect, flagrantly and in the most offensive terms rejects our great
President’s vision of a truthful, just and lasting resolution of the
Armenian Genocide.

2) This award makes a mockery of President Wilson’s belief in free
and open inquiry

Mr. Davutolgu represents a government that aggressively suppresses free
speech and open historical inquiry, particularly on issues dealing
with the Armenian Genocide. His government, including the leaders of
his political party, continue to enforce laws, such as Article 301,
that criminalize the discussion of the Armenian Genocide and demonize
scholars, journalists and others who dare to speak honestly about
this crime against humanity. His record runs directly counter to the
Center’s policy that the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service
should be reserved for those who share Woodrow Wilson’s steadfast
belief in "the free and open exchange of ideas" and his commitment to
"examin[ing] the historical background and long-term implications
of issues confronting society." Far from supporting open inquiry,
Mr. Davutoglu has devoted his own personal energies and the resources
of his Ministry to silencing discourse within Turkey and the United
States on the Armenian Genocide, one of the most prominent human
rights issues that Woodrow Wilson himself actively pursued.

Three weeks before the award was announced, Mr. Davutoglu openly
condemned President Obama’s Administration for not doing enough to
prevent the March 4, 2010 vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution
in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Not even two months later,
Davutoglu condemned President Obama himself for making a statement
express empathy towards Armenian Americans on the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide, a statement which did not even use the
term "genocide." While Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan expressed
appreciation that President Obama’s statement considered "Turkish
sensitivities" and did not use the term genocide, Foreign Minister
Davutoglu called the statement "unacceptable" and protested that "No
nation has the right to impose its memory records on another nation."

3) This award provides an undeserved U.S. endorsement for Turkey’s
anti-Armenian policies

Mr. Davutoglu leads a Foreign Ministry that reflects and actively
reinforces the anti-Armenian hatreds and intolerances that fueled the
Armenian Genocide in the first place. On April 24th of this year, a
day of solemn remembrance for Armenians worldwide, the Turkish Embassy
in Washington, DC hosted a group of demonstrators who, as this video
link shows, had, only moments before, insulted and mocked Armenians
gathered on this day to mark the murder of 1.5 million men, women,
and children, and the exile of a people from their ancient homeland.

Please take a moment to watch this video on YouTube (which is banned
in Turkey) as you consider whether Mr. Davutoglu, whose staff hosted
the protesters celebrating genocide, is worthy of this great honor
in the name of our late President Woodrow Wilson.

E

I bring this matter to your attention because, as a Member of Congress,
you appreciate the public policy implications of the Wilson Center
receiving approximately one third of its budget from our tax dollars
and of it having been granted its location in a wing of the Ronald
Reagan Building by the Federal government. The leaders of the Center
are, of course, answerable to the American people and their elected
representatives, to act in accord with both their own official mandate,
as well as with the values and interests of the American people. In
proposing to honor Mr. Davutoglu with this award, the Center acts
counter to its own mandate, disgraces President Wilson’s proud legacy,
and diminishes the good name of the world-renowned institution named
in his sacred memory.

It is in this spirit that I call upon your office to formally
investigate this matter and to share your concerns on this deeply
troubling development directly with the leadership of the Woodrow
Wilson Center. I look forward to hearing from you regarding any action
that you take or feedback you receive on this subject of immediate
and pressing concern to my family, friends, and community.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress