TURKISH NGOS URGE WORLD LEADER TO GO TO YEREVAN, NOT GALLIPOLI ON APR 24

February 6, 2015 – 17:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 5 Turkish NGOs urged world leaders “not to accept
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s invitation to Gallipoli on April 24
but to visit Yerevan instead for commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide,” Bianet.org reports.

Previously, President Erdogan announced that in 2015 Turkey will
commemorate the defense of Gallipoli – a ceremony usually observed
on March 18 – on April 24. He also invited the world leaders to the
northwestern province of Canakkale to join the ceremony

The associations (Human Rights Association (IHD)’s Commission Against
Racism and Discrimination, Izmir Assyrian Friendship, Culture and
Solidarity Association, Nor Zartonk, Culture
Platform and Zan Social, Political, Economic Research Foundation)
issued a statement protesting Erdogan’s invitation at IHD Headquarters
in Istanbul, Bianet reports.

“April 24 is marked worldwide as the Armenian Genocide Remembrance
Day,” IHD Vice Chairperson Meral Cıldır said in a statement.

“As the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide draws near, we, groups
and peoples that struggle against the denial of the Genocide, protest
the president’s invitation and urge the world leaders to visit the
Genocide memorial in Yerevan instead of Gallipoli in Canakkale.

Following the press statement, IHD Vice Chairperson Eren Keskin said
the following: “The mentality that founded the Republic of Turkey is
the very mentality that committed the Armenian – Assyrian Genocide
in 1915. For us, 24 April 2015 is of huge importance. We want to face
our history. We don’t want our children to be told lies. We know that
the Genocide is still not openly mentioned by many countries, but we
are asking a show a bit of conscience. The Turkish invitation mocks
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. Go to Yerevan where the
real pain is.”