April 26, 2021
Garo Paylan in the Turkish Parliament
Garo Paylan, an Armenian member of the Turkish parliament representing the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) urged the legislature to recognize the Armenian Genocide, saying that Turkey must confront its past—the Armenian Genocide.
“Orphans like my grandmother survived this massacre. Those orphans have been seeking justice for 106 years. My grandmother passed from this world without being able to see justice done,” Paylan said in a remarks on parliament floor, reported Bianet. “My father, who was from the second generation, also lost his life without seeing justice done. As a third-generation Armenian of Turkey, I’m seeking justice in Turkey, at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.”
The draft resolution introduced by Paylan calls for the recognition of the genocide, removal of the names of the perpetrators of the genocide from public places and a change in the citizenship law.
Paylan said that while parliaments of many countries in the world have recognized the expulsion of Armenians as a genocide, what really matters is the recognition by Turkey’s parliament.
“When Turkey confronts the Armenian Genocide, it won’t matter what other parliaments say. The Armenian Genocide has been a subject of other parliaments, other presidents for 106 years because it’s been denied,” said Paylan.
“We need to bring the pain of the Armenian people to the land where they belong, to this land, to Turkey. We should confront the pain of the Armenian people and relieve this pain with justice,” he concluded.