CEMAL PASHA’S GRANDSON CALLS ON COMMEMORATING 1915 VICTIMS
Tert.am
24.04.10
In an article titled "I share Armenian’s Pain on April 24" Famous
Turkish journalist and a columnist of the local Turkish daily Milliyet,
Hasan Cemal calls for paying tribute to those who fall victims to
the Genocide.
Hasan Cemal is the grandson of Cemal Pasha, one of the organizers of
the Armenian Genocide in 1915.
"Today is April 24. April 24, 1915 is one of the shameful pages of
the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Armenians living and creating for
centuries in Anatolia endured great anguish on the lands they lived;
they stood great pains in their own state: they were eradicated,
slaughtered and subjected to eventual extinction. Some call these pages
of history as deportation, some – as tragedy, some – Genocide, while
others call it Great Calamity. But it cannot be denied," writes Cemal.
"But today is April 24, the commemoration day of the Armenians, the
tragedy the Armenian nation suffered on these lands. Thus let’s first
share the Armenian’s grief on April 24, let’s try to feel their pain in
our hearts, let’s equally mourn with Armenians," Cemal calls on Turks.
In reference to his memoires relating to his visit to Tsitsernakaberd
in 2008, the memorial of the Armenian Genocide, Cemal writes the
following.
"In September 2008 I was in Yerevan and visited the memorial complex
of the Genocide victims. For a moment I remained alone with my dear
Hrant [Dink]. It was Hrant’s pain that brought me to the memorial …
My ears caught Hrant’s voice. ‘Let’s respect each others pain’,"
writes Cemal.
"It is high time that we share Armenian’s April 24 grief both at the
individual and the state level. Hrant, my brother, I do share that
pain, I miss you, have your rest there," concludes Further Cemal.