TURKS IN GERMANY, FRANCE PROTEST ARMENIAN CLAIMS
Journal of Turkish Weekly
March 20 2006
Some 5,000 Turks rallied under the slogan “Take your flag and come
to Berlin” over the weekend in Berlin to urge the German Parliament
to reverse its decision to acknowledge Armenian genocide claims.
The Talat Pasha movement, responsible for the rally, was initiated by
Workers’ Party (IP) leader Dogu Perincek and former Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Rauf Denktas. Many representatives
from Turkish political parties and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) participated.
The participants in the rally marched from Berlin’s An der Urania
Street to Ernst Reuter Square chanting “Long live Turkish-German
friendship,” “We didn’t commit genocide, we defended the country,” and
“The genocide lie is a U.S. game.” While they carried signs showing
photos of Turkish diplomats killed by Armenian terrorists, they also
called on the German Parliament to denounce the genocide claims.
During the rally, the crowd stopped at Steinplatz where Talat Pasha
was assassinated in 1921 and sang the Turkish national anthem.
Delivering a speech to the crowd, Perincek said, “Nobody can bring
us to our knees by accusing our nation of massacre.” He also lashed
out at the decision of the German Parliament making Turks out to be
“butchers,” saying, “The German Parliament has stabbed Turkish-German
friendship in the back with this decision.” He also urged the
Parliament to annul the earlier recognition.
Stressing that an erroneous decision by Germany should not be included
in German textbooks, Perincek said, “Don’t put hatred and antagonism
in textbooks. Don’t make Turks and Germans enemies.”
Perincek also lambasted German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s undertakings
to ban the rally, saying, “Merkel should speak in German, not in
American.” The IP leader also claimed that the Armenian genocide
claims serve the U.S.’ Greater Middle East Initiative (GME), adding
that the recognition of the claims is not for the benefit of Germany.
At the head of the rally, Denktas laid flowers where Talat Pasha
was assassinated. Sunday, a general assembly to commemorate Talat
Pasha was held in Berlin. Last year, the same group held another
demonstration to mark the 82nd anniversary of the Treaty of Lausanne.
During that rally, Perincek lashed out at a decision by Switzerland
to punish those who deny the Armenian genocide claims, saying,
“The Armenian ‘genocide’ is an international lie,” after which the
prosecutor from Winterthur opened an investigation into Perincek
and the incident turned into a diplomatic crisis between Turkey
and Switzerland.
Turks in Lyon protest inauguration of Armenian monument
Turkish associations in Lyon, France organized a rally over the
weekend to protest the Lyon Municipality’s decision to dedicate a
monument commemorating the so-called Armenian genocide.
The rally began at Place Bellcour with the members of various Turkish
associations participating while carrying Turkish and French flags.
Some 1,500 Turks participated in the rally and chanted slogans
against the inauguration of the monument. The rally ended at the Lyon
Municipality Building, where protestors laid a black wreath at the
front door.
French police used teargas to disperse a number of Armenians who were
trying to provoke protesters as a means of preventing a dangerous
escalation of tension between Turks and Armenians.
The Lyon Municipality made its decision in 2004 to dedicate a monument
to commemorating the alleged Armenian genocide. They also decided
to make a 45,000 euro contribution towards the total cost of 130,000
euros for the monument and ceremony.
Certain French NGOs together with UNESCO opened a lawsuit against
the construction of the monument, claiming that it will violate the
district’s aesthetics. Some 150,000 Armenians live in Lyon.
In 2001, the French Parliament recognized the Armenian genocide claims,
a move which created a diplomatic row between Ankara and Paris.