Several Turkey-based organizations and individuals have issued a joint statement, calling for urgent efforts to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
They have expressed a desire to confront history, saying that they share the grief of the Armenians who survived the tragedy.
թ§Չ-ժGenocide is not just the massacres, the rivers bringing dead bodies and streets full of dismembered corpses. Genocide is not limited to those preferring to die or seeking salvation in death; it is not just the unforgivable pain of those who survived attacks, hunger, diseases and rapes. Genocide is also plunder, looting and ravage.
թ§Չ-ժIt is already 99 years that Genocide is being denied. The government and the Turkish capital were built on the looting committed during Genocide.
թ§Չ-ժDenial does not simply mean, թ§Չ-խI havenթ§Չ-Չ§t done itթ§Չ-Չ§; it implies saying, թ§Չ-խwe did it because we deserved itթ§Չ-Չ§. The historians and the թ§Չ-խrespectable writers and intellectualsթ§Չ-Չ§ preaching denial on television try to substantiate and justify what happened.
թ§Չ-ժHrant Dink [the assassinated editor of Agos] searched for and found the consequences of the genocide committed against the Armenians. A probe was conducted into the Armenian orphansթ§Չ-Չ§ fate and the Armeniansթ§Չ-Չ§ fortune, and he was killed for grasping the roots of that truth.
թ§Չ-ժSoldier Sevak Shahin Balikci was killed of a shooting on the head on an April 24 [Genocide commemoration] day. That was labeled as an unfortunate accident and went unpunished.
թ§Չ-ժGenocide continues also today.
թ§Չ-ժThat denial and the pursuit of genocide, the failure to consider the Armeniansթ§Չ-Չ§ property theirs continues today.
թ§Չ-ժWe want the survivors of Genocide, their children and grandchildren to be given a chance to return to the historical land – which has always been bright in their memories – and become citizens of Turkey. We want the nations of Anatolia and Mesopotamia to enjoy equality, fraternity and freedom.
թ§Չ-ժIt is April 24, 2014. One year is left until the Armenian Genocide centennnial. Every Anatolian and Messopotiamian resident struggling for a peaceful, unbiased, equal and free life shoulders a historical responsibility today.
թ§Չ-ժWe want to confront the history, share first of all the grief of the Armenian nation and the genocide victims, and take a step to ensure the equality of nationsթ§Չ-Չ§ freedom. We know a failure to confront the Armenian Genocide and the massacres against the Assyrians, Yezidis, Pontic Greeks and Alevis will make neither Turkey democratic nor the society more free,թ§Չ-Թ reads the statement.
The authors further urge for strong efforts to end the denial attempts, apologize to the nations that survived the heinous crime, grant them citizenship and return their property.
They also call for removing the names of genocide perpetrators from public places.
թ§Չ-ժGenocide must be recognized as a crime committed against the background of hatred,թ§Չ-Թ they say
tert.am
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