Against the Turkish campaign “Large-Scale Project 2006 – The Lie of the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide”

To the public opinion

 

Against the Turkish campaign “Large-Scale Project 2006 – The Lie of the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide”

 

The 1915 Genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greek Christians moved to the public spotlight following the acknowledgment of some parliaments in Europe.

 

At the same time, conservative Turks began joining their forces together in order to continue denying this black chapter in Turkish history.

 

It is historically undisputed that in the years 1914 – 1918, a Genocide was committed against the Christian peoples in the area of the Turkish state. At that time 1.5 million Armenian, 500,000 Assyrians and a similarly high number of Pontic Greeks were brutally massacred.

 

In a conference discussing “The Armenian and Assyrian Genocide,” under the auspices of the former president of Turkey Demirel and ‘North Cypriot Turkish Republic’ Denktas, it was decided that a campaign would be launched under the title of “Large-Scale Project 2006 – The Lie of the Armenian and Assyrian Genocide.”

 

Diaspora Turkish organizations in Europe (in particular in Germany) have been mobilized to exert pressure on the European states. It is the goal of the Turkish state to pressure the European states to distance themselves from the Genocide issue.

 

This campaign is headed by prominent Turkish organizations in Germany. Even, allegedly democratic and/or left-wing oriented parties, like the work party, support this project.

 

The committee planned a “Talat Pasha Conference” as well as a mass demonstration honoring the person responsible during the time of the Genocide. This same Talat Pasha was shot in Berlin on 15-03-1921 by a survivor of the Genocide. A German court acquitted the Armenian author and thus confirming the occurrence of the Genocide at that time.

 

According to the directors of this committee, there is an estimated 4 million Turks in Germany and many from Turkey have even been flown to Germany to participate in the demonstration.

 

One of the demands of this committee is “the western capitals should not threaten to inflict any conditions as Paris requested, and the unfair treatment of Turkey must be stopped.”

 

Denying the Jewish Holocausts here in Germany is considered a punishable crime. However, a similar denying of the first Genocide of modern times is accepted and granted to these groups under the cover of freedom of expression and opinion.

 

We, as survivors of the Genocide, feel deeply hurt and insulted by this activity. We cannot stand by and watch our heritage and massacres being denied and hence insulting the same people whose ancestors were murdered.

 

Therefore we condemn these actions and demand:

– The public and the laws in Germany to prevent these planned actions, because they aim at a historical falsification;

 

– The Bundestag (German Parliament) and federal state parliament as well as the European parliament to condemn these actions and recognize this Genocide;

 

– The acknowledgment of the Genocide by Turkey, this in particular since it may possibly become a member of the European Union;

 

– The parties, labor (trade) unions and the human rights organizations to organize a campaign against these planned actions;

 

– The democratic Turkish organizations and personalities speak up and express themselves in opposition to these actions.

 

 

Signers:

Assyrian Democratic Organization (ADO – European Section)

Central Association of the Assyrian Organizations in Germany and European section

(ZAVD)

Assyrian Democratic Movement (German Section)

Assyrian Patriotic Party (APP)

Assyrian Liberation Party (GFA)

Shuraya Party