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23 April 2008

Armenians: More pressure on Turkey

Political Editor

THE HAGUE - The Netherlands should give more support to those who want an open discussion on the Armenian Genocide in and outside of Turkey.

The Netherlands should also more strongly emphasise the necessity of Genocide recognition in the process of the negotiations for accession of Turkey to the European Union.

This is written in a petition that the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) offered Tuesday to the Dutch parliament. Tomorrow it will be the 93rd anniversary of the deportation and annihilation of about 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. Turkey still refuses to recognise the massacres as genocide.

The Dutch parliament indeed recognised the Genocide by adopting the motion submitted by Mr. A. Rouvoet in 2004. The government however should work out more seriously the conditions drawn up in the motion, according to the Armenians. For example the government should keep harking on the issue of human rights within the framework of the accession negotiations to European Union.

The Armenians rectified on Tuesday the misconception, that the recognition of the black past would not be part of the conditions for the accession of Turkey to the European Union. That is in fact one of the conditions, they emphasised. Minister Bot has in the past pointed out in the parliament that the recognition of the Genocide is implied in the condition of the so-called “good neighbourhood”.

In addition to the petition the FAON also handed over to the Parliament the Dutch translation of the book “The First Holocaust” by the journalist Robert Fisk, in which the correspondent of the British newspaper The Independent draws attention to the Genocide of the Armenians.

Press Release

Submission of petition and the book “The first Holocaust” by Robert Fisk to Dutch Parliament

Commemoration of 93rd anniversary of Armenian Genocide in Holland

The 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON) will hand over a Dutch translation of the book “The First Holocaust” by Robert Fisk on Armenian Genocide to the Permanent Commissions of European Affairs and Foreign Affairs of the Dutch Parliament. The copy of Fisk’s book is specially signed by the autor to present to Dutch Parliament together with a petion. A delegation of FAON met Robert Fisk last Friday 18 April 2008 in Rotterdam.

24 April Committee of FAON will submit a petition together with the Fisk’s book to the Dutch Parliamentary Commisions regarding lack of progress in Turkey on such issues as the human rights, freedom of expression and rights of minorities, as well as continuation of persecution of Armenians and other Turkish citizens on the basis of Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code. It is also noted that there is no progress in recognising the past, particularly the Armenian Genocide, by Turkey.

The submission of the petition to the Dutch Parliament will take place on Tuesday, 22 April 2008 at 1:15 p.m. in Dutch parliament building.

Commemoration of the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 organised by the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands (FAON) will take place at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Assen, The Netherlands on Thursday 24 April 2008 at 1 p.m. The Armenian Genocide Memorial is located at the Cemetery "De Boskamp" in Assen, Boskamp 5 - Assen, The Netherlands.

The programme of commemoration includes laying of wreaths at the Armenian Genocide Memorial, Commemorative Ceremony followed by a meeting in the auditorium of the cemetery 'De Boskamp' with artistic performances and speeches by Mrs. E. Wiegman, Dutch MP of Christian Union Faction, Prof. Dr. J. Weitenberg, Armenologist at the Leiden University, and Mr. A. Manoukian, the consul of Republic of Armenia in the Netherlands.

Recommending Committee: Prof B. Bichakjian - Prof. French language and culture, University of Nijmegen, Drs. H. van Bommel - Dutch MP, Prof. Dr. W. J. van der Dussen - Prof. Culture history and Philosophy at Open University Netherlands, Mr. L. C. van Dijke - Public affairs VolkerWessels; Former Dutch MP, Mrs. Drs. K.G. Ferrier - Dutch MP, Mr. Freek de Jonge - Dutch Comedian, Mr. Seth Gaaikema - Dutch Comedian, Mrs. Drs. F. Karimi – Former Dutch MP, Dr. Th. M. van Lint - Calouste Gulbenkian Professor of Armenian Studies, University of Oxford, Mr. A. Rouvoet - Dutch Minister of Youth and Family, Drs. Paul Scheffer - Particular Professor of metropolitan problems, University of Amsterdam, publicist, Mr. C. van der Staaij - Dutch MP, Drs. E. van Thijn - Dutch senator, former Mayor of Amsterdam, Prof. Dr. J.J.S. Weitenberg - Professor Armenology, University of Leiden.

PRESS RELEASE

The Netherlands: more critical on the issue of Turkey than European Commission

Minister Verhagen: A country wishing to join the EU should have faced its history

The Hague 6 December 2007. The Dutch parliament agrees with Foreign Minister Verhagen and Secretary of State for European Affairs Timmermans who have taken a more critical position than the European Commission on the issue of progress of reforms in Turkey. This can be stated as the outcome of the debate today, where among others the EC Turkey 2007 Progress Report was on the agenda in preparation of the EU Top on 14 December. The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) had previously sent a letter to the parliament, reporting on several issues such as Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code, freedom of religion, rights of minorities, and blatant denial of the Armenian genocide by the Turkish authorities.

In a letter to the parliament, the Dutch government subscribed to the critical remarks of the European Commission, but on a number of points they chose a stricter position than the Commission. According to the Netherlands more emphasis should be put on the juridical system; moreover, the Netherlands has a less positive opinion on freedom of religion, pointing to the ongoing threats towards members of religious minorities. These obstacles should be lifted "as soon as possible."

There have been more persecutions this year, among others because of the Armenian issue. Therefore, on freedom of speech, the Commission states that Article 301 and others should be put in line with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Netherlands demands the modification of the Penal Code to be "on a short term," thus going further than the Commission.

Several political parties referred to the recent research under Turkish magistrates who have put the state's interest above individual human rights and of whom only 16% is in favour of scrapping Article 301. .

Several parties raised the Armenian Genocide, mostly in connection with the lack of freedom to discuss it in Turkey. Most prominently, it was the Christian Union faction that expressed its opinion on this. The spokesperson of the Christian Union, Mrs Wiegmans, called the denial of the Armenian Genocide one of the key problems in Turkey. One cannot be certain of one's life when one speaks about it, especially for aTurkish citizen of Armenian origine. She said that it is a disgrace for the European Union to continue negotiations under these circumstances. Is the motion of Rouvoet of 2004, which asks to continuously and explicitly address the recognition of the Armenian Genocide within the negotiation process with Turkey, still being carried out? Her signal is that the continuous denial of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey should have consequences for the negotiations. She also referred to the signal her party gave by initiating a law to penalise genocide denial.

In response, Minister Verhagen indicated that the shortcomings of Turkey in the field of the political criteria are severe, not only for Turkey itself, but also for the public support for Turkey within Europe. The Minister as well as the Secretary of State stressed that reforms and negotiations will take a very long process of which the outcome, different from before, is not certain in advance. The Netherlands and Europe will stick to agreements made with Turkey and Turkey should do the same. Within this context the minister indicated that no new criteria can be added, by which he meant the remarks made by the Christian Union on the Armenian Genocide. What is relevant for the negotiations is whether the issue of the Armenian Genocide can be raised in Turkey or not, but the recognition of it is not one of the preconditions in the process. It should however be the case, at least according to the Minister, that if a country wants to join the EU, it should face its history.

Secretary of State Timmermans mentioned in his speech that the "Kemalist view of the world" in Turkey should be abandoned in order for Turkey to become a democratic constitutional state.

PRESS RELEASE

Dutch Parliament: Written Questions on Conviction of Arat Dink

This week Dutch MP Henk Jan Ormel of Christian Democratic Party (CDA) submitted written questions to the Dutch Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans (Labour Party, PvdA), about recent conviction of Arat Dink, the son of assassinated Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, according to Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code, for offending Turkish identity. Mr. Ormel asks whether the Secretary of State can explain why the Turkish govenrment refuses to amend said Article.

Former Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ben Bot, has reassured the Dutch parliament on several occasions in the past that the Article 301 was to be amended in short term. Then he referred to personal promises made to him by former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, now president Gul, as well as
by the Turkish ambassador in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, these promises have been never kept.

Mr. Ormel also asks if the Secretary of State expects that the Turkish parliament will be urged to make the amendment of the Article 301. Finally, Mr. Ormel wants to know if Mr. Timmermans is going to urge Turkey again, in the EU context, to amend Article 301.

Press Release

April 22 2007

Minister Oskanian to Speak in Brussels on April 25

On April 25, in Brussels, “A Commemorative Evening” will be held under the auspices of the Armenian Ambassador to the European institutions, Viguen Tchitechian. The program will take place at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, at 8 pm.

Francois Roelants du Vivier, President of the Belgian Senate's Commission on Foreign Relations and Defence, will present opening remarks.

Violinist Sergey Khachatrian, Winner of the Queen Elisabeth 2005 Music Competition will highlight the program. He will be accompanied by Lusine Khachatrian on piano.

The evening¹s message will be delivered by Armenia¹s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vartan Oskanian, whose talk is entitled, “Remembering a Past and Forging a Future.” He will travel to Brussels after participating in the traditional April 24 commemoration in Yerevan.

Press Release

The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) today has urgently requested the Dutch government to not agree in Brussels with a directive criminalising denial and trivialising of the genocide. According to the reports the formulation would be chosen in such a way to exclude the Armenian Genocide from these provisions.

The FAON asks an urgent consultation and requests meanwhile to not take irreversible steps such as the approval of the European directives, if they would imply such an exclusion.

The FAON finds it absurd and unacceptable, that exactly this first great Genocide of the 20th century, which is systematically denied by Turkey in line with the Turkish denialist policy, would be excluded.

Such a distinction between historical events would mean a flagrante inequality and would be a big and unacceptable contempt towards the destiny of the Armenianrs by Europe. Still more than that, it shows Europe on its knees before the aggressive denialist practices of Turkey and the umpteenth success by Turkey in Europe for that denialist policy.

ANP (Dutch News Agency)
15 March 2007

Albayrak may be charged for offending Turkey

The Hague (ANP) – Turkish lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz threatens to submit charges against Nebahat Albayrak, Secretary of State of the Justice Ministry. He warns the Secretary of State that she may not offend her native country. According to the nationalist lawyer best thing to do for Albayrak is to hand in her Turkish passport, because she is a member of a government that condemns the Armenian Genocide. Kerincsiz said so in the Dutch news programme “Een Vandaag”. The threat of a charge coincides with the discussion in the Netherlands about the double nationality issue.

Nationality
Beside Dutch nationality Secretary of State Albayrak has also a Turkish passport. In a response through her spokesman she said she will wait and see if she will be really charged.

In the past Kerincsiz has already started actions against Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk and ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was assassinated last January. In the case of Dink the charge led to a condemnation, while the Istanbul court cancelled the case against Pamuk under international pressure.

Article
The lawyer calls upon the controversial article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code, which makes insult of the Turkish identity punishable. Albayrak being a member of Dutch Parliament in 2004 supported a motion, in which is called to recognise the Armenian Genocide. That request was passed unanimously and was also taken over by the Dutch government.

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch daily)
10 March 2007

Genocide-lawsuit: A Turk convicted of Genocide denial

Geneva 10 March. A Swiss court convicted a Turkish politician to a suspended penalty of 90 days and ordered him to pay a fine of 3000 Swiss Franc, because he denied the Turkish Genocide of the Armenians - which is a crime in Switzerland. It is the first time that in Switzerland someone has been punished for that offence. The convicted person is Dogu Perincek, leader of the left-nationalist Turkish Workers' Party, who in a speech in 2005 in Lausanne called the genocide "an international lie" . The judge called Perincek an "arrogant instigator" an "a racist". The maximum he could have been sentenced to was 3 years imprisonment (Reuters).

Turkish government censored Istanbul Catalogue

Amsterdam (ANP) – The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism
rejected articles by Dutch Osmanists written for the catalogue
of the exhibition "Istanbul, the City and the Sultan" in
"The Nieuwe Kerk" in Amsterdam.
As the authers could not come to an agreement about the
texts, a number of their contributions have not been published. A
spokesman of the Nieuwe Kerk confirmed this on Monday.
Magazine "Zemzem", about the Middle East, Northern Africa and the
Islam, in its thematic edition "The Osman heritage" publishes about
this interference of the Turkish government.A contribution for
instance by Leyden Osmanist Jan Schmidt, could not meet with approval.
According to what he says he had written about the foundation of
Istanbul by Greek colonists, the fact that there are Kurds living in
Istanbul, the fact that Europeans in the past sometimes spoke about
Osmans in a negative way, and that among Osmans homosexuality also
existed. Schmidt states that one contribution had been totally
rejected. This contribution included a extract about the Armenian
genocide. The Osmanist then withdrew his text because he refused to
agree with the proposed changes.
The spokesman of The Nieuwe Kerk stated that indeed the views of the
Dutch authers and those of Turkish side did not correspond. "Sometimes
you can only come to the conclusion: we cannot solve the problem"
According to him this is rather unusual for the process of composition
of a catalogue.

Press Release

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian in The Netherlands

>From 29 to 31 January 2007 the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Vardan Oskanian will visit The Netherlands.

During his working visit Mr. Oskanian will meet the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands Mr. Ben Bot. He will also have a meeting in Dutch Parliament with the members of the Permanent Commission for Foreign Affairs of the Parliament.

In the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael in The Hague Mr. Oskanian will deliver a speech entitled "Diplomacy of Small States". In his lecture, Mr. Oskanian will address the developments in Armenia, both political as well as on a socio-economic level, in relation to the European Union and within the context of the region.

On Tuesday 30 January Mr. Oskanian will participate in the signature of the cooperation agreement between the Rotterdam International Film Festival and the Yerevan International Film Festival Golden Apricot.

Mr. Oskanian will also meet the representatives of the Armenian community of the Netherlands.

Press Release

Demonstration in The Hague for Hrant Dink

Armenians, Turks, Kurds, Arameans for the first time together in a demonstration; large interest of politics and press; Turkish embassy refuses to receive declaration.

The Hague, 23 January 2007 - The cooperating Armenian organisations in the Netherlands held a demonstration and a silent march on 23 January in The Hague for Armenian journalist Hrant Dink assassinated last Friday in Istanbul. Approximately 1000 persons gathered at the square Het Plein near the building of the House of Representatives (Dutch Parliament). The demonstration started at 1 p.m. Approximately at the time of the burial of Dink in Istanbul. The square was filled with sounds of Armenian classical and medieval music.

Armenians coming from all parts of the country, met on the square with Turks, Kurds, Arameans, Assyrians and Dutch to emphasise their outrage for the assassination of Dink. The participants were carrying banners, posters and badges with the portrait of Dink and placards with inscription "We are all Hrant Dink, We are all Armenians". Also flyers with the portrait and biography of Dink and the declaration of the organisation in reaction to Dink murder were distributed. After a two-minutes silence representatives of Armenian, Turkish and Kurdish organisations as well as Members of Dutch Parliament from CDA (Christian Democrat), GroenLinks (Greens) and Socialist Party factions came to the stage to express their indignation at murder of Dink. Core of the messages was the condemnation of the assassination of Dink, Turkey being also responsible for the murder in view of the Turkish Penal Code (TPC) and the lack of required police protection for the frequently threatened Dink.

In the new form of dialogue and cooperation between the different ethnic groups - in the spirit of Dink - hope was raised for a better future for all in Turkey and abroad.

In the House of Representatives a delegation submitted a declaration to the chairman of the Permanent Commission on Foreign Affairs Mr. Hans van Baalen (VVD Party). Other members of the Commission, like Mr. Koenders and Mr. Timmermans (PvdA - Labour Party), Mr. van Dijk (CDA - Christian Democrat), Mr. van der Staaij (SGP), Ms. Marieko Peters (GroenLinks - Greens) also attended this meeting. It was remarkable that two Members of Parliament of Turkish origin, namely Mr. Coruz (CDA) and Ms. Koser Kaya (D66) also were present.

In the declaration, signed by Armenian, Turkish, Kurdish, Aramean and Assyrian organisations, the Parliament was asked to adopt a still more critical attitude towards Turkey with respect to the freedom of speech and the rights of minorities. This is important, because there is a direct relation between the condemnation of Dink under Article 301 TPC and the fact that Dink clearly spoke about the Armenian Genocide and also because he was an Armenian. Mr. Van Baalen assured the delegation that the Parliament will follow closely the investigation to the murder of Dink. Mr. Van Baalen added that according to the motion Mr. Rouvoet of 2004 the Dutch Parliament has recognised the Armenian Genocide and it will stick entirely to this motion in its relation with Turkey.

Then in a silent march the participants marched to the Turkish embassy and assembled in front of the embassy at the Malieveld field. During the march they were carrying a large portrait of Dink followed by a banner with the text "Armenian Genocide, when will it stop?" At the Malieveld, a delegation went to the Turkish embassy to submit the same declaration to the ambassador. In spite of the fact that it was announced in advance that a delegation would come to hand over a declaration to the Ambassador, the doors of embassy remained closed. The Dutch police was charged to bring the declaration to the embassy later. The participants were disappointed of the embassy’s is attitude, because they were hoping that the spirit of dialogue and openness would have reached also the Turkish embassy.

National and regional TV, radio and other media were present and covered the event positively.

ANP (Dutch News Agency)

13 November 2006

Oxfam Novib PEN Award for Armenian journalist

The Hague (ANP) - 13 November 2006 - The Armenian journalist Hrant Dink won the Oxfam Novib PEN Award, Oxfam Novib announced on Monday. The journalist will be granted the award this Saturday by Mayer of The Hague Wim Deetman at the occasion of the Crossing Border Festival in The Hague. The Award includes an amount of money of 2500 euro.

The Awards have the intention of encouraging writers who are being persecuted. Dink recently was given a suspended prison sentence in Turkey of half a year, because of writing about the Armenian Genocide. He also has to face the judge on a critical article he wrote about a prior lawsuit he was in. According to Oxfam Novib Dink ows the award particularly to the exceptional efforts he makes for freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the Armenian question.

Press Release

Armenian Federation meets minister Verdonk
Genocide education is necessary

The Hague, October 24 2006 - Representatives of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) met today with minister Verdonk of Immigration and Integration. The reason for this meeting was connected with the commotion after the removal of three MP candidates of Turkish descent from the candidates’ lists of CDA (Christian Democrat Party) and PvdA (Labour Party) for publicly denying the Armenian Genocide.

The FAON asked the minister to clearly express and continue to express the Dutch position on this subject both internationally, such as the policy carried out by Foreign Minister Bot with respect to Turkey since the motion of Rouvoet (December 2004), as well as in the Netherlands, by showing solidarity with the Armenian minority.

In response to that Minister Verdonk underlined that in the international context the Dutch government has raised the Armenian question repeatedly, both in EU framework and in the bilateral contacts with Turkey and will continue to do so.

The Armenian Federation, that got the ball rolling on the matter of the MP candidates through a letter to the CDA (Christian Democrat Party), expressed concern towards the minister on the one-sided way in which particularly Turks in the Netherlands are informed about this episode of the history, which hampers their integration into Dutch society. Moreover, because of current Turkish legislation, it is in fact impossible for Turks, also those living in the Netherlands, to give other opinions on this matter than the official Turkish point of view.

The FAON for this reason urged the minister to adapt the education programme on this subject. By means of objective material, attention should be paid to this history on different levels, as is the case in neighbouring countries, in one package together with the Holocaust and other genocides. The Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam can play an important role in this matter.

Minister Verdonk promised that she will transmit the request of the FAON concerning the adaptation of the history curriculum on this subject to her colleague of Education, Culture and Sciences. The minister subscribes to the need of sound provision of information on the matter.

Additionally, the FAON asked for an active attitude of the Dutch government by acting against denial on internet sites stirring up hatred, and other forms of public denial, minimisation, justification or reversing of the Armenian Genocide; action is also necessary against hackers who continuously try to destroy Dutch and Armenian internet websites with pictures of the Turkish flag and the Grey Wolves.

In response to this request, minister Verdonk promised to ask the Dutch Complaints Bureau for Discrimination on the Internet (MDI) to be alert to any form of discrimination towards Armenians.

Finally minister Verdonk also promised that under her orders a profile (an information booklet) of the Armenian community in the Netherlands will be established.

SUMMARY art. 10-14-06 Algemeen Dagblad (dutch daily newspaper)

Albayrak provokes PvdA

In this article Albayrak deminishes her support to the motion of CU
faction leader Rouvoet of 2004, recognizing Armenian genocide, by
saying; that does not mean much, I supported hundreds of thousends of
motions.
According to Albayrak the motion just says that the subject should be
brought up in the negotiations with Turkey. The motions doen not say
that the parliament recognizes the genocide.
Ayhan Tonca, removed from CDA-list, gave same explanation.
Christian Union says motion does include recognition of the Armenian
genocide: MP Huizinga: How can a government insist on recognition by
Turkey, while the government itself does not recognize . She also
suggests tha PM Balkendende and Minister Bot never recognized the
genocide.

Press Release

ARMENIAN FEDERATION WELCOMES FRENCH LAW

The Hague - The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) is glad that the French National Assembly in large majority has adopted a bill, which makes denial of the Armenian Genocide a crime. Denying the holocaust has been a crime in France since 1990.

The Federation believes that with such a provision a dam is raised against denial propaganda of the Turkish government, which is painful for the Armenians.

Also in the Netherlands such denial material is spread, on internet sites, in writings and also in the public debate. For victims and their surviving descendants it is cause for problems each time. On basis of the discrimination prohibition in the Criminal Code such remarks are in principle already a crime. It would be a major improvement if the Dutch legislation would make it explicitly clear that public expressions, where genocides are systematically denied with the intention to hurt or discriminate people, will be impossible in The Netherlands. The Federation hopes, therefore, that the initiative bill submitted by Mrs. Huizinga-Heringa, Member of Parliament of Christian Union faction, which foresees the punishment of the genocide denial, will be adopted by the House of Representatives.

The Federation emphasises for sake of completeness that this bill is not directed to the denials in itself, as it is suggested sometimes in the media, but to the offending or discriminating aspects of genocide denials. Such denials stand in any case never in itself, but have always link with discriminating or heinously treat of populations. We must not tolerate such expressions in The Netherlands.

Reformatorisch Dagblad (Dutch daily newspaper)

October 11 2006

Prime Minister: Threatening about Genocide is Alarming

>From political editor

The Hague – According to Dutch Prime Minister Mr. Balkenende it is "very worrisome" that people in and outside Turkey are being threatened or prosecuted, if they recognise the Armenian Genocide.

The Prime Minister said so Tuesday answering VVD Member of Parliament van Baalen in a parliamentary EU debate about “the State of the Union”. Van Baalen wants that the Dutch government demands Turkey, that Dutch citizens of Turkish origin, who speak out about the Genocide, get off free, "If that will not be the case, we take a gloomy view of the negotiations with Turkey in the next ten to fifteen years”.

Answering the Christian Union Faction leader Rouvoet the Prime Minister said, he is still bringing the Rouvoet Motion into practice. This Motion of December 2004 called upon the government, to “continuously and explicitly raise the recognition of the Armenian Genocide". Turkey “should be honest about her past and come to terms with it”, Balkenende argued.

The negotiations with Turkey for accession are a classical example of how it should not be done, van der Staaij of SGP said. His colleague Rouvoet wondered how it is possible that Turkey still can have the EU negotiations so much her own way. To the opinion of the parliament the negotiation negotiations have to stop if Turkey does not allow Cypriot ships and airplanes.

The Minister said that countries that want to become a EU member, from now on will have to meet all criteria. Only then a date can be set for the actual accession. “Not the moment should be crucial, but the quality and endurance", said Bot. That way citizens will keep faith in de enlargement of the EU.

Het Parool (Dutch daily newspaper)

7 October 2006

Armenian lobby is strong

Addie Schulte

Never before the Armenian Genocide got as much attention in the Dutch politics as in the previous weeks. A small lobby with many branches in Binnenhof had unexpected success. ‘I think that the Netherlands has spared herself a big deal of misery’.

It started a month ago with a letter to CDA (Christian Democrat Party) and a press release. The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) and its 24 April Committee asked if candidate Member of Parliament Ayhan Tonca distances himself from his earlier denial of the Armenian Genocide.

“Tonca were a straight denier”, says Inge Drost, spokeswoman of the Armenian organisations. The Armenian lobby did not get a direct answer to the letter to CDA. But after the attention paid by media, the matter gained momentum, which seems still to continue.

That was quite different when the Armenians achieved a first success in The Hague. In December 2004 the Parliament unanimously adopted a motion, submitted by the chairman of Christian Union faction André Rouvoet and signed by other factions, wherein the government is asked to bring the recognition of the Armenian Genocide under the attention of the Turkish government. A topical subject, because the Parliament was discussing the starting of negotiations for the accession of Turkey to the European Union.

We insisted for many years on this matter. But with this motion the recognition was not a requirement for the accession of Turkey. Last year Mr. Rouvoet tried to achieve this point in a debate with foreign affairs minister Ben Bot. Mr. Bot refused, because according to him it was implicitly clear that Turkey would have to recognise the genocide. “Mr. Rouvoet said: ‘Let’s take this’,” according to Mrs. Drost.

But in the minutes of the report there was nothing mentioned on this matter. Mrs. Drost continued to insist. “I have asked Rouvoet to inquire about this statement in a plenary debate once more”. These debates are recorded textually. Mrs. Drost: “But then the answers were quite different.”

It is not surprising that Mr. Rouvoet repeatedly raised the Armenian matter and thereby received quite broad support. He is a member of the Recommending Committee of 24 April Committee just like the Parliament Members Harry van Bommel (SP), Kathleen Ferrier (CDA), Farah Karimi (Green-Left), Cees van der Staaij (SGP), PvdA senator Ed van Thijn and former MP Leen van Dijke (Christian Union).

The small Christian political parties have been therefore well represented. The majority of Armenians are Christians. The 24 April Committee was also particularly involved with the bill concerning the punishment of the Genocide denial in some cases submitted by the Christian Union faction.

In fact it concerns a historical question, and the struggle for its recognition is not political, says Mrs. Drost. “But the policy of denial is guided by Ankara”. “Turkey is doing a rearguard action: almost all historians recognise the Genocide. But we cannot just pass over, because Turkey wants to become a member of the European Union. That is unthinkable without recognition of the Genocide.”

The Turkish embassy plays enormous role in this matter, according to her. Mrs. Drost does not accept the criticism that the Dutch candidates of Turkish origin are sharply followed. “We have not damaged someone unnecessarily. We asked clarity and we have mainly succeeded to get that. I think that the Netherlands has spared herself a big deal of misery. A Turkish problem is imported here. Some people are connected with hundreds of ties to Ankara. Many people do not want believe that the Dutch policy was already influenced, even before the motion of Mr. Rouvoet. The Members of Parliament Fatma Koser Kaya (D66), Nebahat Albayrak (PvdA) and Fadime Örgü (VVD) have given then an interview wherein the Turkish point of view was presented”.

Following Tonca also other Dutch candidates of Turkish origin came in the sight. Particularly Mrs. Albayrak owes that to herself with her statements in the newspaper Trouw, Mrs. Drost thinks. “We could unfortunately not neglect her judgments. Unfortunately, because it concerns persons.”

According to her many people did not understand that the statements of Mrs. Albayrak are very close to those of negationists. “The position of Mrs. Albayrak is still not clear. It is, however, remarkable that Albayrak now shows victim behaviour.”

NIS NEWS BULLETIN

www.nisnews.nl
October 4 2006

Genocide Question Continues To Dog PvdA

THE HAGUE, 10/04/06 - Labour (PvdA) is not yet free of the Armenian genocide question. Various media again cast doubts on the position of prominent MP Nebahat Albayrak yesterday. Meanwhile, PvdA Senator Erik Jurgens has proposed dropping the ban on Holocaust denial.

The PvdA broke with candidate MP Erdinc Sacan last week. He is not running in the 22 November general elections because he refuses to recognise the genocide perpetrated by Turkey on the Armenians between 1915 and 1917. Albayrak, the highest-placed candidate on the PvdA list after front-runner Wouter Bos, is however still refusing to provide clarification of her position.

According to Elsevier magazine, Albayrak has been unavailable for comment since last week, when she "reduced the debate" to a question of definition in an interview with Trouw newspaper. Alabayrak said it is not possible to take a clear position because the historical sources are "polluted."

Elsevier says Albayrak is propounding the position of the Turkish government, as expressed by the Turkish ambassador in a letter to evening newspaper NRC Handelsblad. The diplomat said in this yesterday that "historians are divided on how the events should be characterised."

According to Elsevier, there are virtually no independent academics that doubt that the term 'genocide' is appropriate. "In the Netherlands, a report appeared as early as 1918 by a committee of very eminent politicians which spoke unequivocally of the 'systematic slaughter' of 800,000 Armenians in Turkey."

While Turkish PvdA members are not committing themselves for now on the question, it has already led to turmoil within the Christian democratic (CDA) party. A group of 30 Turkish CDA members protested at last weekend's party congress against the forced departure of two CDA election candidates due to their denial of the genocide.

According to the Turkish ambassador, CDA candidates Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci were wrongfully removed from the election list. Their position "cannot be described as a denial of a proven genocide, but rather as non-acceptance of the one-sided allegation by the Armenians." The Turkish parliament on Monday awarded Sacan, Tonca and Elmaci the distinction of 'honorary parliamentarians.'

Prompted by the debate on Turkey's Armenian genocide, PvdA Senator Erik Jurgens is urging the abolition of the ban on denial of the Holocaust, the genocide of around six million Jews by the Nazi regime. "It comes under freedom of speech, unless somebody is inciting to racial hatred," in his view. Equally, denial of the Armenian genocide is not punishable, according to the Senator, who is also a member of the Council of Europe parliament.

Professor Ton Zwaan of the University of Amsterdam, specialist in genocide studies, said yesterday in Trouw that "Albayrak, unhampered by any knowledge, has made a series of dubious statements which are closely related to negationism and denial politics. The question is how she and her party think they will get away with this."

PRESS RELEASE

FAON: viewpoints of Coruz and Albayrak still unclear

The Hague 28 September – Despite the explicit and repeated request of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) regarding the position of candidates of Turkish origin for coming Dutch parliamentary elections on the Armenian Genocide issue, this question still remains unclarified for some of them, on the eve of establishment of final lists of candidates. In World War I about 1,5 million Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire as a result of this Genocide; other Christian minorities, such as Assyrians and Greeks, became victims as well. Turkey has always denied this Genocide. Three candidates of Turkish origin, who were on the draft list for Dutch parliamentary elections, Sacan of Dutch Labour Party - PvdA, Tonca and Elmaci of Christian Democrat Party - CDA were removed this week from draft lists of candidates, because they deny the Armenian genocide.

For instance the position of Coskun Coruz, a current parliamentarian of CDA faction, is still completely unknown. He is number 19 on the CDA draft list of candidates.

Nebahat Albayrak, nr. 2 on draft list of Dutch Labour Party - PvdA, did not give any further clarification of her viewpoint after her, not very reassuring interview in Dutch daily newspaper Trouw on 26 September, this to FAON’s disappointment. FAON today welcomed statements of PvdA leader Mr. Bos in a debate in the Dutch Parliament, who stated that it is necessary to have a common view in the party faction on essential matters such as for instance Genocide matters. Earlier this week, as a result of this principle, Erdinc Sacan, who could not subscribe the faction position on the Armenian Genocide, was removed from the PvdA list.

Dutch Labour Party PvdA therefore now will have to indicate whether or not the statement of Mr. Bos affect Nebahat Albayraks position. Sacan claims in the newspapers that his and Albayraks viewpoints on the Armenian Genocide are exactly the same. Nevertheless FAON hopes that Albayrak will explicitly declare herself in favour of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

FAON calls upon all parties with candidates of Turkish origin to publish the viewpoints of these candidates as soon as possible. For instance Keklik Yucel (PvdA, nr. 48), Ali Sarac (PvdA , nr. 61), Fatma Kose Kaya (D66, nr 10) and Mehmet Demirbag (VVD, nr. 54).

PRESS RELEASE

FAON: position of candidate Albayrak of Turkish origin is still questionable

The Hague 26 September - The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) welcomes the removal of 3 candidates from draft lists of Dutch Christian Democrats Party (CDA) and of Dutch Labor Party (PvdA) for the coming Dutch parliamentary elections, since they deny the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide was unanimously recognised by Dutch Parliament in December 2004. The Dutch parties have taken their responsibility on time concerning these candidates. Mr. Sacan (PvdA), Mr .Tonca and Mr. Elmaci (CDA) are no longer candidates for the elections.

In an earlier letter the Armenian Federation asked the Christian Democratic Party (CDA) for clarification on the positions of a number of candidates of Turkish origin who deny the Armenian Genocide (see www.24april.nl). The same question was addressed to other parties with candidates from Turkish origine.

The Dutch TV programme NOVA on 20 September, with particitapion of MP Mrs Huizinga Heringa (Christian Union Faction) and the chairman of 24 April Committee of FAON caused commotion, following which the candidates, according to declarations of the parties, indicated to share the viewpoint of their party on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Later, however, the candidates Sacan, Tonca and Elmaci indicated to not share the viewpoint of their party. This opinion of Tonca and Elmaci became apparent from their remarks in the Turkish newspaper Sabah. The Armenian Federation therefore called once more upon the CDA and PvdA to remove Tonca, Elmaci and Sacan from their lists, which they did on September 26th.

The Armenian Federation, however, has still major objections with some of the remarks that PvdA candidate of Turkish origin Mrs. Albayrak (nr. 2 on PvdA list) made in the Dutch daily newspaper Trouw on 26 September, These remarks appear to be quite similar to the official denial policy of Turkey. The Armenian Federation urges the PvdA to give more clarity over Mrs. Albayrak's precise position, before the PvdA candidacy list is finalized.

The Armenian Federation also requests a decisive answer from the political parties regarding the viewpoint on the Armenian Genocide of a few more members of parliament of Turkish origin: Curus and Eski (CDA), Orgu from People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), who is not on the draft list for the coming elections, Ozutok (Greens Left - GL) and Koser Kaya (Social-Liberal Democrats - D66) . The same question is also valid for other candidates of Turkish descent for parliament elections.

Turkish lawyer wants CDA candidates in court
Twisting around the Armenian question

By our correspondents

Trouw (Dutch national newspaper)
September 23, 2006

The Dutch Turkish politicians Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci, both on the candidate list of the CDA for the elections, risk trial in Turkey.
Today, nationalist Turkish lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz is in the process of investigating Tonca and Elmaci's statements on the Armenian issue. If they are opposed to Turkish law, then Kerincsiz will, so he said yesterday to Trouw, press charges, because it violates article 301of the Turkish penal code.
This penal code forbids the slandering of Turkey's reputation. Earlier, Kerincsiz pressed charges against the authors Orhan Pamuk and Elif Shafak, without success.
Tonca and Elmaci received the Turkish lawyer's attention after their conspicuous twist in their standpoint on the Armenian issue.

It was only in June that they were campaigning against the submitted
bill of the ChristenUnie (CU) via an e-mail group of local Turkish
politicians in the Netherlands. The CU cited, among others, the
Turkish genocide against the Armenians in 1915.

An e-mail discussion revealed that both Tonca and Elmaci deny the
Armenian Genocide. But after a commotion over their views, they said in an explanation on Thursday: "Hereby we declare that we, if we had had seats in the parliament during the motion on the Armenian Genocide, we would have seconded the standpoint of the CDA after participating in the fraction's debate and would have voted in favor of the motion presented by the ChristenUnie."

Yesterday the two refused to say whether they recognize the Armenian Genocide implicitly.

Now PvdA is struggling with the same problem. Yesterday, it
became clear that PvdA had placed Erdinc Sacan in the 53rd
place of the candidate list. Sacan participated in the same
anti-Armenian e-mail lobby. Yesterday, he joined Tonca and Elmaci's explanation. Spokespersons of both the CDA and the PvdA pointed out that the decisive reason for putting these candidates on the list was that all three men conform to the fraction's standpoint, which is more important than what they think for themselves.

CDA candidates recognize Armenian Genocide

ANP
22 September 2006

THE HAGUE (ANP) - CDA parliamentary members Ayhan Tonca and Osman
Elmaci recognize that Turkey committed a genocide against the Armenians
in 1915. In a statement, they said that they conform to the motion
of the ChristenUnie, in which the Armenian Genocide is addressed.

In December 2004, the Parliament, initiated by the ChristenUnie,
unanimously agreed that the Dutch government should continuously raise
the Armenian massacres in all of its negotiations with Turkey in the
framework of Turkey's accession to the EU. According to the Armenian
community in the Netherlands, the two CDA candidates had, until now,
only expressed Turkey's official view that an Armenian Genocide was
never committed.

This week, the Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands
(FAON) asked the CDA party administration about Tonca's (35th place
on the concept-candidate list) and Elmaci's (56) standpoint on the
genocide. The genocide has been recognized as fact by the United
Nations since 1985. In 1915, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians
perished.

Trouw, 22 September 2006

Quite a Number of Turks in CDA, PvdA and VVD deny the Genocide

Not only in the CDA, but also in other Dutch political parties, there are Turkish politicians present who actively deny the Genocide on Armenians.

This appears from an E-mail discussion in the Yahoo chat-group "siyaset.nl", on which this newspaper has laid hand and which in July exploded as a result of a ChristenUnie (CU) motion to make the denial of Genocide punishable by law.
The E-mails show a lobby, which cuts across all Dutch parties. The majority of participants are Turkish town council members, provincial states members and members of Parliament. They belong especially to CDA and PvdA with a few from VVD in between. Inside the Turkish political spectrum, they are, regardless of their belonging to Dutch political streams, generally followers of the right nationalist and religious philosophies. They are convinced that what in 1915 occurred to Armenians was not a Genocide. In their debate, they discuss the question how they can prevent the Parliament from adopting the CU motion. Also Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci participate in the debate. These CDA candidates for the upcoming November parliamentary elections became focus of the news because they deny the fact of Genocide.

Gor Koskal, VVD provincial state member in North-Holland, proposes in the E-mail exchange that they go and talk to the presenter of the motion, Tienke Huizinga. Members of siyaset.nl should remind her that in the recent past well-documented genocides have occurred of which photos and video-films are available. According to Koksal, Huizinga should be asked whether she is not using the notion for an "imaginary event" about which there is no single proof.
Also, according to him, members can propose her to organize a symposium with the participation of Dutch historians. Koksal is against demonstrations and asks his colleagues earnestly not to threaten and swear in their E-mail messages. According to the information in his website, he is the political advisor of the VVD parliament deputy Fadime Orgu and is a member of the integration committee of Minister Verdonk.

Mahmut Yazici (CDA, Deventer) does not appreciate Koksal's idea very much. According to him "The ChristenUnie is already busy for years with this subject and has a clear goal. It is not possible to influence them in any manner whatsoever". What is his advice then? To let CU feel that it's a miniature party and to spend energy in influencing other parties. The independent council member, Mustafa Ozcan (Amersfoort, former GroenLink), also thinks just the same. Subsequently, other members of siyaset.nl promise to do their best within their own parties.

A certain Recep Soysal sees the matter quite differently. He wonders why both CDA, PvdA and VVD, notwithstanding all the Turkish votes they get, always vote against the Turkish interests. According to him, it is nonsensical to put the Armenian question on the agenda. "I think it's a trap in which they want us to fall", says he. According to him there is a malicious intent to distract the Turkish politicians from their own agenda

In the legislation in question, ChristenUnie takes the lead.
On 21 December 2004, the Dutch Parliament (Second Chamber) adopted a motion of ChristenUnie with unanimous voting where the Armenian Genocide is recognized. In June, the CU presented an initiative draft law, which makes the denial of Genocide in an offensive way punishable. Just last week, the Council of State issued its comment on it. The draft law can go ahead.

In France, in May it came to a near voting over a draft law, which would make the denial of Genocide punishable. However, the politicians opined at the end that politics should not write history. The thorny issue, which threatened to endanger the relations with Turkey, was postponed until October. Turkey denies that in 1915 a premeditated massacre occurred on hundreds of thousands of Armenians.

The Armenian Community has Difficulty with CDA Candidate

Published on 21/09/2006 at 00:00:00, amended on 21/09/2006 at 00:01:10

HILVERSUM (ANP) - The Armenian community in the Netherlands has difficulty with the fact that the CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) candidate, Ayhan Tonca, has been put on an eligible place on the tentative list of the party for the upcoming parliamentary elections. In the past, Tonca has repeatedly given expression to the official Turkish position that there was no Genocide of the Armenian people in 1915.
In a letter to the CDA Party directorate, the Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands (FAON) speculates whether Tonca will renounce his position. FAON points to the fact that the denial of the Genocide is contrary to the CDA's standpoint on the issue.
In the TV programme NOVA this Wednesday evening, Tonca refused to go into the question whether he would renounce his standpoint. CDA party chairman, Marja van Bijsterveld does not anticipate any problem. She points to the fact that Tonca, if elected, may bring forth his standpoint in the parliamentary section of the party. Then, a debate within the parliamentary section will follow and subsequently the section members will adhere to the result of the debate.
In 1915 an estimated 1,5 million Armenians perished.

Press Release

Dutch Armenians seek clarity on the opinion of the candidates of Turkish origin for coming Dutch Parliament elections about Armenian Genocide

The Hague. Sept. 12. The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) and its 24 April Committee (www.24april.nl) today addressed a letter to the Dutch Christian Democrat Party (CDA) asking for explanation about Mr. Tonça, Nr. 35 on the draft-list of candidates for the November 22 parliament elections in the Netherlands. The Armenians are anxious on Mr. Tonça, because, at several occasions, he denied publicly the Armenian Genocide.

This denial is contrary to the Dutch Parliament position, which is formulated in a motion of Andre Rouvoet (CU), in which the Dutch House of Representatives (Dutch Parliament) unanimously recognises the Armenian Genocide.

Turkey still denies the Armenian Genocide, that took the lives of 1,5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. During the massacres, also a huge number of other Christians, like Assyrians, have been killed by the Turks.

The draft-list of the CDA includes 3 candidates of Turkish origin. The Armenian Federation also wants to know if the other 2 candidates of Turkish origin on the CDA draft list, namely Mr. Cörüz and Mr. Elmaci do recognise the Armenian Genocide, before the party decides on the final list.

The Armenian Federation also calls on the other parties with candidates of Turkish origin on their draft-list for the coming elections, to clarify their point of view on the sensitive matter of the Armenian Genocide.

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch daily newspaper)
9 September 2006

"It is not excluded that Turkey will recognise the Genocide"

Interview with EU negotiater Ali Babacan

By our editor Willem Heck

Nobody should expect Turkey to change her mind about the Armenian question", Turkish PM Erdogan said. But his first negotiator with EU is more balanced in this.

The Hague, 9 September. Freedom of speech has not improved sufficiently, the rights of minorities are not guaranteed, the position of the army is too strong, the Cyprus item is in an impasse and Ankara refuses to recognise that hundreds of thousands of Armenians became victim of Genocide by the Ottoman Turks in World War I.

In short, the EU report by Dutch Member of European Parliament Camiel Eurlings of Christian-Democrat Party took a firm line with EU candidate Turkey and the report is largely supported by the Foreign Policy Committee of the EP this week. Turkey's Economy Minister and Chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan this week visited The Hague to advocate the Turkish interests. He rejects most of the European reproaches, but does not exclude recognition of the massacres of Armenians in 1915 as Genocide. In the Turkish embassy he explains the Turkish viewpoint.

DO YOU ADMIT THAT THE TURKISH REFORM PROGRESS IS PROGRESSING TOO SLOWLY?
"No, it just takes time before the results of the reforms are visible. We are at least as committed to the reforms as before. Our commitment will rather increase than decrease. The plenary vote of European Parliament on the report will take place by the end of this month. Until then we will try to change its mind".

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CONDITION THAT TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS AS GENOCIDE?
"Turkey is open for all outcomes of scientific research on this matter. That's why we proposed to establish a research commission together with Armenians. Also we opened all our archives for scientific research. We just think that the EP is not the right institution to pronounce about what has happened. Representatives are no historians. The position of the EP is not leaning on historical research, and it does not suit the European way of acting".

IF A RESEARCH COMMITTEE BACKED BY TURKEY CONCLUDES THAT IT WAS GENOCIDE, WILL TURKEY RECOGNISE THAT?
"Yes, we will accept any outcome"

WILL TURKEY ENSURE THAT WRITERS WILL NO LONGER BE CHARGED FOR "INSULTING TURKISH NATION"?
"In the coming 2 to 6 months we will evaluate the Article 301. If we see that this Article has an undesirable impact, we will examine what we can do"

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TONE OF EURLINGS REPORT?
“The way the report is phrased shows the emotions behind it. The negative influence that has on the feelings of the Turkish population is large and complicates the negotiations. If the Turks get the feeling they are not welcome, they will ask themselves if they should keep on focussing so much on EU admission”.

Another stumbling block in the EU-Turkey relations is Turkish refusal to open air and sea harbours for traffic coming from Greek Cyprus (which is not recognised by Ankara). The issue is frustrating the negotiations and may lead to a partial hold up. Babacan also met with Foreign Minister Bot in the Hague. After the meeting Bot took the airplane to Cyprus, to “find out whether there is room on the left or on the right” to come out of the impasse, his spokesman said. Bot reported tot EU Commissioner (for Enlargement) Olli Rehn, with whom Babacan on his turn, met on Thursday.

IS TURKEY READY TO BE THE FIRST TO MAKE A NEW STEP FORWARDS IN THIS ISSUE?
Ali Babacan:”No, certainly not.” As the EU promised, first the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots must be terminated. After that we are immediately ready to open our harbours and airports for Greek Cyprus. We hope for new mediation by the United Nations. It would be unfair to punish the party that was ready for a compromise in 2004, by stopping the negotiations. The Greek Cypriots in that time voted against the UN compromise for the reunification of the island, while the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of it”.

Bot’s visit to Cyprus did not bring new visions, his spokesman said. “But it is important that we keep on moving”, according to Bot’s spokesman, “because this issue should not lead to a real impasse in the negotiations. It gives hope that meanwhile under UN survey a careful start has been made to reopen the negotiations between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots.” The spokesman emphasised that there is no official mediation on behalf of the EU.

De Volkskrant (Dutch Daily Newspaper)
28 July 2006

Civil damages case against Pamuk dismissed

AF, AFP - ISTANBUL - A Turkish court dismissed on Friday a lawsuit seeking compensation from novelist Orhan Pamuk. Nationalist lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz and five others demanded 4000 euro compensation from Pamuk, because he “insulted, humiliated and made false accusations” regarding the Turks.

Pamuk is of the opinion that Turkey killed a million Armenians. The massacres of the Armenians during World War I are a taboo. Criminal charges against Pamuk were dropped as well some time ago.

On Friday 3 years of prison was demanded against writer Elif Shavak because of her book about the Armenian massacres, which is “insulting for the national identity”.

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch Daily Newspaper)
13 July 2006

EU rebukes Turkey because of journalist condemnation

By our correspondent
Brussels, 13 July. The Turkish government must amend the Penal Code to the point that judicial sentences, that restrict freedom of speech will no longer be possible. This is the reaction of EU Commissioner for Expansion Olli Rehn to the judgement of the Turkish Court of Appeal. This week the Court confirmed the sentence of a Turkish-Armenian journalist, who in an article would have insulted the Turkish identity. Rehn said he is “disappointed”. In autumn the EU Executive will present a interim report concerning the reforms in Turkey. This report will then decide about the negotiations with Turkey on the EU-membership.

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch Daily Newspaper)
12 July 2006

Journalist’s Sentence Confirmed in Turkey

Istanbul, 12 July- The Turkish Court of Appeal confirmed the sentence of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink because of “insulting the Turkish identity”. In October last year Dink was given a suspended prison sentence of a half year by a lower court. In his newspaper “Agos” he had written that Armenians should distance themselves from hating Turks, saying that it “poisons your blood”. Earlier this year Dink told NRC Handelsblad that his intention had been to say that Armenians should face the future instead of the atrocious past of the Turkish Genocide of the Armenians. But according to the court Dink’s pronouncements came down to saying there is poison in Turkish blood. (AFP – Dutch News Agency)

ANP (DUTCH PRESS AGENCY) 1 June 2006

Christian Union wants to make the denial of genocide punishable

THE HAGUE (ANP) - The denial of genocide, such as the Holocaust, must be punishable. To this end the Christian Union (ChristenUnie) party has submitted a bill to the Parliament. Anyone who intentionally denies a genocide or a crime against humanity in order to insult others or incite hate shall be accountable as having committed a crime which can carry a maximum sentence of one year imprisonment, according to the draft law.

The presenter of the bill, Dutch MP Mrs. Tineke Huizinga, wants to have this provision included in the Dutch Penal Code as a clear signal that such denials would not be tolerated. The law should also make it easier to combat discrimination on Internet, said Huizinga Thursday during the introducing of her bill.

For the victims of genocides and their surviving relatives the intentional denials of the committed evil or distorting of the facts are “indigestible”. Huizinga named as an example, next to the persecution of the Jews during the Second World War, the extent and dimensions of the slavery in which The Netherlands has played a “disgraceful” role.

In addition, the parliament member recalled the Genocide of the Armenians in 1915 during the Ottoman Empire, which is still being denied by the present day Turkey and the Turks elsewhere. Huizinga and other members of the Parliament have recently been bombarded by E-mails forwarded especially by the Turks who oppose the Christian Union bill.

Huizinga emphasised that the bill does not seek to restrict the freedom of speech. According to her, the historical facts should always be open to discussion. The denial, approval or justification of genocide should therefore be punishable when it concerns a deliberate expression to insult and discriminate people.

The Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands called the bill a step forward and is happy that the Armenian Genocide has been explicitly mentioned in the Explanatory Memorandum of the bill. A representative of the organisation, Mrs. Inge Drost, thinks that the adoption of the bill should make it possible to close Internet sites which engage in the denial of Armenian Genocide, such as seemingly innocent site www.armenië.nl

In a reaction, the National Bureau for Combating Race Discrimination and the Israel Information and Documentation Centre, likewise announced their support of the bill. The draft law should go first to the Council of State for advice, following which the Parliament can start the proceedings on the bill.

NRC HANDELSBLAD

Dutch daily Newspaper

16 September 2005

'U.S. must recognise Armenian Genocide'

WASHINGTON, 16 SEPT. Over the strong objections of the US government, a congressional panel yesterday endorsed a resolution calling the President to recognise the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians during their violent deportation by Ottoman Empire as Genocide.

This is a very sensitive issue in the relations with Turkey, an important strategic ally of the United States.

The House of Representatives' International Relations Committee voted 35-11 to approve a resolution calling on Turkey to acknowledge the culpability of its predecessor state, the Ottoman Empire in the 1915-1923 killings. A second resolution passed 40-7, calling for the President to recognise the deaths as Genocide and for U.S. foreign policy to reflect an understanding of the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians say that Ottoman Turks caused the deaths of Armenians in a planned Genocide. Turkey says that not 1.5 million, but at most 300,000 Armenians were killed or displaced in civil unrest during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

The State Department sent a letter to committee members saying the debate "could damage U.S.-Turkish relations and could undermine progress by Ankara and Yerevan (Armenia) as they begin quiet talks to address the issue and look to the future."

The sponsor of the first resolution, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, said he was sensitive to Turkey's importance and that he considers it an ally of the United States. But "that alliance cannot be used as a tool to escape from the past no matter how uncomfortable that past is." Rep. Tom Lantos, the panel's top Democrat, said he was supporting the resolution to punish Turkey for its refusal in 2003 to allow U.S. troops to open a second front in the war against Iraq. He said Turkey needed to show more solidarity with the United States. (AP)

Reformatorisch Dagblad

Dutch daily newspaper

Wednesday, 31 August 2005

Bot is disappointed in Turkey’s declaration

THE HAGUE - The Dutch judgement on Turkey’s declaration not recognising Cyprus is politically disappointing. Turkey made this declaration recently when Ankara signed the customs union with ten new EU countries, among others Cyprus.

Signing of the customs union was a condition of the EU to Turkey to be able to start accession negotiations on 3 October.

The Netherlands feels that the Turkish declaration is politically disappointing, according to minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Bot. At the same time the declaration “does not formally affect the meaning of the signature" of the protocol with the EU. The government thinks that legal value of the signature is not damaged by Turkey’s declaration.

The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) insisted on Tuesday at the House of Representatives that Turkey must recognise the Armenian genocide of 1915 before the country can join the EU. The FAON "sounds alarm", according to spokesperson I. Drost. We predict that Turkey will not easily accept her past.

Turkish politicians seem to be prepared to speak from time to time about the massacres of the Armenians, but in reality they deny the Genocide.

In a petition, the FAON calls on the Parliament to sharply condemn the negationist policy. If Turkey nevertheless continues with it, then it must have consequences for the start of the accession negotiations between the EU and Turkey, according to FAON.

The Parliament must request of minister Bot to urgently require comply with all accession criteria, such as complying with human rights, rights of minorities and freedom of expression.

Bot must on his part persuade his European colleagues of the need to include recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a condition in the negotiation document with Turkey. “It is now or never”, Drost said Tuesday. “This is our last attempt to get recognition incorporated into a European document.”

Press Release

Turkey can only access EU by recognising Armenian Genocide
The European framework of negotiation with Turkey must include the recognition of Armenian Genocide
Armenian Federation presents a petition to the Dutch Parliament

The Hague, 30 August 2005 - 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands presented today a petition to the President of the Standing Committee on European Affairs of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Van Heteren. Members of parliament of almost all parliamentary factions were present. The 24 April Committee calls for the amendment of the proposed negotiation framework for Turkey’s accession to EU. In this document, the European Commission has included the subjects, which must be discussed with Turkey during the accession negotiations beginning probably from 3 October 2005. The Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s relation with neighbouring country Armenia is, however, not mentioned in this document. This approach has already been received many criticism in Europe. Hundreds of European organisations want that recognition of the Armenian Genocide to be a part of the negotiations. The final negotiation framework will be adopted at European level in the month of September.

The Dutch House of Representatives has recognised the Armenian Genocide in December 2004, by unanimously adopting the motion of André Rouvoet (Christian Union), wherein the Dutch government is requested to bring up continuously and expressly the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the dialogue with Turkey. In the last period in European context the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs Ben Bot has persistently submitted arguments in favour of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey. However, since there is no word mentioned on this question in the proposed negotiation framework, it is, according to 24 April Committee, the responsibility of the House of Representatives and the minister to insist on the inclusion of effective agreements on this point in the document.

Explicit agreements are all the more necessary, because since 17 December 2004, the day that it was decided that probably from 3 October 2005 the negotiations with Turkey for accession to EU will start, Turkey turned on more intensive denial policy not only at home, but also abroad and particularly in Europe.

Minister Bot spoke several times at the House of Representatives about the awareness of Turkey to not be able to join the EU without coming to terms with the past. However, since such condition is not mentioned anywhere in the negotiation framework established by the European Commission, it is not clear how Turkey can be bound to this condition.

For this reason the 24 April Committee urges that the Netherlands should put heavy pressure for amendment of this document, in the sense that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide becomes an explicit component of the negotiation framework. It is obvious that at the start of the negotiations all Copenhagen criteria must be implemented. Since normal relations with neighbouring countries belong to these criteria , the 24 April Committee expects that in the short term Turkey will open the border with neighbouring country Armenia and will also establish diplomatic relations. If it would not be the case, then opening of the border and establishment of diplomatic relations with Armenia has to be added of course at the remaining conditions for possible negotiations.

Press Release

SINE QUA NON - Turkey can only access EU by recognising Armenian Genocide

Recognition of Armenian Genocide has to be in European negotiation framework for Turkey
Armenian Federation presents a petition to the Dutch Parliament

The Hague, 30 August 2005 - 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands today presented a petition to the President of the Standing Committee on European Affairs of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Van Heteren. The 24 April Committee calls for the adaptation of the presented negotiation framework. In this document the European Commission laid down the guiding principles and guideliness, that she proposes for the negotiations, that possibly will start as from 3 October, on Turkey's accession to the EU . The Armenian Genocide and the relation with neighbouring country Armenia have, however, not been incorporated in this document. This point of view has already been the reason for much critics in Europe. Hundreds of European organisations want that recognition of the Gnocide be included in the negotiations. In the month September the final negotiation framework level will be decided on at a European level.

The Dutch House of Representatives recognised the Armenian Genocide in December 2004, by unanimously adopting the motion of André Rouvoet (Christian Union), wherein that government is requested to bring up continuously and expressly the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the dialogue with Turkey. In the last period the Dutch Minister for Foreign Affairs Bot many times made out a case of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey on a European level. Since there is, however, no word mentioned about this question in the presented negotiation framework, it is, according to 24 April Committee the responsibility of the House of Representatives and the minister to insist on this point in order to include effective agreements in the document.

Explicit appointments are still more necessary, because since 17 December 2004, the day on which was decided that there as from 3 October 2005 accession negotiations with Turkey are possibly to begin, Turkey incited still heavier the denial politics and particularly also outside Turkey, in Europe.

Minister Bot told the House of Representatives a number of times, that Turkey knows that she cannot join the EU, if she has not come to terms with the past. However, since such condition has nowhere been mentioned in the negotiation framework established by the European Commission, one must wonder how Turkey can be kept to this.

For this reason the 24 April Committee urged, that the Netherlands should plead for adaptation of this document on a European level, in the sense that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide becomes an explicit component of the negotiation framework. Of course, before negotiations start, all Copenhagen criteria must be implementred. Normal relations with neighbouring countries being on of these criteria, 24 April Committee expects Turkey to open the border with neighbouring country Armenia in the short term and also will start diplomatic relations with this neighbouring country. If this would not be this way, then of course opening of the border and relations with Armenia will also have to be explicitly mentioned in the negotiating framework .

Press Release

Petition to the Senate concerning recognition of
Armenian Genocide

The Hague - On 28 June, the 24 April Committee for the Recognition and Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide will offer a petition to the Dutch Senate (at 1:15 p.m., entrance of the Senate). In this petition the Committee, which is an organ of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON), requests of the Senate to express itself, among others, on the recognition of the Genocide on 1.5 million Armenians during World War I. The House of Representatives already recognised the Armenian Genocide on 21 December 2004, by unanimously adopting the motion presented by Mr. Rouvoet. This motion was welcomed by the government as expressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Bot.

If the Senate also reaches such a statement, the entire Dutch government (the legislature) will have expressed itself.

Furthermore, the petition requests to take an absolute critical position against Turkey's hard-running denial policy. This denial policy and its consequences on freedom of expression and rights of minorities (which, as known, are part of the Copenhagen criteria) must be taken seriously by Europe and have consequences for the date on which accession negotiations can start. One can mention the threat of author Orhan Pamuk (who in an interview spoke of the genocide and now has to live in hiding ), the DVD of the Turkish Chamber of Commerce, provided for free with Time Magazine under the misleading pretense of tourist information, but which mainly contained a political propaganda documentary based on the Turkish denial policy, and also the remarks of the Turkish Minister of Justice concerning a conference on the Armenian question in Istanbul that had to be cancelled afterwards for security reasons.

It is important for the Senate to continuously raise the Armenian issue at a European level, within the framework of motion Rouvoet, and critically question and incite Europe to more action in relation with Turkey. As such, Prime Minister Erdogan's "call" to forming an Armenian and Turkish commission of historians right before the ninetieth anniversary of the Armenian genocide, was not unmasked by Europe or Minister Bot as a publicity stunt to divert the attention of the commemoration. The incredibility of the call were plain from the beginning. On the one hand, from the many remarks around that time that Turkey is proud of its history and that no genocide had taken place, it appears that there is no basis in Turkey for such a commission. On the other hand, from Turkey's refusal to allow for the activities of such a commission to work under normal conditions, such as diplomatic relations and the lifting of the border blockade between both countries.

The President of the Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs Mr. van Gennip will receive the petition.

Two reactions in Dutch daily “De Volkskrant” against the denial of Armenian Genocide

On 9 June 2005 Dutch daily “De Volkskrant” published an article by American controversial historian Justin McCarthy, who denies Armenian genocide. Reactions were published in the same newspaper on 13 and 14 June, among which reactions by Prof. Jos Weitenberg, Armenologist at Leiden University and by Dr. Ton Zwaan of the Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam. Both writers strongly object McCarthy's position and reasoning.

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De Volkskrant

14 June 2005

McCarthy is a professional denier

By Ton Zwaan

Even though the term "genocide" was invented later, the Turkish act in 1915 against the Armenians was most definitely a genocidal process, says Ton Zwaan.

Under the tendentious title "Term 'genocide' for Turkish act demonstrably incorrect" (Term 'genocide' voor Turks handelen aantoonbaar onjuist), an article by the American historian Justin McCarthy was published in de Volkskrant (Forum, June 9).

In a groundless, hazy and disorderly argumentation, replete with half-truths and complete untruths, McCarthy attempts to persuade his readers that an Armenian genocide never transpired in the Ottoman empire in 1915 and 1916. For the benefit of your readers, I would like to point out that in serious circles of scholars, a consensus has existed for quite some time of the main facts.

In the years involved an estimated one million members of the Armenian minority in the Ottoman Empire became victim of a meticulously planned and large-scale persecution, deportation and massacre.

This systematic persecution and destruction transpired with the initiative and under the leadership of the central government at that time in Istanbul. Even though the term 'genocide' did not exist then (it was only used for the first time in 1944), there can be no doubt that this involved a genocidal process.

The space here lacks to extensively examine McCarthy's argumentation, but contrary to what he claims, there was not a "terrible war between Turks and Armenians", nor a "great rebellion" by Armenians. He also cites the genocide-convention of the UN incompletely and falsely and confuses the terms "war" and "genocide".

His claim on the brilliant and brave Turkish author Orhan Pamuk is undoubtedly libelous and his remarks on the Turkish denial policy and their reports in American newspapers are silly and wholly unfounded.

Whoever wants to be informed of the true course of events can read recently published good studies, such as:

Donaid Bloxham: The Great Game of Genocide. Imperialism, Nationalism and the Destruction of the Ottoman Armenians (Oxford University Press, 2005);

Jay Winter (red.): America and the Armenian Genocide of 1915 (Cambridge University Press, 2003);

H.L. Kieser en D. Schaller (red.): Der Völkermord an den Armeniern und die Shoah (Chronos, 2003).

For a summary review in Dutch:

'De vervolging van de Armeniërs in . het Ottomaans-Turkse rijk, 1894-1922', in: Ton Zwaan, Civilisering en decivilisering (Boom, 2001).

Among bona fide historians McCarthy is known as one of the professional deniers, subsidized by the Turkish government.

The printing of an article such as that without further comment does not grace de Volkskrant.

Ton Zwaan is affiliated with the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies of the NIOD and the University of Amsterdam.
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PHOTO: Armenian refugees, crowded in boats, looking for rescue on a French ship before the Syrian coast, October 1915. FOTO CORBIS

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Fact: Armenians were intentionally deported

By Jos Weitenberg

The article by Justin McCarthy on the Armenian genocide is in need of a reaction. McCarthy belongs to the few non-Turkish scholars who deny the existence of the Armenian genocide. His arguments have been the same for years. He shows no inclination to seriously consider the refutal of his fellow colleagues.

Two points stand out in his article. Firstly, the proposition that Armenians and Turks were equal opponents in a situation of war. This is a false depiction of the case.

The Armenians were victims of intentional deportation. The able-bodied men were summoned under weapons and killed. The deportations were aimed at unarmed women and children. The deportations were organized and systematically aimed at specific communities (Armenians and Syrians) and ended in the deserts of present Syria. That food was distributed by the Ottoman army, as the article claims, is refuted by countless eyewitness reports.

It is true that Armenians incidentally rebelled, that there were armed nationalistic revolutionaries and that crimes against the Turkish population were committed. To call this rebellion "war" is chutzpah. The discussion should at least be kept accurate.

Secondly, it is evident that McCarthy regrets the silence of the Turkish government on the events and declares this "out of fear that the Turkish population will seek revenge'. But on who? Since 1915 scarcely any Armenians live in Turkey, evidence in itself of a successful genocide. The few who dared to return after the war were indeed still (vengefully?) killed.

That the present Turkish population is unfamiliar with the ethnic cleansings - of Armenian, Syrians, Greeks and Kurds - that went hand in hand with the foundation of modern Turkey in the second and third decades of the twentieth century, is certainly regrettable. Turkey's wish to access the EU finally offers an opportunity to come to terms with these kind of facts.

McCarthy's article distorts and denies the facts and is not a useful addition to reconciliation.

Jos Weitenberg

The author is professor of Armenian Studies at Leiden University.

Press Release

FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS

24 April Committee

Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands demands Time Magazine apology for misleading Turkish information

In Time Magazine of June 6 a DVD of Turkish Chamber of Commerce (ATO) is attached to a number of advertisement pages for Turkey as the holiday country, a DVD including a large scale collection of propaganda material denying the Armenian Genocide. Film shots as well as documents present the well known twisting and denying stories, and an illustrious company of genocide denialists as Mac Carthy and Halacoglu, prosecuted in Switzerland for denying the Armenian genocide, make statements of the well known kind.

The Federation cannot imagine how a quality magazine like Time could have added such a DVD to the 494 thousand copies of Time, intended for the European market. The Federation protests against this sort of misleading information and demands Time Magazine at least apology on the front page of next week issue.

Turkey will not impress Europe with this rearguard action and propaganda DVD, since for most European Countries the Armenian Genocide is a fact, politically as well as scientifically spoken.

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To the Editor of Time Magazine

Dear Madam, Sir,

The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands and it’s 24 April Committee are astonished by the fact that how a quality magazine like Time could have added a free DVD as tourist information for Turkey, which however practically exclusively contains misleading historical information, namely obvious distortion of historical facts in favour of denial of the Armenian Genocide. According to our information this DVD is distributed this week to 494 thousand subscribers of Time Magazine in Europe.

The Federation protests against this misinformation and demands Time Magazine at least apology on the front page of next week issue. We also ask you to withdraw the copies from the retailers.

Although the DVD is not made by Time Magazine, we hold Time Magazine responsible for this very unwanted present.

Waiting for your reaction.

Yours sincerely

Reformatorisch Dagblad

30 May 2005

Christian Union: Denial of holocaust is an offence

THE HAGUE - The Christian Union is preparing a bill to penalise denial of the Holocaust, like in Belgium. This is announced by the Member of Parliament Huizinga-Heringa following her visit to Israel.

“I hear more and more stories of Jewish people who are faced with racist and anti-Semitic language in the street.”

She mentions also the football chants when hissing sounds are made which refer to the gas chambers in the second world war. Furthermore the Member of Parliament brings forward the negative reactions, that are addressed to the teachers by young people, when the Holocaust is being taught during history lessons.

“That happens especially among students of North African origin, who feel by birth or otherwise strongly involved at the conflict in the Middle East and who nourish strong Anti- Jewish feelings.”

When she was visiting Israel, she also heard the stories of three Jewish emigrants from France, who confirmed to Huizinga-Heringa that the anti-Semitism in Europe is growing. “Although they were born and grown up there, and they had a good life and job, they preferred Israel. According to them there is a large exodus. It scared me.”

According to Christian Union MP this “denial is an unbelievable offence to the Jewish people and to a part of their identity.”

Christian Union intends to present the initiative proposal on June 9 during a manifestation against anti-Semitism in The Hague. Jewish and Christian organisations in the Netherlands, among which Christians for Israel, will offer then thousands of signatures to PM Balkenende.

The core of Christian Union proposal is to outlaw the denial of genocide in general. According to Huizinga it applies thus also for the controversial issue of the Genocide of Armenians in 1915, at the time of the Ottoman Empire, which is still denied by the contemporary Turkey.

Reformatorisch Dagblad

25 April 2005

Take legal action against denialists of Armenian Genocide

International community must perform an act

On Sunday Armenians commemorated the 90th anniversary of the massacres of thousands of their ancestors by Turks. I. Drost pleads for broad recognition of the Genocide, only in this way pressure can be put on the denialists.

The Netherlands commemorate this year the 60th anniversary of the Liberation. Also this year the Armenians commemorate the Armenian Genocide of ninety years ago. On 24 April they commemorate 1.5 million victims - the major part of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire - who, under 'cover' of the first world war, were swept away from the land where they were living for thousands of years. A commemoration, but no liberation. The memory is depressing. The flag remains half-mast.

The perpetrator has not confessed. He denies. The security of Armenians is thereby not guaranteed. Recurrence lies always in wait.

The international community has been silent for long time, hence the “forgotten genocide”. But now the countries, one after the other, recognise the Genocide. The European Parliament already did it in 1987. The Dutch parliament fortunately did it also, on 21 December 2004. A very small liberation for many people.

The European Council gave Turkey on 17 December meanwhile, however, the desired date for accession negotiations, without any engagement on the Armenian Genocide, the closed borders with Armenia or lack of diplomatic relations.

Second genocide
Turkey continues to deny the facts. Thereby the current Turkey, the legal successor of the regime of the perpetrators, meanwhile do commit the “second genocide”, such as the denial of a genocide is called.

Under international pressure there are, however, more publications in Turkey on this matter. But there is no substantive progress in recognition of the Genocide. Still recently Prime Minister Erdogan pulled with strange insolence the wool over the world’s eyes with his call for an “open debate” with Armenia. A feint, because he added that one would not worry about the outcome of the debate and one would be proud of Turkey’s history. In short Erdogan means no debate, because it is certain in advance, that there was no genocide.

The international community must perform an act on the occasion of 90th commemoration, must rise above its own interest, requiring from Turkey to recognise the Armenian Genocide. Protecting Turkey is also not good for Turkey itself. Pressure from outside is necessary. Let the US, often ‘hostage’ of strategic interests, now adopt the resolution, which is waiting for consideration. Let Israel, a fellow-sufferer of Armenia, reconsider her support to Ankara on this matter. And especially: let Europe, to present now this point openly to Turkey, before the start of negotiations for Turkey’s accession to European Union, to prevent itself from becoming accomplice to the existence and continuation of the denial.

And the Netherlands? Clear up the denial, to start from the Netherlands.

Own security
Lets catch up the information delay and give good information to the youth (also Turkish youth) with lesson material at schools. Lets show the denialists, if necessary with legal procedures, that we are no longer accepting such behaviour in the Netherlands. Lots of examples, such as the statements of the leader of the Contact Body of Moslems and the Government, who recently claimed that Armenians were deported for their own security. Lets urge Minister Bot to be still more clear towards his Turkish colleague on this matter.

Problems in Turkey? Sure, but they will ever appear. It is better now than at the end of the accession process.

A liberation day will never follow the commemoration of this Genocide. But recognition by Turkey will have a releasing effect for Armenians and eventually also for Turkey.

The author is a member of the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON).

April 24 Committee

Press Release

COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 1915-2005

Great public interest for commemoration of Armenian Genocide at the Armenian Genocide memorial in Assen

Assen/The Hague, 24 April 2005 - By buses, train and cars from several parts of the country more than thousand Armenians and other interested persons attended today the commemoration ceremony of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the Armenian Genocide memorial in Assen. A survivor of the Armenian Genocide, meanwhile the 92 years old lady was also present this year in Assen.

The commemoration meeting was organised by the 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON). The ceremony started with laying of wreaths and prayer of the Armenian priest at the memorial in the cemetery De Boskamp in Assen. This memorial was erected at the request of an Armenian inhabitant of Assen four years ago following intensive protest of rightist Turks and procedures up to the Council of State.

This year's commemoration is significant for the Armenians living in Holland by the fact that the Dutch parliament has recognised the Armenian Genocide last year by adopting the Rouvoet motion.

After the ceremony at the memorial a commemoration meeting took place in the auditorium with Armenian declamation and music (among others doudouk) and with several speakers like Dutch MP Farah Karimi, professor René Diekstra, the Armenologist professor Jos Weitenberg, representative of the Armenian embassy Tigran Balayan and father Armen Melkonian. On behalf of the organisation Mato Hakhverdian spoke as Chairman of the FAON, Noubar Sipan as Chairman of the 24 April Committee, and Inge Drost as member of the 24 April Committee. The commemoration in Assen was covered by Dutch national and regional Radio and TV and almost all Dutch newspapers.

The speakers expressed each in his own way heavy criticism on the Turkish denial of the Genocide. Farah Karimi indicated that at recent discussion of the Armenian question in the Turkish parliament an ovation had taken place at the declaration that there was no Genocide. Instead, according to Karimi, it would have been appropriate to observe a minute of silence for the victims of the Genocide. Professor Diekstra, prevented by circumstances to be present personally, criticised in his text Erdogan's call for an 'open debate' on this question. Nonsense, according to Diekstra, because one cannot debate the truth. He is supporter of the imposition of recognition of the Armenian Genocide to Turkey, namely by putting this as a condition for the negotiations with the EU. This is the best way, also for the democratisation and human rights in Turkey, according to Diekstra.

The recognition of the Genocide by the Dutch Parliament does not mean that the 24 April Committee will remain quiet. The Committee wants, in co-operation with Dutch organisations, to do something for the information deprivation in the Netherlands about this subject, among others by means of lesson material. Furthermore the Committee puts: denial of the Armenian genocide must be stopped, to start with the Netherlands. To this end the committee will not be afraid of taking legal steps against denialists of the Genocide.

Pictures of commemoration:
http://www.abovian.nl/blog/gallery/19.aspx

April 24 Committee

Press Release

90th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

Exhibition on Armenian Genocide opened in Leiden, the Netherlands

An exhibition on the Armenian Genocide and entitled “Deportation, Persecution, Annihilation” and “Reaction of Dutch media, public and politics on Armenian Genocide” was opened in Pieterskerk Church in Leiden, The Netherlands on the 17 April 2005. Prof. The armenologist professor Dr. Jos Weitenberg inaugurated the exhibition with a speech on the importance of this exhibition. The exhibition will last till 21 April 2005.

Apart from the photo material coming from the Information and Documentation Centre Armenia (IDZA) of Berlin prepared by Dr. Tessa Hoffman and Gerayer Koutcharian, a section of recently found Dutch documents from period 1910-1918 is added to it. The Dutch section of the exhibition is prepared by a working group of 24 April Committee of the Federation of Armenian Organisations of the Netherlands (FAON).

The exhibition with extended Dutch explanation is organised by 24 April Committee of FAON with the support of Armenian Embassy in Brussels and in co-operation with Dr. Tessa Hoffman.

Pictures:
http://www.abovian.nl/blog/gallery/17.aspx

April 24 Committee

Press Release

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION CONCERT

ARMENIAN FEDERATION: Recognition of Genocide is necessary for the security of Armenians

WIM KORTENOEVEN (CIDI): Israeli position in relation to the Armenian Genocide is incorrect

Leiden, 17 April 2005 - During the well attended commemoration concert on 17 April in the Pieterskerk Church in Leiden on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) called upon the international community, and specially Turkey to recognise the Armenian Genocide. This in the first place to guarantee the security of the Armenians. The Genocide cost the lives of 1.5 million Armenians. Also other Christian minorities such as thousands of Assyrians were victims of the atrocities by the Young Turk regime during the WO I. The Armenian genocide is still a hot item because of the Turkish denial.

These days the necessity of recognition of the past by Turkey is often discussed within the framework of Turkey’s ambition to become a member of the European Union, but one must never forget why this recognition is in the first instance necessary. That is to prevent the recurrence. As long as in Turkey the history is not accepted, the danger remains that it will again lead to tragedies.

Recognition and commemoration were main issues of this impressive commemoration with lots of classical Armenian music, whereby in addition several speakers addressed the audience. From the scientific community the director of the Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies Dr. Houwink ten Cate underlined the importance of education and impartial research. In a personally tinted story and using one of his poems Dutch comedian Seth Gaaikema (who is of Armenian decent) indicated his solidarity with the destiny of the Armenian people and of all nations that became victim of the atrocities of genocide. The Chairman of the Council of Churches of the Netherlands, Mr. Ton van Eijk declared support of the Council of Churches and indicated that the World Council of Churches called upon all churches to pray on Sunday 24 April in their churches for the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide. Mr. Wim Kortenoeven of the CIDI (Centre Information and Documentation on Israel) spoke with remarkable clarity about the need of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He criticised the Israeli position in relation with the Armenian Genocide, which is based on the purpose to not endanger the relations with Ankara. According to him this policy is particularly incorrect, because the Jewish and Armenian people has the same fate, both being victim of a genocide. Also there were speeches of the consul of Armenia in the Benelux countries Mrs. Hasmik Soghomonian and the priest of the Armenian church in Amsterdam, father Datav vardapet Muradian.

Many visitors were very impressed by the exhibition on the Armenian Genocide coming from Information and Documentation Centre Armenia of Berlin. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Armenologist professor Dr. J. Weitenberg and which can be still visited till 21 April in the Pieterskerk church in Leiden (daily from 1:30 to 5 pm).

FEDERATION OF ARMENIAN ORGANISATIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS (FAON)

24 April Committee
Adress: Weesperstraat 91 - 2574 VS Den Haag
Tel. 070 4490209
E-mail: april24committee@wanadoo.nl
Website: http://www.24april.nl

NRC HANDELSBLAD
14 April 2005

Turkey: research together with Armenia

By our correspondent

NICOSIA, 14 APRIL. Turkey wants an official Turkish Armenian commission to tackle the massacres of Armenians at the end of the Ottoman Empire, according to Turkish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Abdullah Gül, yesterday in the parliament in Ankara. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent a letter on this matter to the Armenian president Robert Kocharian.

With this letter Turkey undertakes another attempt to remove the Armenian file from the agenda. During the massacres, which started in full violence in 1915, according to historians possibly more than one million Armenians were killed. Turkey does not deny that a large number of Armenians died, but objects that it is out of the question that there was a planned genocide. “Turkey has peace with her history and is proud of it'', minister Gül said yesterday.

It is still unclear if Armenia will comply with the request. Some time ago Yerevan disregarded a call by prime minister Erdogan to leave the question to a history research. According to the Armenian government such a research has already been done a long time ago and it is indisputably certain that there was a genocide.

The Turkish proposal comes some weeks for the commemoration of the genocide, on April 24. Ankara is more and more worried that the American Congress will adopt a resolution on the genocide. Moreover a large number of European politicians puts pressure on Ankara to straighten out the Ottoman past. In October the process of negotiations between Ankara and Brussels will start on the Turkish membership of the European Union. Gül explained yesterday in the parliament that Turkey had never adequately reacted to the Armenian accusations. “And this has leaded to the false picture that Turkey is hiding something.’’

April 24 Committee

Press Release

Many question marks for "open debate" of Erdogan on Armenian Genocide

The Hague, 13 April 2005 - The announcement of Erdogan that an "open debate" must take place on the Genocide of Armenians in 1915, calls many question marks for the Federation of Armenian Organisations in Netherlands. There is lacking lots of information to be able to assess how this announcement, on the eve of the world wide commemoration of 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, must be seen. So it is completely unclear how and with who the debate must takes place and if the starting point would be the fact that the Genocide is committed, which is as such internationally accepted by the scientists of good name.

Probably this pronouncement must be considered as an attempt to divert the attention from the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and from the accusing finger which is stuck out internationally to Turkey, because of systematic denial of this black period of Turkey's history. Within the framework of the negotiations on possible accession to the EU the denial of the past is also an unacceptable point for many EU countries, such as France and also the Netherlands. Minister Bot has once more insured recently the Dutch Parliament that the resolution on Armenia (by which he means the motion of Mr Rouvoet, wherein the Dutch parliament recognises the Armenian Genocide) continues to keep the full attention of the government and that this point is regularly brought forward to the Turkish authorities. Apart from the fact that neither by the Turks, nor by a number of Member States is spoken in this respect about the Genocide, Minister Bot has, however, brought this matter with emphasis under the attention. "We keep track of the developments in Turkey", the Minister said. Provisional "no" against Croatia has been a good sign for Turkey, that it is not possible to play with the conditions. "The negotiations will not start if all conditions are not met with", according to Bot.

By announcing an "open debate" or a "history research", the impression is awoken that the Genocide is no longer denied, thereby bushing up international criticism. From the wording of such announcement one cannot however make up that there is any real progress, like in this notice, in which Erdogan says that he is not worried about the outcome of the debate. Although the latter is obvious towards the Turkish population, who never has got information about the real history, one should be sceptical about the intentions of the discussion and the research.

The Federation notes finally, that if Erdogan really would want to do a gesture towards the Armenians (and to the EU), he could have simply, on the eve of the commemoration, recognised the Genocide. This is however not the case. The Federation, that welcomes each step forward in this sensitive matter, hopes that Erdogan will come shortly, however, with such a brake through. Then it will be possible to normalise the relations with the neighbouring country Armenia, with whom Turkey keeps it borders closed and does not wish to establish diplomatic relations and thereby gradually will start the reconciliation process between the two nations.

Also in the Netherlands, where the parliament has recognised the Armenian genocide on 21 December 2004, the commemoration of 90th anniversary of the Genocide will take place. Among others there will be a commemoration concert coming Sunday afternoon (April 17) in the Pieterskerk cathedral in Leiden as well as an exhibition on the Armenian Genocide from April 17 till April 21 in the same place.

On April 24, after a church service in the Armenian church in Amsterdam, a commemoration meeting will take place at 3 p.m. at the Armenian Genocide monument in Assen.

Contributors to the commemoration are. Prof. Dr. J. Th. M. Houwink ten Cate - holocaust and genocide institute Amsterdam, Seth Gaaikema - comedian and text writer, Farah Karimi - Dutch MP, René Diekstra - psychology professor and others.

The Armenian classical music will be played by Vahé Hovhannesian - duduk; Vazgen Pirdjanian - Komitas string Quartet; Ruzanna Nahapetjan - soprano; Ruzanna Hakopian - canon; Hambardzum Sahakian - declamation and Nicolai Romashuk jr. - duduk.

Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON)
24 April committee
http://www.24april.nl

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Turkish premier wants debate on Genocide of Armenians

ANKARA (DUTCH PRESS AGENCY/DPA) - The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called up Wednesday to an "open debate" on the Genocide of Armenians at the beginning of the 20th century. Erdogan said against members of its party for justice and development that Turkey is not afraid of its history.

The call comes short before Armenians in the whole world commemorate that the extremely cruel attempt of carrying out the Genocide in the Ottoman Empire started on 24 April 1915 with the assassination of prominent Armenians in Istanbul, then the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Most of the Armenians in the Empire did not survive the ethnic purification which was committed against them.

After the collapse of the Empire Turkish republic took later nearly as a dogma that no Genocide of Armenians was committed. It was considered unpatriotic and as treason even a suggestion of that subject.

April 24 Committee

Press Release

The implementation of motion by Rouvoet is followed

BOT: Armenian Genocide keeps full attention

The Hague 30 March 2005 - The Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) follows carefully the follow up of the motion submitted by MP Mr. Rouvoet on 21 December 2004 and adopted unanimously by the parliament, wherein the Dutch government is requested to bring up continuously and expressly the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the dialogue with Turkey. Following this parliamentary decision the Armenian Federation had several contacts with Members of Parliament and also with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Members of Parliament, particularly Mr Rouvoet of Christian Union faction, have insured us that the government will be reminded of this issue at appropriate occasions.

The European summit on 22 and 23 March was a good occasion for the Federation to ask once again Mr. Rouvoet to put parliamentary questions to the government about the progress made in this field and the point of view of the government on this matter. Accordingly on 29 March during a debate on the results of the European meeting Mr Rouvoet asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs about the position of the Dutch government with respect to the motion adopted unanimously by the Parliament. Mr Rouvoet called on the government to show determination and to commit itself entirely that during the political dialogue with Turkey the Armenian Genocide and in correct wording and not in terms of the events in the period of 1915-1917, constantly and expressly to be raised, as clearly requested in the motion.

Minister Bot insured that resolution on Armenia continues to keep the full attention of the government and that this issue is regularly reminded to the Turkish authorities. Regardless of the fact that neither the Turks, nor certain number of Member States in this context speak about the Genocide, minister Bot, however, brings this up expressly. “We keep track of the developments in Turkey”, the minister said. Provisional “no” against Croatia has been a good sign for Turkey, that it is not possible to make fun of the conditions. “The negotiations will not start if all the conditions are not met with”, according to Bot.

Mr Rouvoet continued by asking minister Bot why Dutch embassy in Paris had issued a notice as a result of adoption of the motion concerning the Armenian Genocide, that an official recognition was out of question and that this would still possibly happen later? The minister answered, that he will examine this matter as he was not aware of it.

The other Members of Parliament, cosignatories of the motion on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, when asked by the Armenian Federation, have indicated, that although the parliamentary questions was presented by Mr Rouvoet who had submitted the motion, they reflected the opinion of the other factions in the Parliament.

This month in the whole world the commemoration of 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire takes place. In this respect the 24 April committee of the Armenian Federation organises a range of activities, among which a commemoration concert on 17 April at 14.00 in the Pieterskerk in Leiden. Armenian classical music will be played by Armenian and Dutch musicians. Also there is an exhibition on the Armenian Genocide in the Pieterskerk in Leiden from 17 to 21 April. On 24 April the annual laying of wreaths and ceremony for the commemoration of 1.5 the million victims of the Armenian Genocide will take place at the Armenian monument in Assen and commemoration in the auditorium with speakers and Armenian music.

STAATSCOURANT (DUTCH GOVERNMENT GAZETTE) NO. 23

Wednesday, 2 February 2005

Members of Parliament condemn Armenian genocide

By André Rouvoet

In the Dutch Government Gazette of 25 January René Diekstra, under the title ‘Armenian Auschwitz’, wrote about the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. He rightly concludes that the EU will talk with Turkey about accession without requiring the recognition of her Auschwitz in advance. For that Diekstra is deeply ashamed as a European.

I can imagine his feeling of shame well. Like Diekstra many factions in the House of Representatives were very disappointed about the lack of the requirement for the recognition of this Genocide by Turkey in the conclusions of the European Council of December 2004. Preceding that summit, many factions had expressly called for such a requirement.

In the debate on the conclusions of the European summit, where much attention was given to the reached agreement with respect to the start of the negotiations with Turkey, I therefore introduced a motion in which the government is requested, within the framework of the intensive political and cultural dialogue, which will be conducted parallel to the accession negotiations with Turkey, to continuously and expressly raise the recognition of the Armenian genocide. Nevertheless, a (new) European Member State must be required to deal with its own history honestly. Minister Bot welcomed this motion, which was unanimously accepted by the House of Representatives.

Unfortunately it is true that the House of Representatives cannot add the requirement of recognition to the conclusions of the European Council through a motion. Meanwhile, however, this parliamentary pronouncement is of great and fundamental significance. It is namely the first time that the Dutch House of Representatives explicitly speaks of ‘the Armenian genocide’. Whereas the European Parliament has already done this, the term ‘genocide’ was so far always avoided in the Dutch parliament. The fact that the parliament has now unanimously sided with a motion in which the events of 1915 to 1917 are actually labelled as genocide and the fact that the Dutch government has also welcomed this motion is of great significance for the Armenian community world wide.

Moreover, in the debate several spokesmen also referred to the massacres of the Assyrian people. Although the motion does not mention this issue, when asked, the Minister of Foreign Affairs insured me that he will interpret the motion in such a way that in this also the Assyrians are included. Therefore both horrors will be raised in the negotiations with Turkey.

I am of the same opinion as Diekstra that justice must be done to the entire history. The acceptance of my motion has the chance that this will effectively happen in the coming time. Either way, it has been brought a little closer.

The author is Chairman of the Christian Union faction in the House of Representatives.

STAATSCOURANT (DUTCH GOVERNMENT GAZETTE) NO. 17

Tuesday 25 January 2005

Armenian Auschwitz

‘This God, to whom you want pray, does not exist. Where was he when the Jews in Poland had dig their own graves? Where was he when the Nazi's played with the skulls of Jewish children? If he exists and he has been silent, he is a murderer just like Hitler.’ These are the words of Joseph Shapiro, main character from the novel The Penitent of Isaac Bashevis Singer. They are in fact also the words of Richard Rubinstein in his book entitled After Auschwitz: ‘Auschwitz killed God’.

This week, it is 60 years ago that the concentration camp Auschwitz was liberated. Was Auschwitz indeed that turning point in the mental history of humanity, about which Joseph Shapiro and Richard Rubinstein speak? The moment when the belief in God, and therewith the existence of God, was no longer justifiable? No matter how strange it may sound, I would like for this to be true. I would like that no earlier horrors of the same level as Auschwitz had taken place, by which God or a another human unifying universal faith would lose its credibility once and for all. But this is not so simple.

This year is also the ‘jubilee year’ of another horror. This one took place not only almost 30 years before Auschwitz, but therefore also served as a model for Auschwitz. It was Hitler himself who in 1939, briefly before the bloody attack on Poland, made clear to his army commanders that Germany should not be afraid of world opinion. Because, he said, ‘Wer redet heute noch von der Vernichtung der Armenier?’ (Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?). How it is possible that, different from Auschwitz, the massacres of the Armenians, which were committed under command and responsibility of the Turkish government in the period of 1915–17, can still be denied by the perpetrator who continues to get away with it internationally? On 24 April 1915, thousands of Armenian politicians, priests and intellectuals were arrested in some large Turkish cities and were in part directly assassinated and in part deported. It was the start signal for the deportation and then eradication of the largest part of the Armenian population in the Turkish Empire. Of the two million Armenians living there, according to prominent historians certainly 1,200,000 died in concentration camps, by massacre or by starvation. In that process German diplomats and consultants were – Turkey had chosen the side of Germany in the first World War I – actively involved.

The Turkish minister directly responsible for the Armenian Auschwitz, Talaat Pasha, did not make a particular secret out of it. As such he asked the American ambassador at that time, Henry Morgenthau, the following: ‘I wish that you would get the American Life Insurance companies to send us a complete list of Armenian policy holders. They are practically all dead now and have left no heirs to collect the money. It of course all escheats to the state. The government is beneficiary now. Will you do so?’ The request has not been granted. But the fact remains that numerous streets and squares of modern Turkish cities are named after Talaat Pasha. The fact is also that the EU talks with Turkey about accession without having required the recognition of her Auschwitz in advancee. I am deeply ashamed as an European.

René F.W. Diekstra

Haagsche Courant
4 januari 2005

The Netherlands did compensate for omission on Armenia

Inge Drost

Just before the Christmas Holidays the House of Representatives has unanimously adopted a motion of Christian Union leader André Rouvoet in which Turkey is asked to recognise the Genocide of the Armenians in 1915. With this action the Netherlands rehabilitated itself as a country of the international law. In spite of the recall of the European Parliament and in spite of efforts of minister Bot the Dutch EU Presidency did not succeed to regulate this question at European level.
In the motion of Rouvoet the Dutch government is asked to bring up continuously and expressly the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the dialogue with Turkey. Minister Bot considered the motion as a support for his policy and for this reason he even ‘welcomed’ it.
With the unanimous support of the parliament and the government at least now in the Netherlands the era of the taboo around the words ‘Armenian genocide’ has been definitely closed. End of era, end of taboo: naturally it would have been better if this new sound had sounded loudly and clearly at the European Union summit on 17 December.
But finally the important fact is the message to Turkey, who will have, under European observance, to consider her own past, how painfully it is. The message is arrived: in Turkey it has been already regretted that as thanks for the Dutch Presidency a street in Ankara was named Holland Road. It is still to be hoped that now a start will be made for the recognition of the Armenian tragedy and for the reconciliation with the past.

Inge Drost represents the 24 April Committee of the Armenian Federation

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MESSAGES PUBLISHED IN 2004

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