ISTANBUL—Two local human rights organizations are planning a series of demonstrations and events on April 24 to mark the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and to denounce racism, reported the Hurriyet Daily News.
“We sum up the rationale behind these activities in a single sentence: The recognition of the Armenian genocide represents the fulfillment of an ethical, legal, political and social responsibility,” Ayşe Gunaysu, a member of the Human Rights Association (İHD), recently told the Hurriyet Daily News.
The main demonstration will take place in Istanbul’s Taksim Square, ironically the site of anti-Armenian protests in February.
The IHD and the “Say ‘No’ to Racism Initiative,” which are jointly organizing the commemoration, are set to announce further details about the location and time of demonstrations in other cities across Turkey several days before the commemoration on April 24.
“Lies cannot under any circumstances prevail until eternity, if we are willing to see the truth,” said Gunaysu, who is a member of both the IHD’s administrative board and its Commission against Racism and Discrimination.
The two NGOs organized simultaneous demonstrations in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, as well as in other provinces across Turkey last April 24.
“The acknowledgement of this [past] pain will lead to real democratization in Turkey. Racism and hatred will lose ground, and we will further approach humane [standards of] living,” she said.
Gunaysu also drew attention to the death of Sevag Sahin Balıkcı, a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent who was allegedly killed by a stray bullet on April 24, 2011, while performing his military service.
BRAVO GUNAYSU AND ALL BRAVE AND HONORABLE TURKS WHO GO AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE SAKE OF TRUTH AND JUSTICE!
We must commend the brave Turkish citizens who want to restore respectability to their country by recognition of the Armenian genocide and instituting human rights reforms. They are few in number, but their numbers will grow as education becomes more wide spread in Turkey. Of course,article 301 of the Turkish criminal code must be rescinded and a lot of the Turkish people to be free to investigate and discuss their own past. The Turkish government has less respect for the Turkish people than I do.
mazod and dennis its not good for us egemen bagis and erdogan when issue became human rights they will show that 24 april to be commemorated in istanbul we are very democratik that result erdogan will say that its was big fault of intellectuals in istanbul.
Turkey continues to be a leader and a beacon of the more modern and advanced Islamic nations. It’s remarkable that it has not produced a single terrorist act or collaborated with terrorists like so many of its feverishly Islamic neighbors have. My hope is hope that that the Turks will continue to be an internationally rather than a provincially oriented society. May its moderate urban population prevail upon its rural denialist counterpart.