OTTAWA—According to media reports and following months of unexplained secrecy, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Ottawa’s National Capital Commission have allowed the installation of a monument reportedly commemorating the 30th anniversary of the killing of an official of the Turkish Embassy in Ottawa.
Terrorism must be condemned, especially by countries and organizations that work toward social justice and human rights. All Armenian-Canadian organizations have and continue to condemn terrorism, be it terrorism that is state-sponsored or terrorism committed by individuals or groups.
It is, however, disappointing that the Turkish Government’s propaganda and rhetoric directly and indirectly insinuates and associates the said act with Armenians. No culprit has been apprehended for the act. Nevertheless, Turkish authorities continue to make unfounded accusations, and pressure Canadian authorities to focus unjustified investigations on Armenian-Canadians that are an integral part of the Canadian community.
Dr. Girair Basmadjian, President of the Armenian National Committee of Canada expressed his concerns, stating: “We hope that this monument, imported from Turkey in undue secrecy, does not create tensions between communities in Canada. I question the intentions of the sponsors. Considering that the monument was made and imported from Turkey it would have been appropriate to have included the dedication to victims of state sponsored terrorism.” Dr. Basmadjian added, “as part of its decades-old tactics of denial of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey continues to find ways of creating opportunities to deflect the focus of attention from its responsibility as a Genocide perpetrator and human rights abuser.”
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
There is no proof that this crime was committed by Armenians. Therefore we should simply take the Turkish and the sneaky Canadian governments to court! Crying, huffing and puffing from our part is useless. Try to do the same to the Jewish community and see what they are capable of. We should do the same.
This is a plus for Amenians, every time a person asks what this monument is for, then the explanation will spread the Genocide to more people, than otherwise would have.
I dont know why governements give importance to Turkey.
they have no logistic nor financial value anymore.
the soviet union colapsed because of Satelite war.
who needs Sick Man of Europe any more.
I say pull the life suport line and watch it die.
When people call “Turk is a Turk” is true!! They actually open people’s mind, that Genocide really happened in the ancient land of Armenians!! I bet “new donkeys” will clean their erected crap after few years, just like those stupid monument, that they constructed on the border between Armenia and Turkey, “smart donkey” pull them down after few years!!