BUENOS AIRES, Argentina–On May 31, the ANC of South America, a body of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), issued a statement welcoming Buenos Aires officials’ decision to block the unveiling of Ataturk’s bust in the capital. The statement came on the heels of the cancellation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s trip to Buenos Aires, after Argentina’s Armenian community protested the planned unveiling.
The statement highlighed the continuities between the genocidal Young Turk government of 1915 and the Turkish Republic established by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, noting that the policy of Armenian Genocide denial “was born with Ataturk and is continued today by Prime Minister Erdogan’s government.” The unveiling of Ataturk’s bust in Buenos Aires is an insult not only to the Armenian community in Argentina, but to all Argentinians, the ANC of Argentina noted.
“The responsibility for the cancellation of the Turkish delegation’s visit falls squarely on Prime Minister Erdogan’s shoulders,” underlined the ANC of South America.
According to reports from Argentina’s “Armenia” newspaper, Turkish diplomats in Argentina had stepped up genocide denial efforts following the successful passage of a 2007 law that condemned the Armenian Genocide. Using the so-called “historical commission” envisioned in the Turkey-Armenia Protocols, the Turkish Ambassador to Argentina Hayri Hayet Yalav had launched an extensive public relations campaign, coinciding with the 95th anniversary of this crime, inviting Argentinean public officials on trips to Turkey and promoting closer Turkish-Argentinian cultural relations.
The Turkish embassy had quietly approached Buenos Aires officials to sidestep local laws requiring public notice and hearings regarding the installation of statues on public property, securing an agreement to replace an existing statue of an Egyptian human rights activist with that of Ataturk. The plan was uncovered by the ANC of South America just one week prior to the official installation of the bust. Within days, a joint Argentina-Armenian Community effort was launched—including letters to the editor and a public statement in major local newspapers—resulting in a May 28th meeting with Buenos Aires city Minister of Parks Diego Santili. The latter rescinded the decision.
An angry Prime Minister Erdogan pressured Argentina President Kirchner to overturn the Buenos Aires decision to no avail. Erdogan cancelled his trip to Argentina along with his trip to Chile the following day.
An interesting side note: The “Armenia” newspaper reports that Turkish Embassy officials had extended invitations to the Ataturk statue unveiling to Argentina Armenians with Turkish passports, threatening them to attend the ceremony or face difficulty in renewing their travel documents.
Its the same attaturkey the young jerks or turks threw over,after the old boy inherited the Yellow Stain designation in WW1,after his troops,turned yellow and grovelled to join the Allies,after they were beaten in a fair fight.Who would want honor old YELLOW STAIN
The Turks are really reaching this time,but they can’t out run history.It seems the only way they try to convince anyone is to say “We are needed so forget the past”.But the facts remains that the Turks have only double crossed everyone who was niave enough to trust them. Shame on Isreal for looking away from history and praise for Argentina for seeing the Turks for what they really are.Looks like the yellow stain is turning to brown.
John P. Israel and turkey are like two snakes in a vase.
i’d like to know for what reason ARGENTINA needs to have a bust of ataturk in there country. i understand
the meaning for erdogan.but if the armenians hadn’t found out in time it would be resting in some park? what
does that really say about ARGENTINA!
Yeah and we’ll see who devours who first.My money is on the Jews,but a big vote of appreciation for Argentina and thanks to them for having more smarts than HiC and the 50/50 bar.
This is proof to every Armenian throughout the world especially the AGBU crowd who questions and reasons that “Turkey is a large country with a large population, what can we do?” We don’t need to feel timid. The proof is in the ANC/ARF and the Argentinian Armenian community. I am so proud of their ability to mobilize an entire community within a few days and get unprecedented results. I wish we could mobilize our community in the US and be able to have the turkish PM cancel a trip to the white house. Every Armenian needs to realize that a skeleton of staff and volunteers at the ANC are able to respond and monitor attacks from not only turkey but the entire world against our interests. Next time you feel like donating to an organization, realize that you get much more for the buck than any non profit. NEVER FORGET, NEVER FORGIVE, and WE’LL BE IN YOUR FACE TO REMIND YOU!