Each passing day brings new revelations of the Obama Administration’s shameful schemes to cover up Turkish misconduct.
The latest scandal involves the State Department’s covert attempt to alter the contents of a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which condemned the Turkish government’s violations of the religious rights of Christian minorities. USCIRF is an independent bi-partisan federal agency established by the U.S. Congress to make “recommendations unburdened by foreign policy considerations other than the defense of religious freedom,” according to a commission member.
The USCIRF issued a lengthy report on March 20, outlining in great detail “the Turkish government’s systematic and egregious limitations on the freedom of religion or belief that affect all religious communities in Turkey, and particularly threaten the country’s non-Muslim religious minorities.”
The report recommended that the U.S. government designate Turkey as one of the world’s 16 worst violators of religious freedom, along with Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
The commission’s recommendation sharply downgraded Turkey’s status from a previous “watch” list country to the black list of 16 “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC).
As expected, Turkish officials resorted to their usual disparaging tactics, rejecting the commission’s findings. Far more troubling were the insidious actions of Turkophiles in the State Department. Nina Shea, one of the nine USCIRF commissioners, wrote an alarming article revealing how the Obama Administration quietly pressured the commission to soften its condemnation of Turkey.
Shea disclosed to the National Review, a major national publication, that Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Michael Posner had forced one of the commissioners to change his position in Turkey’s favor, after being tipped off by another commissioner, an Obama appointee, that the USCIRF had voted 5-4 to black list Turkey in its annual report. By then, the report had been issued and it was too late to alter the recommendation designating Turkey a major violator of religious freedom. As required, the report was submitted to Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, and Congressional leaders.
It was later revealed that Don Argue, the president of Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash., was the commissioner who was pressured into changing his mind on Turkey. Ironically, two days after this report was issued, the terms of service of Shea, Argue, and three other commissioners ended.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry, reacting sharply to the commission’s critical designation of Turkey, declared the report to be “null and void.” Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, Namik Tan, described the report as “politically motivated.” The commission’s chairman, Leonard Leo, shrugged off the Turkish protestations. “I don’t really care what the [Turkish] Foreign Minister thinks, because the report is not for him, it’s for the State Department,” Leo told the Turkish Zaman newspaper.
Regrettably, a State Department spokesperson persisted in covering up Turkey’s abusive record when he told EurasiaNet.org that “the Department does not support Turkey’s CPC designation, although it believes the country needs to do more to expand religious freedom.”
The commission’s report included a long list of grave charges, accusing the Turkish government of:
— imposing “burdensome regulations,” denying “full legal status to religious groups, [and] violating the religious freedom rights of all religious communities.”
— interfering with “minority religious communities’ affairs; societal discrimination and occasional violence against religious minorities; limitations on religious dress; and anti-Semitism in Turkish society and media.”
— denying “non-Muslim communities the rights to train clergy, offer religious education, and own and maintain places of worship.”
— continuing longstanding policies that “threaten the survivability and viability of minority religious communities in Turkey.”
— restricting the religious freedom of “the Greek, Armenian, and Syriac Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches, and the Jewish community as well as for the majority Sunni Muslim community and the country’s largest minority, the Alevis.”
The report described in great detail the restrictions imposed on the Armenian community, including the Turkish government’s prohibition of training new clergy, and its interference “in the selection process of the Armenian Patriarchate’s religious leadership.”
The commission recommended that the U.S. government urge Turkey to “abolish Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code which restricts the freedom of thought and expression and negatively affects the freedom of religion or belief.” The report also acknowledged that “even starting a discussion on genocide of Christians that occurred 100 years ago is a criminal offense in Turkey.”
Ironically, after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan in South Korea on March 26, Obama told the media: “I congratulated the prime minister on the efforts that he has made within Turkey to protect religious minorities!”
It is shameful that unscrupulous U.S. officials are treating a federal agency’s painstaking research and solid recommendations with such contempt!
Harut Sassounian
Mr. Sassonian
Take a deep breath and enjoy your life in Glendale . Just relax.Turkey is in the other part of the world and has anything to do with you
Yahya the Turk.. you still call yourself John, a Christian Name.. how ironic when e are speaking about non-Muslims in this article and how threatened they are by your fascist govt and denialists like you…
Why don’t YOU enjoy your life in a rat hole and let the human rights issues to those who actually understand it… to those who have a heart and conscions unlike people like you..
Mr. Sassounian has every right to speak about such things because guess what you ignorant individual, most of Turkey belonged to CHRISTIANS, NON-MUSLIMS before your nomad ancestors conquered by force, blood, brutal killings and of course something you fear like a plague and like a vamipre fears from light, called GENOCIDE… so instead of telling Mr. Sassounian to take a breath, prepare yourself to take a deep breath because there are plenty where this article came from……
Good Day mister …
Gayane
John,
Because these people are paranoiacs..
One pyschopath is giving another pyschopath a reason for their existance… nice…:)
Genis,
Is that why you Turks are so afraid, or in reality have such low esteem, of the truth and the mere open discussion of the Armenian Genocide that you need laws to counter reality? ..Insulting Turkishness? What a joke…maybe its you people that are paranoiac…
John the t….k
“….and has anything to do with you”
Harut —> SASSOUNian <—-
john the fascist turk.. go to hell
John,
I am afraid Turks used up all the space that was given them in the hell :-) You know it has been thousand years that they have been killing and killing. And, it does not seem to stop.
Ditto to that Sella jan… but that is a good thing, cause I rather have such genocidal and fascist people take up hell than earth…
John the turk, as long as tuks occupy our country illegally we have everything to do with turkey.By the way what are you doing here? The Armenian weekly has nothing to do with you!
john the turk,
I am sure, Mr. Sassounian can decide himself how he wants to live his life. No need for your recommendations.
And, by the way, he is not the only one writing about this. Search the Internet. You may want to contact a few more people with your valuable recommendations on how to live their lives and how to leave turkey alone.
Mr. Sassounian,
Great article.. Why do you think the current State department, in fact all versions of the US state department over the years, have gone to great lengths to protect, to hide, to obscure the reality of what Turkey is all about? That is a genocide perpetrator and one of the worst violators of human rights on this planet?
Who cares about John the Turk. It is painfully obvious that his intelectual and moral compass is totally screwed up. Ignore him and eventually he will stop barking.
What is more relevant is the sad reality that all Armenian-Americans who heeded
ANCA’s endorsement of Obama for president and voted for him. Now we regret it immensely. What a disappointment!!!
Lesson to be learnt: Never believe an American politician running for elections.
Vart Adjemian
ANCA endorsed Obama not only because of Obama’s now evident empty promises but because John McCain flatly refused to be on the side of the Armenians saying that he will not go there and Turkey is an ally, or something to that effect..
It seems to matter little who the US President is however. There seems to be a deep, dark, binding connection between the all the US State departments and the controllers of Turkey..
To answer John, and everyone else that has asked the same question, the answer is NATO.
As long as Turkey is a member of NATO, and the US has military bases and missiles stationed in Turkey, the spineless and hypocritical US Government will always defend Turkey, regardless of facts or moral fortitude.
It is a sad political reality and it is doubtful that it will change.
Vart Adjemian
You hit the nail on the head Vart.. that is exactly why US continue to kiss Turkey’s behind with full force.. it is absolutely disgusting and I am ashamed to call myself an American citizen…
That’s why Obama/Clinton and their Senate majority; according to published reports In September 2011 by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.); revealing that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was holding a bill for nine months, the bill authorizing the USCIRF commission for another two years; that was passed months ago by the House of Representatives by a 391-21 vote.
Genis, Yahya the turk, and the ilk:
If you think demand for justice is paranoiac, go watch Alan Parker’s true story-based film “Midnight Express”, which depicts who unmerciful and unremorseful Turks like you truly are.
Hint: it can be found in the speech delivered by the main character during his second trial.
You know that most of the disgusting scenes don’t actually exist in the book, and are made up just for the movie, right?
You know that in real Turkish prisons in reality it is far worse and more bestial, right ?
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-268766-indictment-reveals-cruel-methods-of-torture-employed-by-1980-coup-regime.html
You know that 32 years can change things too. My uncle was imprisoned for some alleged attempt to do something to someone…. no one really knows, he just thought to have pissed off some important people. One year later, no charges found, and released, never heard a bad story or mistreatment. This was in Istanbul, so eastern Turkey is probably worse, but you don’t need to throw 1980 in our faces, those were dark times, and now, say what you want about the AKP, they’re getting back at the military and police responsible.
Dont confuse them with facts tokado! They are especially allergic to them. I can link to Parker’s own youtube video telling how much fiction there was in the movie, how many friends he had actually made there and even Stone himself admitting to excesses, but all would be futile. The heavily Armenian and Greek accented lousy Turkish in the movie is their proud moment.
Rvdv and what exactly have changed if you dont mind me asking? Are you serous? Turkey and Azerbaboons are as backward as their ancestors MINUS those Turks and Azeris who seperate them from the genocidal states.
You are certainly entitled to your own opinion Gayane.
RVDV,
I guess, you missed the article on how Kurdish children were sexually abused in Turkish prisons.
That news story could have been from 3/4 of the world- the stories never change in countries who do not respect basic Human rights and law. I guessed you missed that in propaganda 101.
how many other countries in the world do you know of that up until 2011 were officially endorsing misogyny and gang-rapes by their military of the victim country?
Please give us some examples, similar to these by TSK in 2011 (not 32 years ago).
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-272636-military-marches-that-degrade-women-now-barred.html
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/military-to-abolish-misogynous-marches.aspx?pageID=238&nID=14807&NewsCatID=339
Are you sure things have changed that much in 32 years ?
What other country’s military can you cite that has its official marching chant endorsing the abduction and gang rapes of enemy’s women ?
In the year 2011 ?
That may or may not be an opinion RVDV.. but i can say this:.. minute changes here and there does not constitute a real change especially in a country like Turkey.. the world is aware of how Turkish govt runs its own country PLUS any country that will kiss Turkey’s butt just cause Turkey dangles millions in front of them is obvious proof as to why Turkey plus their sick brother, Azerbajian are as inhumane, and backward as their ancestors..
So until you provide some great examples of REAL and ACCURATE changes, i stand not corrected…
Have a nice day sir
Gayane
RVDV,
You really think that our world is that screwed up that sexually abusing children in prisons can happen in 3/4 of world? Many countries do not actively label children as terrorism supporters and imprison them like Turkey does to begin with. If you do not fill your prisons with children the chance that they will get sexually abused in prisons is very low.
But then again, we are talking about Turkey, a country, where abusing people, their rights and heritage is just fine as long as they are not Turks.
Sella:
yes, yes I do. Take Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, I’d also say China, etc. Turkeys up there on the list of worst offenders, remember the “accident” (wink wink) that killed 26 Kurds in December or January. But regarding your last sentence, I don’t agree. It’s not just non-Turks. The 1980s Avery was referring to was marred by horrendous tactics of abuse and torture in prisons- and people were being thrown into jail because of ideology- fascists vs communists. Look up Deniz Gezmis or Erdal Eren who was hanged at 16- and the reasoning was “should we care for him instead of hang him?” PM Erdogan was imprisoned in 97 for reading a religious poem while mayor of Istanbul. You Need to have a government that shares your beliefs to avoid oppression in Turkey.
RVDV,
Can you provide proof/evidence that regions that you have mentioned fill their prisons with children under the terrorist-supporters label. I know that those regions abuse human rights in general but do they fill their prisons with children?
It is no secret that Turkey has been abusing non Turks much more than “ethnic Turks”. However, as Turkey is a fascistic country it abuses its own people as well if they are against the regime. I am surprised that Turks sill have a courage to dig in “their” land. Every time they dig they find a mass grave. What does that tell us about this nation’s past and present, about those cursed 1000 years?
Sella: “Can you provide proof/evidence that regions that you have mentioned fill their prisons with children under the terrorist-supporters label”
I never said they did. But let’s look at our most civilized neighbor Iran.
http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=65
This site lists the child executions in Iran, the same Iran which is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. True, Iran doesn’t arrest these kids for terrorism, but they kill children. Which is worse?
Back to our topic: I may not be able to provide directs links to cases of children being imprisoned because of terrorism as you say, but your original question to me was that if I really though sexual abuse of children could happen in 3/4 of the world. YES, I still do. If a woman can be imprisoned for asking for a divorce of her DEAD husband in Sudan, I’d expect anything. In many parts of Africa, child sexual abuse happens routinely and no one stops it because there essentially is no government control. If children are being recruited as suicide bombers in Palestine, if there are child soldiers in Uganda, then is it a stretch to make the assumption I have made?
Berch jan.. i would be surprised if they even know what that means.. knowing they only know what their govt fed them as they were babies… they know nothing outside of their closed up square worlds…
..
Gayane
http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/The-real-Billy-Hayes-regrets-Midnight-Express-1134196.php
Oliver Stone said similar things in Istanbul in 2004.
Why is the US still in Turkey’s pocket? The USSR is no more. Why does the US need bases in Turkey? The US should pull completely out of Turkey and not give the damn Turks a cent.
Ani said it correctly. The term “Turkey’ has everything to do with our people since they occupy western Armenia and have systemically murdered , expelled or institutionally harassed the indigenous Christian population.
Turkey is a shell “democracy” that push buttons when they have public pressure from the west to give token impressions of “improvement”. Any country that associates itself with democratic ideals could never associate itself with a Code 301 type law. It is absurd, insulting and reflects the superficial nature of politics.
The good fortune of the Turks to have geo-political capital aside, we all(including the Turks ) know the truth…. they murdered millions of Christians and robbed them of their wealth, dignity and land. Our people as the primary victim.
Our job is to never let assimilation diminish our cause. Be active and teach your children. Do not let the comforts of the diaspora distract us. Use our material wealth for the good of your people. Serve and we will see justice.
Well said Stepan jan.. I for one will not allow the comfort of diaspora diminish who I am and will always be the Armenian that my parents raised me to be…and the same thing will continue into my children and their children…
Gayane as I have said before in this post, your parents have shown the vision to name you after of one of our first women saints; who reflects the strength and wisdom of Armenian women through the ages. Our cause will succeed because our people have a spirit such as what you express in all your comments. It is this spirit through the grace of God that has given our people the the will and strength to survive and one day to receive justice. Thank you.
To Armenians
Okay. Let’s make a deal. Turkey will accept the Armenian genocide but, in return you guys will officially and regularly deny the Greek , Assyrian and other genocides Turks committed . I know it is immoral and I personally wouldn’t agree with it as I am not a wicked man. How about you ? You know this is life . can you take this corrupt action ? If not why not?
Cheers
John the Turks,
No we cannot! Why? Because
1. we are not corrupt and stand for justice
3. we do not make deals with Turks-they are not trustworthy
Once upon a time Kurds made a deal with Turks. What did they get out of that deal-betrayal and massacres.
Yayha the Turk.. i don’t know how to describe your above post other than absolutely idiotic and ridiculeous..
are you for real??
Someone with your status of being a notorious denialist and being detached frm the real world should not…
1. propose anything especially when it is as aweful as above
2. be asking questions that might require answers which will require you to actually think…
and who the heck are you to propose a deal??? . the only deal you and your ilk should do is .. well you have the list.. why don’t you work on that first and then come here and try to make deals..
What a joke…
Gayane
RVDV
Do you really think that because other countries you mentioned have prisons that utilize torture as well, that it’s O.K. with you if your country does?
“You know that 32 years can change things too”, says RVDV.
Before him scores of Turks in these pages kept bloviating the following mantra one way or the other:
You know that time that’s passed after the terrorizing Seljuk nomads have invaded and scorched Asia Minor and the Armenian Highlands can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after the Ottoman colonizers subjugated native peoples of Asia Minor, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after the Hamidian massacres of Armenians can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after the Adana massacres of Armenians can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after the genocide of Armenians in 1915-23 can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after Ozal’s threat to drop bombs on Armenia can change things too?
You know that time that’s passed after the murder of Dink can change things too?
Well, Turks , you know that after all this time that’s passed, some of you, Turks—descendants of Seljuk invaders and Ottoman mass murderers—in the year 2012 still threaten Armenians in your Taksikim Square with posters “Today Taksim, tomorrow Yerevan, we may suddenly come there one night”, “Mount Ararat will be your graves”, and “Let Armenia be wiped out”? You know that after all this time that’s passed, your Turkish state—a successor of oppressive and genocidal Ottoman empire—still keeps the borders with Armenia closed, refuses to establish diplomatic relations, maintains economic blockade, and supports a third Turkic side that has nothing to do whatsoever with the bilateral Turkish-Armenian relations?
Do you know that, Turks? If you do, don’t you see an evil pattern that your existence in the region brings to the indigenous peoples?
Apres Berch jan…
Just read this article in the recent edition of the Wall Street Journal, a traditionally Turk- and Jewish lobby-tilted newspaper: “Discovering the Forgotten Holy Land”, March 26, 2012. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304692804577285571885674022.html#articleTabs%3Darticle
I was surprised to come across this passage in the article published by WSJ:
“Hundreds of miles of barbed wire separate [Armenia] from Turkey, from whom it is still awaiting an apology for a 1915 genocide. Relations with neighboring Azerbaijan, which claims territory within Armenia, remain fractured.”
Surprisingly positive article regarding Armenia coming from WSJ, a notoriously Turcophile publication.
Past few years I have noticed a shift: Western Turcophile publications have started criticizing Turkey, directly or indirectly. Even The Economist, a rabidly Turcophile magazine, chided it recently.
WSJ using the word ‘genocide’ without the usual equivocations and qualifiers is definitely a surprise. The passage is in a travel section (e.g. not an Editorial), but it is a message to Turks.
I am guessing, since Islamists came to power in Turkey, and PM Erdogan started threatening Israel, the knives have come out.
The scripted question to Rick Perry in the debate – and his answer – was part of the program to let Turks know they have crossed a line by threatening Israel.
There is a lot of pent up anger, frustration and disappointment with the stance of the US Goverment in relation to its immoral and hypocritcal position as it pertains to the Genocide. Rightly so, but sadly the reality is that it is not going to change.
In an earlier comment I made, I stated that the crux of the issue is the membership of of Turkey in NATO.
Let me elaborate. Turkey joind NATO on October 10, 1951. This year Turkey and NATO with the supoort of the US is celebrating 60 years of ” contributions made by Turkey to NATO”. You may visit the NATO website and see the hogwash and the propaganda spread by the US government about how crucial and beneficial Turkey’s membership in NATO has been.
Also, there is an interview posted on the site with Turkish Defense Minister Yilmaz.
It will make you puke, but we have to realize that this is NATO’s website, and nothing appears on it without the explicit approval of the US.
One of the most sensitive issues pushed by NATO is the “AntiBallistic Missile Defense System” which has caused tremendous tension and friction bewteen the US and Russia. Obama’s recent open mike fiasco attests to that.
Some of these missiles will be placed in Turkey. It is a safe assuption to make that the US has made certain promises to Tukey ( you can guess including which one) and given them a huge financial “bribe” for Turkey to accept to station the missiles in the NATO/US bases that are already in Turkey.
Until we are able to unravel and uncover the secret deals and agreements made between the amoral US Government and the cowardly and manipulatve Turkish government, under the guise of national security, the position of the US Goverment will not change.
Vart Adjemian
Murat and the post-Seljuk, post-Ottoman ilk:
Although there were certain differences between the cinematic and literary versions of Midnight Express and a couple of excesses, Billy Hayes never denied the disdain he had expressed towards the nation of Turks in general (of course, individually, he could have made friends in the prison) and the epithet he had used to call your nation in his last plea during second trial.
If you think Armenians are allergic to the facts, use your little Turkish grey cells to explain—as a matter of fact—as to how out of several millions of native Christians inhabiting Ottoman empire only several thousand remain? That’s the fact, you know…
“Billy Hayes never denied the disdain he had expressed towards the nation of Turks in general”
Berch, that is factually incorrect. In 2007, Billy Hayes traveled to Turkey to apologize for the way the country was depicted in “Midnight Express,” saying that the image of Turkey produced by the film ”was not fair to them or true to my experience.”
It was also one of the most racist movies ever produced in the 70s and there’s little doubt that diaspora Armenians and Greeks had a hand in its production. It would be difficult to conceive of Hollywood being able to get away with making such a movie today.
So, your free to hold your own bias but at least don’t base it from a movie that was derived mostly from fiction.
Someone please pass on my admiration to Mr. Berman,for so vividly and in colourfull manner describin every detail.I could not do so,as am not logged in or -even after I tried to- WSJ.Anyhow, also very important that no one so far noticed as rgds the encroachment of neighbour into Armenian land in NK Artsakh, as others always do the oppostie that Armenia has occupied the Azeri lands..
When I neterred to read comments on article in WSJ, ,the last one By Ken or Kenny had a big Error in it.That of his thinking or belief, that after WWII there had been NO REPARATIONS.He is not cognizant of the Jews receiving -even untill now- compensation from Germany enormously…..
This is important as our Bahanjadirutyun (Claim) is still pending and is to begin,hopefully soon and that at official instances…
TO CLOSE, ALL IN ALL VERY GOOD ARTICLE AND ADVERTISING FOR TOURISM TO ARMENIA.HOPE MORE TO COME FROM SAME …
Mr. Palandjian
Have you ever read a piece of writing about the compensation that Germany paid to Israel? Did you know that Germany only paid 700 millions marks to Israel and most of them construction material shipped to Israel in early 1950. Thinking that Israel is still receiving compensation is fallacy. Was there a court verdict that Germany must pay this compensation? NO The Israeli PM at the time thought he should speak to the Germans about contribution to Israel which was a war wrecked country. The Germany paid this money just out of goodwill. There wasn’t a long debate to discuss what the compensation could have been etc. Get the fact right leave the propaganda out then you will be a member of a civilized nations
I would not even go there Yahya the Turk if i were you.. you are not equipped to go against Mr. Palandian.. so please stop embarassing yourself as always..
Bill Hayes is, indeed, said to having expressed his disappointment with the film adaptation because, in his words, the film depicts all Turks as monsters (which would be nearly true for the Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians witnessed the devilish atrocities committed by the Turks). However, he never denied the disdain he had expressed towards the nation of Turks during his last plea in both the literary version that he’d authored or in the cinematic version. My comment was about this precise aspect, not about Hayes’ general regret about Turks’ depiction in the film adaptation. In both literary and cinematic versions Hayes states unequivocally: “You are a nation of ***s!” That’s the fact which some of your denialist ilk like Murat accuses Armenians as being especially allergic to. I hope he still wanders about in this thread and couldn’t but noticed the following statement in your comment: “[…]there’s little doubt that diaspora Armenians and Greeks had a hand in [the film’s] production.” Murat and Zeki the Turks, the fact I’m presenting can be read in the book and watched in the film. Is the gibberish about diaspora Armenians and Greeks having had a hand in the film’s production a fact? Or in the Turkish psyche whatever a non-Turk says means he or she is “especially allergic to facts” but whatever a Turk bloviates means it is, actually, a fact? Zeki, where did you dig out the ‘fact’ that diaspora Armenians and Greeks had a hand in the film’s production? If you don’t offer the source verifying your accusation, will it be fair to reiterate that there’s no need to confuse the Turks with facts, that your ilk are especially allergic to them and that falsehood is a national Turkish characteristic and is thus your proud moment?
Mr. John the turk,
Now my turn to get the facts straight to you. German Govt. apaart from country to country compensation-one you mention- started to pay to JEWS individually all over the glovbe,those who could send in their ID´s and proof that they found Asylum in ,many countries pof mainly Europe.Probably in others as well.I know this, because a Jewish lady ,who escaped the holocaust and found refuge in X country in Europe, regularly received compensation. Indeed, at the time that Germany was emerging after being a war wrecked country was just the beginning of RESTITUTIONS….as she(Germany forged ahead) the compensations started…endlessly…..
Now then try to absorb that and if you claim to be member of the civilizesd world make certain about what you write.
My apologies Mr. Palandjian for misspelling your last name (missed a letter) in my previous post…
Shnorhakalutyun dzer posti hamar… :) iskapes duq got the facts straight..:)
John the turk,
Didn’t you break the Article 301 law by admitting that their was “the Armenian Genocide” and also “Greek, Assyrian, and other genocides”??? Are you in jail yet being tortured for speaking (or writing) something in your “open, democratic society”?
Mr. Palanjian
Germany did pay to the survivors directly as they personally suffered from the actions of Nazis. In the Armenian case, No one is alive so it is not an heritage of the Armenians that they are entitle to receive money due to the action of the Ottoman government. If some Armenians have papers for their properties in Turkey, They have the opportunity to exercise their right through local courts which is very effective since Turkey accepts the European human right court decisions.
The highest figure I found is the updated 60 Billion dollars, including payments to the individuals fro 6 M victims. Lets take this as a guide. Armenians claim that the number of the victims are 1.5 M. Forget that Turks claims a far more less figure. You would most probably get 15 billion dollars for 1.5 M victims provided the Armenian case is as simple as the Jewish case and you had no blood in your hands.
Mr yahya the turk asks: “Was there a court verdict that Germany must pay this compensation?” And immediately answers “NO” all by himself.
Let us enlighten this Turk a bit.
At the end of the World War II, the victorious Allies, pursuant to the London Agreement of 1945, adopted the Charter of the International Military Tribunal, which provided for the prosecution of the crime of genocide as “crime against humanity”. The London Charter (usually referred to as the London Charter) was the decree that set down the laws and procedures by which the Nuremberg trials of Germany were to be conducted. Then, in December 1946, the UN General Assembly affirmed the principles of international law recognized by the London Charter and confirmed that “genocide was a crime in international law, which the civilized world condemns, and for the commission of which principals and accomplices – whether private individuals, public officials or statesmen, and whether the crime is committed on religious, racial, political or any other grounds–are punishable”. Then, in 1948, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which made the provision for effective penalties for all acts punishable under the Convention and a duty to prosecute by a competent national tribunal or by the International Criminal Court.
Enough evidence that Germany’s reparations to the Jews were not only a gesture of goodwill, but also an obligation under the international law? Have Turks shown any gesture of goodwill throughout 97 years after they committed the heinous crime against the Armenians?
If tomorrow, hypothetically speaking. Armenians and other oppressed Christians all over the world, will drop advancement of justice internationally, do you think your nation will be at all capable of making such a gesture?
Are you personally ready to offer an apology to the descendants of barbarously slaughtered, raped, and mutilated innocent people – all done by your predecessors? I’m all ears…
Oh, oh, even a better question for your Turkish brainpan (I sincerely hope it won’t be a burden), Mr yahya the turk.
If you think Germans apologized and made reparations only as a gesture of goodwill and not under international pressure, too, then I wonder what prevented Turks to do the same after the genocide and before Armenians, deported from their lands, reorganized themselves in various countries and started voicing demands for international condemnation of the Turkish crime. Mind you, international recognition campaign started roughly in the 1950s. Therefore, from 1915 to the 1950s Turks were under no international pressure.
Did your nation apologize and make reparations as a gesture of goodwill within that time span? Eager to know…
I doubt Yahya the Turk has the ability to respond to thought provoking questions especially if it deals with their past.. so I doubt Yayha the TUrk will be able to answer your questions Paul jan.. just like NEcati the genocidal lying denialist has not answered my question and many others that were addressed to him or her…
great questions though.. apres…
” In the Armenian case, No one is alive so it is not an heritage of the Armenians that they are entitle to receive money due to the action of the Ottoman government.”
So………. what you’re saying is that this is the Armenians fault, because they didn’t widely seek reparations soon enough?
And I think Germany to this day, pays only the Israeli government. There aren’t Jews in America receiving checks from the German government.
Someone who has 1% of brain capacity and does not comprehend magnitutde and the devistating aftermath of Genocide would say “Armenians are not alive so forget everything that was stolen from them.” Only someone who is trying to run away from their obligation and trying very hard to deny the acts of inhumane violence toward another race just because of their race, and religion will come up with such IDIOTIC statement… but why are we surprised???
Paul
The answers to your question is already in my last post
.. surprise surprise… .
Incorrect, RVDV. In 1998-1999, the US Foreign Claims Settlement Commission reached agreements with the German government to compensate Holocaust victims who immigrated to the US after the WWII.