HAGUE (Katholiek Nieuwsblad)–The chairman of German-Turkish Association Opposed to Genocide announced that Turks in Germany have called upon Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
Turks in Germany have made a plea in favor of the erection of a proposed monument commemorating the Genocide in the Dutch city of Assen. The Turkish Association Against Genocide–comprising of more than 10000 members–has sent a petition to the Dutch Parliament in the Hague asking for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a historical fact. Expressing their positive attitude on the monument in Assen–they are labeling opponents as Turkish fanatics–and asking the municipality not to change its position. "It is a pity that the monument is under discussion again. It is a psychological terror exerted on the Armenian community in the Netherlands." says Ali Ertem–the chairman of the Association.
It is ironic that the Dutch authorities do not wish to comment about the genocide–the Turks–whose ancestors perpetuated the genocide–are asking the Dutch Government for recognition of the Genocide.
The Turkish Association Against Genocide expresses its desire in the petition to clean up their past. A similar petition had been sent to the Turkish Parliament but it has been rejected. The text of that petition reads "As Turks it is bad for our conscience that these people (Armenia’s) were left to their fate for 85 years. Therefore we feel morally obliged to end their disillusion and agony–and we ask national and international condemnation of the crimes committed against the Armenia’s–Assyrians and Pontian-Greeks."
Access to independent primary sources convinced them that there has indeed been a genocide perpetrated at the time of the Young Turk regime. Ertem said–"What we learned at school is a forgery of history. We learned that we Turks are one nation.. In the beginning of the 20th century two million Armenia’s lived in our empire. Where are they now?"
The Turkish government keeps the line of willful denial. Turkey promptly condemned and rejected the recent recognition of the Genocide in the French Senate.