BEIRUT, Lebanon (A.W.)—Turkey’s Ambassador to Lebanon Suleiman Inan Oz Yildiz was temporarily trapped inside a Beirut movie theater on March 18 as Armenian demonstrators held a protest outside, reported the Lebanese Daily Star newspaper.
Approximately 60 members of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYR) of Lebanon and the Zavarian Student Association held a demonstration at the entrance of the ABC Grand Cinema in Ashrafieh, where Yildiz was attending a screening of “Son Mektup.” The film, a Turkish love story, is set during the Battle of Gallipoli and tells the story of the Ottoman Empire’s first pilot, Salih Ekrem.
According to the report, protestors yelled out “Genocide,” “Truth will triumph” and “We remember,” and held banners that read, “Recognize the crime of the century.” Security forces were brought in to block the entrance of the theater to prevent patrons from clashing with protesters.
The protest was in response to Turkey’s efforts to sway public attention away from the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24 by focusing on the Battle of Gallipoli.
Earlier this year, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent official invitations to more than 100 world leaders, including Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, to take part in the ceremonies marking the battle. The date designated—April 24—caused an uproar among Armenians worldwide, and prompted Turkish human rights groups to urge world leaders to boycott the Gallipoli events.
On Jan. 16, Sarkisian responded to Erdogan’s invitation to Turkey in a strongly worded letter. “Turkey continues its conventional denial policy and is perfecting its instrumentation for distorting history. This time, Turkey is marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24, even though the battle began on March 18, 1915 and lasted until late January 1916, while the Allies’ operation started on April 25,” he wrote, adding, “What is the purpose [of this] if not to distract the world’s attention from the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide?”
we have to keep it on and on till we get our right
totally agree with the keep it on till we get it right Buit remember who the liars savages and barbarians were and we must do it with truth and be exemplary in our behavior and our presentation its all about control our hostilities must be silenced we have to behave on a higher level live by higher standards draw flies with honey not vinegar hatred only breeds hatred and forgiveness is key you must forgive understanding forgiveness doesn’t set the perpetrator free it sets the forgiver free forgiving rewards the forgiver Hate is of the devil he feeds thrives and wins on our hatred Jesus forgave all sins and died for all sins if we acknowledge him and sin no more If we want forgiveness WE ALSO must forgive Remember we have the GREAT honor of being the first christains