Not satisfied with its neo-Ottoman policies of regional domination, Turkey has decided to extend its influence far and wide, to the four corners of the globe.
While making inroads into the Islamic world by pretending to sympathize with Palestinian suffering, Turkey has alienated Israel, its long-standing political and military partner, and its NATO allies.
Encouraged by his much publicized recent visit to Iran with Brazil’s president, and anxious to counter growing recognition of the Armenian Genocide by South American countries, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan embarked last week on his first trip to Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
In paving the way for that visit, Turkey’s ambassador in Argentina had worked diligently with local officials to allow Erdogan, accompanied by 7 ministers and 300 businessmen, to inaugurate the installation of Kemal Ataturk’s bust in a major Buenos Aires park.
In response to the Turkish ambassador’s lobbying efforts, the local Armenian community launched a counter-attack, placing paid announcements in two major newspapers and asking Buenos Aires city officials not to honor Ataturk, blaming him for continuing the genocide initiated by the previous Young Turk regime. Armenians also objected to Erdogan’s visit, accusing him of heading a denialist government.
Buenos Aires officials responded positively to Armenian concerns because of long-standing cordial ties with the local community. Moreover, in recent years, the city government had published two textbooks on the Armenian Genocide, which are used in city schools. Importantly, these books include references to Ataturk’s role in continuing the genocidal activities of his predecessors.
Ultimately, what caused the collapse of the Turkish scheme was the discovery that Turkey’s ambassador had attempted to deceive Buenos Aires city officials. He had falsely claimed that he was merely requesting permission to replace Ataturk’s bust, which had supposedly been missing for several years. The ambassador had asked for a prompt decision from city officials in order to have Ataturk’s bust unveiled during the prime minister’s visit to Argentina on May 31.
Upon review of the Turkish ambassador’s demands, Buenos Aires officials discovered that there had never been a bust of Ataturk in that park. The missing bust actually was that of a well-known Egyptian human rights activist. Argentina’s large Arab community was extremely unhappy learning that the Turkish ambassador, using false pretenses, was trying to replace their beloved hero’s missing bust with that of Ataturk.
Turkey’s envoy must have intentionally misrepresented the facts, knowing full well that city officials would not agree to pass a law allowing the installation of Ataturk’s bust. The ambassador tried to trick them by requesting a permit simply to replace the “missing” bust.
When Erdogan found out that there would not be an installation of Ataturk’s bust, he asked Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner to overrule city officials. However, Kirchner explained that she was not empowered to take such action because Buenos Aires had an autonomous government and any attempt to interfere in local matters would violate Argentina’s democratic constitution.
Despite the fact that Erdogan is an Islamist and not an Ataturk admirer, he had no choice but to defend “the honor” of Turkey’s revered founder and national hero. Otherwise, the prime minister would have come under severe attack back home from Turkish nationalists and the powerful military. Recent polls show that his party (AKP), for the first time since coming to power, has fallen slightly behind the opposition Kemalist Party (CHP), which could spell trouble for the prime minister in next year’s parliamentary elections. Under these circumstances, Erdogan was forced to cancel his much-touted trip to Argentina, after visiting Brazil. Not surprisingly, the Turkish Foreign Ministry angrily denounced the Armenian community of Argentina for undermining the prime minister’s critical visit.
This is the first time that the prime minister of Turkey has been forced to cancel an overseas trip due to the vigilance of an Armenian community. Argentinean-Armenians must be commended for their effective activism. Armenian communities worldwide should follow their footsteps by taking legally appropriate actions to cause cancellation of visits by Turkish officials, annulment of military and commercial contracts, and disruption of diplomatic relations with Turkey, including the recall of its ambassadors.
Turkey’s leaders should be constantly reminded of the massive crimes committed by their predecessors. As long as the Turkish government does not acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and make appropriate amends, it should be made to pay a heavy political and economic price for years to come.
Harut Sassounian
“Who is a Killer Cannot Act Lawyer”
Before new Ottomans attack others
Let they first recognize Armenian genocide.
Anatolia is full of ‘ Smashed Armenian Skulls ‘
Still weeping coagulated blood by slayers’ hands
Let them trace their satanic DNAs
It is there…. No-one can wipe out.
Their genes seem carried to new cohorts
Those play naive and ignore their grandfathers’ crimes
After they vanished almost 80% of Armenians from their ancient land
Taking everything from clever dedicated nation…
Those worked hard to have;
Slashed their hearts, their gifted hands full of arts.
The 20% of poor nation left are producing more than before…
Slayers still are trying to depress their hopeful smiles.
Now their new-trained soldiers
Started killing innocent Kurds.
Today, Turkey’s driving aid,
Defending Gaza from Israeli’s raid.
How many nice Iraqis killed every day no one cares.
Why they don’t help their neighbor
Before giving help for whom they do unethical trade
And strengthen their Air force by their help.
On whom they are laughing
Lending Arabs their fabricated films
To get their oil money,
They think they are cleverer than Arabs!
In their opinion Arabs they don’t deserve
To have luxurious life.
Arabs saved Armenians from massacres
After they threw Armenians in rivers, burning hays, deserts…
Babies with their mothers marching under red sunrays
Drying… leaving their bones in heaps
Still seen in Der-Zor in open air …uncanned!
Can we ask new- Ottomans
Who hanged poets and literate Arabs in May 16, 1916
In two city-squares: Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians
Wasn’t he Jamal Alsaffah who genocided our minds, heart, lands
Raped and killed our virgin girls …orphans!
And graved Middle East Abbasids’ literacy four-hundred years behind!
Till Arab Hashemite kings [From prophet Mohamed’s and Imam Ali’s ground]United with Europeans and got rid of their unpublished tyrant greedy demands.
“Who is killer can not act lawyer”
This is unfair for human rights.
United Nation knows this …
Off course Royal Christian English Parliament
and both Democratic-Republican senators of United States
Still those give blind eyes–
Not returning president Wilson’s signed
Armenian territorial Map of 22, November 1920.
Trying to convince Armenian government
To open their false borders designed by them
Under forced Turkish unhumanitarian demands
To return Artzakh ( Karabakh) to nasty invaders, like a piece of cake;
A holly Land …That was gifted to them by another tyrant—
Stalin without head, the tutor of the criminals.
Sylva-MD-Poetry
June 1, 2010
Hye, just thought of the Woodrow Wilson Award that the Turks fully deserve…
as Turks have pursued Genocides from the 19th century, the 20th century, and the 21st century.
This award, which I am certain that Woodrow Wilson and his family would understand and appreciate:
“Turkey: the nation which has pursued Genocides of nations in the last three centuries (19th, 20th, 21st) – yet never being brought to justice for any of these Genocides – still ongoing today, June, 2010.
(That’s known as ‘getting away with murders’ and so much more, at which a Turkey really excels – so many, many years, uninterrupted).
Manooshag
Hye, all the rapes the Turks inflicted upon the Armenian women during the Genocides, all the girls/women who had to become ‘Turks’ in order to survive – or were too young yet, in all the “Turkish” hinterlands (outside of Istanbul) but yet forced eventually to become the grandmothers…
Thus, in all these Turkish villages, so many know that their own grandmothers were of the Armenians… thus half Turkish – BUT half Armenian…
Turks’ leaderships will probably deny this too.
Manooshag