débats sur le négationnisme du génocide arménien
http://www.zaman.com/?bl=international&alt=&hn=18922
zaman.com Published: (April) Thursday 28, 2005
Armenian Lobby in Brussels on 'Witch Hunt'
By Selcuk Gultasli
Armenians are on a "witch hunt" in Belgium that resembles the aggravations that took place in the US during 1950s, which accused individuals of being communists. Politicians of Turkish origin are being targeted in Brussels over the expected approval of a bill that considers the denial of the so-called Armenian genocide as a crime.
The Armenian lobby in Europe has turned their attempts to make Turkey recognize the so-called Armenian genocide into a political lynch campaign against any politicians of Turkish origin. The "Witch hunt" against Turks began without waiting for approval of the bill regarding the punishments for those who deny the so-called genocide. A campaign is being conducted for political parties to expel Turkish politicians who "deny the so-called genocide". These attempts have been likened to the "witch hunt" operations in the US where many people were aggrieved and labeled as communists during the 1950s.
However, the Belgium Senate has to approve the bill, which was been adopted in Parliament last week, for it to become law. Although the bill has not yet come into force, Armenians have already started to viciously label Turkish descent politicians as "deniers" on television and in newspapers. These politicians are Sevket Temiz, Mustafa Ozturk, Halis Kokten, and Emir Kir. Political parties are being pressured to expel these politicians. Previously on April 24, an Armenian group burned the Turkish flag in Brussels and announced the names of the so-called genocide deniers who are members of Belgium political parties.
Increasing activities by the Armenian Diaspora, have forced politicians of Turkish origin to increase their activities as well. The first Turkish minister in Europe to be targeted was Kir, who was explicitly labeled as a "denier" on a primetime news broadcast aired on the official Belgium television channel, RTBF. Parliament last week adopted a bill that will penalize the deniers of the so-called Armenian genocide with a prison sentence and a fine.
Attention has been drawn to the historians' who were formerly dealing with the issue in France with the Armenian Diaspora and have remained silent over the recent events. In 1995, a Paris Court had ruled that the famous historian Bernard Lewis to pay compensation because of an article regarding the Armenian issue that he published in Le Monde newspaper.
Temiz a committee member of the Schaerbeek Municipality representing the Liberal Party in Brussels was transferred to the council for discipline, an incident that has been discussed recently, because of his denial of the so-called Armenian genocide. Temiz frequently referred to as a "denier" on TV and in newspapers told Zaman that a joint commission should immediately be formed and the issue should be left to the Turkish and Armenian historians to debate.
Brussels