BBC programme about Turkey

[womble]

I have just watched a BBC programme about Turkey, called Michael Palin's new Europe. The presenter was travelling in Turkey and interviewing various Turkish people about life in Turkey and about the question of Turkey's relations with the European Union.
Michael Palin discussed the question of Turkey's difficulties in being accepted into the European Union, discussed the life of Kemal Ataturk, spent time in Anatiolia, visited abandoned Christian churches and mentioned countries which border Turkey, yet not once did he mention Armenia or the Armenians.
I have sent an email via the BBC website explaining that Armenia's border with Turkey is blockaded by the Turks, that the Christian Armenians were ethnically cleansed from Anatolia by the Turks (a genocide in which Ataturk's forces took an active part) and that one of the obstacles to Turkey joining the E.U. is the Turkish government's refusal to acknowledge the genocide of the Armenians.
It makes one wonder whether if the German government were to deny it's atrocities against the xxxs, the BBC would go out of it's way not to offend German sensibilities by keeping quiet about the holocaust in any programmes which discussed 20th century German history.

[Anonymouse]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

Don't expect anything from the British. They have always been cheerleaders for the Turks, even as far back when it was certain that the Ottomans were going to crumble. They tried everything to hold the Ottoman empire together in an effort to stave off the Russian Empire's expansion. The British are scum.

[freakyfreaky]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

Way to go Womble...

Anonymouse, you paint with an awfully big brush. And, you should not discourage activism.

The Brits recognize Armenians as one of their most successful minorities, and at least one sits on PM Brown's cabinet.

There are several other politicians like Baroness Cox that have demonstrated great solidarity with Armenians and issues in the region which affect the Motherland. Currently, the Archibishop of Canterbury is visiting the homeland.

Let the BBC know and contact organizations in the UK and Europe like CAIA and EAFJD and let them know.

Finally, you must remember that if Turkey and thugs therein will arrest or, worse, murder jounalists within Turkey for discussing the Armenian question, what motivation would a journalist from outside Turkey have in traveling there and disussing Armenian, the genocide, etc. with citizens therein on camera. Unless of course, the journalist has a desire to be imprisoned or a death wish.

Certainly, do not be silent on the matter.

Query: Does the BBC disseminate ads for Turkish tourism like CNN does here? These TV broadcasters are coddling those that stuff their marketing coffers before serving the public by providing truthful information.

[womble]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

Thanks Freakyfreaky

The Brits recognize Armenians as one of their most successful minorities, and at least one sits on PM Brown's cabinet.

I didn't know there was an Armenian in the cabinet! Do you know who it is?

Query: Does the BBC disseminate ads for Turkish tourism like CNN does here?

Freakyfreaky, no, the BBC does not run adverts.

[Siamanto]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

I didn't know there was an Armenian in the cabinet! Do you know who it is?

Maybe freakyfreaky has in mind Ara Darzi?

[Siamanto]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

Anonymouse, you paint with an awfully big brush. And, you should not discourage activism.

What if the scenery is monochromatic and uniform enough?

The Brits recognize Armenians as one of their most successful minorities, and at least one sits on PM Brown's cabinet.

I've never heard that "the Brits recognize Armenians as one of their most successful minorities" and am very interested to know more about it; would you suggest any URLs? Can Ara Darzi be an exception?

There are several other politicians like Baroness Cox that have demonstrated great solidarity with Armenians and issues in the region which affect the Motherland. Currently, the Archibishop of Canterbury is visiting the homeland.

There are also Taker Akcam, Orhan Pamuk, Ragip Zarakolu and many others....Shall we apply the same reasoning?
What matters is the general opinion. Anglo-Saxons, in general, have (almost) always been pro-*urkish in their policies.

Let the BBC know and contact organizations in the UK and Europe like CAIA and EAFJD and let them know.

Do you really think that they are not already aware of the facts? Is it an issue of awareness/knowledge or preferences/policies?

Finally, you must remember that if Turkey and thugs therein will arrest or, worse, murder jounalists within Turkey for discussing the Armenian question, what motivation would a journalist from outside Turkey have in traveling there and disussing Armenian, the genocide, etc. with citizens therein on camera. Unless of course, the journalist has a desire to be imprisoned or a death wish.

Are you suggesting that they would have been imprisoned or risked their lives by mentioning that Armenians lived on those lands or mentioned Armenia as one of the neighbors?
Do you really believe in it yourself?




Note: I have chosen to auto censor the words "*urk," "*urkish" or *urkic" because it is commonly perceived as unpleasant and offending, evokes unpleasant emotions and imagery and is pregnant with immoral and evil connotations

[womble]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

I've never heard that "the Brits recognize Armenians as one of their most successful minorities" and am very interested to know more about it; would you suggest any URLs?

http://brain.brent.gov.uk/BRAIN/Webpages.nsf/0/B952F15A0CBFA682802571E90035E5E8/$file/The%20Sunday%20Times.doc

[Siamanto]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

http://brain.brent.gov.uk/BRAIN/Webpages.nsf/0/B952F15A0CBFA682802571E90035E5E8/$file/The%20Sunday%20Times.doc

womble,
Thanks for the link; unfortunately, it's not working for me...is it working for you? Thanks!

[crusader1492]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

womble,
Thanks for the link; unfortunately, it's not working for me...is it working for you? Thanks!

Worked for me...here it is (BTW, the article uses the word "alleged" at the end. Go figure:

The Sunday Times - Britain

The Sunday Times
September 10, 2006

Found: migrants with the mostest
Robert Winnett and Holly Watt
Survey pinpoints ethnic winners and losers in 'melting pot' Britain
For origins of your surname visit www.originsinfo.com/Origins/Default.aspx

ARMENIAN immigrants and their descendants are the most successful ethnic group in the country, according to an analysis of “melting pot” Britain.

They are followed by the Japanese, Dutch and Greek Cypriots among the groups who are economically and socially most successful. Bangladeshi Muslims and migrants from Sierra Leone and Syria have fared worst.

The new analysis places the 42.2m adults registered to vote in mainland Britain in 200 ethnic groups — on the basis of a person’s surname and first name.

The information is linked to a marketing database to rank the socioeconomic status of each group. The system, Origins Info, is used by hospitals, retailers and charities to tailor their services to individual ethnic groups.

Its developers claim it is reliable even though most married women adopt their husband’s name and some immigrants may have changed their surname to avoid discrimination.

Richard Webber, a professor of spatial analysis at University College, London who developed Origins Info, said: “The patterns that this analysis have uncovered are striking. We are hoping it will prove a valuable tool for government and business.”

The system can also be used to identify where different ethnic groups live and the ethnic composition of the professions.

It reveals that Ripley in Derbyshire is the “most English” place in England with 88.58% of residents having an English ethnic background. The most diverse area is south Tottenham, in north London, which is home to 113 ethnic groups from Bretons to Vietnamese.

Southall in west London has the least English gene pool — just 17.82% of residents in the area nicknamed “little India” are of English ethnic origin.

Ian Smith, 63, a carpenter, who has lived in Southall since 1978, said: “Of the 90 or so houses in my street I would say there are fewer than 10 English families. Most are Sikhs but there are now more Somalis and quite a few Poles.

“Sometimes I do feel slightly intimidated because it can feel like a foreign country at times. But we get on well with our neighbours who are both Sikhs.”

The analysis shows the persistence of ethnic clusters decades after the group first arrived in Britain. Greek Cypriots are concentrated in Broxbourne and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire and Margate in Kent, Italians can be found in Bedford and Waltham Cross and the Dutch in Plockton in the Scottish Highlands and Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales.

Cardiff has a high concentration of Maltese residents because it was the port where many disembarked after naval service during the 1940s and 1950s. The Chinese are in Oxford, Harlow and Milton Keynes and Hispanics in Eastbourne, Crawley and Ascot. In Wales, English border areas have been colonised by those with a Welsh background.

Overall, there is a disproportionately high number of immigrants in business, law and medicine. An analysis of doctors, using data provided by the Medical Directory, found the proportion of medics with northern Indian roots is more than 10 times higher than for the population as a whole. Spaniards and Romanians are also significantly “over-represented” as doctors.

Similarly, Russians, the Dutch and Nigerians are over-represented among barristers.
A disproportionate number of company directors are from immigrant stock. The Japanese, Russians and people from the Nordic countries are heavily over-represented among the country’s 5.3m directors and partners. The English are one of the least commercially minded races, according to this measure.

One in four restaurants is run by a Muslim and one in four chemists by an Indian or a Sri Lankan.

Danny Sriskandarajah, head of migration, equalities and citizenship at the Institute for Public Policy Research, a Blairite think tank, said immigrant groups often had enduring characteristics. “There’s something unique and special about people prepared to break the ties with home. Throughout history, only a tiny percentage of people moved any sort of distance. A few entrepreneurial, adventurous types have the wherewithal and motivation to move.”

Of the 2,651 people of Armenian descent in Britain, more than 1,600 run businesses and a high proportion live in expensive parts of west London.

Among the most successful is Bob Manoukian, property developer and former agent for Prince Jefri of Brunei. He has a family fortune of £300m, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.

Other successful people with Armenian roots include David xxxxinson, presenter of the BBC’s Bargain Hunt, and Ara Palamoudian, chairman of the Armenian community & church council of Great Britain.

He said: “Armenians have always tried to be self-sufficient and not to be a burden on any country. It could be the history of the Armenian people, the way their lives have been over centuries. They had to find shelter around the world.”

Many Armenians fled to England after the first world war, during which up to 1.5m died, amid allegations of genocide by the Turks. Other waves arrived in the 1970s and 1980s.

[Siamanto]

Re: BBC programme about Turkey

Worked for me...here it is

Thanks! I found the press release that you have posted on a different site but the above URL is not working for me; I can't even connect to http://brain.brent.gov.uk/ - I've tried Firefox, Netscape, IE and command line clients - on both XP and Linux.

Most importantly, the cached version of "The Sunday Times.doc" suggests that the document includes more than the Sunday Times article? It says:

Please read the attached Article from the Sunday Times in conjunction with the Editorial of Armenian Voice No.50 on the 20th anniversary of the CAIA.

Did you manage to download "The Sunday Times.doc" that seems to be different from the Sunday Times article? If yes, what is the "Editorial of Armenian Voice No.50 on the 20th anniversary of the CAIA?" Thanks!