Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

[aray]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

PATRIARCH MUTAFIAN OBSERVES RAMADAN FAST NOT TO DESERT MOSLEM BROTHERS

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, is a holy month for all Moslems. From dawn to sunset they fast during Ramadan. Mesrop II Mutafian, Armenian patriarch of Constantinople, has decided to observe Ramadan fast, Agos newspaper informs in an article titled "Patriarch Observes Ramadan Fast" on September 29.

Here is what the Turkish-language Armenian paper writes: "On the first day of Ramadan Mesrop II Patriarch of ’s Armenians took part at a party organized by Sisli mayor Mustafa Saregyul opening the fasting period and made astonishing statements. The Patriarch announced to Turkish journalists that he will fast during this year’s Ramadan, too. ‘Prayer and fasting,’ he said, ’are common values for both Christians and Moslems. We, the Christians, observe a 7 days’ fast before the Easter. Since I am always invited to the ceremonies of fast opening, I’ve decided to join my Moslem brothers in fasting month’. Mesrop II wished good Ramadan to all at the end."

These statements of Mesrop II to Turkish media require no comment. Let us only remind that in 2004, when the European states were seriously discussing whether to start or not talks for EU membership with , the Patriarch was touring in Europe. Asked by Danish state minister in Copenhagen "Are you not an Armenian?" he answered: "I am both Armenian and Turk."

By joining Moslems in observing Ramadan fasting the Patriarch is apparently preparing to announce: "I am both Christian and Moslem".

http://www.armtown.com/news/en/azg/20061018/2006101803/

[TomServo]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

I hope he becomes an Islamic fundamentalist next and blows himself up.

[karoaper]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

I hope he becomes an Islamic fundamentalist next and blows himself up.

hehe,
though he's a turk. he'll more likely hijack an airplane, demand France to recognize the Algerian genocide, fly the airplane to Cyprus and ask for political asylum.

[ARK]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

I don’t agree with you Karo! Don't you think we need him safe and sound for circus ?
he is "our" clown...

[RSNATION]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

PATRIARCH MUTAFIAN OBSERVES RAMADAN FAST NOT TO DESERT MOSLEM BROTHERS

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, is a holy month for all Moslems. From dawn to sunset they fast during Ramadan. Mesrop II Mutafian, Armenian patriarch of Constantinople, has decided to observe Ramadan fast, Agos newspaper informs in an article titled "Patriarch Observes Ramadan Fast" on September 29.

Here is what the Turkish-language Armenian paper writes: "On the first day of Ramadan Mesrop II Patriarch of ’s Armenians took part at a party organized by Sisli mayor Mustafa Saregyul opening the fasting period and made astonishing statements. The Patriarch announced to Turkish journalists that he will fast during this year’s Ramadan, too. ‘Prayer and fasting,’ he said, ’are common values for both Christians and Moslems. We, the Christians, observe a 7 days’ fast before the Easter. Since I am always invited to the ceremonies of fast opening, I’ve decided to join my Moslem brothers in fasting month’. Mesrop II wished good Ramadan to all at the end."

These statements of Mesrop II to Turkish media require no comment. Let us only remind that in 2004, when the European states were seriously discussing whether to start or not talks for EU membership with , the Patriarch was touring in Europe. Asked by Danish state minister in Copenhagen "Are you not an Armenian?" he answered: "I am both Armenian and Turk."

By joining Moslems in observing Ramadan fasting the Patriarch is apparently preparing to announce: "I am both Christian and Moslem".

http://www.armtown.com/news/en/azg/20061018/2006101803/

Maybe he'll just stop eating altogether and die?

[aegeo]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

wooww so many genius people around!!!!!

[Armenian]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

The following is yet an example of how a handful of these "Polsahai" low lives are hurting the Armenian nation worldwide. These people need to be eradicated one way or another, sooner then later. With their intermarriage rate with Turks of 50-70% percent, thank God these low lives will disappear within a generation or two.

Armenian Church Foundation Chairman: It was not genocide, it was relocation

“It was not genocide. It was relocation which caused painful events,” Dikran Kevorkyan, chairman of Kandilli Armenian Foundation, said on Saturday. Speaking at a conference in Istanbul on the Armenian issue, Kevorkyan said, “it was not genocide. It was relocation which caused painful and tragic events. We should underline the fact that political, psychological and economic developments led to the relocation.”

Highlighting importance of mutual tolerance and understanding, Kevorkyan noted, “several countries approved some resolutions about genocide in order to get votes of the Armenian diaspora. All those are political matters. France, Germany, Britain, Russia and indirectly the United States have always used the Armenians. Today, they are trying to pay its price. They approve those resolutions to cover their mistakes. I do not approve politicians' inciting hatred among people for their own political purposes.”

Link: http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/3546854.asp?gid=74

[Armenian]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

And this Dink is thought to be of the good Armenians among them. As far as I'm concerned, these people can all go to hell. I am not going to hurt the national interests of the Armenian nation simply because these Christian Turks want to live in comfort. I don't give a crap about the excuses that they are 'forced' to say what they say. If these people have any amount of national pride or Christian ethics they can either simply shut-up or move elsewhere.

ARMENIAN JOURNALIST HRANT DINK: HONEST HISTORIANS WANTED

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Feb 21 2006

Ankara - Hrant Dink, Armenian journalist and editor of the Armenian
weekly Agos, argued that there is no honest historian in both Armenian
and Turkish side on Armenian issue. "Both sides are not honest on
the Armenian issue" Mr. Dink added in his interview to Radikal,
Turkish daily.

According to Hrant Dink about 300.000 Armenians returned to the
Anatolian territories after the Relocation campaign. Mr. Dink says
"Armenian historians do not mention the Armenians who survived and
returned to Anatolia. The number of Armenians returned is 300.000.

130.000 of them returned Istanbul, and 170.000 returned to various
cities in Anatolia. However we have no data on how many Armenians
could save their own identity or how many Armenians were assimilated
under Muslim identities."

Some of the Turkish historians like Yusuf Halacoglu argue that the
number of Armenians who returned to Anatolia after the Relocation
Campaign is 600.000.

Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of the International Strategic Research
Organisation, pointed out that the number of Armenians who returned
to Anatolia cities and villages is not less than 500.000. Dr. Laciner
further told the JTW that:

"If half a million people returned to Anatolia how can you talk
about a genocide? If these people had experienced a genocide campaign
and saw more than 1,5 million killings, why did they return to the
Turkish territories? Is there any xxxish who returned to the Nazi
state or even to Germany after the Nazi rule? If more than 500.000
Armenians returned to Anatolia and they could survive under Turkish
rule, it means that the Armenian killings are exaggerated. I do not
ignore the communal killings. More than 520.000 Turkish and Kurdish
were massacred by the Armenian gangs and Turkish and Kurdish gangs
attacked the Armenian villages and immigrants during the First World
War. However no one could hide the fact that many Armenians were saved
by their Muslim neighbors, and most of the Armenians survived after
the Relocation Campaign. Even they preferred Turkey to live instead
of Armenia, Europe or the Middle East. Armenian historians show great
effort to curtail the returned Armenians fact".

JTW 21 February 2006 www.turkishweekly.net

[Armenian]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

ARMENIAN-TURKISH MARRIAGES - And their results

By Alin Ozinian
Istanbul

Caroline was born in 1982 in Istanbul. She received her primary education in the Central Armenian National college of Istanbul, and then entered the faculty of Art History at Istanbul University named by Mimar Sinan.vNow she is a third-year student and at the same time works as an interpeter/guide in Turkish historical sights and museums. The wish of having conversation with Caroline was big because her mother is Turkish and father is Armenian, and I think her essence has been penetrated with the two nations ways of life and well-known contradictions. So, carrying positive and negative peculiarities of two nations she can judge about situation in Turkey in a healthier way. She asked not to mention her surname, in order to express her thoughts easier.

A.O. - What nation you think you belong to?

C. - I am Armenian in fact, because my father is Armenian. Concerning to my proper feelings, I am Armenian, but may be it is because of my living in Turkey... that is something keeps telling me – I am a stranger. If I lived in Armenia, may be I’d feel as a Turk...

A.O. – What reminds you your being Armenian.

C. – Not so much my being an Armenian, but not being a Turk. First of all - my name: every time it sounds I face the same questions - where I am from, how I studied Turkish so well.

A.O. – You mean that they don’t know about Armenians in Turkey?

C. – Of course, they don’t. They don’t know not only about Armenians, but all other minorities as well.

Imagine, even my mother’s relatives think that my father is from Armenia. They consider Armenia to be our native land. It is another question which my native land is. Only I can decide it. But it would be better to count us within those whose native land is Turkey, because we are the citizens of this country and we have a history of hundred years in this land.

A.O. – Would you tell us about your impressions being an offspring of two different nations?

C. – I can say that the first years in the school were the most difficult. I attended Armenian College and I remember that I had difficulties with Armenian language because my mother didn’t know Armenian and there was nobody to help me.

Now I think it wasn’t so hard comparatively with others. We had both Armenian and Turkish relatives, who always blamed my parents…For example my mother was blamed for marriage with Armenian by her relatives, and my father was blamed, too. And finally they decide that the most painful result of the marriage is me, a person, who doesn’t know her national belonging.

A.O. – Who are your friends? Are they mainly Armenians or Turks?

C. – Now my friends are mostly Turks, because I study and work. It isn’t due to one of my parents’ national belonging. It’s the same for all of my Armenian coevals.

How do your Turkish friends treat you? Do the political events influence your relations?

C. – Generally their attitude is normal, as everybody chooses persons like himself. For example, most of my friends are aware of Armenian Genocide and they wish Armenian-Turkish relations and conditions of Armenians in Turkey to become better.

Of course, there are a lot of unconcerned people, who ask me: “Are you from Armenia?” I always get angry, but I realize that it isn’t their fault, either they aren’t informed, or it is the influence of state policy on their psychology and mentality. We can only blame the national, state policy.

A.O. – Let’s speak a little bit about your personal life. Do you pay attention to the national belonging when choosing boyfriends? And what about the marriage?

C. – To tell the truth, the nationality is not so important for me. I have had both Armenian and Turkish boyfriends and I loved them. As I mentioned everybody chooses people thinking like him, and it doesn’t matter what nation they belong to.

As you know there are a great number of Armenians in our community who don’t worry about questions concerning Armenians or Armenia. They don’t speak Armenian, they are against attending Armenian College. They have traveled all over Europe but don’t want to listen about Armenia.

So I make a conclusion: It’s better to get married with a person of another nation, who respects my culture and way of life than with such an Armenian, who doesn’t care about his nation.

Link: http://www.newneighbors.am/news.php?...th=4&year=2006

[Armenian]

Re: Armenian Patriarch Of Turkey Issues Bold Message On Genocide

Armenian Patriarch: Blaming Only the Turks Unethical in Armenian Issue

KAYSERI (JTW) Istanbul Armenian Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan II said the dilemma facing Turkish-Armenian relations can only be overcome by dialogue and mutual respect, and no one should blame only the one side. According to Mutafyan II, both Armenians and Turks had responsibility in the tragedy of 1915 and before.

The Armenian Patriarch Mutafyan II also argued that the both sides are repeating the same arguments and it is the time to break the vicious circles. “We need a new perspective” he added. Reflecting the true nature of reality requires courage, said Mutafyan. "In the unfortunate conclusion reached, it is unethical attitude for both parties to ignore each other's responsibility or to completely put it on the other side." Both nations must be able to look at each other's history without prejudice, he added. "We have to change the mentality of degrading the other."

On Thursday, the Patriarch made a speech at the opening ceremony of a symposium titled "The Art of Co-Existence in Ottoman Society: The Case of Turkish-Armenian Relations" organized by Erciyes University in the Turkish city of Kayseri. Both countries have achieved important successes in historic social and cultural fields; the respect of Armenians and Turks for each other's national and religious symbols is increasing, according to Mutafyan. Mutafyan said the incidents that occur during representative independence celebrations are outdated, and maintained they sow seeds of enmity.

"Instead of publishing books presenting the Turkish and Armenian theses in different ways memorized by everyone, Turkish and English translations of Armenian works that can make important contributions in Turkish-Armenian relationships must be realized," Mutafyan said. Mutafyan, highlighting Turks and Armenians are people of the same territory, said the expression, "The Turks and Kurds are essential elements," is discriminatory.

Calling himself a Republican child, Patriarch criticized the understanding of secularism. The practice of 'Jacobean secularism' in our country sometimes prevents Islam's ethical dimensions and spiritual richness of meaning from being adding to the analyses," Mutafyan said. The Armenian Patriarch called on Turks and Armenians to abandon the narrow horizon of nationalism and said, "Replacing nationalism and racism with hospitality is more appropriate to our ethical values." The symposium, where 125 academics from more than 40 universities within and outside Turkey participated, will continue today as well.

Kemalettin CANIM
JTW, Hurriyet and Zaman