In its flash of November 11, 2008, Info-Türk reported these two statements (See: Le ministre turc a fait des éloges de la déportation des Grecs et Arméniens).
– The Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül praised the policy of deportation of Greeks and Armenians in Turkey at the beginning of the Republic. He said that the establishment of a Turkish nation has been achieved thanks to this policy ordered by Atatürk.
– The Turkish Ambassador in Brussels, Fuat Tanlay, read a poem praising the Turkish flag and full of hatred: "I dig the grave of those who do not watch you with my eyes. I ruin the nest of birds which fly without greeting you."
On November 13, 2008, the site Gündem, quoting the entirety of the flash, attacked Info-Türk as follows:
"As you can see, the enemies of Turk do not sleep. Accordin
g to them, commemorate our leaders in to praise, tell them your commitment and be proud of our history, is a criminal act. It is not at all difficult to understand at what level they are far from the love of the nation and homeland." (See: Atatürk’ü Anma Törenlerinden Rahatsiz Olanlar Var)
Same day, on November 13, 2008, an international conference was held at the European Parliament in Brussels to commemorate the Massacre of the Kurdish population in Dersim, carried out in 1938 by the Turkish Army.
With Armenian, Kurdish and Assyrian democratic organizations, the Info-Türk Foundation supported the holding of this conference with a joint statement. (See: Joint Declaration)
The next day, on November 14, 2008, the site Beltürk attacked Info-Türk in the following terms, referring to the letter of thanks sent by the Journalists’ Association of Turkey (TGC) to Özgüden for his distinguished service rendered the Turkish press for over 50 years. (See: Thanks to Dogan Özgüden by the Journalists’ Association of Turkey)
"Everybody knows the hostility of Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish associations against Turkey. In another facet of this hostility take place Info-Türk and his publisher Dogan Özgüden.
"As members of the Journalists’ Association of Turkey deplore in their newspapers this kind of anti-Turkey conference, the fact that a letter of thanks was sent to Dogan Özgüden, organizer of such things, showed how this hostility against Turkey was supported by the same institution. " (See: Artik Yettiniz)
Ten days later, on November 24, 2008, the same site attacked with another article entitled "The scandal of the award of the Journalists’ Association" (See: Gazeteciler Cemiyeti’nde ödül skandali).
As if the letter of thanks was sent recently, the article says:
"This document bearing the signature of President Orhan Erinç and Secretary General Celal Toprak was mailed to Dogan Özgüden who lives in Belgium and does not surrender to the Turkish justice for 37 years. (…) Özgüden is among the principal defenders of the so-called ‘Armenian genocide’ thesis. He claims that Turkey had committed genocide of Armenians, Kurds and Assyrians. One of the recent ‘distinguished services’ of this vanguard of anti-Turkish lobby is the organization of the Dersim Conference.
"He founded the magazine the socialist review Ant and the Ant Publishing House in 1967. After having fled Turkey and settled in Belgium after the revolution [coup état] of 1971, he organized ‘Democratic Resistance of Turkey" and launched campaigns against the Turkish Armed Forces. Known in Belgium by its activities hostile to Turkey, Özgüden lead the organization of many conferences on ‘genocide’. "
The article also made allusion to the lynching of a journalist in opposition in 1922:
"In the years of national war, journalist Ali Kemal was killed by lynching because he called for the execution of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In 2000, the name of this journalist was put in the list of ‘Martyred journalists’ established by the Journalists’ Association of Turkey. (…) After the victory of the national war, Ali Kemal was arrested on November 6, 1922, in Istanbul and killed by lynching in Izmit on the way to Ankara."
However, distinguished journalist-publisher Ragip Zarakolu, specialist in the matter of the oppressed minorities in Turkey, says that the real reason of Ali Kemal’s lynching was not his opposition to the Kemalist Movement, but his determination to pursue the responsibles of the Genocide of Armenians. In fact, many opponents of the Kemalist Movement during the war were integrated into the State apparatus with the condition of not pronouncing a single word against the liquidation of the minorities of Anatolia.
It must be remembered that following such provocations made by the Turkish media, in 2006, a journalist of Armenian origin, Hrant Dink, was murdered in Istanbul.
The author of the article explains later on that she contacted the Journalists’ Association of Turkey to make pressure on its administrators.
Here is the last part of her talk with the TGC’s Secretary General of TGC:
Q – There are about 50 legal proceedings against Dogan Özgüden. This is why he cannot return to Turkey. Has the Administrative Board ignored this?
A – There are many cases against journalists. We defend those cases related to freedom of the press.
Q – But he cannot return to Turkey. When he returns, he will be put under arrest.
A – Do you know anything about it?
Q – There is a decision of tribunal.
R – A decision in Turkey? Is there really a decision? If so, regarding what?
Q – Insults to TSK (Turkish Armed Forces).
A – I see. If you can help us, I will be delighted. If you have this decision, send it to us. So we can put the matter on the Administrative Board’s agenda and send it later to the Disciplinary Board. The board may decide to cancel his membership.
As all democratic forces of Turkey and the European Union continuously protest against the application of Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code against journalists and intellectuals because of their criticisms against the State and the Army, it is shameful to ask a journalists’ association to cancel the membership of a journalist who is for many years under the menace of arrest for having criticized the putschists of the 1971 Coup?
Threatened by lynching, Dogan Özgüden has addressed a new complaint to the Royal Prosecutor against the instigators to the violence and lynching.
Simultaneous attack to Özgüden by an ultranationalist daily in Turkey
In parallel to the pro-government Turkish sites in Brussels, a daily newspaper of Turkish ultranationalist movement, Yeniçag, simultaneously attack Dogan Özgüden by publishing the same article. (See: Hakaretçiye ödül verdiler)
The Independent Communication Network (BIA) published on November 26, 2008, the following information titled "Daily Yeniçag Attacks Journalist For An Award":
Daily Yeniçag attacks distinguished journalist Dogan Özgüden for receiving an award for his fiftieth year in the profession and the Turkish Journalist Association for giving it.
The newspaper described giving an award to Özgüden against whom there is a lawsuit for "denigrating the military" an "award scandal".
The newspaper used the expressions ‘There are more than 50 lawsuits against him, he is running away from the law for 37 years’ and ‘An Armenian defender’ for Özgüden, who had to leave Turkey in 1971 and never returned again.
The newspaper said in the "report" signed by Selda Öztürk Kay that the award led to comments that being against Turkey found support not only in the European Union (EU), but was also backed by the ‘distinguished’ institutions and organization in Turkey.
Zarakolu: They have become inquisition judges
Journalist Ragip Zarakolu wrote an article condemning the attack by daily Yeniçag against the journalist and the TGC. (See: Sesonline: Yeter artik! / Ragip Zarakolu)
Titled "Enough!", the article criticizes the newspaper for choosing one of the distinguished journalists of Turkey for his attack, acting like an inquisition judge and having the nerve to try to put pressure on the Turkish Journalists Association.
Zarakolu also criticized the reporter for not getting her facts right. He said the warrant of apprehension regarding Özgüden was given since his statement about his article protesting the hanging of Deniz Gezmis and his friends, the left wing revolutionaries, could not be taken.
Although Zarakolu confirmed that there was such a decision, he also added that this decision has existed up until today as Turkey’s failure, as Turkey’s shame.
"It is crime to criticize the generals of the junta, the generals who committed crimes against humanity. This has become a crime in my country. They do not let anyone talk about 1915, 1938, 1971, 1980!", he said. (Info-Turk, 27 novembre 2008)
http://www.info-turk.be/363.htm#lynching
