Diyarbakir Mayor lays flowers at Armenian Genocide MemorialOctober 12, 2013 - 15:56 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Mayor of the Diyarbakir Sur Municipality Abdullah Demirbaş placed flowers at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Providence on Oct. 10, The Armenian Weekly said. Speaking at the memorial, Demirbaş said, “We bow in memory of all those who lost their lives.” Kurds had a role in the massacres of 1915, Demirbaş noted. He stressed the importance of confronting the past. He called on the Turkish state to apologize and make amends. “Asking for forgiveness is a sign of maturity,” he concluded. The mayor was accompanied by members of the Kurdish and Armenian communities of New England. Last month, Demirbaş apologized in the name of Kurds for the Armenian and Assyrian “massacre and deportations” during the official inauguration of the Monument of Common Conscience. “We will continue our struggle to secure atonement and compensation for them,” he added. Demirbaş and the Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakir Osman Baydemir have adopted a policy of reviving the multiculturalism of the city in recent years, embarking on a series of initiatives that include the renovation of the Sourp Giragos Church, the offering of Armenian and Assyrian language courses, the return of confiscated Armenian property, and the opening of the memorial. Diyarbakir is also the only city in Turkey with a sign greeting visitors in Turkish, Kurdish, and Armenian. “Today, we are not simply asking for forgiveness in a dry fashion,” Demirbaş noted in an interview with the Weekly editor Khatchig Mouradian in Diyarbakir in 2011. “I am a Kurd. And I want for Armenians what I want for the Kurds.” Photo:armenianweekly.com Related links: The Armenian Genocide The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | European Parliament to discuss repression in Azerbaijan The European Parliament will discuss repression of civil society in Azerbaijan on April 24 PACE wants concessions from Azerbaijan to accept Baku back A PACE co-rapporteur said that Azerbaijani authorities must make certain concessions so that the country can return to PACE. Armenia PM, France envoy discuss regional matters Issues related to the consistent development of Armenia-France cooperation were discussed. Azerbaijan razes historic Armenian church to ground Azerbaijan has demolished the historic Armenian Church of St. John the Baptist (known as Kanach Zham). |