Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Turks Beat up British Tourist for Accusing them of Genocide
by Harut Sassounian, California Courier On-Line - February 22, 2001
Posted: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 08:07 pm CST

Week after week, the Turks find novel ways of keeping the Armenian Genocide in the international news. Unwittingly, they continue to remind the world of the barbaric acts committed by their ancestors.

A couple of months ago, the Turkish government arrested Father Yusuf Akbulut, an Assyrian priest for declaring that genocide was indeed committed against Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks. He was charged with "inciting hatred and religious hostility." If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to three years in jail. He was accused of telling several Turkish reporters that the Turks had killed not only Armenians, but also Assyrians and other Christian groups.

During his trial in December, the priest said: "I was chatting [with journalists] off the record. I was not giving my personal views but what was said to me by my elders." Attending the trial in Diyarbakir were parliamentarians and diplomatic representatives from several countries, including the United States. The Judge postponed the hearing until a videotape could be obtained confirming the priest's comments. The international media widely reported this prime example of Turkish enlightenment and readiness to join the ranks of civilized countries of the European Union!

In another incident, the Ankara Public Prosecutor's office filed a lawsuit against Akin Birdal, a prominent Turkish human rights activist, for declaring during a panel discussion in Germany that "everybody knows what was done to the Armenians. Turkey must apologize for what it did to the minorities." According to the Anatolia News Agency, the Prosecutor is demanding that Birdal be jailed for up to six years for "publicly insulting and deriding Turks."

Several wire services disseminated this news worldwide. At the end of its detailed account of this episode, the Associated Press added: "Today, there are virtually no Armenians in eastern Turkey. Dozens of writers, journalists and intellectuals have been jailed under Turkish laws which limit freedom of speech."

A third such incident occurred on February 17, on board flight 1428 of Turkish Airlines, traveling from Bulgaria to Istanbul. The Turkish newspaper, Hurriyet, reported that a British passenger by the name of David Malkew, "was beaten up" by his fellow passengers "because he insulted the Turks." He had allegedly told them, "you already butchered the Armenians. Do you have democracy? You are murderers!" Calling Mr. Malkew "a drunken Englishman," Hurriyet stated that he "continued his insults throughout the trip…and continued yelling, 'murderers, you slaughtered the Armenians!'" Finally, several passengers beat him up "causing his nose to bleed." I seriously doubt that too many British tourists would want to fly on Turkish Airlines or visit Turkey in the near future after this very "hospitable" reception accorded to Mr. Malkew who has become the latest victim of Turkish intolerance. Thanks to the intemperate behavior of some Turks and the publicity provided by Hurriyet, more people in the world have had the opportunity to learn about the Armenian Genocide!

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