Tweet
MAYOR G0OKCEK'S REMARKS ON ARMENIANS, PKK DRAW CONTROVERSY
Cihan News Agency, Turkey
Oct 15 2014
ISTANBUL - 15.10.2014 17:55:51
Ankara Mayor Melih Gökcek made provocative remarks concerning Kurds,
Armenians and atheists on his Twitter page on Tuesday.
The mayor shared three consecutive tweets on Kurds, religion and
Armenians. He first shared a video from the Cihan news agency
containing old footage of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members
entertaining other PKK members with a comedy skit poking fun at
salat, or Islamic ritualistic prayer. Alongside the video, the mayor
commented: "It's these types of PKK [members] that don't want a
peace process or an end to war. They are the enemies of Islam. Here
is proof."
He continued in another tweet, "Peace to the Kurds in the east who
are putting their lives on the line for the nation and solidarity
and for Islam." In his next tweet, Gökcek continued, "But there are
those posing as Kurds but are actually Armenian atheists... (By the
way, I absolve our Armenian brothers and sisters that are citizens
of their nation.)" The mayor later deleted two of the controversial
tweets (keeping the one with the video), though Twitter users were
quick to respond with comments.
What the mayor is referring to are "hidden" Armenians who pretended
to be Muslim Kurds in the Dersim mountains to avoid persecution during
the massacres of Armenians in 1915.
User @ubbozkurt called him an "idiot" and not someone to be taken
seriously, while journalist Benjamin Harvey reminded this user
that Gökcek is also the mayor of Ankara, with 2 million followers,
criticizing the fact that a man in such a position of power can make
senseless remarks.
Hayko Bagdat, an Armenian columnist for the Taraf daily, tweeted
to the mayor, "Which category do I fall under, boss?" Today's Zaman
spoke over the phone with Bagdat, asking him his views on the matter,
and he explained: "This is plain racism. It's prejudice on many
levels. It's not just against one demographic of people but against
several: Armenians, Kurds, atheists. It is hate speech, and if this
[Turkey] were a civil country then he [Gökcek] would be removed from
his position for these remarks. But these types of remarks have become
commonplace with [Justice and Development Party] AK Party politicians,
we see it in the president."
In August, a similar incident involving racist comments came from
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During a television broadcast on Star
TV and NTV, President Erdogan said: "Let all Turks in Turkey say they
are Turks and all Kurds say they are Kurds. What is wrong with that?
You wouldn't believe the things they have said about me. They have said
I am Georgian ... they have said even uglier things -- they have called
me Armenian, but I am Turkish." Criticisms were raised about Erdogan's
assertion that being Armenian is "uglier" than being Georgian.
The mayor's Twitter account continuously draws public attention,
as Gökcek is known to tweet on many topics regardless of their
relevance to his political responsibilities.
Zeynep KarataÅ~_ (Cihan/Today's Zaman)
http://en.cihan.com.tr/news/Mayor-Gokcek-s-remarks-on-Armenians-PKK-draw-controversy_7465-CHMTU1NzQ2NS8xMDA1
Cihan News Agency, Turkey
Oct 15 2014
ISTANBUL - 15.10.2014 17:55:51
Ankara Mayor Melih Gökcek made provocative remarks concerning Kurds,
Armenians and atheists on his Twitter page on Tuesday.
The mayor shared three consecutive tweets on Kurds, religion and
Armenians. He first shared a video from the Cihan news agency
containing old footage of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) members
entertaining other PKK members with a comedy skit poking fun at
salat, or Islamic ritualistic prayer. Alongside the video, the mayor
commented: "It's these types of PKK [members] that don't want a
peace process or an end to war. They are the enemies of Islam. Here
is proof."
He continued in another tweet, "Peace to the Kurds in the east who
are putting their lives on the line for the nation and solidarity
and for Islam." In his next tweet, Gökcek continued, "But there are
those posing as Kurds but are actually Armenian atheists... (By the
way, I absolve our Armenian brothers and sisters that are citizens
of their nation.)" The mayor later deleted two of the controversial
tweets (keeping the one with the video), though Twitter users were
quick to respond with comments.
What the mayor is referring to are "hidden" Armenians who pretended
to be Muslim Kurds in the Dersim mountains to avoid persecution during
the massacres of Armenians in 1915.
User @ubbozkurt called him an "idiot" and not someone to be taken
seriously, while journalist Benjamin Harvey reminded this user
that Gökcek is also the mayor of Ankara, with 2 million followers,
criticizing the fact that a man in such a position of power can make
senseless remarks.
Hayko Bagdat, an Armenian columnist for the Taraf daily, tweeted
to the mayor, "Which category do I fall under, boss?" Today's Zaman
spoke over the phone with Bagdat, asking him his views on the matter,
and he explained: "This is plain racism. It's prejudice on many
levels. It's not just against one demographic of people but against
several: Armenians, Kurds, atheists. It is hate speech, and if this
[Turkey] were a civil country then he [Gökcek] would be removed from
his position for these remarks. But these types of remarks have become
commonplace with [Justice and Development Party] AK Party politicians,
we see it in the president."
In August, a similar incident involving racist comments came from
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During a television broadcast on Star
TV and NTV, President Erdogan said: "Let all Turks in Turkey say they
are Turks and all Kurds say they are Kurds. What is wrong with that?
You wouldn't believe the things they have said about me. They have said
I am Georgian ... they have said even uglier things -- they have called
me Armenian, but I am Turkish." Criticisms were raised about Erdogan's
assertion that being Armenian is "uglier" than being Georgian.
The mayor's Twitter account continuously draws public attention,
as Gökcek is known to tweet on many topics regardless of their
relevance to his political responsibilities.
Zeynep KarataÅ~_ (Cihan/Today's Zaman)
http://en.cihan.com.tr/news/Mayor-Gokcek-s-remarks-on-Armenians-PKK-draw-controversy_7465-CHMTU1NzQ2NS8xMDA1