Johnny Turks Media Watch: Kids' joy can grow from pain

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Kids' joy can grow from pain

Umit Ugur
February 06, 2009 12:00am

THE dreadful death of Darcey Freeman has touched everyone in our community - particularly parents of little children.

As the father of a grown son and daughter, I cannot comprehend the circumstances that ended her very young life.

My sympathy goes to her family and loved ones and I can understand why they would want Darcey's short life marked in a positive, happy way.

That's why I wholeheartedly support their calls for a special Children's Day in Australia.
What they may not be aware of is that we already have the beginnings of such a national day.
I am an Australian with Turkish heritage, and Children's Day is something very special to me and all the Turks.

Turkey celebrates a national Children's Day every April 23. It marks the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1920 by the nation's modern founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
He declared it a national holiday in 1921 as a gift for the nation's children.

The reason behind this gift can be summarised in Ataturk's own immortal words: "The nation which thinks first of its children, and raises them to be even more thoughtful than their parents, can pass on the flame, as each generation relinquishes its turn, in the assurance that the future will be bright."

Most Australians will also be familiar with Ataturk for his words of peace and healing towards Australian families after World War I.

In Turkey, classrooms are decorated for Children's Day and public performances and parades are carried out by children across the country.

When 1979 was proclaimed World Children's Year by the United Nations, Turkey decided to celebrate its national Children's Day with an International Children's Festival from that year on.

Children between the ages of seven and 14 from different countries participate in a program that culminates on April 23. Activities are televised throughout Turkey.

In Australia, we celebrate April 23 in Turkish schools, each organising its own program similar to the ones in Turkey.

And since 2002 the Turkish community has shared this special day with other Melburnians.
It has organised the International Children's Festival at Melbourne Town Hall.

The festival, supported by the City of Melbourne and various federal and state organisations, brings together the children from ethnic communities including Turkish, Polynesian, Punjabi, Arabic, Indonesian, Polish, Croatian, Slovak and Chilean.

Of course, April 23 falls in the busy Anzac week, so we hold this celebration in May -- the 8th International Children's Festival will be on Saturday, May 16. But the wider community can talk about a suitable date.

I hope that out of tragic death of Darcey can grow something beautiful, a Children's Day across Australian cities and towns where our kids embrace life and enjoy fun activities with their families.

It would be worthwhile alone for the chance of bringing a smile to the faces of Darcey's two brothers, Ben and Jack.

Umit Ugur is an organiser of the International Children's Festival /uugur@tpg.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25013898-5000117,00.html

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BENİM ADIM ‘JOHNNY TÜRK’

' To the memory of the namesless heroes of Gallipoli Battles, the Mehmetçiks and Anzacs '
Yıl 1915,
ANZAKlar beni tanımadan,
Bana ’Abdül’ demişler,
Üstelik beni nedensiz düşman bellemişler,
Benimle savaşmaya karar vermişler.

Görmüşler onlarla mertce savaşıyorum,
Savaş ta olsa düşman doktorlarını, hastalarını öldürmüyorum,
Hastane gemilerine bomba atmıyorum,
Savaştaki merhametimi görmüşler,
Adıma ‘Johnny Türk’ demişler.

Düşman esirlerine insanca davrandım,
Yaralılarını kurtardım,
Sigaramı bile paylaştım,
Savaştaki insanliğımı görmüşler,
Bana ‘Johnny Türk’ demişler.

Ikiyüzellibin askere karsi istila edılmış toprağim için savaştım,
Oysa barıştan yanaydım,
Ama vatanı korumak zorundaydım,
Benden günah gitti dedim,
Yurdum icin canımı feda ettim,
Cesaretimi görmüşler,
Adıma ‘Johnny Türk’ demişler.

Tarihde var mı Atatürk kadar barışcılı ve merti?
Haykırmış dünyaya ;“Savaşlar cinayettir , zaruri olmadıkça’
Ama….
Gerektiğinde, emretmiş Mehmetçiğe;“ Size savaşmayı değil, ölmeyi emrediyorum’
Hangi kumandan söylemiş düşman analarına; “Onlar da bizim evlatlarımızdır, yatıyorlar koyun koyuna, bu dost ülke; Çanakkale / Türkiye’de “
Yüreğimizi görmüşler.Bize ‘Johnny Türk’ demişler .

Yıl 2006,
91 yıl geçti aradan.
Tanımlandı tekrar atan; ‘Saygideğer ve Onurlu Düşman‘
Kilometrelerce uzaktan, Avustralya’dan.

Yıl 2008,
Sen Türk coçuğu,
Tanı atanı,
İnsanlığını yitirmemiş, savunurken vatanı,

93 yil geçti aradan,
Sen hala çıkmadın rüyadan,
Utanalım artık aklanmadan geçen yıllardan,
Sabırsızlanıyor, bize armağan edilen bu vatan.

Gül Arslan, 30 Agustos 2008

LEST WE FORGET CELEBRATING FRIENDSHIPs

Turks have treated our captured men and officers excellently" [The diary of the Aus. Official Corres. C.E.W.Bean]

Turks are clean fighters
"During the war British high command wanted to give the soldiers on the front gas masks. The soldiers protested "The Turks are clean fighters. They don't use gas." [The Britische Orientalist, Aubrey Herbert wrote in his famous book "Mons, Anzac & Kut ANZAC, 1915" . Monday, August 16th, 1915. No. 2 Outpost. ]

“You will hear extraordinary horrible stories practiced by Turks. Well, don’t believe a word of them. They are grossly exaggerated if not wholly false. You will be surprised at the gentlemanly way the Turks has fought us. " [Jim Haynes Cobbers - Stories of Gallipoli 1915 p. 178) ]

" I reckon the Turk respects us, as we respect the Turk, Abdul's a good, clean fighter - we've fought him, and we know" [Lieutenant Oliver Hogue]

"The Turks have always proved themselves perfectly willing to have armistices and have actually asked for one at Helles which was refused by our General Staff. " [Ashmead-Bartlett's Diary,1915]

" They (Turks) too were fighting for their country. Good and fair fighters. No. They fought very fair and honestly like us. Both sides lost their very valuable men.” [E.W.BARTLETT - was born in Australia , 1891. 11. Light Horse Regiment. One Hundred years old. He was one of last two hundred who left the Dardanelle.]

"The Turkish sniper understood that we were searching for him. He shot once and the doctor got wounded. When he realized that he was a doctor, he didn’t shoot again.”
[ Exerted from Sydney Alexander Moseley, former war correspondent during the Gallipoli Campaign ]

“ After the terrible punishment inflicted upon the brave but futile assaults all bitterness faded … The Turks displayed an admirable manliness … From that morning onwards the attitude of the Anzac troops towards the individual Turks was rather that of opponents in a friendly game."
[Charles. E Bean, the Australian official historian, The Story of Anzac, Vol II, Sydney, 1924, p.162]

"The Anzacs left Gallipoli without hatred in their heart for their enemy or bitterness at the incompetence of their own high command.” [A.K. Macdouggall, Australian historian]

TURKS AS FIGHTERS :One cannot conclude these reminiscences without paying a tribute to Abdul as a fighting man. All I know about him is in his favour. We have heard all about his atrocities and his perfidy and unspeakablenesses, but the men we met fought fairly and squarely; and as for atrocities it is always well to hear the other side of the question. At the beginning of the campaign it was commonly reported that the Turks mutilated our wounded.

Now I believe that to be an unmitigated lie, probably given a start by men who had never set foot in the Peninsula—or who, if they did, had taken an early opportunity of departure. We were in a position to know whether any mutilation had occurred, and I certainly saw none. I believe that similar reports were existent among the Turks regarding us, and I formed that opinion from the attitude and behaviour of one of the prisoners when I went to dress his wound. He uttered most piteous cries and his conduct led me to believe that he thought he was to be illtreated. I have mentioned before the class to which most of the prisoners were. They were always most grateful for any kindness shown them. As to their sense of fair play, when the Triumph was sunk, they never fired on her—though I understand it would have been quite allowable directly the men set foot on another warship. Again, about a fortnight after the landing at Anzac, we tried to land a force at Gaba Tepe, but had to retire and leave our wounded.

The Turks signalled us to bring them off, and then they never fired or abused the white flag. The third instance occurred on our left, when we made the advance in August. Our Ambulance was under a hill, and a howitzer battery took up a position just in front. The Turk sent word that either the Ambulance or the battery would have to move, otherwise they would be forced to fire on the Ambulance. "

FIVE MONTHS AT ANZACA NARRATIVE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE OFFICER COMMANDING THE 4th FIELD AMBULANCE, AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCEByJOSEPH LIEVESLEY BEESTON C.M.G., V.D., L.R.C.S.I., Colonel A.A.M.C. Late O.C. 4th Field Ambulance, late A.D.M.S. New Zealand and Australian Division

STOP ANTI -TURKISH PROPAGANDAs IN AUSTRALIA!!!

http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/guestlst/guestbook.pl?foreign

( LETTERS WRITTEN TO FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT BY the TURKISH-AUSTRALIANS)

Name
Mehmet Faruk
Homepage

Visit Time
09:39:10 02 May, 2008 EST
Remarks
Another biased protrayal of the so-called Armenian Genocide. First of all, there were 2 major errors in Mr Campbell's story:1. The current ruling party in Turkey is the Justice and Development Party, not the Justice Party. The Justice Party (Turkish: Adalet Partisi, AP) was a political party prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. It was a descendant of the Democrat Party (DP), and was reestablished as the True Path Party (DYP) in 1983. It has absolutey no relation to the Justice and Development Party (AKP) currently in power.

2. Secondly, there were many facts, which were conveniently overlooked by Mr Campbell:1. The Armenian-Turkish border is closed because of Armenia's invasion of a Turkic country, Azerbaijan, which shares a cultural, ethnic and social link with Turkey. Before this invasion occurred in 1993-1994, the Armenian-Turkish border was open. 2. There was absolutely no mention of the hundreds of thousands of Turkish citizens killed at the hands of Armenians. Every conflict is genocide if you only count the death toll on one side. see:

http://www.armenianreality.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=13 3.

There was no mention of the terrorist activities conducted by Armenians since 1923 - especially on Turkish diplomats (see the ASALA and Tashnak terrorist organisaions - here is a website you can start your research: http://www.armenianreality.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=154. When analysing history, empathy is the most important characteristic. It is vital that you put yourself in the place of the involved entities, and not allow the values of today cloud your judgment on the values of that particular time in history. Although death is a terrible phenomenon, the reasons behind such a terrible must be discerned. Here are some articles which may help you understand things from the Turkish perspective: http://www.armenianreality.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=205. You state that Respected historians say as many as a million people were killed and many more made refugees. Bernard Lewis, described as a doyen of Middle East studies and whose quote you have used, actually states that the Armenian question was not a genocide. Other respected historians around the world also hold this belief, including Stanford Shaw, Guenther Lewy, Norman Itzkowitz, Justin McCarthy, Sam Weems and Andrew Mango. In fact, Professor Bernard Lewis was fined 1 Frank by the French government for denying the genocide - a clear obstruction of freedom of speech.
I suggest you type "Bernard Lewis" in youtube and open the first file:http://youtube.com/watch?v=qG70UWESfu4Please do your research before publishing important stories such as the Armenian question. The world has enough irresponsible journalism seeping through television already. I honestly expected more from a respected program such as Foreign Correspondent, and from a journalist such as Mr Campbell, whose book Absurdistan I actually quite enjoyed. I hope one day, you can create a piece on the Turkish view of events, and remember the hundreds of thousands of Turks who died at the hand of Armenians - or at least make a more balanced and accurate documentary about this question.

Name
kenans
Homepage

Visit Time
21:37:44 30 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks
Armenian claimed "genocideI believe the program was biased to Turks, and Eric Campbell 's report on the Armenian massacre was a propaganda. Eric is not a historian or has not studied the Armenian genocide claims from a Turkish prospective.He should not be judging the issue without looking at the 1915 Armenian Revolt.The Armenians in 1915 attempted claim and create an Armenian nation; if they succeeded, the so called Armenian genocide would have been an Armenian Independence day without any thought on genocide by the Armenians regardless on the number of people killed. Why didn't Eric or any of the Armenians on this guestbook talk about the killings of the Turkish diplomats and terrorism 1970’s and the Armenian governments support to the PKK.Eric or the ABC should explain why was there a need to produce a program so biased, why does the ABC (a public network) produce a one side program on such an important issue?

Name
This weeks report on Armenian claimed "genocide"
Homepage
Visit Time
18:47:01 29 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks
I thought foreign correspondent was one of the independent news shows on Australian Television. If you want to debate Turkey's independence on speech issue, you could have done so easily. But to attach that to the so called genocide of Armenians was a cheap shot. I am no international law expert but i know that lot of European countries have laws which forbid insulting the nation and the state(Critism is another thing). For example France in just recent years proposed a law, to incriminate who denies there was a genocide of Armenians. Now, isn't this a double standard? This capital system seems like big countries have the right to say anything and make people believe in their own right view of the stories. What about the genocide of the native Americans by British,Spanish empires? What about the genocide and assimilation of Pacific Islanders islanders by the British empire? What about the state of Africa and Middle East where people are still suffering in result of the WWI and WWII? The program seemed like a propaganda from the Armenian diaspora, which spends millions of dollars every year, trying to convince people that this has happened. If you are so concerned about this debate happening in Turkey( where every year conferences are made to debate the issue in which foreign researchers,historians and journalists gather to discuss), why didn't you guys ask if this was debated in Armenia? The evidences in the Armenian genocide museum is mostly false and made up after the WWII to make sure Armenian's are compensated for this deportation. Behind this allegations is one of the biggest European countries like France, who killed thousands of women and children during the WWI campaign in the Ottoman empire. You, as Australians, should have known better how much the Republic of Turkey respects other nations even though they have come to invade and colonize the land of Turks. It was a shame this was never mentioned in the program. I was very disappointed in Eric Campbell who i thought was a top class journalist.

Ali Turk
Homepage

Visit Time
23:56:19 27 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

Congragulation ABC another biased program without giving other facts.. Lets talk about some facts.1915 Turkish empire is in the war. Its facing it's own life and death struggle.. British, French and Anzacs army attacts to Gallipoli;

Russia attacs to the east Turkey and Arabs with British forces attacks from south..

Thats not an ordinary war, but fight to life or death of all the Turkish people.Armenins living in Turkey (over million) think that Turkey will collapse within days if not in weeks.. Who would think any other way against such mighty forces. Gallipoli is about to fall to British army and great allied navy will be soon in Istanbul..

If they cannot , Russian will finish off anyway. So they thought that it's their best opportunity to grab whatever they can from this dying man..they started to kill and deport all Turkish origin people (including my grand mum) in the hope of carving big Armenia.

But as we all know not always the things goes in our way. Turks stopped allied forces in Gallipoli and Russian couldnt have much luck on the eastern side of Turkey neither. So suddenly these Armenian thugs had to face Turkish might alone..Nobody denies that many Armenian are died but that was legitimate war where Turks are figthing to survive..number of dead doesnt prove genocide. Millions of Japanese died in WWII but that doesnt show that Americans did genocide to Japons but it was war and one had to lose and the other wins and unfortunately millions dies. That was same with these armenians.. They did initiated their own war in the hope of big gains and lost more than they had at the end..

22:24:44 22 Apr, 2008 ESTRemarks
Name To Erric and Mark
Visit Time 22:24:44 22 Apr, 2008 EST

Care to mention Armenian terrorism? Their endless assaults on Turkish diplomats?http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2006/04/605-armenian-terrorism-ethnic-terror.htmlCare to mention Armenia's still ongoing invasion of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan? Azeri genocide?http://www.azerigenocide.org/hist/hist02.htmYou mentioned in your program that Armenians sided with Russians during WWI towards their independence. Were the Ottomans to embrace them and cry with tears of joy? At a time when the empire faced threats from every side, it would not tolerate attacks from its own citizens or any revolts.I find your effort sincere, but I would like to see you walk in the same shoes with the military leaders of that time. Middle East is not a peace heaven, and it takes lives to guard your own land and country.Armenia has been invited to participate in a council of historians several times now, and it has refused every offer. Wondered why?

Put the prejudice and the bias aside, Armenian people were killed, but did you see any hint towards a plan that was aimed to kill all Armenians? As was Hitler towards Jews? Or did you see an army/country trying to protect itself from backstabbing?Did your apologies soothe and save the Aborigininal people? Did the Americans lend a helping hand to the Indians? (Care to look for massacres there as well?) I like brave journalists, but a journalist has the responsibility to tell the story fully.One last remark, I laughed at your comment saying Turks were afraid of Armenians capturing eastern provinces and Ararat. Get real

Name Hazza
Homepage Visit Time 22:23:00 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

In regards to you story Armenia/Turkey - Ghosts of the Past, it is a shame that only 1 side has been betrayed, especially considering the factual inconsistencies such as:-Turkey closing the borders when Armenia acheived independence. This is incorrect as the border was closed due to the Armenian annexation via millitary force of Azerbaijan territory-Armenia having a state that extended to included Mount Ararat. This is incorrect as no state existed and all territories were under Ottoman command.

-The government of Turkey has constantly asked for an independent enquiry into the events that occurred, yet the Armenian government has continued to drag its heels on the issue.Although at least you mentioned that the events were due to the Armenian's living in the eastern Anatolians uprising, you fail to understand that the word genocide is a systematic approach which does not apply in this situation, as the Armenians living for centuries I might add in the other parts of the Ottoman Empire were not affected. Although I am sure that there will be Armenians and other ethnic minorities who will say they suffered for centuries under Ottoman rule despite evidence that points to the contray.

Still you cant help those with sour grapes trying to gain what they can, even if that is by going to other parliments around the world to except there claims, circumventing historians.

Good luck to the Armenians, maybe they will get the eastern part of Turkey...
.good luck also to the Kurds.....maybe they will get the southern part of Turkey....good luck to the Greeks....maybe they will get the western part of Turkey..

.I am sure that will happen when Australia gives its land back to the Aboriginals, America to the Native Indians, New Zealanders to the Kiwis...but keep on the great reporting Foreign Correspondent....Name Mehmet aka johny TurkHomepage Visit Time 22:16:29 22 Apr, 2008 ESTRemarks I suggest you read this website and do your journalism proffesionally before accusing Turks of false lies.Where was the balnaced reporting where was the interview with the Turkish victims from the armenian gangs tashnaks etc etc?http://www.tallarmeniantale.com/we are ready to sit down with the armeninas when ever they are to sort this historical lie out.BUT we cannot find partners such is the lies and hate fed.Here this man is brave and he is not even Turkish have a good read to get a TRUTH and BALANCEhttp://www.tallarmeniantale.com/Thank god for the internet otherwise the people would believe anything they see on TVhttp://www.tallarmeniantale.com/

Name Proud Australian Turk
Homepage Visit Time 21:51:51 22 Apr, 2008 EST

Remarks I thought it may help for everyone to check this internet site aswell ..http://www.armenian--genocide.com/

Unfortunately, the issue has never reached a properly constituted court. If the Armenians were convinced of their own case, they would have taken it to one. Instead, they lobby bewildered or bored parliamentary assemblies to "recognize the genocide."Congress should not take a position, one way or the other, on this affair. Let historians decide. The Turkish government has been saying this for years.

It is the Armenians who refuse to take part in a joint historical review, even when organized by impeccably neutral academics. This review is the logical and most sensible path forward.

Passage of the resolution by the full House of Representatives would constitute an act of legislative vengeance and would shame well-meaning scholars who want to explore this history from any vantage point other than the one foisted upon the world by ultranationalist Armenians.

Name gonul
Homepage Visit Time 15:44:55 17 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks
Eric, This so called genocide has not been recognised by Turkey or the world. Turkey has opened its archives for the Armenians but to date all the Armenians are doing is lobbying. Please do not tell one sided stories. I saw the preview of your story and very dissapointed. When are you going to do your investigation to come up with both side of the coin.

Visit Time 22:10:56 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

I felt that the program shown on 22.04.08 about the genocide was onesided and only shown to show the slaughter to the armenians which was rediculous and 1 sided i strongly believe that a turkish muslim person to say to a priest that we will hang you and drink your blood! I am outraged and disgusted and it just goes to show how false all these alagation are.

Name M & E Gumec
Homepage Visit Time 22:25:17 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

Just watched your program about Turkey and Armenia. We are really disappointed with your biased coverage of this highly sensitive matter. It is such an important subject for both nations and instead of bringing the information from the historians, you gave coverage to an extreme nationalist - very one sided. It looked like you planned what you wanted to cover before starting your research. We were in Turkey recently and we had the privilage to discuss this subject with historians lecturing at the unis and also providing info to the foreign historians. Their knowledge could provide more insight to such a sensitive topic. We found your program very irresponsible...

Name Julia Gul Arslan ( Australia Gallipoli Friendship SocietyHomepage Visit Time 22:29:57 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

Dear Eric and Foreign Correspond producerFor the segment due to be shown on 22 April.

…This program will let down many Turkish-Australians…by reading of your program’s synopsis, this film again one of those ones that turning the history upside down with full of biased emerging statements in order convey to inform with false and misleading report given to the Australian people sadly on the week of ‘the Friendship’ between Australia and Turkiye.

Turkish Australians who have being living in Australia harmoniously by respecting multicultural Australia and Australian values for more than 40 years now. However, such this program supports to give immerse reverse impact.

Your report and ABC TV should already know that such a divisive program doesn’t and won’t help Australia where supposed be a fair go country for everyone, every nationality unless an opportunity should have been provided for every nation to be able express their story and their historical realities.

Otherwise, such one sided and bias program encourages and sustains animosity nothing else! Is that what you want? Turks believe the notion of ' animosity breeds animosity; it is a vicious circle ‘ therefore Turks support the idea of ‘ Peace and Harmony in Australia, Peace and Harmony in the Universe’.

Turks never supports hatred for any nation consequently Turkish people in Australia and Turkey never hate Australians for invasion of the Gallipoli War.

They rather focus on the lessons from history and try to grow friendship and peace in Australia out of the Gallipoli War because they know that their heritage values require supporting peace, not war!.They also believe that there are hardly any wars, which the past conflicted parties jointly commemorate.

Gallipoli serves as a message of ' PEACE ' to the whole world. Lets celebrate friendships and peaceful acts not to support sick minds please! Otherwise you and your like minded people have to chose imperialistic ideas to grow in Australia or notLest we forget the price of animosity!

Name Joe
Homepage Visit Time 22:39:23 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

I can ask Eric Campbell the same question as he asked during his program regarding the so called Armenian genocide to the Turkish MP, how can he be so sure this genocide had happened ? He was extremely bias in the way he presented both sides of the argument. He made himself judge and jury and convicted a nation with a proud history with so called genocide. Eric Campbell tried to link the killing of the Armenian journalist in Turkey with the treatment of the Armenian minority in Turkey in the past. What about linking the killing of many Turkish Ambassadors all around the world by the Armenian terrorist group, ASALA. Obviously that would not go well with Eric's superiors who are influenced by the powerful Armenian lobby.
I wonder why he chose to make a such a program just before ANZAC day.

Name Hilmi Deveci
Homepage Visit Time 22:51:53 22 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

My previous comment should have read, Why is ABC bias towards Turkey ?When will ABC ever show the Turkish,or even better, other historian's view from around the world when it comes to "Turkish Genocide" by the Armenians ?If you are ever interested in real facts, I can provide a DVD produced by an American historian.

Name Halit Sindi
Homepage
Visit Time 13:42:38 23 Apr, 2008 EST
Remarks

Dear ABC Programmer,I am a loyal viewer of many ABC programs including Foreign Correspondent. However, I would like to express my profound anger and disappointment over one of the stories you presented in the
“Foreign Correspondent” program that broadcasted on 22 April 2008 at 9:30pm. I
truly found this program rather biased, distorted, and contained factual errors. I also found this program was totally one-sided and clearly favouring the Armenian allegations. You have presented the story as if you were telling the facts on the issue.
But so-called Armenian genocide is quite controversial issue, which many historians believe otherwise. Armenian accusations are usually based on stories that has been told by either family members or falsely fabricated by the Armenian Diaspora. They always failed to back up their claims with evidence or any historical fact. I strongly suggest you to read independent experts on the field such as Justin McCarthy, Heath Lowry, and Stanford Shaw before you make such hostile remarks on the free-to-air network.It is true that thousands of Armenians have lost their life due to starvation, disease and local rebel attacks during WWI.

However, according to many international sources including Australian Foreign Ministry website, at the time, thousands of Turks, also, lost their lives due to same reasons as Armenians. But I guess, on the eyes of the Western world, Turkish losses are less valuable than Armenians. I cannot go without mentioning the Armenian terrorism, which cost the lives of 42 Turkish diplomats. Armenian terrorist organizations such as Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) and the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide (JCAG) started to operate in mid 1970's and they carried out approximately 200 attacks in 38 cities of 21 countries.

One of these attacks took place in Australia on 17 December 1980 when Turkey's Consul General of Sydney Mr.Sarik Ariyak and his security guard Mr.Engin Sever were murdered. The Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide (JCAG) was responsible for this terrorist act. This vicious and cowardly attack considered being as one of the most significant terrorist events in the history of Australia by the ASIO.My message to you is; please be fair and stop your biased coverage on Turkish history.

" Johnny Turks"

The term "Johnny Turk" was used during the First World War to refer to Turkish people.

" Almost every book I've read of our war with Turkey there are references to the great skill and bravery of the men from Turkey.
Australians where great ones for making coment on the fighting skills of other troops as they were of them selves and all records coment on this with many accounts.
They had great respect for the fight quaities of 'Johnny Turk".
When soldiers of our two armies meet again after WWI it was on the fields of Korea in 1950 [http://johnnyturksinkorea.blogspot.com/] and the aussie's and Turks had a great old time in freindship..." Oct 2 2004, 10:23 PM/ Steven Bec

LETS WE FORGET THE PRICE OF ANIMOSITY

Animosity breeds animosity, it is a vicious circle...

The reason remembering here not to grow animosity but to stop animosity...

Lest we remember our Republic of Turkish Foreign Diplomatic consulates and officers/representatives had been killed in the course of Armenian dilemma:

Tarih Þehir / Görev Adý-Soyadý 27.01.1973 Santa Barbara / Consul General Mehmet BAYDAR Santa Barbara / Consul Bahadýr DEMÝR 22.10.1975 Vienna / Ambassador Daniþ TUNALIGÝL 24.10.1975 Paris / Ambassador Ýsmail EREZ Paris / Driver Talip YENER 16.02.1976 Beirut / First Secretary Oktar CÝRÝT 09.06.1977 Vatican City / Ambassador Taha CARIM 02.06.1978 Madrid / Ambassador’s wife Necla KUNERALP Madrid / Retired Ambassador Beþir BALCIOÐLU 12.10.1979 The Hague / Ambassador’s son Ahmet BENLER 22.12.1979 Paris / Tourism Counsellor Yýlmaz ÇOLPAN 31.07.1980 Athens / Administrative Attache Galip ÖZMEN Athens / Administrative Attaché’s daughter Neslihan ÖZMEN 17.12.1980 Sydney / Consul General Þarýk ARIYAK Sydney / Security Attaché Engin SEVER 04.03.1981 Paris / Counsellor for Labour Affairs Reþat MORALI Paris / Counsellor for Religious Affairs Tecelli ARI 09.06.1981 Geneva / Secretary M.Savaþ YERGÜZ 24.09.1981 Paris / Security Attaché Cemal ÖZEN 28.01.1982 Los Angeles / Consul General Kemal ARIKAN 08.04.1982 Ottawa / Counsellor for Commercial Affairs Kani GÜNGÖR 04.05.1982 Boston / Honorary Consul General Orhan GÜNDÜZ 07.06.1982 Lisbon / Administrative Attaché Erkut AKBAY 27.08.1982 Ottawa /Colonel, Military Attaché Atilla ALTIKAT 09.09.1982 Bourgas / Administrative Attaché Bora SÜELKAN 08.01.1983 Lisbon / Administrative Attaché’s wife, wounded in the armed assault directed against her husband Erkut Akbay on 07 06 1982, died on 08 01 1983 Nadide AKBAY 09.03.1983 Belgrade / Ambassador Galip BALKAR 14.07.1983 Brussels / Administrative Attaché Dursun AKSOY 27.07.1983 Lisbon / Counsellor’s wife Cahide MIHÇIOÐLU 28.04.1984 Teheran / Secretary’s wife Iþýk YÖNDER 20.06.1984 Vienna / Attaché for Labour Affairs Erdoðan ÖZEN 19.11.1984 Vienna / International Official Enver ERGUN 07.10.1991 Athens / Press Attaché Çetin GÖRGÜ 11.12.1993 Baghdad / Administrative Attaché Çaðlar YÜCEL 04.07.1994 Athens / Embassy Counsellor Haluk SÝPAHÝOÐLU

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Kids' joy can grow from pain

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