Keghart
Editorial, 26 November 2013
Starting in May 2013 and for the next four months Keghart.com, along with local Armenian and Alevi groups launched a campaign, including a petition, to halt the erection of a Turkish monument in 
Brantford, a city 60 miles west of Toronto.
Perhaps assuming that he could surreptitiously raise a fake monument honoring “Turkish” internees in Canada during the First World War without the knowledge of the Armenian and Alevi communities, the Turkish consul-general Ali Riza Gunay had been lobbying the mayor of Brantford, frequently visiting the city and making friends to advance his project. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag was supposed to cut the ribbon at the unveiling of the monument.
Editorial, 26 November 2013
Starting in May 2013 and for the next four months Keghart.com, along with local Armenian and Alevi groups launched a campaign, including a petition, to halt the erection of a Turkish monument in Brantford, a city 60 miles west of Toronto.
Perhaps assuming that he could surreptitiously raise a fake monument honoring “Turkish” internees in Canada during the First World War without the knowledge of the Armenian and Alevi communities, the Turkish consul-general Ali Riza Gunay had been lobbying the mayor of Brantford, frequently visiting the city and making friends to advance his project. Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag was supposed to cut the ribbon at the unveiling of the monument.
But thanks to quick and collective action by the Armenians and the Alevis, the monument plan crumbled. Following individual and collective investigations by the two groups, it was revealed that the internees buried at the Brantford Mount Hope cemetery’s “Muslim corner” were not Turks or Muslims. They were Alevis, a persecuted religious minority in Turkey.
Seeing his monument had turned into a dust, Mr. Gunay made a second attempt…to have a modest plaque instead. That also bit the dust. The evidence that the people buried at the cemetery were not Turks was rock solid. The story had also become an international story, thanks to dissemination by the Armenians and the Alevis. While Keghart dedicated three editorials to the farce, Canada’s Alevi newspaper, “Yeni Hayat”, dedicated a whole issue to the controversy. One of the newspaper’s headlines read: "Leave Our Dead Alone!"
The collective action against the Turkish false monument was another example which demonstrated that when we act collectively our chances of success increase significantly.
While individually and collectively Armenians prepare special projects for the 100th commemorations of the Genocide, they should expect counter measures…high-priced promotions, glossy programs, public and “scholarly” events, documentaries, ersatz and phony news stories…manufactured by denialist Ankara and its PR agents. Every city with a sizeable Armenian community should be prepared for the Turkish propaganda gimmicks which will predictably deny Turkey’s crime and even brazenly blame Armenians for their tragedy.
Committees should be on the ready to take on the Turkish falsehoods. We have to be pro-active rather than wait for Turkey and its agents to vomit their lies and then respond at short notice. We should have qualified people who would swiftly expose Ankara lies and pounce on the games Turkey likes to play. We know their boilerplate lies. They have been parroting them for a couple of generations. Counteracting Ankara’s lies should not be difficult. All we have to do is be prepared.
Related articles:
Turkey Abuses Alevi Dead
Alevis, Others in Germany Decry Turk Ploy in Canada
Mayor of Brantford Chummy with Turkish Consul
Leave Our Dead Alone!
Turkish Consul General Exploits Internee Suffering
Plans for 'Turkish Plot' Put on Hold
Controversy Surrounds Mount Hope Cemetery Plot
For the Benefit of the Turkish Ambassador
Keghart
Keghart
4 comments
Victory
Congratulations and kudos to the dedicated Armenian and Alevi activists who spared no effort to STOP the erection of a Turkish monument in Brantford.
Bravo
Congratulations to our Armenian and Alevi activists and thank you for a spot-on editorial.
Not Only Armenians
The incident [Brantford Cemetery monument) is a great scandal. What happened is a warning to everyone to be on guard re Turkish designs, and to take the appropriate action.
Not only Armenians but also other nationalities which were slain in Western Armenia (1915) by the Turks. The survivors, who flew to foreign countries, have often been ignored. In Holland we have a great number of Armenians whose parents fled Turkish persecutions in Western Armenia during the Genocide in 1915. They have to be made aware of Turkish policies and act accordingly. Otherwise, tomorrow they will be considered Turks because they carry Turkish names or surnames as in Antoine de Saint Exupery's "The Little Prince" story. The astrologer in that story is a famous Armenian but because he lives on his land, which is conquered by the Turks, Exupery calls him a Turk.
The wolf wants to wear sheep's clothing to continue to cheat the world and anyone who helps him will also be eaten.
This is another way of Turkish cheating and saying: "We are good and innocent". Lies. The blood of my family is on their hands. Amen.
"Thank you" to Dikran and to others associated with Keghart.com for everything you do for us and for encouraging us to get involved, to become aware and be more dedicated to building better future for our children. May Lord Jesus help us in our victory.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, to your families, and to all people waking up to fight for victory against the Turkish state. May we be good and stay good until the end. Much love and God bless.
Readers who have been
Readers who have been following the Toronto Turkish consul-general's designs to put a phony "Turkish" monument at the Brantford Mount Hope Cemetery to honor WWI "Turkish" internees, would be interested to know that Andrea Malysh, program manager of Canadian WWI Internment Recognition Fund, has asked the Township of Kapuskasing in the province of Ontario to remove Turkish symbols on the grave of Alex Hassan, a Muslim internee who died in the northern Ontario camp during WWI. The Turkish symbols had been placed there through the efforts of the Turkish Government. As well, Brantford history researcher William Darfler, the discoverer of the "Muslim" internees buried at the the Brantford cemetery, has informed Ms. Malysh that he has no hard evidence regarding the identity of the people buried in the "Muslim Corner" of the Brantford cemetery.
"Amen" to Turkish Government's failed diplomatic efforts to impose false historic Turkish presence in Canada. As one of Keghart's editorial pointed out a few months ago, Diaspora Armenians should be on guard re future Turkish Government plans to promote similar falsehoods around the globe.
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