Aida Avetisyan
“Radiolur”
The situation in Istanbul’s Armenian-inhabited neighborhood of Samatya is worrisome, Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan told a press conference today.
There is an atmosphere of fear and pressure there, he said. “Armenians often say the law-enforcement bodies are doing their best to prevent violence, but they have not reached any results,” Kiro Manoyan said.
According to him, the recent developments are expressions of the atmosphere of hatred for Armenians. Moreover, this is an ideology that dates back to the times of Young Turks. He recalled that no high-ranking official in Turkey has spoken publicly about these anti-Armenian steps.
Despite this, there are certain circles in Turkey, which accept that hatred for Armenians lies in the basis of the problem. The Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Union of Turkey has issued a special report on this occasion, stressing that the probe into the issue should be public.
Some are inclined to link the developments with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which proves that the number of cases will increase as the 2015 is approaching.
Kiro Manoyan urges not to reconcile with the situation. He believes the incidents are the result of the policy of the Turkish authorities.
