Turkish speaker resigns- incitement against Armenians

12 April, 2016

When the Turkish National Association’s vice-chairman Barbaros Leylani held a speech at Sergel’s Square in Stockholm, he referred to Armenians as ”dogs that should beware.” Barbaros Leylani is now being reported to the police. The speech is very concerning, says Armenian Ambassador to Sweden Artak Apitonian to Dagen.

Many have reacted strongly to the speech. Barbaros Leylani also says to TT that he does not mean peaceful Armenians. But the speech has upset many people, especially Armenians in Sweden.

- I was very, very worried when I watched the clip. I was very upset, says Union of Armenian Associations chairman Garlen Mansourian to TV4. The association is now planning to report the hate speech to the police. The speech is also reported as incitement to racial hatred by the organization Juridikfronten, which has recently made several police reports after controversial statements, writes TT.

"Death to the Armenian dogs"

In the speech, Leylani says:

- The Turk has awakened! The Armenian dogs should beware. Death to the Armenian dogs!

Leylani also speaks of "Turkish racial friends" and says:

- Let us show Sweden, Scandinavia, and Europe what the Turk stands for. We do not like blood, but we can let the blood flow when needed.

On Monday afternoon it was announced that Leylani now resigns from his position as Vice President of the Turkish National Association. The association’s board writes in a statement that Leylani “leaves all his missions in the union,” according to TT.

Armenian Ambassador to Sweden Artak Apotonian thinks the speech is very upsetting. He says:

- We condemn all forms of incitement and hatred, and deeply regret this type of behavior, says the Armenian Ambassador to Sweden Artak Apotionian, whom Dagen meet at the embassy in Stockholm.

News in Sweden

He says that earlier in the history Armenians have endured this type of hate rhetoric, especially regarding the issue of the genocide in 1915.

- However, this type of hate rhetoric is a new phenomenon that we see here in Sweden. It has been newly developed, which is very worrying. Here we heard a direct request to kill Armenians.

Relying on the government

The Ambassador says that the Swedish authorities have not made contact during Monday, but one hopes that the government will make a statement.

- We really hope that the Swedish Government will condemn the incident. And I also expect that Turkish organizations working in Sweden will also show condemnation. We need assurance that the Armenians who live in Sweden can feel safe.

Artak Apitionian emphasizes that the statements coming from Barbaros Leylani should not be seen as representative of the majority of Turks in Sweden, but it applies certain groups.

But he also states that it is the first time this kind of hate propaganda occurs Europe. He himself believes that the incident is linked both to the question of the recognition of the Genocide that Armenia seeks and the current conflict regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, where battles are ongoing between Armenians and Azerbaijan on different sides. Turkey has actively supported Azerbaijan, says Ambassador.

- The meeting at Sergel’s Square was about this, and it is quite clear that Turkey is now seeking to harmonize its actions in different countries, he says.

“Important to learn from history”

Artak Apitonian points out the importance of learning from history.

- The question of recognition of the Genocide is important, because the absence of it results in this kind of hate propaganda.

The text is translated from an article &l

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