Cyprus Action Network of America  (CANA)

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TURKISH AMERICAN HOLOCAUST DENIERS IN ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED CYPRUS

For Immediate Release: August 15, 2008

Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935

NEW YORK--The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the “formal Turkish American delegation” to illegally occupied Cyprus, organized by Turkish American Holocaust deniers, and foreign agents of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA).

In the announcement covering the “delegation trip” prominently displayed on the ATAA website, false historical revisionism is used to equate the liberation struggle in Cyprus. It also falsely applies the early years of the Republic of Cyprus to images and events from the tragedy of the Holocaust of European Jewry.  The glaring use of Holocaust Relativism/ Holocaust denial by ATAA is notable. Explicitly, the ATAA claims that the Republic of Cyprus was hamlet ting Turks in “concentration camps, and killing them.”

Misappropriation of terms such as “concentration camps” which come from the imagery of the Holocaust to falsely describe the situation of the Turkish Cypriots is particularly appalling. Not only were there no such camps in existence in Cyprus for Turks. The Cypriots did not starve millions of people to death, did not force and did not have inmates to work under brutal conditions, and did not send them to gas chambers if they were "unfit" to work.   Mis- using the language of the Holocaust-- referring to “concentration camps” for Turks in Cyprus diminishes and trivializes those who really suffered in concentration camps, the Jewish people.  

ATAA has been amongst the most active groups engaging in Genocide denial. In recent years, it filed a lawsuit in the State of Massachusetts demanding that information denying genocide be included in the public school system’s Holocaust and Genocide education curriculum.  Long volumes of Genocide denial literature are offered prominently on their website, some authored by their own President-Elect Gunay Evinch, in the attempt to falsely hurl blame onto the victims of Turkish crimes. For instance, ATAA falsely accuses Greeks of Genocide in Cyprus, and argues that Greece invaded Cyprus!

The ATAA with chapters all over the United States is one of the organizations FBI whistleblower Sibel  Edmonds has called “semi-legit”- meaning that some of its activities are underground and illegal. Edmonds revealed in several interviews with Vanity Fair and the Sunday Times and numerous alternative and progressive news outlets   on the overwhelming evidence of money laundering, illegal arms sales, and illegal drug activities, directly linked to Turkish espionage discovered by FBI wiretaps of Turkish Embassy officials, and its allies, including  the ATAA .

David Rose, contributing editor to Vanity Fair, wrote an expose on FBI wiretaps of the Turkish Embassy and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), and the American Turkish Council (ATC), the article highlights a deal for Congressman Dennis Hastert to receive a $500,000 bribe to stop an Armenian Genocide resolution. With such sums of cash, boastfully handed out to Turkish collaborators in bribes to Congress, its noteworthy to mention that the Turkish Caucus in Congress has risen to 80 members under the leadership of its founder, the Cyprus invasion denier, Congressman Robert Wexler (D-Fl  -19^th), recently charged with residency fraud. (An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose, Vanity Fair/September 2005 URL:  http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm   )

The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is concerned with the rising Anti-Cyprus sentiment of Turkish groups working with the Turkish government.  The time is now for all those who care for Cyprus to join our struggle.  Be proud and courageous Cypriots, join us, as we face the Turkish war and propaganda machine, head on.

In coming months, we will launch bold and assertive actions to draw public attention to Turkey’s crimes. One of our goals will be the campaign to make ATAA GO AWAY.

VIDEO RESOURCES:

(1) Gunay Evinch President Elect of ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American Associations) Sings Old MacDonald Had A Farm

URL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35YupEDq1Nw

(2) Mysterious Holocaust Deniers of Turkish Group: Convention

URL:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BoVAqjflqs

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Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA)

2578 Broadway #132

New York, NY 10025

New York: Tel. 917-699-9935

Email: cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org

www.cyprusactionnetwork.org

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The Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) is a grass-roots, not-for-profit movement created to support genuine self-determination and human rights for the people of Cyprus.

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