Nelson Mandela said no to Turkish Award because of the Kurds
Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:42 pmSource: http://www.Kurdistantime.com
This GREAT site in Turkish, has tons of information about Kurdish history. It's currently all in Turkish - but they are working on making an English and a Kurdish version of the site as well.
I picked out a great piece of news from 1992:
English translation:
"Kurdish-No" from Mandela to Award.
The 8th of April 1992, Nelson Mandela - the president of ANC - African National Congress, explained that he had said "no" to the International Ataturk Peace Award. The award was to be handed to Nelson Mandela by the then Prime Minister of Turkey, Turgut Özal on the 19th of May. On the 12th of May, ANC Spokesman Gilli Marcus made a statement in Johannesburg; the award to Mandela, would not be accepted on the basis of Turkey`s violent/war-like policies and infringement on human rights of the Kurds, and that Mandela would not be visiting Turkey. In the explanation, it was stressed that Mandela's entire life was spent on serving democracy, human rights and the lifting of oppression. While The People's Labour Party (HEP) celebrated Mandela in their written statement, President Suleyman Demiral described the even as "saddening"/"upsetting"/"distressing". The Ataturk International Peace Award was first time given in 1986 to NATO's General Secretary Joseph Luns. The award was given in 1987 to Federal German Chancellor Richard Von Weizsaecker, in 1989 to Japanese Prince Takahito Mikasa and in 1990 to Kenan Evren, the 7th President of the Republic, who came to power in Turkey after a coup d' ètat the 12th of September in 1980.
This GREAT site in Turkish, has tons of information about Kurdish history. It's currently all in Turkish - but they are working on making an English and a Kurdish version of the site as well.
I picked out a great piece of news from 1992:
Mandela’dan Ödüle Kürdî Ret [12 Mayıs 1992]
13. Ağustos 2007, 18:23
Afrika Ulusal Kongresi (ANC) Başkanı Nelson Mandela, 8 Nisan 1992′de kendisine verilmesi kararlaştırılan ‘Uluslararası Atatürk Barış Ödülü’nü reddettiğini açıkladı. Mandela’ya ödülün 19 Mayıs 1992′de dönemin Cumhurbaşkanı Turgut Özal tarafından verileceği açıklanmıştı. 12 Mayıs’ta Johannesburg’ta bir açıklama yapan ANC sözcüsü Gilli Marcus, Mandela’nın ödülü, Türkiye’nin Kürtlere yönelik savaşçı politika ve insan hakları ihlalleri nedeniyle kabul etmediğini açıkladı ve Mandela’nın Türkiye’yi ziyaret etmeyeceğini bildirdi. Açıklamada, Mandela’nın tüm hayatını demokrasiye, insan haklarına ve baskıların kaldırılmasına hizmet ederek geçirdiği vurgulandı. Halkın Emek Partisi (HEP) yaptığı yazılı açıklamayla Mandela’yı tavrından dolayı kutlarken, Başbakan Süleyman Demirel, olayı ‘üzücü’ olarak niteledi. 1986′da verilmeye başlanan Uluslararası Atatürk Barış Ödülü’nün ilki eski NATO Genel Sekreteri Joseph Luns’a verilmişti. Ödül, 1987′de Federal Almanya Cumhurbaşkanı Richard Von Weizsaecker, 1989′da Japon Prensi Takahito Mikasa, 1990 yılında ise 12 Eylül 1980′de Türkiye’de askeri darbe ile yönetimi ele geçiren 7. Cumhurbaşkanı Kenan Evren almıştı.
English translation:
"Kurdish-No" from Mandela to Award.
The 8th of April 1992, Nelson Mandela - the president of ANC - African National Congress, explained that he had said "no" to the International Ataturk Peace Award. The award was to be handed to Nelson Mandela by the then Prime Minister of Turkey, Turgut Özal on the 19th of May. On the 12th of May, ANC Spokesman Gilli Marcus made a statement in Johannesburg; the award to Mandela, would not be accepted on the basis of Turkey`s violent/war-like policies and infringement on human rights of the Kurds, and that Mandela would not be visiting Turkey. In the explanation, it was stressed that Mandela's entire life was spent on serving democracy, human rights and the lifting of oppression. While The People's Labour Party (HEP) celebrated Mandela in their written statement, President Suleyman Demiral described the even as "saddening"/"upsetting"/"distressing". The Ataturk International Peace Award was first time given in 1986 to NATO's General Secretary Joseph Luns. The award was given in 1987 to Federal German Chancellor Richard Von Weizsaecker, in 1989 to Japanese Prince Takahito Mikasa and in 1990 to Kenan Evren, the 7th President of the Republic, who came to power in Turkey after a coup d' ètat the 12th of September in 1980.
