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armenian

Turks riot, destroy Armenian and Kurdish businesses in Brussels

English-language digest of local sources...follow the links from this page if you can read Flemish.

"Tonight (Wednesday evening) heavy rioting erupted in Turkish quarters of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Buses and trams were attacked. Several cars were torched and shops destroyed. Police forces were unable to restore law and order in the boroughs of Sint-Joost-ten-Node and Schaarbeek where since last Sunday the animosity among Turks is running high. Turkish flags are omnipresent. In some streets the Turkish crescent and star adorns almost every house.

The Turks' anger was provoked by rising tension with Kurds along the Iraqi-Turkish border and by the debate in the American Congress about the Turkish genocide of the Armenians in 1915. On Sunday night Turkish youths in Sint-Joost destroyed the pub of Peter Petrossian, an ethnic Armenian who had to flee for his life [previous article linked from this one says Mr Petrossian claims that 'the police was present at the scene but did not interfere while his establishment was being demolished']. Apparently, some Turks think that by attacking the Armenians in Brussels they can convince the world that the Turks never committed a genocide of the Armenians. [such a great line, neatly encapsulates the madness of the Turkish ultra-nationalists]

Tonight the youths attacked Kurdish shops. They also set fire to several cars.

Belgium's Muslim population consists mainly of Moroccans and Turks. In the past rioting Muslim youths were mostly Moroccans. The Turkish community is controlled by the Turkish embassy. The latter used to restrain the Turkish population so as not to upset the Belgian authorities and thwart Turkey’s chances of EU admission. This policy seems to have changed recently. In Antwerp, too, Turkish youths demonstrated tonight."

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. A project presenting national
minorities' culture will be held in Armenia on the initiative of the
Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation's Armenian branch and
Narekatsi art union.

As Aram Talalian, a senior lecturer at Yerevan State Conservatory,
said at the September 6 press conference, days of Jewish music and
poetry will be held on September 9-18 in Yerevan, Gyumri, Kapan,
and Vanadzor within the framework of the festival. According to him,
works by Jewish artists, including those of composer Willie Winer
residing in Armenia will be presented.

A. Talalian also said that music and poetry days of Assyrians,
Kurds, Greeks, and other national minorities will be also organized
in Armenia in the future.

A message to Mr Hrant Dink mourners: Kurdish people are eager for reconciliation and peaceful respect between ethnicities.