For Immediate Release: September 29, 2009
It has come to the attention of the Hellenic League of America that our most recent press release, an Op-Ed written by HLA activist and President of Panthracian Union, Ioannis Fidanakis, titled, ‘More than just Indifference’, has caused quite a stir within the Hellenic American community.
The Op-Ed written by President Fidanakis, was a response to a recently published Op-Ed by AHI President Aleco Haralambides, in which President Fidanakis offered AHI constructive criticism on the need for more aggressive lobbying on our National Issues. In response, AHI released a statement on September 28, 2009 attempting to strike at the legitimacy of the Hellenic League of America as an organization. For the record, the Hellenic League of America, HLA is a non-profit tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) organization.
AHI’s press release claims that ‘valuable time and resources’ had been spent in issuing a statement to address ‘blatant falsehoods’. The Hellenic League of America wonders, how much valuable time and resources did the “American Hellenic Institute” use to write a simple 146 word press release? Such a statement makes those of us, HLA volunteers wonder, if so much ‘valuable time and resources’ were needed to write a 2 minute press release, how else has AHI mismanaged its time and resources instead of aggressively carrying out a productive legislative agenda in the name of Hellenism.
The Greek Lobby collectively has failed to introduce any legislation with teeth into this year’s US Congress, unlike the previous thirty years there is no legislation regarding Cyprus this year, NONE, and the legislation introduced on Macedonia is anti-Macedonian in calling for a so-called “geographical qualifier” as an answer to the Macedonia Name issue. It itself is at odds with historical truth and Hellenic-American community opinion. The largest Macedonian group is the world is unequivocally AGAINST a “geographical qualifier”.
AHI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NICK LARIGAKIS: THE SIX FIGURE SALARY “COMPANY MAN”
AHI Executive Director Nick Larigakis has remained at the same post for twenty-three years. At this point in American history, when even Fortune 500 CEO’s cannot hold down the same job for twenty years, Mr. Larigakis has defied all odds , and despite his own President’s claim that Greek-Americans are “indifferent” has managed to (or so he claims) raise funds from the Greek American community for all these years to hire paid staff, pay all those maintenance costs for a building (owned by AHI) in Washington DC and even cover the electricity bill all by donations from the “indifferent” Greek American donors. Mr. Larigakis must also have a bridge for sale for us in Brooklyn if he expects us to believe that! Numerous sources have documented a history of funding by Hellenic governments for years, hence explaining the close relationship Mr. Larigakis has with the Greek and Cyprus Embassy and his haughty disregard and ignorance of Greek Americans. At least one AHI donor for the past twenty years has told us that Mr. Larigakis has never come clean with how AHI is run and how decisions are made at AHI. The time has come for AHI to open the books on how much exactly its Executive Director is paid, how much all its staffers are paid, and how it pays for what it does, such as it is. We are aware of many other Hellenic-American community associations that openly declare how they pay the bills, who pays the bills, and how decisions are made. What the six figure salary man doesn’t want us (us “indifferent” Hellenic-Americans) to know is that decisions regarding what AHI does and how AHI works on Hellenic National Issues is ultimately dependent on the bosses (i.e. the Greek Ambassador , the Cyprus Ambassador in DC etc) in consultation with their corrupt home office in Athens, now and then.
AHI and (ELIAMEP)
(ELIAMEP) spells out in translation from Greek “the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy“and is a producer of Skopjan friendly propaganda. Mr. Veremis appears to be a founding member and former President of the semi governmental think tank Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), which is also funded by the open societies of George Soros, and is the Chairman of the National Council of Education (ESYP), Council President of Higher Education and University Professor at the National University of Athens. http://www.cdsee.org/pdf/b_horiz8.pdf
(Horizons-magazine of CDRSEE), http://www.cdsee.org/jhp/news_131106.html
(Please note that Mr.Veremis has publicly denied the genocide of Greeks in Asia Minor.)
The researchers Triandafyllidou, (member of ELIAMEP), Kalloni and Mikraki on their article on this website http://www.socresonline.org.uk/2/1/7.html
titled: “Modern Greek Nationalism” include the following: “More specifically, in the Balkans, where nations are perceived in ethnic terms, the states which succeeded the Ottoman Empire set the foundation for great illusions, namely that they represented ethnically homogeneous societies ... Minority groups experienced a variety of exclusionary measures varying from suppression of rights to extreme situations such as collective expulsion and ethnic cleansing.”
In other words, these researchers not only reproduce hostile positions towards Greece but also go a step further and denounce Greece for genocide! How could it be possible for an institution which supposedly defends the Greek national interests to aid expediencies which are harmful to Greece?
AHI has not only included (ELIAMEP) speakers at AHI functions and events, AHI and its Executive Director Nick Larigakis make it a point to visit (ELIAMEP) when in Greece and encourage Greek-American scholarship students on the annual trip to Greece to meet with (ELIAMEP)
The Fallacy of the so-called “Greek-American Policy Statements”
A prolific Genocide Awareness advocate and leader of a major Hellenic-American association in New York told us that when AHI requested his Association’s policy statement they gave him something like a two-day deadline to submit the statement, and then AHI after close to six months consultation with the Greek government issues a watered down Policy Statement . At least one major Hellenic-American leader, namely the leader of the Thracians and his association has been consistently ignored by AHI despite numerous attempts by phone, email and postal mail to express his community’s opinions to AHI. The current AHI so-called “Greek-American Policy Statement” on Macedonia is in dispute with the very solid position on the Macedonian Name Issue by the Pan-Macedonians the biggest Macedonian Association in America and the world. Hence, raising the question of where AHI gets its directions on its so-called “Greek-American Policy Statements”? From Greek-Americans or from corrupt Anti-Hellenic, Anti-Nationalist, and Pro-Skopean groups that deny the Hellenic Genocide like (ELIAMEP) in Greece?
AFTER DISCORD COMES CONCORD
Despite our disagreements with Aleco Haralambides on Greek-American “indifference” and the questions raised of how Mr. Larigakis spends his and AHI’s time and resources while running real estate and construction businesses in the DC-Virginia area and in Greece. We still reach out our hand as Hellenic brothers as always and we hope that Mr. Haralambides fires Mr. Larigakis and joins us next April 6 for our annual Hellenic Genocide commemoration outside the UN in New York.
It’s high time that AHI cut off its relationship with Skopean friendly groups like (ELIAMEP) and join its Hellenic brothers in the struggle AGAINST Skopean and Turkish false historical revisionism. We hope AHI comes out against the “geographical qualifier” and helps create an autonomous Hellenic-American Lobby free of the corrupt governments in Athens who SOLD OUT CYPRUS and SOLD OUT MACEDONIA, now and then.
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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
ΕΞΩ ΤΟ ΤΟΥΡΚΙΚΟ ΠΡΟΞΕΝΕΙΟ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΘΡΑΚΗ!
ΣΥΛΛΟΓΗ ΥΠΟΓΡΑΦΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΝΑ ΦΥΓΕΙ ΤΟ ΠΡΟΞΕΝΕΙΟ - ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΕΔΩ
Ποιο θα ήταν το μειονοτικό θέμα της Θράκης αν έλειπε η διαβρωτική δράση του Τουρκικού Προξενείου Κομοτηνής; Όλοι γνωρίζουν την πραγματική αιτία πλήθους προβλημάτων στην περιοχή, όμως κανείς δεν τολμάει να την ονομάσει ρητά και ταυτόχρονα να αναδείξει το ζήτημα ασφάλειας για την ελληνική πολιτεία και πλειονοτική κοινωνία, το ζήτημα εκδημοκρατισμού και ένταξης της μειονοτικής κοινωνίας, το ζήτημα εξορθολογισμού και εξομάλυνσης της πολιτικής και οικονομικής ζωής της Θράκης.
Ποιος χρειάζεται το Προξενείο της Τουρκίας στην πόλη μας;
- Υπάρχουν Τούρκοι υπήκοοι στη Θράκη;
- Υπάρχουν τόσες γραφειοκρατικές διαδικασίες - ιδίως μετά την κατάργηση της βίζας για την Τουρκία - που δικαιολογούν μια τέτοια πολυπρόσωπη και πολυέξοδη υπηρεσία στην Κομοτηνή;
- Υπάρχουν μειονοτικά δικαιώματα που, μέσα στη σύγχρονη Ελλάδα της ΕΕ, έχουν ανάγκη έναν τέτοιο «εγγυητή», όπως π.χ. τον βλέπουμε να τα προσφέρει στο τουρκοκρατούμενο Κουρδιστάν;
- Ή μήπως η Συνθήκη της Λωζάνης, που η Τουρκία την έχει κάνει κουρελόχαρτο από την ημέρα της υπογραφής της, χρειάζεται την κηδεμονία του βιαστή της;
Η απάντηση είναι προφανώς αρνητική σε όλα τα παραπάνω, λέει η κοινή λογική.
Ποιος ο λόγος τότε της ύπαρξής του στη Θράκη;
- Μήπως η συντήρηση ενός παρακρατικού μηχανισμού που οδηγεί τους μουσουλμάνους συμπολίτες μας σε γκετοποίηση;
- Μήπως η δημιουργία / χειραγώγηση κάποιων μειονοτικών ηγεσιών για τον έλεγχο της μειονοτικής κοινωνίας;
- Μήπως η μεθόδευση ενεργειών που εκτουρκίζουν Πομάκους και Ρομά για να δημιουργήσουν μέσα από αυτήν την εθνοκάθαρση «τουρκική μειονότητα»;
Όλα τούτα τα γνωρίζει πολύ καλά η τοπική κοινωνία, μα δεν μιλάει. Άλλοι λόγω οικονομικών συμφερόντων, άλλοι λόγω πολιτικών βλέψεων, άλλοι λόγω εφησυχασμού με το άλλοθι των «αρμοδίων» που δήθεν «ξέρουν τι κάνουν», δεχόμαστε όλοι την παρουσία του λύκου μέσα στο μαντρί.
Είναι όμως άμεση ανάγκη να γίνει ένας δημόσιος, δημοκρατικός διάλογος για το ζήτημα και η θρακική κοινωνία να εκφράσει τη βούλησή της. Χρειαζόμαστε ένα κοινωνικό κίνημα που θα προτάσσει τα αληθινά προβλήματα του τόπου, τα οποία έχουν φτάσει σε τέτοιον παροξυσμό, που η επίλυσή τους είναι όρος όχι μόνο συλλογικής αλλά και ατομικής προόδου κι επιβίωσης.
Η απομάκρυνση του Τουρκικού Προξενείου Κομοτηνής είναι ένα τέτοιο μείζον θέμα που δεν μπορεί να σκεπάζεται διαρκώς από σιωπή. Αν είμαστε πράγματι κοινωνία πολιτών, έχουμε λόγο και πρέπει ν' ακουστεί!
ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑΣ
www.proxeneio-stop.org
Ποιο θα ήταν το μειονοτικό θέμα της Θράκης αν έλειπε η διαβρωτική δράση του Τουρκικού Προξενείου Κομοτηνής; Όλοι γνωρίζουν την πραγματική αιτία πλήθους προβλημάτων στην περιοχή, όμως κανείς δεν τολμάει να την ονομάσει ρητά και ταυτόχρονα να αναδείξει το ζήτημα ασφάλειας για την ελληνική πολιτεία και πλειονοτική κοινωνία, το ζήτημα εκδημοκρατισμού και ένταξης της μειονοτικής κοινωνίας, το ζήτημα εξορθολογισμού και εξομάλυνσης της πολιτικής και οικονομικής ζωής της Θράκης.
Ποιος χρειάζεται το Προξενείο της Τουρκίας στην πόλη μας;
- Υπάρχουν Τούρκοι υπήκοοι στη Θράκη;
- Υπάρχουν τόσες γραφειοκρατικές διαδικασίες - ιδίως μετά την κατάργηση της βίζας για την Τουρκία - που δικαιολογούν μια τέτοια πολυπρόσωπη και πολυέξοδη υπηρεσία στην Κομοτηνή;
- Υπάρχουν μειονοτικά δικαιώματα που, μέσα στη σύγχρονη Ελλάδα της ΕΕ, έχουν ανάγκη έναν τέτοιο «εγγυητή», όπως π.χ. τον βλέπουμε να τα προσφέρει στο τουρκοκρατούμενο Κουρδιστάν;
- Ή μήπως η Συνθήκη της Λωζάνης, που η Τουρκία την έχει κάνει κουρελόχαρτο από την ημέρα της υπογραφής της, χρειάζεται την κηδεμονία του βιαστή της;
Η απάντηση είναι προφανώς αρνητική σε όλα τα παραπάνω, λέει η κοινή λογική.
Ποιος ο λόγος τότε της ύπαρξής του στη Θράκη;
- Μήπως η συντήρηση ενός παρακρατικού μηχανισμού που οδηγεί τους μουσουλμάνους συμπολίτες μας σε γκετοποίηση;
- Μήπως η δημιουργία / χειραγώγηση κάποιων μειονοτικών ηγεσιών για τον έλεγχο της μειονοτικής κοινωνίας;
- Μήπως η μεθόδευση ενεργειών που εκτουρκίζουν Πομάκους και Ρομά για να δημιουργήσουν μέσα από αυτήν την εθνοκάθαρση «τουρκική μειονότητα»;
Όλα τούτα τα γνωρίζει πολύ καλά η τοπική κοινωνία, μα δεν μιλάει. Άλλοι λόγω οικονομικών συμφερόντων, άλλοι λόγω πολιτικών βλέψεων, άλλοι λόγω εφησυχασμού με το άλλοθι των «αρμοδίων» που δήθεν «ξέρουν τι κάνουν», δεχόμαστε όλοι την παρουσία του λύκου μέσα στο μαντρί.
Είναι όμως άμεση ανάγκη να γίνει ένας δημόσιος, δημοκρατικός διάλογος για το ζήτημα και η θρακική κοινωνία να εκφράσει τη βούλησή της. Χρειαζόμαστε ένα κοινωνικό κίνημα που θα προτάσσει τα αληθινά προβλήματα του τόπου, τα οποία έχουν φτάσει σε τέτοιον παροξυσμό, που η επίλυσή τους είναι όρος όχι μόνο συλλογικής αλλά και ατομικής προόδου κι επιβίωσης.
Η απομάκρυνση του Τουρκικού Προξενείου Κομοτηνής είναι ένα τέτοιο μείζον θέμα που δεν μπορεί να σκεπάζεται διαρκώς από σιωπή. Αν είμαστε πράγματι κοινωνία πολιτών, έχουμε λόγο και πρέπει ν' ακουστεί!
ΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΗ ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑΣ
www.proxeneio-stop.org
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
More than just indifference: A response to President Haralambides of the American Hellenic Institute
A recent article published by Greek News, written by the President of the American Hellenic Institute, or AHI for short, Aleco Haralambides, entitled ‘Our Problem is Indifference’ caught my eye the other day. I was initially pleased to see President Haralambides addressing the state of our National Issues and their priority for the average Hellenic-American. However, I feel it is my duty to enlighten President Haralambides on several other ‘realities’ concerning our National Issues. I therefore have written the following article, entitled ‘More than just indifference’ in response to the Honorable President Haralambides.
More than just Indifference
The present condition of our National Issues and their failure to be seen as a priority for the average Hellenic American will only truly be understood when we as a community start asking ourselves why. Why does Hellenism in the United States suffer from Indifference? What has led our community to look the other way on our National Issues and fear healthy Nationalistic feelings for our ancestral Homeland? Perhaps these questions are not asked because we fear the answer, that we as a community have failed. We have failed to instill healthy Nationalistic feelings in our children, something which our Armenian brothers have succeeded in doing, and hence explains why they are light years ahead of us in effectively lobbying their ethnic community’s issues. A victory achieved by Armenian-Americans, which I’ve witnessed time and time again participating in demonstrations hosted by their organizations for the Armenian Genocide. At their most recent demonstration against their own ethnic government in Armenia on September 19th 2009, I was left speechless and truly envious of the Armenian-American community when I noticed a little Armenian girl upset because her mother hadn’t given her a flag to hold. She wept because all she wanted to do was proudly wave her ethnic flag. If we as a community wish to identify the culprit behind our indifference, all we must do is look in a mirror.
Signs of Disunity on Foreign Policy
Currently AHI releases their so-called ‘Greek American Policy Statements’ annually, which claim to be the ‘collective position’ of Hellenic Americans on American foreign policy issues concerning Hellenism. Yet these are not collective positions created by Hellenic Americans, instead they are the carefully crafted positions of the Hellenic Government in Athens for their paid lackeys in the United States to promote. Watered-down positions and ineffective methods of lobbying our National Issues does not represented the collective will of American Hellenism, but rather the misguided political intentions of the corrupt Athens’ governments of past and present. AHI boasts that these statements are endorsed and created after consulting the major Hellenic Americans organizations, yet why does or did AHI support the Athens’ government’s position for a geographical qualifier in the Macedonian Name dispute when the Macedonian American community of Hellenic descent and their organizations like Pan-Macedonian spoke out against the use of such a solution to the name dispute? I myself as President of Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ have never been approach by AHI over my community’s feelings on National Issues dealing with Western, Northern or Eastern Thrace, and yet AHI still claims to know how ‘a Thracian on the border with Bulgaria’ feels. Disunity still is an obstacle when it comes to our National Issues, but what clearly is our biggest is the lack of an autonomous Hellenic American organization lobbying on American foreign policy.
AHI is far from out of touch with Athens and/or Nicosia
Annually the leading officials of AHI travel to Hellas and Kypros to discuss with Hellenic government officials different issues of ‘mutual concern and interest’, not because it is useful, but rather because this is what good employees do. When the Hellenic government funds your organization it is your duty as good employees to travel to the home office to get next years orders on handling your job requirements. I myself am under the impression that Executive Director Nick Laragakis makes several trips a year to Hellas, 3 or 4 so I am told. Disharmony with Athens is not the issue at all. Our free will and true opinions as a Diaspora is the issue at hand.
The following are a few examples of international issues being ineffective handled that affect Hellas and Kypros vis-à-vis United States foreign policy:
1) Kypros: For the past 35 years Turkey has been allowed to occupy part of this small European nation and yet is still being considered for possible membership in the European Union thanks to American support. Organizations like PSEKA have failed to effectively and aggressively lobby the Kypros Cause. Even after incidents as recent as this past June 17th, when Turkish military ships prevented U.S. based Noble Energy from exploring for oil and gas deposits that they had been contracted to search for by the government of Kypros, PSEKA failed to hold public demonstrations in response to this most recent injustice against the Cypriot people. Is this because the method of public demonstration does not work? No, it is because PSEKA has failed time and time again to inspire the Cypriot-American community to take the battle for Kypros to the streets. Instead they hold cultural events to mark important days of national mourning and prefer attempting to win over American politicians who are already paid and bought by the Turkish government or are being blackmailed into submission on our issues.
2) Turkey: Mr. Obama’s recent visit to Turkey and his insulting Anti-Hellenic comments when addressing the Turkish Parliament give the average Hellenic American a clear picture of America’s attitude on our community’s feelings. Some may feel that the reference by Mr. Obama on the need for the Halki Theological Seminary to be re-opened and the meaningless visit of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan on August 15th to the island of Prinkipo with Patriarch Bartholomew as signs of hope, but what of the issue of the Hellenic Genocide? The most important issue, the International Recognition of our own Genocide, still seems to fail to appear on the radar for both American-Turkish Relations and our community’s leading advocacy organizations like AHI. Our community must not forget that when it comes to Turkey, its refusal to provide full religious freedom for the Patriarchate is not our only issue. The need for International Recognition of our Genocide and even linguistic rights for speakers of the Hellenic Pontian dialect in Turkey must and should be addressed.
3) Adhere to International Law in the Aegean Sea: The continued aggressive acts of the Turkish Military in violating Hellenic Airspace in the Aegean and its international importance when dealing with the safety of not only the lives of Hellenic military pilots, but also American tourists traveling on civilian aircraft fail time and time again to gain National American media coverage. This is not because it is not news worthy, but because our leading advocacy organizations fail to produce any written statements that will grab the eye of the American media and create the needed headline to sell to the American people.
There are some inside the Hellenic American community who haven’t just sat back and accepted the status quo, and instead have taken charge in aggressively making every effort to fight for our National Issues and end the current indifference which plagues our community. The Hellenic League of America, HLA and the Cyprus Action Network of America, CANA have led the way for the past three years on the front lines of organizing a true autonomous grassroots voice for Hellenic advocacy in the United States. Leading the way with public demonstrations, lectures and grassroots letter writing campaigns, which have produced the very first signs of any sense of victory for Hellenic American advocacy in over 30 years. The HLA and CANA have effectively lobbied against the Star of Vergina being displayed on a Skopjean-American Visa Credit Card and achieved mainstream American media coverage on the issue of Occupied Kypros. If organizations, such as AHI, truly wish to take a stand and honestly fight to change ‘the current trajectory of U.S. foreign policy towards Turkey’, they must begin to implement a more aggressive strategy on our National Issues or perhaps start warming up to the thought of cooperation with organizations like the HLA and CANA.
Our Problem Is Indifference
By Aleco Haralambides
Read President Haralambides' article Here
More than just Indifference
The present condition of our National Issues and their failure to be seen as a priority for the average Hellenic American will only truly be understood when we as a community start asking ourselves why. Why does Hellenism in the United States suffer from Indifference? What has led our community to look the other way on our National Issues and fear healthy Nationalistic feelings for our ancestral Homeland? Perhaps these questions are not asked because we fear the answer, that we as a community have failed. We have failed to instill healthy Nationalistic feelings in our children, something which our Armenian brothers have succeeded in doing, and hence explains why they are light years ahead of us in effectively lobbying their ethnic community’s issues. A victory achieved by Armenian-Americans, which I’ve witnessed time and time again participating in demonstrations hosted by their organizations for the Armenian Genocide. At their most recent demonstration against their own ethnic government in Armenia on September 19th 2009, I was left speechless and truly envious of the Armenian-American community when I noticed a little Armenian girl upset because her mother hadn’t given her a flag to hold. She wept because all she wanted to do was proudly wave her ethnic flag. If we as a community wish to identify the culprit behind our indifference, all we must do is look in a mirror.
Signs of Disunity on Foreign Policy
Currently AHI releases their so-called ‘Greek American Policy Statements’ annually, which claim to be the ‘collective position’ of Hellenic Americans on American foreign policy issues concerning Hellenism. Yet these are not collective positions created by Hellenic Americans, instead they are the carefully crafted positions of the Hellenic Government in Athens for their paid lackeys in the United States to promote. Watered-down positions and ineffective methods of lobbying our National Issues does not represented the collective will of American Hellenism, but rather the misguided political intentions of the corrupt Athens’ governments of past and present. AHI boasts that these statements are endorsed and created after consulting the major Hellenic Americans organizations, yet why does or did AHI support the Athens’ government’s position for a geographical qualifier in the Macedonian Name dispute when the Macedonian American community of Hellenic descent and their organizations like Pan-Macedonian spoke out against the use of such a solution to the name dispute? I myself as President of Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ have never been approach by AHI over my community’s feelings on National Issues dealing with Western, Northern or Eastern Thrace, and yet AHI still claims to know how ‘a Thracian on the border with Bulgaria’ feels. Disunity still is an obstacle when it comes to our National Issues, but what clearly is our biggest is the lack of an autonomous Hellenic American organization lobbying on American foreign policy.
AHI is far from out of touch with Athens and/or Nicosia
Annually the leading officials of AHI travel to Hellas and Kypros to discuss with Hellenic government officials different issues of ‘mutual concern and interest’, not because it is useful, but rather because this is what good employees do. When the Hellenic government funds your organization it is your duty as good employees to travel to the home office to get next years orders on handling your job requirements. I myself am under the impression that Executive Director Nick Laragakis makes several trips a year to Hellas, 3 or 4 so I am told. Disharmony with Athens is not the issue at all. Our free will and true opinions as a Diaspora is the issue at hand.
The following are a few examples of international issues being ineffective handled that affect Hellas and Kypros vis-à-vis United States foreign policy:
1) Kypros: For the past 35 years Turkey has been allowed to occupy part of this small European nation and yet is still being considered for possible membership in the European Union thanks to American support. Organizations like PSEKA have failed to effectively and aggressively lobby the Kypros Cause. Even after incidents as recent as this past June 17th, when Turkish military ships prevented U.S. based Noble Energy from exploring for oil and gas deposits that they had been contracted to search for by the government of Kypros, PSEKA failed to hold public demonstrations in response to this most recent injustice against the Cypriot people. Is this because the method of public demonstration does not work? No, it is because PSEKA has failed time and time again to inspire the Cypriot-American community to take the battle for Kypros to the streets. Instead they hold cultural events to mark important days of national mourning and prefer attempting to win over American politicians who are already paid and bought by the Turkish government or are being blackmailed into submission on our issues.
2) Turkey: Mr. Obama’s recent visit to Turkey and his insulting Anti-Hellenic comments when addressing the Turkish Parliament give the average Hellenic American a clear picture of America’s attitude on our community’s feelings. Some may feel that the reference by Mr. Obama on the need for the Halki Theological Seminary to be re-opened and the meaningless visit of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan on August 15th to the island of Prinkipo with Patriarch Bartholomew as signs of hope, but what of the issue of the Hellenic Genocide? The most important issue, the International Recognition of our own Genocide, still seems to fail to appear on the radar for both American-Turkish Relations and our community’s leading advocacy organizations like AHI. Our community must not forget that when it comes to Turkey, its refusal to provide full religious freedom for the Patriarchate is not our only issue. The need for International Recognition of our Genocide and even linguistic rights for speakers of the Hellenic Pontian dialect in Turkey must and should be addressed.
3) Adhere to International Law in the Aegean Sea: The continued aggressive acts of the Turkish Military in violating Hellenic Airspace in the Aegean and its international importance when dealing with the safety of not only the lives of Hellenic military pilots, but also American tourists traveling on civilian aircraft fail time and time again to gain National American media coverage. This is not because it is not news worthy, but because our leading advocacy organizations fail to produce any written statements that will grab the eye of the American media and create the needed headline to sell to the American people.
There are some inside the Hellenic American community who haven’t just sat back and accepted the status quo, and instead have taken charge in aggressively making every effort to fight for our National Issues and end the current indifference which plagues our community. The Hellenic League of America, HLA and the Cyprus Action Network of America, CANA have led the way for the past three years on the front lines of organizing a true autonomous grassroots voice for Hellenic advocacy in the United States. Leading the way with public demonstrations, lectures and grassroots letter writing campaigns, which have produced the very first signs of any sense of victory for Hellenic American advocacy in over 30 years. The HLA and CANA have effectively lobbied against the Star of Vergina being displayed on a Skopjean-American Visa Credit Card and achieved mainstream American media coverage on the issue of Occupied Kypros. If organizations, such as AHI, truly wish to take a stand and honestly fight to change ‘the current trajectory of U.S. foreign policy towards Turkey’, they must begin to implement a more aggressive strategy on our National Issues or perhaps start warming up to the thought of cooperation with organizations like the HLA and CANA.
Our Problem Is Indifference
By Aleco Haralambides
Read President Haralambides' article Here
Friday, September 18, 2009
ALEXANDER DOWNER Questioned by Inner City Press About Leaked Memo and Pro-Turkish Bias
For Immediate Release: September 18, 2009
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Alexander Downer, UN Envoy to Cyprus, apparently has a business
relationship with BESPOKE APPROACH (a business consultancy that does business
with Turkey), an interview with Downer by Inner City Press has been circulated
and is reproduced below from the Inner City Press website, and on Freedom4Cyprus
blog, the interview today also made its way to the website of the Cypriot
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
*Inner City Press last year reported on the Cyprus Action Network of America
(CANA) RALLY FOR THE HELLENIC HUMAN RIGHTS IN FYROM in front of the US Mission
to the UN in New York City,
“Several participants told Inner City Press that behind the demonstration was
the exposure last week of the US State Department's communications with FYROM
and even UN "name issue" envoy Matthew Nimmitz. "The UN shouldn't take its
instructions from the US," one of them said. But on this and some other issues,
it does.”
http://www.innercitypress.com/un1akrim102508.html
MORE REVELATIONS RE ALEXANDER DOWNER POSTED AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE.
Friday, 18 September 2009 http://www.freedom4cyprus.blogspot.com/
Downer is promoting business interests in Cyprus. Mixed up in so many scandals!
His UN envoy job is just something he does PART TIME!
http://www.innercitypress.com/uncyp2conflicts091709.html
UN Cyprus Envoy Downer Brags of Asia Business, Says No Conflict But What
Safeguards?
By Matthew Russell Lee Inner City Press
UNITED NATIONS, September 17 -- Former Australian foreign minister Alexander
Downer, now working for the business consultancy Bespoke Approach and part time
for the UN on Cyprus , was again asked Thursday by Inner City Press if the two
roles might conflict, and what safeguards the UN has in place.
Mr. Downer said most of his work with Bespoke Approach is in East Asia, with
Indonesia and China . He said that because he was foreign minister of Australia
for twelve years, he has good relations with China , "better than many people I
know." Some thought this sounded like a form of advertisement, as did Downer's
statement that he was asked about Cyprus during a dinner with Indonesia 's
Foreign Minister a few weeks ago.
Downer said that he does no work with Cyprus , Turkey or Greece , and by this
appeared to mean he does not negotiate contracts in the three, not that Bespoke
Approach does not have business relations with enterprises active there.
Inner City Press asked about an initiative in Australia to ban former minister
from serving as lobbyists for two years. While Downer said this must have been
passed only yesterday, since he'd never heard of it, from the audience in the
briefing room Australian parliamentarian Paul Neville clarified that Queensland
and New South Wales are moving on such a ban.
Mr. Neville added that working for the UN wouldn't be considered lobbying. But
what about working for Bespoke Approach?
Downer, last time at UN, questions multiply
Downer's connection in this regard was listed in a recent story about the ban on
lobbying for two years:
"The State Government will restrict the activities of political lobbyists to
guard against corruption, cronyism and conflicts of interest. In London last
night, Premier Mike Rann announced a ban on former ministers acting as lobbyists
for two years after leaving Parliament. Lobbyists will be listed on a public
register from which they could be struck off if they breach rules governing
integrity, honesty and ethics...
adelaidenow.com.au
PUSHING THEIR BARROW
KEY SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LOBBYISTS AND THEIR CLIENTS
BESPOKE APPROACH
Former Liberal minister Alexander Downer
Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus
Former Liberal staffer Ian Smith
Clients include: Minmetals Australia ,
Clarke Energy, Forbes Oil & Gas,
Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited,
Billabong Australia
Earlier this year, the Australian reported
"Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus was paid a reported sum of $136,500 to lobby
the Rann Government on behalf of the beleaguered South Australian Jockey Club, a
board member says. SAJC director Bill Spear, who brought legal action last
November against the state's biggest gallops club that resulted in its chief
executive being sacked, yesterday raised further questions about the board's
conduct... Mr Spear had earlier confirmed that during the past two months, while
the board and the SAJC's now-sacked chief executive Steve Ploubidis were the
subject of an independent inquiry over vote-rigging and alleged corruption, two
payments each of about $68,000 were made to Mr Bolkus for lobbying on behalf of
the club. Mr Ploubidis denies the allegations. Mr Spear said payments in excess
of $10,000 had required board approval, which, to his knowledge, had not been
forthcoming in this case. Mr Bolkus is a founding partner in Adelaide lobbying
firm Bespoke Approach, with former Howard government foreign minister Alexander
Downer, and businessman Ian Smith, who is married to former senator Natasha
Stott Despoja."
Downer said that he fills out a form for the UN Secretariat. But it is not clear
if this form lists Bespoke Approach's clients. The UN's safeguards against
conflicts by part time envoys appear lax, all the more so after the questions
that have arisen since part time UN envoy to Niger , Canadian ex-diplomat Robert
Fowler, was kidnapped while on non-UN business, visiting a Canadian owned gold
mine. Click here for that story -- more than a week after basic questions were
put to the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General, still no
answers have been received.
Footnotes: Paul Neville the parliamentarian explained to Inner City Press that
he has been sent to New York for the UN General Assembly for the next thirteen
weeks. Responding to Robert Fowler's detour in Niger , Neville said that if he
ventures beyond New York City , he has to get his own insurance.
Inner City Press also asked Downer about leaked UN documents about his role in
Cyprus , and will report that -- and attach some of the documents -- separately.
Watch this site.
* * *
At UN, Downer Says Has No Conflict in Cyprus , What Of Turkey , KKR?
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS, May 4 -- How does the UN police for conflicts of interest in its
ranks? The answer appears to be, it doesn't. Last week the UN's envoy for Cyprus
, Alexander Downer, took questions from the Press. Inner City Press asked, as it
had in 2008, what safeguards are in place to ensure that Downer's job with
business consultancy Bespoke Approach doesn't conflict with his activities in
and around Cyprus .
Downer assured that he wouldn't allow conflicts, adding that Cyprus doesn't have
that much business. Neither is a satisfactory response at the organization like
the UN. Only a few month ago, the UN's stealth envoy to Niger , former Canadian
diplomat Robert Fowler, was kidnapped in Niger while on his way to visit a
Canadian-owned gold mine, apparently not on UN business. The UN has still
refused to answer questions, even after Fowler had been released, reportedly in
exchange for the freeing of terrorism suspects.
Downer's answer as to Cyprus is particularly insufficient because Bespoke
Approach work with Turkey (or Greece ) would also be a conflict. The investment
firm KKR lists an affiliation with Bespoke Approach. Who is policing these
conflicts? Not the UN.
Downer at UN, questions being raised, answers awaited
The Cyprus foreign service has made this transcript of Inner City Press' Q&A
with Downer:
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio.nsf/All/8DB09D1EA5A2ED85C22575A9004A3F32?OpenDocument
Inner City Press: there’s been some controversy or questioning about if you can
be the envoy and also have side job as a businessman?
Downer: Well, I was employed part-time not full-time so I have to keep body and
soul together. I’ve got a wife, I’ve got children. My daughter got married last
week, I just have to pay for the wedding and thank you for congratulating me.
It’s only a part-time job. Of course I have absolutely no business with Cyprus
at all. I have absolutely no business involvement there. To have business
involvement there would be a conflict of interest. Cyprus would be the greatest
of perspective, I love Cyprus , is not a very big place, it’s not like the
United States . So business doesn’t arise day-by-day between Australia and
Cyprus .
Inner City Press: I found on the UN website of bespoke approach, it says you are
a good person to hire in part, because you work for the UN. So some people
wonder whether it’s appropriate to …..
Downer: Let's just say I’m a good person to hire because if you read it
carefully, because I work for the UN, it just explains my CV. You are working in
the media and so I think you would appreciate this point in the way that I do. I
think transparency is incredibly important. Therefore, it wouldn’t be honest to
hide from anybody who may use bespoke approach. But it’s a fair question to ask
because obviously I have to be careful there is no conflict of interest. Also I
work as a professor at Adelaide University . In that capacity I do talk to
people about Cyprus from time to time. In Australia there’s quite a lot of
interest on Cyprus . There are nearly 100,000 Australian Cypriots. They split
about 60 – 40 Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots. So they keep me busy as well as
some of them are on campus of the university. One of them was at my daughter’s
wedding actually last week and started lobbying me furiously about some issue to
what I’m going to do.
Posted by Admin at 21:00 0 comments
Alexander Downer mixed in scandals! Downer call-up in AWB action
Downer call-up in AWB action
ELIZABETH SEXTON
September 16, 2009
THE former minister for foreign affairs, Alexander Downer, will be called to
give evidence about his knowledge of AWB's payments to Saddam Hussein's regime
in a shareholder class action beginning in November.
The Federal Court gave the investors leave on Monday to issue a subpoena to Mr
Downer by November 20.
The $100 million damages suit begins on November 30.
The shareholders asked the court to order Mr Downer to appear after lawyers for
the grains trader revealed during a pre-trial hearing last week that part of its
defence would be that the government knew about the ''transport fees'' paid to
Iraq while United Nations sanctions were in place.
The shareholders' solicitor, Maurice Blackburn principal Ben Slade, said
yesterday that Mr Downer would be called as a witness ''to refute the suggestion
that AWB is making that the government knew that kickbacks were being paid''.
''We feel that we had no choice but to ask the previous minister to say again
what he said before the Cole inquiry,'' Mr Slade said.
In the final report of his 2006 commission of inquiry, Terence Cole, QC,
summarised Mr Downer's evidence as ''that he did not know and was not at any
time aware during the period from about 1999 to 2003 of anything about'' AWB's
payment of fees to Jordanian transport company Alia, or Alia's connection with
the Iraqi government.
''There is no evidence to suggest that minister Downer possessed any such
information at any material time,'' he said.
The investors allege that they suffered losses when the inquiry exposed the
illegal payments.
They claim this damage would not have occurred if AWB had not concealed the
nature of the payments from officials because ministerial permission for its
wheat shipments to Iraq would not have been given.
Justice Lindsay Foster raised the prospect during Thursday's hearing that Mr
Downer would be called. The judge said he could ''see some difficulties'' for
the shareholders in trying to ''prove that the minister didn't know'' without
calling him
####
SEE also CANA report, PRO-TURKISH UN PERSONELL: http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/pro-turkish_un_personal
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Alexander Downer, UN Envoy to Cyprus, apparently has a business
relationship with BESPOKE APPROACH (a business consultancy that does business
with Turkey), an interview with Downer by Inner City Press has been circulated
and is reproduced below from the Inner City Press website, and on Freedom4Cyprus
blog, the interview today also made its way to the website of the Cypriot
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
*Inner City Press last year reported on the Cyprus Action Network of America
(CANA) RALLY FOR THE HELLENIC HUMAN RIGHTS IN FYROM in front of the US Mission
to the UN in New York City,
“Several participants told Inner City Press that behind the demonstration was
the exposure last week of the US State Department's communications with FYROM
and even UN "name issue" envoy Matthew Nimmitz. "The UN shouldn't take its
instructions from the US," one of them said. But on this and some other issues,
it does.”
http://www.innercitypress.com/un1akrim102508.html
MORE REVELATIONS RE ALEXANDER DOWNER POSTED AT THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE.
Friday, 18 September 2009 http://www.freedom4cyprus.blogspot.com/
Downer is promoting business interests in Cyprus. Mixed up in so many scandals!
His UN envoy job is just something he does PART TIME!
http://www.innercitypress.com/uncyp2conflicts091709.html
UN Cyprus Envoy Downer Brags of Asia Business, Says No Conflict But What
Safeguards?
By Matthew Russell Lee Inner City Press
UNITED NATIONS, September 17 -- Former Australian foreign minister Alexander
Downer, now working for the business consultancy Bespoke Approach and part time
for the UN on Cyprus , was again asked Thursday by Inner City Press if the two
roles might conflict, and what safeguards the UN has in place.
Mr. Downer said most of his work with Bespoke Approach is in East Asia, with
Indonesia and China . He said that because he was foreign minister of Australia
for twelve years, he has good relations with China , "better than many people I
know." Some thought this sounded like a form of advertisement, as did Downer's
statement that he was asked about Cyprus during a dinner with Indonesia 's
Foreign Minister a few weeks ago.
Downer said that he does no work with Cyprus , Turkey or Greece , and by this
appeared to mean he does not negotiate contracts in the three, not that Bespoke
Approach does not have business relations with enterprises active there.
Inner City Press asked about an initiative in Australia to ban former minister
from serving as lobbyists for two years. While Downer said this must have been
passed only yesterday, since he'd never heard of it, from the audience in the
briefing room Australian parliamentarian Paul Neville clarified that Queensland
and New South Wales are moving on such a ban.
Mr. Neville added that working for the UN wouldn't be considered lobbying. But
what about working for Bespoke Approach?
Downer, last time at UN, questions multiply
Downer's connection in this regard was listed in a recent story about the ban on
lobbying for two years:
"The State Government will restrict the activities of political lobbyists to
guard against corruption, cronyism and conflicts of interest. In London last
night, Premier Mike Rann announced a ban on former ministers acting as lobbyists
for two years after leaving Parliament. Lobbyists will be listed on a public
register from which they could be struck off if they breach rules governing
integrity, honesty and ethics...
adelaidenow.com.au
PUSHING THEIR BARROW
KEY SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LOBBYISTS AND THEIR CLIENTS
BESPOKE APPROACH
Former Liberal minister Alexander Downer
Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus
Former Liberal staffer Ian Smith
Clients include: Minmetals Australia ,
Clarke Energy, Forbes Oil & Gas,
Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited,
Billabong Australia
Earlier this year, the Australian reported
"Former Labor senator Nick Bolkus was paid a reported sum of $136,500 to lobby
the Rann Government on behalf of the beleaguered South Australian Jockey Club, a
board member says. SAJC director Bill Spear, who brought legal action last
November against the state's biggest gallops club that resulted in its chief
executive being sacked, yesterday raised further questions about the board's
conduct... Mr Spear had earlier confirmed that during the past two months, while
the board and the SAJC's now-sacked chief executive Steve Ploubidis were the
subject of an independent inquiry over vote-rigging and alleged corruption, two
payments each of about $68,000 were made to Mr Bolkus for lobbying on behalf of
the club. Mr Ploubidis denies the allegations. Mr Spear said payments in excess
of $10,000 had required board approval, which, to his knowledge, had not been
forthcoming in this case. Mr Bolkus is a founding partner in Adelaide lobbying
firm Bespoke Approach, with former Howard government foreign minister Alexander
Downer, and businessman Ian Smith, who is married to former senator Natasha
Stott Despoja."
Downer said that he fills out a form for the UN Secretariat. But it is not clear
if this form lists Bespoke Approach's clients. The UN's safeguards against
conflicts by part time envoys appear lax, all the more so after the questions
that have arisen since part time UN envoy to Niger , Canadian ex-diplomat Robert
Fowler, was kidnapped while on non-UN business, visiting a Canadian owned gold
mine. Click here for that story -- more than a week after basic questions were
put to the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General, still no
answers have been received.
Footnotes: Paul Neville the parliamentarian explained to Inner City Press that
he has been sent to New York for the UN General Assembly for the next thirteen
weeks. Responding to Robert Fowler's detour in Niger , Neville said that if he
ventures beyond New York City , he has to get his own insurance.
Inner City Press also asked Downer about leaked UN documents about his role in
Cyprus , and will report that -- and attach some of the documents -- separately.
Watch this site.
* * *
At UN, Downer Says Has No Conflict in Cyprus , What Of Turkey , KKR?
Byline: Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN: News Analysis
UNITED NATIONS, May 4 -- How does the UN police for conflicts of interest in its
ranks? The answer appears to be, it doesn't. Last week the UN's envoy for Cyprus
, Alexander Downer, took questions from the Press. Inner City Press asked, as it
had in 2008, what safeguards are in place to ensure that Downer's job with
business consultancy Bespoke Approach doesn't conflict with his activities in
and around Cyprus .
Downer assured that he wouldn't allow conflicts, adding that Cyprus doesn't have
that much business. Neither is a satisfactory response at the organization like
the UN. Only a few month ago, the UN's stealth envoy to Niger , former Canadian
diplomat Robert Fowler, was kidnapped in Niger while on his way to visit a
Canadian-owned gold mine, apparently not on UN business. The UN has still
refused to answer questions, even after Fowler had been released, reportedly in
exchange for the freeing of terrorism suspects.
Downer's answer as to Cyprus is particularly insufficient because Bespoke
Approach work with Turkey (or Greece ) would also be a conflict. The investment
firm KKR lists an affiliation with Bespoke Approach. Who is policing these
conflicts? Not the UN.
Downer at UN, questions being raised, answers awaited
The Cyprus foreign service has made this transcript of Inner City Press' Q&A
with Downer:
http://www.moi.gov.cy/moi/pio/pio.nsf/All/8DB09D1EA5A2ED85C22575A9004A3F32?OpenDocument
Inner City Press: there’s been some controversy or questioning about if you can
be the envoy and also have side job as a businessman?
Downer: Well, I was employed part-time not full-time so I have to keep body and
soul together. I’ve got a wife, I’ve got children. My daughter got married last
week, I just have to pay for the wedding and thank you for congratulating me.
It’s only a part-time job. Of course I have absolutely no business with Cyprus
at all. I have absolutely no business involvement there. To have business
involvement there would be a conflict of interest. Cyprus would be the greatest
of perspective, I love Cyprus , is not a very big place, it’s not like the
United States . So business doesn’t arise day-by-day between Australia and
Cyprus .
Inner City Press: I found on the UN website of bespoke approach, it says you are
a good person to hire in part, because you work for the UN. So some people
wonder whether it’s appropriate to …..
Downer: Let's just say I’m a good person to hire because if you read it
carefully, because I work for the UN, it just explains my CV. You are working in
the media and so I think you would appreciate this point in the way that I do. I
think transparency is incredibly important. Therefore, it wouldn’t be honest to
hide from anybody who may use bespoke approach. But it’s a fair question to ask
because obviously I have to be careful there is no conflict of interest. Also I
work as a professor at Adelaide University . In that capacity I do talk to
people about Cyprus from time to time. In Australia there’s quite a lot of
interest on Cyprus . There are nearly 100,000 Australian Cypriots. They split
about 60 – 40 Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots. So they keep me busy as well as
some of them are on campus of the university. One of them was at my daughter’s
wedding actually last week and started lobbying me furiously about some issue to
what I’m going to do.
Posted by Admin at 21:00 0 comments
Alexander Downer mixed in scandals! Downer call-up in AWB action
Downer call-up in AWB action
ELIZABETH SEXTON
September 16, 2009
THE former minister for foreign affairs, Alexander Downer, will be called to
give evidence about his knowledge of AWB's payments to Saddam Hussein's regime
in a shareholder class action beginning in November.
The Federal Court gave the investors leave on Monday to issue a subpoena to Mr
Downer by November 20.
The $100 million damages suit begins on November 30.
The shareholders asked the court to order Mr Downer to appear after lawyers for
the grains trader revealed during a pre-trial hearing last week that part of its
defence would be that the government knew about the ''transport fees'' paid to
Iraq while United Nations sanctions were in place.
The shareholders' solicitor, Maurice Blackburn principal Ben Slade, said
yesterday that Mr Downer would be called as a witness ''to refute the suggestion
that AWB is making that the government knew that kickbacks were being paid''.
''We feel that we had no choice but to ask the previous minister to say again
what he said before the Cole inquiry,'' Mr Slade said.
In the final report of his 2006 commission of inquiry, Terence Cole, QC,
summarised Mr Downer's evidence as ''that he did not know and was not at any
time aware during the period from about 1999 to 2003 of anything about'' AWB's
payment of fees to Jordanian transport company Alia, or Alia's connection with
the Iraqi government.
''There is no evidence to suggest that minister Downer possessed any such
information at any material time,'' he said.
The investors allege that they suffered losses when the inquiry exposed the
illegal payments.
They claim this damage would not have occurred if AWB had not concealed the
nature of the payments from officials because ministerial permission for its
wheat shipments to Iraq would not have been given.
Justice Lindsay Foster raised the prospect during Thursday's hearing that Mr
Downer would be called. The judge said he could ''see some difficulties'' for
the shareholders in trying to ''prove that the minister didn't know'' without
calling him
####
SEE also CANA report, PRO-TURKISH UN PERSONELL: http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/pro-turkish_un_personal
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Breaking News! Leaked Memo Exposes Pro-Turkish UN Personal
For Immediate Release: September 16, 2009
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Corrupt Pro-Turkish UN personal have been recently exposed in pandering
to the Turkish war machine. The leaked memos available now for download at
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) from Jose Diaz ,spokesman for the UN
Mission to Cyprus, sent to Alexander Downer , United Nations Special Envoy for
Cyprus makes a wild claim that a Cypriot media owner is with “EOKA” (!) and
attempts to blacklist Cypriot dignitaries. This raises speculation in some
circles that Diaz, Downer and other high ranking UNFICYP personnel have a
Pro-Turkish bias and may have been bribed by Turkish sources or blackmailed by
Turkish intelligence forces. Thus far, NONE of the Greek or Greek Cypriot
lobbies, nor the impotent Greek diplomatic corps, have addressed this major
development:
The Leaked Memo and Analysis in Greek and English is available for download at a
special CANA page titled “Pro-Turkish UN Personal” (please distribute widely
and post on your blogs, websites ,twitter, face book pages and message boards):
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/pro-turkish_un_personal
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK—Corrupt Pro-Turkish UN personal have been recently exposed in pandering
to the Turkish war machine. The leaked memos available now for download at
Cyprus Action Network of America (CANA) from Jose Diaz ,spokesman for the UN
Mission to Cyprus, sent to Alexander Downer , United Nations Special Envoy for
Cyprus makes a wild claim that a Cypriot media owner is with “EOKA” (!) and
attempts to blacklist Cypriot dignitaries. This raises speculation in some
circles that Diaz, Downer and other high ranking UNFICYP personnel have a
Pro-Turkish bias and may have been bribed by Turkish sources or blackmailed by
Turkish intelligence forces. Thus far, NONE of the Greek or Greek Cypriot
lobbies, nor the impotent Greek diplomatic corps, have addressed this major
development:
The Leaked Memo and Analysis in Greek and English is available for download at a
special CANA page titled “Pro-Turkish UN Personal” (please distribute widely
and post on your blogs, websites ,twitter, face book pages and message boards):
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/pro-turkish_un_personal
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Breaking News!: TURKS BLACKMAIL/BRIBE/HOOK US CONGRESSMEN
For Immediate Release: September 11, 2009
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--As Americans today reaffirm their vow to "Never forget" the heinous
attacks of September 11, 2001, Reporter Brad Friedman on the Mike Malloy show on
Air America radio show today broadcast across the USA, naming names of
Congressmen bribed by the Turkish lobby or blackmailed by Turkish intelligence
services, revealed for the first time by depositions of FBI whistleblower Sibel
Edmonds. Under the Bush administration this was sealed as “state secret”
She is now breaking her silence and coming out and naming names...................
She is accusing the following Congressmen and more of committing high treason in
providing state secrets on weapons and nuclear technology to Turkey and also
Pakistan.
Dan Burton
Tom Lantos
Solarz
Dennis Hastert
Livingstone
and others
She is accusing Richard Perle (who has attended CEH Coordinated Effort for
Hellenes Washington conference for PSEKA and Manatos and Manatos in the past)
Wolfowitz and Mark Grossman of brokering deals with these congressmen on behalf
of Turkey. She is accusing some of these congressmen of having off shore
accounts and getting funds from the Turkish sources that is unreported.
She is saying that a Democratic congresswoman was taped in her home, having a
Lesbian relationship with a Turkish agent. This Congresswoman is married with
children and apparently bisexual.
Listen to the report on the CANA website and download the audiofile:
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/sibel_edmonds_names_names
Edmonds has a website where she is naming names and facts... Edmonds gave a
full interview with the TIMES of London, England.
(See related sites)
Sibel Edmonds official site:
http://www.justacitizen.com/
The Brad Blog: Sibel Edmonds’ Deposition: Video and Transcript released:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7374
On Huffington Post blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larisa-alexandrovna/sibel-edmonds-speaks_b_80077.html
The TIMES of London: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3137695.ece
Vanity Fair reports:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
Related CANA reports:
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/turkish_american_holocaust_deniers_in_illegally_occupied_cyprus
There has been a grassroots call for a Congressional investigation, thus far
NONE of the Greek or Cypriot so-called “lobbies” in Washington DC have touched
this story or acted on this deposition.
We ask that those concerned with this story contact the fabulously wealthy and
staffed PSEKA (whose acronym in Greek spells out “worldwide committee for the
struggle for the Cypriot Cause”) and urge them to spend their time and immense
resources on publicizing this case and pushing for a Congressional investigation
of all these revelations that involve corrupt American politicians who are
enemies of Cyprus and apparently are blackmailed, hooked or bribed by Turks.
AHEPA that has offices in Washington DC, and whose current leader has family
ties with the perennial leader of PSEKA should also be urged into action.
Contact PSEKA at the number below; if Philip Christopher is unavailable please
make sure to leave a clear and concise message for Philip, with PSEKA’s
employee, Sophia:
PSEKA USA, Inc.The International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus"
(PSEKA)
President, Mr. Philip Christopher
23-15 31st Street, Astoria, New York 11105
Telephone 718-545-7202 | Fax 718-626-2061
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Contact: Nikolaos Taneris, New York, Tel. 1-917-699-9935
NEW YORK--As Americans today reaffirm their vow to "Never forget" the heinous
attacks of September 11, 2001, Reporter Brad Friedman on the Mike Malloy show on
Air America radio show today broadcast across the USA, naming names of
Congressmen bribed by the Turkish lobby or blackmailed by Turkish intelligence
services, revealed for the first time by depositions of FBI whistleblower Sibel
Edmonds. Under the Bush administration this was sealed as “state secret”
She is now breaking her silence and coming out and naming names...................
She is accusing the following Congressmen and more of committing high treason in
providing state secrets on weapons and nuclear technology to Turkey and also
Pakistan.
Dan Burton
Tom Lantos
Solarz
Dennis Hastert
Livingstone
and others
She is accusing Richard Perle (who has attended CEH Coordinated Effort for
Hellenes Washington conference for PSEKA and Manatos and Manatos in the past)
Wolfowitz and Mark Grossman of brokering deals with these congressmen on behalf
of Turkey. She is accusing some of these congressmen of having off shore
accounts and getting funds from the Turkish sources that is unreported.
She is saying that a Democratic congresswoman was taped in her home, having a
Lesbian relationship with a Turkish agent. This Congresswoman is married with
children and apparently bisexual.
Listen to the report on the CANA website and download the audiofile:
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/sibel_edmonds_names_names
Edmonds has a website where she is naming names and facts... Edmonds gave a
full interview with the TIMES of London, England.
(See related sites)
Sibel Edmonds official site:
http://www.justacitizen.com/
The Brad Blog: Sibel Edmonds’ Deposition: Video and Transcript released:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7374
On Huffington Post blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/larisa-alexandrovna/sibel-edmonds-speaks_b_80077.html
The TIMES of London: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3137695.ece
Vanity Fair reports:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
Related CANA reports:
http://cyprusactionnetwork.org/turkish_american_holocaust_deniers_in_illegally_occupied_cyprus
There has been a grassroots call for a Congressional investigation, thus far
NONE of the Greek or Cypriot so-called “lobbies” in Washington DC have touched
this story or acted on this deposition.
We ask that those concerned with this story contact the fabulously wealthy and
staffed PSEKA (whose acronym in Greek spells out “worldwide committee for the
struggle for the Cypriot Cause”) and urge them to spend their time and immense
resources on publicizing this case and pushing for a Congressional investigation
of all these revelations that involve corrupt American politicians who are
enemies of Cyprus and apparently are blackmailed, hooked or bribed by Turks.
AHEPA that has offices in Washington DC, and whose current leader has family
ties with the perennial leader of PSEKA should also be urged into action.
Contact PSEKA at the number below; if Philip Christopher is unavailable please
make sure to leave a clear and concise message for Philip, with PSEKA’s
employee, Sophia:
PSEKA USA, Inc.The International Coordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus"
(PSEKA)
President, Mr. Philip Christopher
23-15 31st Street, Astoria, New York 11105
Telephone 718-545-7202 | Fax 718-626-2061
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Mass grave with 800-1,000 Greeks reported near Lapithos, Cyprus
For Immediate Release: September 9, 2009
http://hellenicantidote.blogspot.com/2009/09/mass-grave-with-800-1000-greeks.html
Hellenic Antidote blog by John Akritas
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Mass grave with 800-1,000 Greeks reported near Lapithos
In a report (see here in Greek:
http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=5374
) in the Cyprus edition of Kathimerini, Andreas Paraschos writes of the
existence of a mass grave containing the remains of between 800-1,000 Greek
Cypriots located near the occupied village of Lapithos, in the Kyrenia district.
The alleged site of the mass grave has been designated by the Turkish army as a
military zone. It is fenced off with barbed wire and signs have been erected
warning about mines, although the Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika, yesterday
reported that 'everyone can walk around in that area as he wishes. No mines have
been found until now.'
Paraschos refers to the testimony of Savvas Mastrappas, enclaved in Lapithos
until 28 October 1975 and who, after coming to the free areas, gave details to
the Cypriot police of the mass grave; and to more recent witness accounts from
Turkish Cypriots, who confirmed the existence of the mass grave, declaring its
existence an 'open secret' among Turkish Cypriots in the region, some of whom,
indeed, would periodically dig up the site and remove skeletons for medical
studies.
The Mastrappas account
From March 1977, Savvas Mastrappas gave a series of depositions to the Cyprus
police in which he described what he knew of the places of burial of Greek
Cypriots killed by Turkish invasion forces. In one of these depositions,
Mastrappas says: 'In July 1974, when the invasion occurred, I remained with my
wife in our village [Lapithos]. I came to the free areas in October 1975. Apart
from us, in Lapithos there must have been 40-50 other Greek Cypriot enclaved.
Because I knew a little Turkish and other languages, the Turks put me in charge
of the enclaved and I moved around somewhat more freely than the others. Four or
five days after the fall of Lapithos, a Turkish Cypriot I knew called Ahmet from
the [Turkish Cypriot village of] Photta came to our village, along with a police
officer called Nizet. Ahmet came to my house and during conversation told me
that the Turkish police observed the collection of between 800-1,000 Greek
Cypriot bodies from the region of Lapithos and Vasilia, who were then buried in
a place known as "Agni", close to the little harbour, where the villagers from
Lapithos kept their fishing boats…'
In another part of his deposition, Mastrappas says: 'One day, it must have been
around October-November 1974, when I went with a Turkish policeman named Mehmet
– I think he was from the village of Kazaphani – and with a Briton from the
British embassy, to the place known as "Koufi Petra", so we could place a
British flag on a house there owned by a Briton, I noticed a fire in the place
known as "Agni", just east of the orchards of Savvas Frantzieskou. Mehmet told
me it was the Turkish army that had started the fire, in order to burn the
bodies of Greek Cypriots uncovered by the rain. And, indeed, two-three days
previously, it had rained heavily…'
Turkish Cypriot accounts
Paraschos then goes on to report that on a recent visit to Lapithos, he spoke to
Turkish Cypriots in the area, and one said to Paraschos: 'I'll take you to a
place near the sea where missing persons are buried.' I asked him: 'How do you
know there are missing buried there?' 'It's an open secret here in Kyrenia and
many Turkish Cypriots know that some people dug up skulls for medical purposes.'
According to this Turkish Cypriot, Paraschos writes, a teacher-friend of his
told him that he dug up a skull for his daughter, who was training in medicine.
Indeed, when this teacher-friend wanted to get hold of a skull for his daughter
and started asking around where he could get one, he was told at the local cafe
that many others had similar 'needs' and that the only way was to enter the
fenced-off area and dig up Greek Cypriot dead. 'Don't be scared,' he was told,
'you won't be the first. Others have done the same.' And this is what he did.
Despite his fear that since the area was fenced-off as a military zone, he went
there, waited for a while, to see if there was any soldiers patrolling the area
and when he saw there was not, he entered, dug, found what he was looking for,
took it and left…
-----------------------------------------------
Please view and pass on the CANAgrassroots You Tube Video Play list
Turkey’s Genocides. Turkey is responsible for the systematic annihilation of
Armenians, Assyrians,Thracians, Anatolian Greeks,Pontian Greeks and
Greek-Cypriots.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7A11310FC3363C13
------------------------------------------------
LETTER TO EDITOR: Time for Turkey to talk turkey - Washington Times:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/26/time-for-turkey-to-talk-turkey/
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
http://hellenicantidote.blogspot.com/2009/09/mass-grave-with-800-1000-greeks.html
Hellenic Antidote blog by John Akritas
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Mass grave with 800-1,000 Greeks reported near Lapithos
In a report (see here in Greek:
http://www.kathimerini.com.cy/index.php?pageaction=kat&modid=1&artid=5374
) in the Cyprus edition of Kathimerini, Andreas Paraschos writes of the
existence of a mass grave containing the remains of between 800-1,000 Greek
Cypriots located near the occupied village of Lapithos, in the Kyrenia district.
The alleged site of the mass grave has been designated by the Turkish army as a
military zone. It is fenced off with barbed wire and signs have been erected
warning about mines, although the Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika, yesterday
reported that 'everyone can walk around in that area as he wishes. No mines have
been found until now.'
Paraschos refers to the testimony of Savvas Mastrappas, enclaved in Lapithos
until 28 October 1975 and who, after coming to the free areas, gave details to
the Cypriot police of the mass grave; and to more recent witness accounts from
Turkish Cypriots, who confirmed the existence of the mass grave, declaring its
existence an 'open secret' among Turkish Cypriots in the region, some of whom,
indeed, would periodically dig up the site and remove skeletons for medical
studies.
The Mastrappas account
From March 1977, Savvas Mastrappas gave a series of depositions to the Cyprus
police in which he described what he knew of the places of burial of Greek
Cypriots killed by Turkish invasion forces. In one of these depositions,
Mastrappas says: 'In July 1974, when the invasion occurred, I remained with my
wife in our village [Lapithos]. I came to the free areas in October 1975. Apart
from us, in Lapithos there must have been 40-50 other Greek Cypriot enclaved.
Because I knew a little Turkish and other languages, the Turks put me in charge
of the enclaved and I moved around somewhat more freely than the others. Four or
five days after the fall of Lapithos, a Turkish Cypriot I knew called Ahmet from
the [Turkish Cypriot village of] Photta came to our village, along with a police
officer called Nizet. Ahmet came to my house and during conversation told me
that the Turkish police observed the collection of between 800-1,000 Greek
Cypriot bodies from the region of Lapithos and Vasilia, who were then buried in
a place known as "Agni", close to the little harbour, where the villagers from
Lapithos kept their fishing boats…'
In another part of his deposition, Mastrappas says: 'One day, it must have been
around October-November 1974, when I went with a Turkish policeman named Mehmet
– I think he was from the village of Kazaphani – and with a Briton from the
British embassy, to the place known as "Koufi Petra", so we could place a
British flag on a house there owned by a Briton, I noticed a fire in the place
known as "Agni", just east of the orchards of Savvas Frantzieskou. Mehmet told
me it was the Turkish army that had started the fire, in order to burn the
bodies of Greek Cypriots uncovered by the rain. And, indeed, two-three days
previously, it had rained heavily…'
Turkish Cypriot accounts
Paraschos then goes on to report that on a recent visit to Lapithos, he spoke to
Turkish Cypriots in the area, and one said to Paraschos: 'I'll take you to a
place near the sea where missing persons are buried.' I asked him: 'How do you
know there are missing buried there?' 'It's an open secret here in Kyrenia and
many Turkish Cypriots know that some people dug up skulls for medical purposes.'
According to this Turkish Cypriot, Paraschos writes, a teacher-friend of his
told him that he dug up a skull for his daughter, who was training in medicine.
Indeed, when this teacher-friend wanted to get hold of a skull for his daughter
and started asking around where he could get one, he was told at the local cafe
that many others had similar 'needs' and that the only way was to enter the
fenced-off area and dig up Greek Cypriot dead. 'Don't be scared,' he was told,
'you won't be the first. Others have done the same.' And this is what he did.
Despite his fear that since the area was fenced-off as a military zone, he went
there, waited for a while, to see if there was any soldiers patrolling the area
and when he saw there was not, he entered, dug, found what he was looking for,
took it and left…
-----------------------------------------------
Please view and pass on the CANAgrassroots You Tube Video Play list
Turkey’s Genocides. Turkey is responsible for the systematic annihilation of
Armenians, Assyrians,Thracians, Anatolian Greeks,Pontian Greeks and
Greek-Cypriots.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7A11310FC3363C13
------------------------------------------------
LETTER TO EDITOR: Time for Turkey to talk turkey - Washington Times:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/26/time-for-turkey-to-talk-turkey/
####
========================
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
========================
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.
To be added to CANA's Action Alert e-mail distribution list, or to introduce
CANA to a friend or colleague, please forward the pertinent name and e-mail
address, with the subject heading "Add e-mail to CANA distribution list", to
cana@cyprusactionnetwork.org
You are encouraged to forward this action alert to five or more individuals who
may have an interest in our e-distributions or in CANA’s mission.
You may post any CANA article, press release or action alert on the internet as
long as you credit CANA and the author(s).
Sunday, September 6, 2009
The Battle for Hellas (Greece) begins October 4th
The day of reckoning is upon us, as Hellas heads towards early elections, scheduled for October 4th. Amidst numerous financial scandals and the government’s failed handling of recent wildfires, the unpopular PM Karamanlis announced his wish for the President to dissolve parliament and make way for early national elections in hopes of seeking a ‘fresh political mandate’.
The worsening financial crisis and deteriorating political climate inside Hellas were noted as causes, which ‘forced Karamanlis’ hand’ to call for a snap election. During his address Karamanlis said: "We have to clarify the political landscape and proceed with a series of essential measures to emerge from the downturn.”
"The year 2010 will be a difficult and decisive one, and so the Greek people must choose a government that can lead the country out of this crisis"
With rising unemployment and economic growth failing, the International Monetary Fund predicts, “the country will enter recession in 2009, with the economy shrinking by 1.7 percent.”
Meanwhile, Hellas “is being pressed by the European Commission to adopt belt-tightening measures to reduce this year’s budget deficit to below the mandated ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product, improve competitiveness and severely cut its ballooning public debt.”
Karamanlis is right in the sense that Hellas is headed for troubled times and the fiercely divided political landscape will not help achieve victory in this crucial battle which a waits the nation. For Hellas, the battle of Armageddon is upon us, but this fight which a waits Hellas is not just one of economics, but also a struggle for our very identity. What many political analysts fail to add to the equation are the issues of the illegal immigration and the Anti-Hellenic irredentist propaganda and historical revisionism pouring out of Skopje. Both issues that the new government will be forced to solve along with the financial crisis.
At the moment, the New Democracy government trails the main opposition, the Socialist PASOK party by roughly 6 percent in recent polls. The likely outcome of the October 4th elections will be one of a Socialist victory, but what many Hellenes fail to realize is this will not be a victory for the nation. Are we to give up the corruption and scandals of New Democracy, for the corruption and scandals of PASOK? Have we forgotten the decades of corruption under PASOK’s leadership which led to the rise of Karamanlis’ New Democracy government in the first place? PASOK does not have the answers or the moral authority to lead Hellas in this time of crisis. The Left is only interested in continuing their petty rivalry with New Democracy at the expense of Hellenism. They will not end the corruption that plagues Hellas; rather they will just replace it for their own brand. They will not solve the financial crisis the nation is facing, instead they will allow illegal immigrates to flood the streets of Hellas under their multicultural agenda and rewrite Hellenic history and our very identity by bowing to foreign pressure over Macedonia.
The call for early elections was a victory for PASOK and their radical left pawns, who had been working directly and indirectly at pressuring the current government on several fronts, using a mix of ‘political blackmail’, violent protests, and terrorism to achieve their goal. Setting the stage for a historical election, which may bring about Hellas’ first ever Hellenic-American Prime Minister.
The only hope for Hellas is a patriotic revival, a protest against the corrupt system, which has failed the Hellenic people. Hellenes must vote against New Democracy and PASOK and cast their hopes behind a party with the courage to face the coming difficult times with honor and patriotism, one which takes a strong line on the National Issues, but also has a sound plan to handle the economic crisis with the best interest of the nation and environment in mind.
The worsening financial crisis and deteriorating political climate inside Hellas were noted as causes, which ‘forced Karamanlis’ hand’ to call for a snap election. During his address Karamanlis said: "We have to clarify the political landscape and proceed with a series of essential measures to emerge from the downturn.”
"The year 2010 will be a difficult and decisive one, and so the Greek people must choose a government that can lead the country out of this crisis"
With rising unemployment and economic growth failing, the International Monetary Fund predicts, “the country will enter recession in 2009, with the economy shrinking by 1.7 percent.”
Meanwhile, Hellas “is being pressed by the European Commission to adopt belt-tightening measures to reduce this year’s budget deficit to below the mandated ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product, improve competitiveness and severely cut its ballooning public debt.”
Karamanlis is right in the sense that Hellas is headed for troubled times and the fiercely divided political landscape will not help achieve victory in this crucial battle which a waits the nation. For Hellas, the battle of Armageddon is upon us, but this fight which a waits Hellas is not just one of economics, but also a struggle for our very identity. What many political analysts fail to add to the equation are the issues of the illegal immigration and the Anti-Hellenic irredentist propaganda and historical revisionism pouring out of Skopje. Both issues that the new government will be forced to solve along with the financial crisis.
At the moment, the New Democracy government trails the main opposition, the Socialist PASOK party by roughly 6 percent in recent polls. The likely outcome of the October 4th elections will be one of a Socialist victory, but what many Hellenes fail to realize is this will not be a victory for the nation. Are we to give up the corruption and scandals of New Democracy, for the corruption and scandals of PASOK? Have we forgotten the decades of corruption under PASOK’s leadership which led to the rise of Karamanlis’ New Democracy government in the first place? PASOK does not have the answers or the moral authority to lead Hellas in this time of crisis. The Left is only interested in continuing their petty rivalry with New Democracy at the expense of Hellenism. They will not end the corruption that plagues Hellas; rather they will just replace it for their own brand. They will not solve the financial crisis the nation is facing, instead they will allow illegal immigrates to flood the streets of Hellas under their multicultural agenda and rewrite Hellenic history and our very identity by bowing to foreign pressure over Macedonia.
The call for early elections was a victory for PASOK and their radical left pawns, who had been working directly and indirectly at pressuring the current government on several fronts, using a mix of ‘political blackmail’, violent protests, and terrorism to achieve their goal. Setting the stage for a historical election, which may bring about Hellas’ first ever Hellenic-American Prime Minister.
The only hope for Hellas is a patriotic revival, a protest against the corrupt system, which has failed the Hellenic people. Hellenes must vote against New Democracy and PASOK and cast their hopes behind a party with the courage to face the coming difficult times with honor and patriotism, one which takes a strong line on the National Issues, but also has a sound plan to handle the economic crisis with the best interest of the nation and environment in mind.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Christian Peoples Genocide in Turkey – Germany also apologizes through spoken word
By Marianne Brückl
Seyfo Center
A historical day in St. Mary Church in Gütersloh. A day that will never more be forgotten: August 30, 2009. A day of forgiveness, when finally also the Germans spoke out an apology for the devastating crimes, emerged as genocide of 1914/15 against the Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks – as it was already done by Philip Kiril Prince of Prussia 10 years ago for the Armenian people in a letter to the Armenian Embassy.
Around 250 Assyrians have assembled in the church hall of St. Mary Church in Gütersloh. Cameras and Spotlights built up, a curious crowd of people in view of the guests of this day. Sabri Atman from Seyfo-Center in Sweden, the Kurdish activist for human rights and writer Berzan Boti, and Ingrid Seigis, director of Human Rights Organization Christian Solidarity International (CSI) Germany.
How many people have lost their lives and how much the Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks were harmed, this also till this very day, Sabri Atman depicts in touching words in his lecture. The traces Genocide has left, it is nearly not to describe. More than 2.5 Millions of Christians fell victims to the cruel crimes, today there are just about 4 Millions of Assyrians left, living scattered worldwide. And when we talk about the massacres to them, there are only named the Armenians but not the Assyrian people, neither in history books nor else where. Instead this topic now shall be even excluded in schools, quite in the sense of the murderers from then. As well as also now the Turks protest against restoration of Lepsius-House in Postdam, a memorial for Genocide to the Armenian and Assyrian people. Sabri Atman's voice is filled with passion while speaking and he underlines his speech with gestures that express his feelings about the topic Genocide. He also confirms that the Assyrian people will no longer accept all these cruelties and humiliations but will stand up. However, that there are also living people with conscience in Turkey, he points out too.
Because Berzan Boti, a Kurdish man with principles, who open stays abreast of his feelings of guilt to the Christians, has started with expiation. On May 13, 2009 he already conveyed in the Swedish Reichstag all his property to Seyfo-Center, representative to the president Sabri Atman. Boti, a scraggy grey haired man, calm and discrete, with good-natured eyes, who steps to the speaker's desk. With a low voice he tells his story, describes his history as an intellectual human rights activist and the 11 years he spent in a Turkish prison because of his conviction. The keeping of his body reveals that he relives these moments once more. The minutes that gave him the certitude to expiate the guilt of his ancestors only by restoring the blood-soaked stolen goods, the inherited property to these, who were stolen from in cruellest manner – to these, who are still rest over from this former great Assyrian people. With bright eyes he talks about his family who has supported him in his intent, about the reactions of his environment, about people, who even threatened him with death. But all these troubles do not bother him. He is standing to his decision, doesn't let appear any doubts.
Then the director of CSI Germany gem. GmbH comes to the speakers desk. With a powerful voice she speaks about blame and expiation in the sense of God, apologizing in the German peoples name, that had become to a people of perpetrators, not having prevented Millions of innocent Christians to be massacred. In her impressive speech she asks for forgiveness for Germany in favour of the great-great-grandson of the Emperor William II, Philip Kiril Prince of Prussia, who himself is father of six children and theologian. She is citing the email she had received from the prince dated 26.08.2009, who had sent a letter of excuse to the Armenian Embassy ten years ago, which has not been not responded. "I am glad about your initiative. This also has agitated me already years ago and I have embarked on just this way, it is about ten years!" he writes. "I do not know any more who gave me the impulse to this step, but I sent a letter for forgiveness to the Armenian Embassy and to the Patriarch. – Unfortunately I did not receive a response." There is ruling a prayerful silence in the hall in view of this speech, expressing everything what many thought for a long time – forgiveness needs an excuse, being open spoken out. Ms. Seigis is asking Sabri Atman and the locum of the church-community, Rev. Abraham Gök, ahead. As a sign of reconciliation she hands out wooden cruces, handmade by Sudanese Christians. A historical moment in the sense of an effective international understanding, a ray of hope, that such a genocide will never happen again.
A camera team and a German journalist, both provided by CSI followed these touching moments that will be publicly forthcoming in a film.
Seyfo Center
A historical day in St. Mary Church in Gütersloh. A day that will never more be forgotten: August 30, 2009. A day of forgiveness, when finally also the Germans spoke out an apology for the devastating crimes, emerged as genocide of 1914/15 against the Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks – as it was already done by Philip Kiril Prince of Prussia 10 years ago for the Armenian people in a letter to the Armenian Embassy.
Around 250 Assyrians have assembled in the church hall of St. Mary Church in Gütersloh. Cameras and Spotlights built up, a curious crowd of people in view of the guests of this day. Sabri Atman from Seyfo-Center in Sweden, the Kurdish activist for human rights and writer Berzan Boti, and Ingrid Seigis, director of Human Rights Organization Christian Solidarity International (CSI) Germany.
How many people have lost their lives and how much the Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks were harmed, this also till this very day, Sabri Atman depicts in touching words in his lecture. The traces Genocide has left, it is nearly not to describe. More than 2.5 Millions of Christians fell victims to the cruel crimes, today there are just about 4 Millions of Assyrians left, living scattered worldwide. And when we talk about the massacres to them, there are only named the Armenians but not the Assyrian people, neither in history books nor else where. Instead this topic now shall be even excluded in schools, quite in the sense of the murderers from then. As well as also now the Turks protest against restoration of Lepsius-House in Postdam, a memorial for Genocide to the Armenian and Assyrian people. Sabri Atman's voice is filled with passion while speaking and he underlines his speech with gestures that express his feelings about the topic Genocide. He also confirms that the Assyrian people will no longer accept all these cruelties and humiliations but will stand up. However, that there are also living people with conscience in Turkey, he points out too.
Because Berzan Boti, a Kurdish man with principles, who open stays abreast of his feelings of guilt to the Christians, has started with expiation. On May 13, 2009 he already conveyed in the Swedish Reichstag all his property to Seyfo-Center, representative to the president Sabri Atman. Boti, a scraggy grey haired man, calm and discrete, with good-natured eyes, who steps to the speaker's desk. With a low voice he tells his story, describes his history as an intellectual human rights activist and the 11 years he spent in a Turkish prison because of his conviction. The keeping of his body reveals that he relives these moments once more. The minutes that gave him the certitude to expiate the guilt of his ancestors only by restoring the blood-soaked stolen goods, the inherited property to these, who were stolen from in cruellest manner – to these, who are still rest over from this former great Assyrian people. With bright eyes he talks about his family who has supported him in his intent, about the reactions of his environment, about people, who even threatened him with death. But all these troubles do not bother him. He is standing to his decision, doesn't let appear any doubts.
Then the director of CSI Germany gem. GmbH comes to the speakers desk. With a powerful voice she speaks about blame and expiation in the sense of God, apologizing in the German peoples name, that had become to a people of perpetrators, not having prevented Millions of innocent Christians to be massacred. In her impressive speech she asks for forgiveness for Germany in favour of the great-great-grandson of the Emperor William II, Philip Kiril Prince of Prussia, who himself is father of six children and theologian. She is citing the email she had received from the prince dated 26.08.2009, who had sent a letter of excuse to the Armenian Embassy ten years ago, which has not been not responded. "I am glad about your initiative. This also has agitated me already years ago and I have embarked on just this way, it is about ten years!" he writes. "I do not know any more who gave me the impulse to this step, but I sent a letter for forgiveness to the Armenian Embassy and to the Patriarch. – Unfortunately I did not receive a response." There is ruling a prayerful silence in the hall in view of this speech, expressing everything what many thought for a long time – forgiveness needs an excuse, being open spoken out. Ms. Seigis is asking Sabri Atman and the locum of the church-community, Rev. Abraham Gök, ahead. As a sign of reconciliation she hands out wooden cruces, handmade by Sudanese Christians. A historical moment in the sense of an effective international understanding, a ray of hope, that such a genocide will never happen again.
A camera team and a German journalist, both provided by CSI followed these touching moments that will be publicly forthcoming in a film.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Hellenic Airspace continues to be violated by Turkish warplanes
According to Reuters.com, eight Turkish fighter jets violated Hellenic Airspace, yet again, this past Sunday. This time the Turkish fighters flew dangerously close to an Olympic Airlines plane carrying 49 civilians. The response from the Karamanlis government on this blatant act of aggression by Turkey, however, was one of meaningless words and little action. What will it take for the Hellenic Government to grow a pair? To defend our territorial integrity like any normal sovereign nation would. Will it take the loss of American tourists before the Government and the International Community takes action? If the Hellenic politicians who rule Hellas are unable to stomach the responsibility of defending their own nation, perhaps they should respectfully resign as our leaders. I urge the brave men of the Hellenic Air force to take swift and appropriate action against these violations of our airspace. Next time a Turkish fighter jet enters our airspace, it is the duty of all Hellenic pilots to SHOOT DOWN the fighter jet! Even if it goes against direct orders from a superior officer.
Greece protests to Turkey over sorties in Aegean
Read Full Article Here
Greece protests to Turkey over sorties in Aegean
Read Full Article Here
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
1η Σεπτεμβρίου 1821. Το ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης
By Φάνης Μαλκίδης
http://malkidis.blogspot.com/
Η Σαμοθράκη αποτελεί ακόμη ένα μέρος της Θράκης, το οποίο είναι άγνωστο στο ευρύ κοινό, παρά τη μεγάλη προσφορά του στον ελληνικό και παγκόσμιο πολιτισμό, από την αρχαιότητα μέχρι σήμερα. Το νησί ήταν ένας χώρος, μία ολόκληρη φιλοσοφία της ζωής, μία αντίληψη για την επικοινωνία ανθρώπων και εμπορευμάτων. Η ανάπτυξη της Σαμοθράκης και τα «Σαμοθραείκια τείχη», οι πόλεις που δημιούργησε στα απέναντι Θρακικά παράλια, τα Καβείρια Μυστήρια, η έλευση του Απόστολου Παύλου στο νησί ως πρώτου ευρωπαϊκού εδάφους, και φυσικά η Νίκη της Σαμοθράκης, είναι μερικά από τα δεδομένα, για τα οποία είναι γνωστή η Σαμοθράκη. Το νησί όμως έχει και μία πτυχή της ιστορίας της, άγνωστη και λησμονημένη. Η Σαμοθράκη από το 1459 ήταν υπόδουλη με έντονη την οθωμανική παρουσία.
Η κήρυξη της επανάστασης στη Σαμοθράκη από τους τοπικά μυημένα μέλη στη Φιλική Εταιρεία, ακολούθησε ο γενικός ξεσηκωμός των Ελλήνων. Η αντίδραση από τους Οθωμανούς ήρθε το Σεπτέμβριο του 1821, την 1η του μηνός, την «πρωτοσταυρινιά» όπως λένε οι ντόπιοι, όταν αποβιβάστηκαν δύο χιλιάδες στρατιώτες. Η καταστροφή ήταν ολοκληρωτική. Η Σαμοθράκη μετατράπηκε σε κέντρο λεηλασίας, ζώνη θανάτου και ερείπια, και το νησί έμεινε ακατοίκητο για έξι χρόνια. Εφτακόσιοι από τους κατοίκους που είχαν καταφύγει στα βουνά, οι Οθωμανοί, τους έφεραν πίσω με δόλο δίνοντάς τους την εντύπωση ότι θα τους δώσουν χάρη. Όμως στην τοποθεσία «Εφκάς» στο κάστρο της πρωτεύουσας, της Χώρας, τους δολοφόνησαν όλους. Από τη μαζική αυτή δολοφονία, επέζησαν σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες ξένων περιηγητών και του Σαμοθρακρακίτη ιερέα Γ. Μανωλάκη από 25 έως 30 οικογένειες, οι οποίες ζούσαν τα επόμενα χρόνια σε άθλια κατάσταση. Σημαντική μαρτυρία για το ολοκαύτωμα αποτελεί το έργο του Ίωνος Δραγούμη «Σαμοθράκη», ο οποίος διέσωσε το συμβάν, αλλά και την αναφορά για το τρυπημένο Ευαγγέλιο της εκκλησίας της Παναγίας στη Χώρα, το οποίο φυλάσσεται στο Εθνολογικό Μουσείο. Όσοι σώθηκαν από τους 15.000 κατοίκους πουλήθηκαν σαν σκλάβοι.
Σημαντική παράμετρος του ολοκαυτώματος αποτελεί και ο βίαιος εξισλαμισμός πολλών Σαμοθρακιτών, που κατέληξαν όπως αναφέραμε δούλοι. Πέντε από τους επιζώντες του ολοκαυτώματος γύρισαν το 1837 στη Σαμοθράκη και επέστρεψαν στην αρχική τους θρησκεία. Για αυτό το λόγο βασανίστηκαν και θανατώθηκαν στην απέναντι Θρακική ακτή όπου μεταφέρθηκαν στο χωριό Μάκρη της Αλεξανδρούπολης. Η μνήμη τους τιμάται την Κυριακή του Θωμά και αποτελούν τους πέντε νεομάρτυρες (Μανουήλ Παλογούδας, Μιχαήλ Κύπριος, Θεόδωρος Δημ. Καλάκου, Γεώργιος Κουρούνης και Γεώργιος), τα λείψανα των οποίων υπάρχουν στην εκκλησία της Παναγίας στη Χώρα και στις εικόνες στις εκκλησίες του νησιού απεικονίζονται με φουστανέλες.
Το ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης παρέμεινε άγνωστο και η τυπική αναφορά στη θυσία των κατοίκων της στην εθνική παλιγγενεσία, αναγνωρίστηκε από την Ακαδημία των Αθηνών μόλις το 1980. Την καταστροφή της Σαμοθράκης την απεικόνισε πολύ χαρακτηριστικά ο Γάλλος Αύγουστος Βινσόν (Αuguste Vinchon) ο οποίος λίγο αργότερα ζωγράφισε ένα πίνακα με θέμα τη σφαγή της Σαμοθράκης, που βρίσκεται στο Λούβρο.
Το ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης αποτελεί μία άγνωστη πτυχή της ιστορίας μας και οφείλουν οι χιλιάδες επισκέπτες του νησιού να το γνωρίσουν, και οι αρκετοί ερευνητές που ασχολούνται με αυτό, να το αναδείξουν περισσότερο. Η συνέχεια θα πρέπει να είναι ακόμη πλούσια, το οφείλουμε στους νέους ανθρώπους που θυσιάστηκαν το Σεπτέμβριο του 1821 και αργότερα, για ελευθερία σώματος και πνεύματος.
Για το Ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης περισσότερα στο Δορδανάς Σ- Μαλκίδης Θ. (επιμέλεια) Σαμοθράκη: Ιστορία- Αρχαιολογία- Πολιτισμός. Πρακτικά Επιστημονικού Συνεδρίου. Θεσσαλονίκη: εκδόσεις Επίκεντρο 2008.
http://malkidis.blogspot.com/
Η Σαμοθράκη αποτελεί ακόμη ένα μέρος της Θράκης, το οποίο είναι άγνωστο στο ευρύ κοινό, παρά τη μεγάλη προσφορά του στον ελληνικό και παγκόσμιο πολιτισμό, από την αρχαιότητα μέχρι σήμερα. Το νησί ήταν ένας χώρος, μία ολόκληρη φιλοσοφία της ζωής, μία αντίληψη για την επικοινωνία ανθρώπων και εμπορευμάτων. Η ανάπτυξη της Σαμοθράκης και τα «Σαμοθραείκια τείχη», οι πόλεις που δημιούργησε στα απέναντι Θρακικά παράλια, τα Καβείρια Μυστήρια, η έλευση του Απόστολου Παύλου στο νησί ως πρώτου ευρωπαϊκού εδάφους, και φυσικά η Νίκη της Σαμοθράκης, είναι μερικά από τα δεδομένα, για τα οποία είναι γνωστή η Σαμοθράκη. Το νησί όμως έχει και μία πτυχή της ιστορίας της, άγνωστη και λησμονημένη. Η Σαμοθράκη από το 1459 ήταν υπόδουλη με έντονη την οθωμανική παρουσία.
Η κήρυξη της επανάστασης στη Σαμοθράκη από τους τοπικά μυημένα μέλη στη Φιλική Εταιρεία, ακολούθησε ο γενικός ξεσηκωμός των Ελλήνων. Η αντίδραση από τους Οθωμανούς ήρθε το Σεπτέμβριο του 1821, την 1η του μηνός, την «πρωτοσταυρινιά» όπως λένε οι ντόπιοι, όταν αποβιβάστηκαν δύο χιλιάδες στρατιώτες. Η καταστροφή ήταν ολοκληρωτική. Η Σαμοθράκη μετατράπηκε σε κέντρο λεηλασίας, ζώνη θανάτου και ερείπια, και το νησί έμεινε ακατοίκητο για έξι χρόνια. Εφτακόσιοι από τους κατοίκους που είχαν καταφύγει στα βουνά, οι Οθωμανοί, τους έφεραν πίσω με δόλο δίνοντάς τους την εντύπωση ότι θα τους δώσουν χάρη. Όμως στην τοποθεσία «Εφκάς» στο κάστρο της πρωτεύουσας, της Χώρας, τους δολοφόνησαν όλους. Από τη μαζική αυτή δολοφονία, επέζησαν σύμφωνα με μαρτυρίες ξένων περιηγητών και του Σαμοθρακρακίτη ιερέα Γ. Μανωλάκη από 25 έως 30 οικογένειες, οι οποίες ζούσαν τα επόμενα χρόνια σε άθλια κατάσταση. Σημαντική μαρτυρία για το ολοκαύτωμα αποτελεί το έργο του Ίωνος Δραγούμη «Σαμοθράκη», ο οποίος διέσωσε το συμβάν, αλλά και την αναφορά για το τρυπημένο Ευαγγέλιο της εκκλησίας της Παναγίας στη Χώρα, το οποίο φυλάσσεται στο Εθνολογικό Μουσείο. Όσοι σώθηκαν από τους 15.000 κατοίκους πουλήθηκαν σαν σκλάβοι.
Σημαντική παράμετρος του ολοκαυτώματος αποτελεί και ο βίαιος εξισλαμισμός πολλών Σαμοθρακιτών, που κατέληξαν όπως αναφέραμε δούλοι. Πέντε από τους επιζώντες του ολοκαυτώματος γύρισαν το 1837 στη Σαμοθράκη και επέστρεψαν στην αρχική τους θρησκεία. Για αυτό το λόγο βασανίστηκαν και θανατώθηκαν στην απέναντι Θρακική ακτή όπου μεταφέρθηκαν στο χωριό Μάκρη της Αλεξανδρούπολης. Η μνήμη τους τιμάται την Κυριακή του Θωμά και αποτελούν τους πέντε νεομάρτυρες (Μανουήλ Παλογούδας, Μιχαήλ Κύπριος, Θεόδωρος Δημ. Καλάκου, Γεώργιος Κουρούνης και Γεώργιος), τα λείψανα των οποίων υπάρχουν στην εκκλησία της Παναγίας στη Χώρα και στις εικόνες στις εκκλησίες του νησιού απεικονίζονται με φουστανέλες.
Το ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης παρέμεινε άγνωστο και η τυπική αναφορά στη θυσία των κατοίκων της στην εθνική παλιγγενεσία, αναγνωρίστηκε από την Ακαδημία των Αθηνών μόλις το 1980. Την καταστροφή της Σαμοθράκης την απεικόνισε πολύ χαρακτηριστικά ο Γάλλος Αύγουστος Βινσόν (Αuguste Vinchon) ο οποίος λίγο αργότερα ζωγράφισε ένα πίνακα με θέμα τη σφαγή της Σαμοθράκης, που βρίσκεται στο Λούβρο.
Το ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης αποτελεί μία άγνωστη πτυχή της ιστορίας μας και οφείλουν οι χιλιάδες επισκέπτες του νησιού να το γνωρίσουν, και οι αρκετοί ερευνητές που ασχολούνται με αυτό, να το αναδείξουν περισσότερο. Η συνέχεια θα πρέπει να είναι ακόμη πλούσια, το οφείλουμε στους νέους ανθρώπους που θυσιάστηκαν το Σεπτέμβριο του 1821 και αργότερα, για ελευθερία σώματος και πνεύματος.
Για το Ολοκαύτωμα της Σαμοθράκης περισσότερα στο Δορδανάς Σ- Μαλκίδης Θ. (επιμέλεια) Σαμοθράκη: Ιστορία- Αρχαιολογία- Πολιτισμός. Πρακτικά Επιστημονικού Συνεδρίου. Θεσσαλονίκη: εκδόσεις Επίκεντρο 2008.
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