ATAA’s Statement on H.Res. 252<\/p>\n
Dear Turkish Americans and Friends of T\u00fcrkiye:<\/p>\n
House Resolution 252 passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) by a vote of 23-22 after HFAC Chairman Howard Berman extended the voting period thrice and forced reluctant legislators to show up and vote in favor of the resolution.<\/p>\n
The passage of H.Res. 252 represented ethnic politics at its worst, and made a mockery of the U.S. legislative, judicial and foreign policy processes. Indeed, United States foreign policy regarding Turkey, Armenia and the broader region was hijacked by ultra-nationalist Armenian politics in a few Congressional districts.<\/p>\n
The recalling of Turkish Ambassador Nam\u0131k Tan was an expression of Turkey’s disappointment in what now appears to be a contradiction in the United States’ position on Turkish-Armenian rapprochement. It was also an expression in defense of the dignity of the Turkish people to whom the U.S. now appears to have denied fair and just treatment by this prejudicial resolution plagued with blatantly libelous falsifications.<\/p>\n
At this stage it is difficult to expect the Turkish people to support the ratification of the Turkey – Armenia protocols, as the people’s interest now turns to whether U.S. President Obama will attempt to rehabilitate U.S. credibility in Turkey and among Turkish Americans, or permit further deterioration in a Proclamation on April 24. Furthermore, an alleged agreement between the White House and HFAC not to bring H.Res. 252 to a floor vote appears empty, if not also deceptive, as confidence in the ability of the Resolution to actually pass Congress is meager.<\/p>\n
House Resolution 252 signals a turning point in Turkish American public advocacy. The 23-22 vote reflects the growing efficacy of the Turkish American public advocacy network, including its infrastructure, technical abilities, critical mass, cooperation, solidarity, and resolve. In 2007, H.Res. 106 passed the HFAC 27-21, after the late Congressman Tom Lantos voted in favor of the motion, and was followed by three standby members. In 2005, H.Res. 316 and 195 passed overwhelmingly 42-7 and 35-11, respectively. This is just the beginning, as an awakening Turkish American community and a resurging Turkish Republic take command of their destiny for “Peace at Home, Peace in the World.”<\/p>\n
I thank the Turkish American community, particularly YOU – the individual Turkish American and friend of T\u00fcrkiye — for your tremendous efforts. In solidarity within diversity, over 5000 letters were submitted through the ATAA-FTAA-TCA campaign. ATAA visited most of the HFAC members at least once at the local level and three times on Capitol Hill. On March 3, 2010, the ATAA and FTAA joined in solidarity on Capitol Hill, as we visited each HFAC member one final time.<\/p>\n
I also thank the Azerbaijani, Crimean, Turkmen, Turcoman, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kirghiz, and Uighur American communities for their support. The Azerbaijan Society of America in New York – PaxTurcica in Los Angeles – USAN in Washington, DC supported the ATAA-FTAA-TCA letter campaign and Congressional visits. In addition, the Azerbaijanian American Cultural Alliance traveled from Texas to show its support at the March 4 HFAC Hearing.<\/p>\n
I thank the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA) for their invaluable support and guidance.<\/p>\n
Finally, I thank the ATAA Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, and ATAA’s dedicated staff for their excellence in representing the Turkish American community in opposition to H.Res. 252 and in support of U.S.-Turkish relations. They have done this in parallel with four major ATAA projects, including Census 2010, SayTurk, Turkish American Broad Advocacy Network (TABAN) grassroots program, Turkish Student Outreach, and www.MediaWatchNow.com.<\/p>\n
Our task is not finished, though. In fact, it might be said that it is just starting now. First, we should build on this momentum to maintain our contact with our representatives to educate them on matters concerning Turkey USA relations, so that such “ill-informed” resolutions will not be supported in Congress. We should establish lasting bonds of friendship for future. Next, we should revive, reinvigorate, and grow our component organizations to reach out and touch every Turkish American in 50 states, to deter future misguided attacks on our heritage.<\/p>\n
Together we can do it and ATAA is here for you.<\/p>\n
Gunay Evinch
\nPresident
\nAssembly of Turkish American Associations<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Sevgili T\u00fcrk Amerikal\u0131’lar ve T\u00fcrkiye’nin dostlar\u0131:<\/p>\n
S\u00f6zde Ermeni soyk\u0131r\u0131m\u0131 ilgili yasa tasar\u0131s\u0131 (H.Res. 252) Meclis D\u0131 \u0130likiler Komitesi (HFAC) den 22 hay\u0131r ve 23 evet oyu alarak ge\u00e7ti. HFAC Bakan\u0131 Howard Berman oylama s\u00fcresini 3 kez uzat\u0131p oy vermekte isteksiz g\u00f6z\u00fcken \u00fcyeleri zorlayarak tasar\u0131 lehine oy vermelerini sa\u011flad\u0131.<\/p>\n
Etnik siyasetin en k\u00f6t\u00fc ekilde temsil edildi\u011fi H.Res. 252 oylamas\u0131, Amerikan, yasama, yarg\u0131 ve d\u0131 ilikiler s\u00fcre\u00e7lerini maskaral\u0131k haline getirmitir. Nitekim, Amerika Birleik Devletleri’nin, T\u00fcrkiye, Ermenistan ve b\u00f6lge \u00fclkelerle olan d\u0131 politikas\u0131 a\u0131r\u0131 milliyet\u00e7i Ermenilerin Kongre se\u00e7im b\u00f6lgelerindeki politikalar\u0131 y\u00fcz\u00fcnden gasp edilmitir.<\/p>\n
Bir hayal k\u0131r\u0131kl\u0131\u011f\u0131 ifadesi olarak, T\u00fcrk B\u00fcy\u00fckel\u00e7isi Nam\u0131k Tan’\u0131n geri \u00e7a\u011fr\u0131lmas\u0131, T\u00fcrk-Ermeni yak\u0131nlamas\u0131n\u0131 destekleyen ABD i\u00e7in bir \u00e7eliki gibi g\u00f6r\u00fcn\u00fcyor. Bu ayn\u0131 zamanda, T\u00fcrk insan\u0131n\u0131n onurunu savunman\u0131n da bir g\u00f6stergesi olarak da alg\u0131lanabilir. Bu sak\u0131ncal\u0131 karar tasar\u0131s\u0131 ile A.B.D adil tavr\u0131ndan uzaklam\u0131 duruyor.<\/p>\n
Bu aamada, T\u00fcrk halk\u0131ndan T\u00fcrkiye ve Ermenistan aras\u0131ndaki protokolleri deskteklemesini beklemek olduk\u00e7a zor g\u00f6r\u00fcnmektedir. imdi merakla beklenen, Bakan Obama’n\u0131n, Amerika’n\u0131n T\u00fcrkiye ve T\u00fcrk Amerikal\u0131lar i\u00e7in g\u00fcvenirlili\u011fi yeniden sa\u011flamak i\u00e7in \u00e7aba g\u00f6sterip g\u00f6stermemesi ya da 24 Nisan resmi a\u00e7\u0131klamas\u0131n\u0131 yaparak ilikileri daha da zor bir hale getirip getirmemesidir. Ayr\u0131ca, H.Res. 252 tasar\u0131s\u0131n\u0131n oylamaya getirilmemesi konusunda Beyaz Saray ve HFAC aras\u0131nda bir karar sa\u011flanamamakla birlikte bu tasar\u0131n\u0131n Kongre’ den ge\u00e7ip ge\u00e7memesi u an i\u00e7in belirsiz g\u00f6z\u00fckmektedir.<\/p>\n
H.Res. 252, T\u00fcrk-Amerikan ortak savunmas\u0131nda d\u00f6n\u00fcm noktas\u0131n\u0131n sinyallerini vermektedir. 23-22’lik oy sonucu, altyap\u0131, teknik becerileri, kritik k\u00fctle, ibirli\u011fi ve dayan\u0131ma da dahil olmak \u00fczere T\u00fcrk-Amerikan ortak savunma a\u011f\u0131n\u0131n artan etkinli\u011fini yans\u0131tmaktad\u0131r. 2007 y\u0131l\u0131nda, H. Res. 106, Kongre \u00fcyesi Tom Lantosun lehte ge\u00e7 oyuyla HFAC de 27-21 oyla ge\u00e7miti. 2005 y\u0131l\u0131nda H. Res. 316 ve 195 s\u0131ras\u0131yla 42-7 ve 35-11 lik ezici bir \u00e7o\u011funlukla ge\u00e7ti. Bu sadece bir balang\u0131\u00e7, ayn\u0131 zamanda T\u00fcrk Amerikan toplumu i\u00e7in b\u00fcy\u00fck bir uyan\u0131 ve T\u00fcrkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin Yurt ta ve D\u00fcnya da Bar\u0131” i\u00e7in komutay\u0131 ele almas\u0131d\u0131r.<\/p>\n
T\u00fcrk Amerikan toplumuna, \u00f6zellikle de “Siz” de\u011ferli T\u00fcrk Amerikal\u0131lara ve T\u00fcrkiye’nin dostlar\u0131na g\u00f6stermi oldu\u011funuz muazzam gayretten dolay\u0131 teekk\u00fcr ediyorum. Farkl\u0131l\u0131klar i\u00e7inde dayan\u0131ma ilkesinden yola \u00e7\u0131karak, ATAA-FTAA-TCA olarak y\u00fcr\u00fctt\u00fc\u011f\u00fcm\u00fcz mektup kampanyas\u0131 kapsam\u0131nda 5000’in \u00fczerinde mektup Kongre’ye g\u00f6nderildi. ATAA, ABD Temsilciler Meclisi D\u0131 \u0130likiler Komisyonu’ndaki \u00fcyelerin ofisleri yerel d\u00fczeyde en az bir kere ve Capital Hill’de birka\u00e7 kez ziyaret edildi. 3 Mart 2010’da ATAA ve FTAA birlik olup t\u00fcm Komisyon \u00fcyelerinin ofislerini ziyaret ettik.<\/p>\n
Azeri, K\u0131r\u0131ml\u0131, T\u00fcrkmen, \u00d6zbek, Kazak, K\u0131rg\u0131z ve Uygur toplumlar\u0131na bizden desteklerini esirgemedikleri i\u00e7in teekk\u00fcrlerimi iletiyorum. New York’taki Azerbaycan-Amerikan Toplumu, Los Angeles’daki Pax Turcica, Washington DC’deki Amerikan-Azeri Network ATAA-FTAA-TCA mektup kampanyas\u0131nda ve Kongre ziyaretlerinde bize hep destek oldular. Bunun yan\u0131 s\u0131ra, Azerbaycan Amerikan K\u00fclt\u00fcr Birli\u011fi 4 Mart’ta D\u0131 \u0130likiler Komisyonu’ndaki oturumda Teksas’tan gelerek bizi yaln\u0131z b\u0131rakmad\u0131lar.<\/p>\n
Ayr\u0131ca, Amerika T\u00fcrk Koalisyonu’na \u00e7ok k\u0131ymetli destek ve katk\u0131lar\u0131ndan \u00f6t\u00fcr\u00fc \u00fckranlar\u0131m\u0131 sunuyorum.<\/p>\n
Son olarak, ATAA \u0130cra Kuruluna, Y\u00f6netim Kuruluna ve M\u00fctevelli Heyetine ve kendini iine adam\u0131 olan profesyonel ekibine, T\u00fcrk Amerikan toplumunu 252 yasa tasar\u0131s\u0131na kar\u0131 en iyi ekilde temsil ettikleri i\u00e7in ve T\u00fcrk Amerikan ilikilerine yapt\u0131klar\u0131 katk\u0131lardan dolay\u0131 teekk\u00fcr ediyorum. Ayr\u0131ca bir di\u011fer \u00f6nemli nokta, ATAA ekibinin b\u00fct\u00fcn bu \u00e7al\u0131malar\u0131 d\u00f6rt b\u00fcy\u00fck ATAA projesi ile birlikte y\u00fcr\u00fctm\u00fc olmas\u0131d\u0131r. Bunlar s\u0131ras\u0131yla, N\u00fcfus Say\u0131m\u0131 i\u00e7in balatt\u0131\u011f\u0131m\u0131z Sayt\u00fcrk kampanyas\u0131, TABAN projesi, T\u00fcrk \u00d6\u011frenci Eriim program\u0131 ve medyada T\u00fcrkiye hakk\u0131nda \u00e7\u0131kan yaz\u0131lar\u0131 takip etti\u011fimiz www.MediaWatchNow.com’ dur.<\/p>\n
Daha g\u00f6revimiz bitmedi. Hala iin ba\u0131nda say\u0131l\u0131r\u0131z. Bu gibi temelsiz tasar\u0131lar\u0131n Kongre’de destek bulmas\u0131n\u0131 \u00f6nlemek i\u00e7in, \u00f6ncelikle yapmam\u0131z gereken; mecliste temsilcilerimizle ilikilerimizi s\u00fcrd\u00fcrmek ve onlar\u0131 T\u00fcrk Amerikan ilikilerini ilgilendiren meseleler \u00fczerinde e\u011fitmek olmal\u0131d\u0131r. Gelecek i\u00e7in sa\u011flam temelli ilikiler kurmam\u0131z gerekir. Bundan sonra, miras\u0131m\u0131za yap\u0131lan as\u0131ls\u0131z sald\u0131r\u0131lar\u0131 engellemek; canlanma, yenilenme ve yerel derneklerimize ve 50 farkl\u0131 eyalette yaayan her T\u00fcrk Amerikal\u0131ya ulamakla m\u00fcmk\u00fcn olacakt\u0131r.<\/p>\n
Beraber baarabiliriz ve ATAA her konuda sizin yan\u0131n\u0131zda.<\/p>\n
Gunay Evinch
\nBakan
\nT\u00fcrk Amerikan Dernekleri Kurulu<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Assembly of Turkish American Associations
\n1526 18th St., NW Washington, DC 20036
\nPh: 202.483.9090 Fx: 202.483.9092
\nwww.ataa.org, assembly@ataa.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ATAA’s Statement on H.Res. 252 Dear Turkish Americans and Friends of T\u00fcrkiye: House Resolution 252 passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) by a vote of 23-22 after HFAC Chairman Howard Berman extended the voting period thrice and forced reluctant legislators to show up and vote in favor of the resolution. The passage of H.Res. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":783838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,41],"tags":[2654,2653,1099,151,2223,2650,1423,2649,1105,2656,204,2648,2651,2652,2655,1098],"class_list":["post-17506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-armenia","category-azerbaijan","tag-6-ts","tag-dadrian","tag-ethocide","tag-genocide","tag-gustav-arellano","tag-h-res-252","tag-hovannissian","tag-hr-252","tag-jda","tag-minsk","tag-nagorno-karabakh","tag-protocols","tag-resolution","tag-samantha-power","tag-six-ts","tag-tereset"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/83"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17506"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17506\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/783838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turkishnews.com\/en\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}