Meeting on Darfur & Denial of the Armenian Genocide in the UK Parliament

Armenia Solidarity
British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group
Nor Serount Publications

Armenian Genocide Trust
eilian@nantperis.wanadoo.co.uk
baappg.bazil@btinternet.com
norserount@btconnect.com

Meeting on Darfur and Denial of the Armenian Genocide in the UK Parliament (in the context of an ethical foreign policy)

Police Take an aggressive attitude to Armenian Lobbyists

In London yesterday, 27.06.2007, on Tony Blair's last day as Prime Minister, British-Armenian activists lobbied parliament all day in support of Early Day Motion 357. This motion, recognising the Genocide, has now been signed by 144 Members of Parliament. Police took an unwarranted intolerant attitude, tearing a large "Recognise the Genocide" banner and detaining the director of Armenia Solidarity for half an hour under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for holding the banner too close to Parliament. The distribution of leaflets was continued throughout and the banner redisplayed where it could still be noticed by those entering the Houses of Parliament.

A meeting on Darfur and Armenia was organised by Armenia Solidarity, the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group, Nor Serount Publications & the Armenian Genocide Trust in the House of Commons, in the evening, in conjunction with, the Genocide Prevention All Party Parliamentary Group and the Aegis Trust.

In the meeting in the House of Commons, Dr James Smith of The Aegis Trust, in a major speech on Ethical Foreign Policy emphasised the parallels between Armenia and Darfur where the Turkish model of the 20th century is being successfully repeated. Ruth Barnett spoke on the psychological effects of denial and introduced the concept of reducing the present "Genocide Footprint" by addressing the issues of past genocides. The Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia, Dr Vahe Gabrielyan, emphasised the political dimensions of genocide recognition which could not be addressed by any commission of historians however eminent. The meeting was chaired by John Bercow MP of the Genocide Prevention All Party Parliamentary Group, and attended by several other parliamentarians including Lord Avebury, Lord Alton of Liverpool David Burrowes MP as well as David Drew MP, the sponsor of the meeting.

The present Armenian Genocide Recognition effort in the UK is an ever expanding coalition which is gathering momentum involving more and more Armenian and UK supporters. "Genocide recognition is a human, not merely an Armenian, issue" said Eilian Williams, a spokesman for the organisers. "We urge all Armenians to continue lobbying to obtain further parliamentary support as well as to consider joining the Aegis Trust in their Genocide Prevention Campaigns."