Saturday October 26 in the afternoon, a Turkish cultural association inaugurates a bust of Mustafa Kemal in front of its premises in Épinay-sur-Seine. Activists of the Armenian cause contest this project recalling the controversial role of the father of modern Türkiye in the Armenian genocide.
Installed in a pavilion in Épinay-sur-Seine, the association of Turks from Trabzon and its region (Paris Trabzonlular Derneği) is organizing this Saturday, October 26, the inauguration of a bust of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, father of modern Turkey , in the property, made available by the town hall.
This event was intended to remain relatively discreet but was spotted by associations of the Armenian diaspora who were scandalized by this project and asked Mayor Hervé Chevrau to abandon it.
“Continuer of the genocide of the Armenians (one million five hundred thousand dead), executioners of the Greek and Kurdish people whose victims number in the hundreds of thousands, inventor of negationism, the pseudo-father of the Turks has his hands covered in blood,” he said. reacted the coordinating council of Armenian organizations in France (CCAF) which also requested its withdrawal.
“A 100% private approach”
These associations obtained a letter, presented as signed by the mayor of Épinay-sur-Seine last May, authorizing the installation by the association of this bust in the premises made available by the city.
In this letter, the mayor cites the establishment of representative democracy, secularism and women's voting to the credit of Mustafa Kemal. “These values match the values that our country holds,” he writes.
“This is a 100% private process,” assures BFMTV.com the town hall of Épinay-sur-Seine, which has not made further comments.
The president of the association defends himself
For the president of the Turkish association, Bulent Cumur, this agitation is unjustified. “I am apolitical, that does not interest me. Our association is involved in promoting culture and sport. I speak with everyone. I had an Armenian boss and I have no problem with them”, he tells us, saying he is attached to freedoms.
The president, on the other hand, considers that the figure of Mustafa Kemal is irreproachable. “He was the first president of Turkey from 1923 to 1938,” he recalls.
Furthermore, the president of the association, which maintains strong links with Trabzon, a city located on the Black Sea, accompanied the mayor of Épinay-sur-Seine, Hervé Chevreau, on a trip there last month. He introduced him to several local personalities such as the mayor of Trabzon and the prefect.
