Assembly of Turkish American Associations

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Community Information Service	June 2, 2010

ABOUT US

The objective of the Assembly is to coordinate the activities of member Turkish American associations and individual members of the Assembly for the purpose of presenting a more balanced view of Turkey and of the Turkish people, and emphasizing the importance of enhanced understanding between Turkey and the United States. [more]

BECOME A MEMBER

By becoming a member you will be part of a network of Turkish-Americans and friends of Turkey who care about the historic relationship between the two peoples and who are aware of the crucial role each one of us plays in strengthening the relationship and promoting an accurate and fair picture of Turkey and Turks. [Join ATAA]

ATAA Statement on Incidents in
the Eastern Mediterranean

The ATAA condemns the PKK terrorist attack that claimed the lives of six soldiers on a Turkish Naval NATO Base in the eastern Mediterranean city of Iskenderun. ATAA expresses its deepest sorrow to the Turkish people and families for their losses, and expresses solidarity with the Turkish Nation.

Since 1984, the PKK has claimed over 30,000 innocent lives in terror attacks. ATAA urges swift action to apprehend and bring to justice the individuals who committed this brutal act. ATAA urges comprehensive and concrete action to respond to the terror issue, including preventing all forms of assistance and training to the PKK, isolating the PKK and its external supporters from mainstream Turkish Kurdish life, and prosecuting and seeking civil damages against companies that are alleged to have collaborated with the PKK, to wit, European Community v. R.J Reynolds and European Community v. Philip Morris. Click here to read the EC's legal documents and evidence.

Furthermore, ATAA is deeply disturbed by the Israeli military operation that caused the deaths of nine, wounded dozens, and arrested hundreds of humanitarian aid workers from 32 countries traveling to Gaza on a fleet of cruise ships carrying humanitarian aid. The "Aid Raid" occurred despite Security Council Resolution 1860 which requires "the unimpeded provision and distribution through Gaza of humanitarian assistance, including food, fuel and medical treatment." The video images of heavily armed and masked men dropping from a helicopter in the middle of the night, followed by altercations and shootings on the deck of a ship, are disturbing and unbecoming of the Israeli military we all know.

This ill-advised nighttime, high seas military raid on a civilian maritime vessel carrying hundreds of humanitarian aid workers sharply escalated the risk of civilian deaths. It appears that none of the civilians who were killed or wounded were armed or were committing acts of terror against the State of Israel. This type of military operation is not warranted under the facts as we know them.

ATAA mourns the deaths of the nine humanitarian aid workers, and expresses its deepest sympathies to the Turkish Nation as well as the families and loved ones of the killed and wounded civilians.

ATAA supports the United States call for an investigation into the entirety of this tragic incident.

ATAA expresses grave concern that actual and perceived excessive and disproportionate use of force only serves the cause of terrorism and fundamentalism, and undermines security.

ATAA reminds everyone of the strong friendship and common interests Turkey and Israel have held for decades, and looks forward to the normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel.

ATAA urges all Turkish Americans and Turks worldwide not to allow this tragic incident to invoke speech and acts of hatred and anti-Semitism, and to report to the authorities and to ATAA any anti-Turkish speech and activity related to this matter.

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