YTB President Eren: 'Racism and xenophobia are increasing in European countries'
YTB President Abdullah Eren said that racism and xenophobia have increased in Europe.
President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), Abdullah Eren, drew attention to the increase in racism and xenophobia against Turks in European countries.
Eren, in a statement to the Anadolu Agency reporter after the funeral of Mevlüde Genç, who lost five members of her family in the fire that broke out in their house, which was set on fire by racists on 29 May 1993, in Germany, in the Taşova district of Amasya, said that Mevlüde Genç was accused of racism and violence in Germany. He pointed out that Mevlüde is a symbol of the fight against discrimination.
Reminding that Genç lost his two children, two grandchildren and nephews in the attack in Solingen 29 years ago, Eren continued his words as follow:
“Despite this, she fought against racism on the one hand and tried to prevent the seeds of hatred from being sown between the Turkish and German society on the other. She was always highly respected in Germany. Mevlüde Genç showed us how both a Turkish woman and a Muslim, Turks living in Europe, should be, with her stance and lifestyle.
Mevlüde Genç showed concretely what the Turkish society in Germany contributed to Germany, and was an exemplary person. She made great contributions to the development of relations between the two communities. Let's hope the racist attacks will come to an end. We hope that our aunts like Mevlüde Genç will not experience these pains.”
“RACISM IS INCREASING”
Stating that they continue to work to prevent racist attacks against Turkish citizens living abroad, Eren said, “We have citizens living all over Europe, the majority of whom are in Germany. Racism and xenophobia are increasing, unfortunately, in these countries, there is also institutional racism. We have to fight them very seriously.” he said.
President Eren stated that they should fight this racism in an institutional way and said, “In this context, we provide individual and legal support to our citizens who have been subjected to racist attacks abroad. We report attacks abroad and send them to the relevant authorities. The legal struggle is at the core of this business.” used the phrases.
Stating that most of the attacks abroad are not reported, Eren concluded his words as follows:
“In order to report these attacks, our citizens should also be made aware. Solingen is a landmark. When we look at the 61-year-old stories of the Turks in Germany, there are several events. The most obvious of these is Solingen, in the sense of racism and xenophobia.
After this neo-Nazi attack in Solingen, there was a reaction among our people. There has been a greater awareness of this issue in German society as well. But have the necessary steps been taken? We don't know it exactly. That is why we will continue to fight as hard as we can.”