CoE: Atatürk's words to be removed from textbooks
EU Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg called on Turkish authorities to remove from school text-books Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's phrase saying "Happy is he who calls himself a Turk". There are many nations and nationalities living in Turkey, and not all of them want to pronounce the phrase, Commissioner said.
"I have talked to Armenians, Kurds, Arabs and others, and not all of them want their children to pronounce the motto in their schools," Hammerberg says in a report prepared after his visit to Turkey. Commissioner further notes that Turkey has committed itself to protect minority rights, hence it is required to respect them.
"I have talked to Armenians, Kurds, Arabs and others, and not all of them want their children to pronounce the motto in their schools," Hammerberg says in a report prepared after his visit to Turkey. Commissioner further notes that Turkey has committed itself to protect minority rights, hence it is required to respect them.
