Dan Malan “The denial of the fact of the Armenian Genocide is strange for me”

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: “An exciting visit I paid to the Armenian Genocide Museum. Watching the cadres from the Armenian Genocide and listening to the history, I was very upset, it left a hard impression on me. It is strange for me that there are people who can deny the fact of Genocide.” This is the impression of the producer of the “Bloody Sunday” film Dan Malan who is in Armenia within the framework of the 8th festival of British films. During the meeting with the reporters he noted that his film is telling about the Ireland-Britain confrontation and is very much alike the Armenian-Turkish issue. “We must remember the history, at the same time not becoming its hostage. Like Armenia, we too have a great Diaspora spread throughout the world,” D. Malan said.

Before coming to Armenia, D. Malan visited also Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia. In Turkey the “Bloody Sunday” film was shown in Diarbekir where Malan was informed about the sufferings of Armenians in 1915.

“It was very exciting that I was accompanied by young Turks, who were speaking with sensitivity and were presenting me the whole truth which today I saw in the Genocide Museum,” the producer said.

In Turkey Malan was also informed about the murder of chief editor of “Agos” newspaper Hrant Dink, and asked to accompany him to his tomb.

“I have taken the book of Turkish author Malik Yakzin. He was taught to write and read by Hrant Dink and this person is taking care of Dink’s tomb. I asked to organize a meeting with that man. When I turned over I saw that he was standing by the tomb, I was shocked. He told that every morning he comes to the cemetery, says hello to Dink, and then continues the work,” Dan Malan said.

He realizes that there is a necessity of curing the historic wounds throughout the world and there is a “painful contradiction over the Genocide recognition issue.” But Malan managed to notice that there are people in Turkey with who a dialogue may be started. Though he noticed that this people are not representatives of authorities, but “common, simple” people.

In Azerbaijan the closed showing of the film took place, intended only for reporters, thus no political discussions took place. But Malan noted that in Armenia he was presented the Armenian history, culture and in Baku he was forced to organize his tour on his own and is disappointed with his visit to Baku. “Yerevan is the most secure town I have ever been in my life. I cannot say anything like that about Baku,” he added.