Switzerland: Battle Of Gallipoli Re-Enactment Raises Eyebrows

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A student re-enactment of Turkey’s 1915 Battle of Gallipoli staged in Switzerland has raised concerns over the use of Swiss schools for Turkish propaganda.

The performance, held in the village of Uttwil in front of Turkish dignitaries and the diaspora, was first flagged this weekend by Swiss paper SonnstagsBlick. The scene at the heart of the controversy is one of school children exchanging fire with mock bayonets on a stage dominated by a giant portrait of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Kemal Ataturk, flanked by the Swiss and Turkish flags.

The re-enactment in Switzerland was perceived as an effort to promote nationalist Turkish propaganda among the expat community.

The Gallipoli Campaign of 1915-16, also known Dardanelles Campaign, was an unsuccessful attempt by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia during the First World War. Untested troops from Australia and New Zealand, former British colonies, met fierce resistance from Turks fighting to defend the Ottoman Empire. This bloody episode is at the heart of major annual commemorative celebrations in Turkey.

The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has glorified Ottoman heritage at the expense of secular symbols and narratives in recent years.

Erdogan, who has been in power since 2003 and survived a coup attempt in 2016, called for snap presidential and parliamentary elections this year.

SwissInfo

swissinfo is an enterprise of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to inform Swiss living abroad about events in their homeland and to raise awareness of Switzerland in other countries. swissinfo achieves this through its nine-language internet news and information platform.

3 thoughts on “Switzerland: Battle Of Gallipoli Re-Enactment Raises Eyebrows

  • May 14, 2018 at 4:16 am
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    Didn’t get what was supposed to raise eyebrows here ! Giant Ataturk picture or biyonets? What was strange claimed or said in the play?

    Reply
  • May 15, 2018 at 6:51 pm
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    Couldn’t follow this news. Why were the eyebrows raised? Why is an important historical event that happened 103 years ago related with Recep Tayyip Erdogan today?

    Reply
  • May 15, 2018 at 11:02 pm
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    “Raises Eyebrows ”

    Axes of evil war criminal nations attack Turks and got at least 500.000 killed on both sides. Not counting the millions who got injured or lacked food and everything else because of the senseless attack.

    Thats not important right, but a reenactment of it is terrible. Keep whitewhasing white war crimes and making shallow propaganda against everything non white.

    Author did you cry so much about the israeli genocide on the arabs? Gunning down civilians for no reason at all. Can`t do that now right. They own your pale skin from top to bottom.

    Reply

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