Scandalous news has been posted on Turkey’s “Yeni Shafak” pro-government news website. According to the news, leader of the Gülen community, leader of the Islamic movement named after Gülen, preacher Fethullah Gülen had viewed the Armenian massacres of the early 20^th century as Genocide years ago. The Islamic figure is in heated confrontation with the current Turkish authorities.

The newspaper’s correspondent managed to obtain the 6 May 1965 letter that Gülen had addressed to then Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Shnorhk Galstian in which he had used the word combination “Great Genocide”, writes ermenihaber.am.

Interpreting the letter, “Yeni Shafak” writes that Gülen, who has organized dozens of meetings and gatherings devoted to interreligious dialogue since the 1990s, didn’t just express his ideas about the Armenian Genocide naturally. According to “Yeni Shafak”, Gülen had started expressing those ideas years ago, the first signs of which can be seen in that letter written in the 1960s.

The above mentioned letter with Gülen’s signature has been posted on the website and particularly reads as follows:

“His Grace, Dear Patriarch Shnorhk Galstian, in reality all nations and citizens are brothers since our ancestress is Eve, and our ancestor is Adam. Everyone dies. That is why we must live as brothers in this transient life on Earth. All religions, especially the heavenly ones, symbolize the solidarity of people.

Starting from my years of childhood and throughout my professional career, I have had the opportunity to get to know many Armenian families and individuals. What happened to the Armenians in 1915 is a Great Genocide, and I can’t remember that without imprecating.

I read about the great people who were killed and massacred and remember them with respect. I condemn with sympathy the murder of the generations of your great prophet Jesus by the illiterate Muslim citizens. On this occasion, I express infinite gratitude to you and ask the Lord that the worthy children of these lands, our Armenian compatriots and Greek citizens live in peace and welfare with their beloved Turkish brothers.

Preacher of Krklareli

Fethullah Gülen”