Reaction in Ankara to Malatya orphanage abuse images
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ekim 28, 2005 14:05
The Ankara administration continues to react to the shocking images revealed a few nights ago on Star TV's "Deciphered" program, images of physical and verbal abuse of children in an orphanage in Malatya. The Justice and Development (AKP) Party's Malatya MP, Ali Osman Baskurt, has expressed regret and said that his "conscience is aching" for his role in helping the overseeing manager of the Malatya Orphanage, Niyazi Yildiz, obtain his job.
"I do not deny that I know him, and right now my conscience is aching. He asked us for this job based on his experience. He did participate in the abuse of the children, but he ignored their problems. I am sorry that I recommended him for the position."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is currently in London for an official meeting of EU heads, has condemned the events in Malatya in the strongest possible terms, saying "This is a crime against humanity. Whatever their punishment is, they will receive it....These people had no right to darken the lives of these children."
PM Erdogan is well known for his love of children, and ealier this week, on a stop in Yemen, had visited the house of a poverty stricken family there, and promised to take on the responsibility of overseeing the health care for one of the family's sons, who is disabled.