Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ANKARA: The Armenian apology campaign and the Ottoman Ergenekon

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ANKARA: The Armenian apology campaign and the Ottoman Ergenekon

    Today's Zaman, Turkey
    Dec 28 2008



    The Armenian apology campaign and the Ottoman Ergenekon

    by IHSAN YILMAZ

    The apology regarding the terrible fate of the Armenians in 1915
    sparked harsh debates in Turkey. The same sections that vehemently
    opposed President Abdullah Gül's visit to Armenia are this time
    blaming the signatories of the campaign. I will now simply repeat what
    I had to write during the debates surrounding Gül's visit. I think we
    have to keep reiterating that there are certain sections in the
    country -- among them the Ergenekonian deep state -- that do not want
    a solution to the problems with Armenia so that they can meddle with
    Turkey's domestic and foreign politics. Any solution to the Armenian
    issue will not make them happy.

    This is a simple summary of modern Turkish history. Turkey is
    surrounded by enemies and thus we need strong nationalist
    authoritarian guardians to protect us. Now, as the Justice and
    Development Party's (AK Party) "zero problems with neighbors policy"
    has shown, we can enter into dialogue with our neighbors and talk
    about our differences. I hope that we can succeed in doing this with
    Armenia as well.

    As far as I can see, an overwhelming majority of people do not have
    any problem with entering into dialogue with Armenia. Even the
    terrible incidents around 1915 and the Armenian Secret Army for the
    Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) terror organization's assassinations of
    our diplomats did not change Turks' positive feelings toward
    Armenians. Generally speaking, the remaining Armenians did not face
    any hostility from Turks. Yet the state's position is a completely
    different story.

    Even in the law, Armenians have not been treated as first-class
    citizens. The Turkish state's definition of citizen has somehow --
    unofficially and in practice -- been limited to Muslims. Non-Muslim
    Turkish citizens could never get sensitive bureaucratic
    positions. This is in full contrast to the Ottoman experience. In
    terms of diversity and tolerance, the Republic of Turkey is light
    years behind the Ottomans.

    The state has always denied that there was any Armenian massacre
    ordered by the state. I am not a historian and have not studied the
    1915 incidents in detail. But whenever I -- as an ordinary Turk --
    think about the issue, the Turkish state's treatment of its other
    citizens instantly comes to mind and my mind starts drawing
    parallels. I know very well that this is not a scientific technique or
    instrument utilized by historians, but not every Turk has to be a
    historian, and they still have feelings, ideas and opinions on certain
    matters.

    Yes, whenever I start thinking about the Armenian issue and the
    incidents of 1915, the state's treatment of Kurds in southeastern
    Turkey comes to mind. Banning their mother tongue is a prime
    example. Could there be any bigger torture than that? Then I remember
    thousands of young people -- leftist, rightist, Kurdish -- who were
    continuously tortured in Turkish prisons just after the 1980
    coup. Then I remember how Turkey had to pay many thousands of dollars
    in compensation on many occasions to our citizens of Kurdish
    background just because some of our soldiers made them eat cow dung.

    Then I think that if some of our administrators and bureaucrats could
    do all of these things to our citizens in this age and time, then
    like-minded Ottoman politicians, administrators and bureaucrats would
    find it suitable to react to Armenian hostilities -- encouraged by the
    great powers and Russia -- by simply deciding to exile them to Syria
    without taking enough precautions about health and safety
    issues. Moreover, some "Ottoman Ergenekonians" could easily target
    these civilians.

    My conscience and my reading of modern Turkey, including the Ergenekon
    case, convince me that the Ergenekonian-like ultra-patriots who
    thought the country was in danger -- and it was indeed in danger --
    could easily massacre Armenian civilians and that they would not
    really need any legislation or document signed by a minister to do
    that. I find it funny when our nationalist historians try to prove
    that there are not any documents signed by the Ottoman authorities to
    order the Armenian massacre. Did today's Ergenekonians need such a
    document to make Kurdish villagers eat cow dung or to kill many
    people?

    28.12.2008
Working...
X