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Gainesville Sun, Florida
Feb 9 2008
Historian tells UF: Armenians didn't die from genocide during WWI
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By KATHERINE SIEGEL
Special to The Sun
Armenians during World War I died of starvation and disease, not
genocide, an Ottoman Empire historian said Friday in a speech
sponsored by the University of Florida's Turkish Student Association.
Justin McCarthy, a history professor a the University of Louisville,
was greeted by applause in a half-full University Auditorium and
spoke about his research on what others say was genocide against the
Armenian people during World War I.
Armenians cannot claim that the Ottoman Empire's intention was
genocide because it is clear from his research that the Armenians
fought back during the war and even formed guerrilla armies, McCarthy
said.
"The Ottomans were defending themselves against this guerrilla war,"
he said. "The Armenians cut the Ottomans' telegraph lines and
revolted when the military came into their towns."
When the Ottomans attempted to relocate the Armenians, Armenians
raised up against their own government, McCarthy told the crowd.
McCarthy argued that the relocation of the Armenians was justified
because the Ottomans feared them after they sided with their enemy,
Russia.
"Lives were lost during the deportation, but the Ottomans never
intended to kill the Armenians," McCarthy said.
Surrounding the many Turkish students who attended the event were
some who are adamant that McCarthy's conclusions are incorrect.
Tigran Kesayan is a UF freshman microbiology major who attended
Friday night's appearance by McCarthy, which was also sponsored by
ACCENT, UF's speaker's bureau.
Kesayan, whose Armenian grandparents immigrated to what is now
Armenia, believes that McCarthy's research doesn't examine all the
facts.
"He makes claims about civil war, but there is overwhelming evidence
saying (Armenians) were being exterminated," Kesayan said. "UF is a
place of learning, and to have a person who represents such a small
amount of scholars who think genocide didn't take place is not
learning, it's biased."
Ilknur Oktayer, secretary of external affairs for the Turkish Student
Association, said the association wanted to pose the Turks' side of
the story and wanted the topic to be debated.
"He is very in the middle and he looks at both sides," Oktayer said
of McCarthy. "We believe that he is the most unbiased."
Post comments at
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080209/NEW S/802090329/1002/NEWS
Feb 9 2008
Historian tells UF: Armenians didn't die from genocide during WWI
By KATHERINE SIEGEL
Special to The Sun
Armenians during World War I died of starvation and disease, not
genocide, an Ottoman Empire historian said Friday in a speech
sponsored by the University of Florida's Turkish Student Association.
Justin McCarthy, a history professor a the University of Louisville,
was greeted by applause in a half-full University Auditorium and
spoke about his research on what others say was genocide against the
Armenian people during World War I.
Armenians cannot claim that the Ottoman Empire's intention was
genocide because it is clear from his research that the Armenians
fought back during the war and even formed guerrilla armies, McCarthy
said.
"The Ottomans were defending themselves against this guerrilla war,"
he said. "The Armenians cut the Ottomans' telegraph lines and
revolted when the military came into their towns."
When the Ottomans attempted to relocate the Armenians, Armenians
raised up against their own government, McCarthy told the crowd.
McCarthy argued that the relocation of the Armenians was justified
because the Ottomans feared them after they sided with their enemy,
Russia.
"Lives were lost during the deportation, but the Ottomans never
intended to kill the Armenians," McCarthy said.
Surrounding the many Turkish students who attended the event were
some who are adamant that McCarthy's conclusions are incorrect.
Tigran Kesayan is a UF freshman microbiology major who attended
Friday night's appearance by McCarthy, which was also sponsored by
ACCENT, UF's speaker's bureau.
Kesayan, whose Armenian grandparents immigrated to what is now
Armenia, believes that McCarthy's research doesn't examine all the
facts.
"He makes claims about civil war, but there is overwhelming evidence
saying (Armenians) were being exterminated," Kesayan said. "UF is a
place of learning, and to have a person who represents such a small
amount of scholars who think genocide didn't take place is not
learning, it's biased."
Ilknur Oktayer, secretary of external affairs for the Turkish Student
Association, said the association wanted to pose the Turks' side of
the story and wanted the topic to be debated.
"He is very in the middle and he looks at both sides," Oktayer said
of McCarthy. "We believe that he is the most unbiased."
Post comments at
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080209/NEW S/802090329/1002/NEWS