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PREVENTIVE APOLOGIES?: ERDOGAN ADMISSION OF KURDISH MASSACRES VIEWED IN YEREVAN AS COURTING EU MEMBERSHIP
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
28.11.11
After the surprise announcement by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, who apologized for the massacre of Kurds in Dersim in 1937-39,
when, according to official figures, 13,000 were killed, a question
arose about the next step. First of all, whether this will be limited
to an apology, or there will be some reimbursement to the Kurds
for their material losses, and secondly, whether the Turkish prime
minister will also apologize to the Armenians for the 1915 Genocide.
Enlarge Photo Giro ManoyanApparently, Turkey feels very uncomfortable
because of international pressure and, by taking 'preventive' steps,
is trying to shift the matter from the material-territorial plane into
the moral dimension. Any hope of an apology to Armenia, has always
been shaded by whether Genocide survivors would demand a return of
their land.
Armenia has repeatedly stated that it has no territorial claims
against Turkey. At the same time, the government of Armenia does
not recognize the current borders of Turkey. And, for decades, the
Armenian Diaspora has pushed for international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and the fact that the Turkish Republic was built
through the extermination of the indigenous population. And this could
call into question the legal basis of Turkey's territorial integrity.
Presumably, the Turkish government is preparing some kind of gesture
timed to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915,
although it is hard to predict anything now. This opinion was expressed
by Turkish historian, professor of the Clark University in the United
States, prominent scholar Taner Akcam. "I do not know what it might
be, but will not be surprised if something happens,' said Akcam.
Armenian experts generally comment on this statement in light
of Turkey's intentions to join the European Union. Giro Manoyan,
Director of the International Secretariat of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Bureau in Yerevan, said Erdogan's apology
wasn't really an apology and that such steps towards Armenians were
unlikely.
Earlier, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, visiting from London,
stated that problems that exist in the relations between Armenia
and Turkey will not be solved by a single step. According to him,
the normalization process is so frozen that whole raft of initiatives
is needed for a thaw.
In its turn, Turkey's influential Today's Zaman newspaper raises
deep psychological issues, trying to figure out why Ankara does
not recognize the tragedies of the early 20th century. The reason,
according to the newspaper, lies in the foundations of the modern
Turkish identity.
"There are even more painful factors, some of which have been pointed
out by Taner Akcam and other writers. Some of those who played active
roles in the massacres of the Armenians were also part of the founding
cadres of the Turkish Republic. Thus, facing up to the past also
means that we may lose our founding 'heroes' and have them turned
into a series of 'murderers' to be embarrassed about instead. It is
now clear that we in Turkey have constructed an identity on top of
this whole denial mechanism," writes the Turkish publication.
By Naira Hayrumyan
ArmeniaNow
28.11.11
After the surprise announcement by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, who apologized for the massacre of Kurds in Dersim in 1937-39,
when, according to official figures, 13,000 were killed, a question
arose about the next step. First of all, whether this will be limited
to an apology, or there will be some reimbursement to the Kurds
for their material losses, and secondly, whether the Turkish prime
minister will also apologize to the Armenians for the 1915 Genocide.
Enlarge Photo Giro ManoyanApparently, Turkey feels very uncomfortable
because of international pressure and, by taking 'preventive' steps,
is trying to shift the matter from the material-territorial plane into
the moral dimension. Any hope of an apology to Armenia, has always
been shaded by whether Genocide survivors would demand a return of
their land.
Armenia has repeatedly stated that it has no territorial claims
against Turkey. At the same time, the government of Armenia does
not recognize the current borders of Turkey. And, for decades, the
Armenian Diaspora has pushed for international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and the fact that the Turkish Republic was built
through the extermination of the indigenous population. And this could
call into question the legal basis of Turkey's territorial integrity.
Presumably, the Turkish government is preparing some kind of gesture
timed to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide of 1915,
although it is hard to predict anything now. This opinion was expressed
by Turkish historian, professor of the Clark University in the United
States, prominent scholar Taner Akcam. "I do not know what it might
be, but will not be surprised if something happens,' said Akcam.
Armenian experts generally comment on this statement in light
of Turkey's intentions to join the European Union. Giro Manoyan,
Director of the International Secretariat of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) Bureau in Yerevan, said Erdogan's apology
wasn't really an apology and that such steps towards Armenians were
unlikely.
Earlier, Turkish President Abdullah Gul, visiting from London,
stated that problems that exist in the relations between Armenia
and Turkey will not be solved by a single step. According to him,
the normalization process is so frozen that whole raft of initiatives
is needed for a thaw.
In its turn, Turkey's influential Today's Zaman newspaper raises
deep psychological issues, trying to figure out why Ankara does
not recognize the tragedies of the early 20th century. The reason,
according to the newspaper, lies in the foundations of the modern
Turkish identity.
"There are even more painful factors, some of which have been pointed
out by Taner Akcam and other writers. Some of those who played active
roles in the massacres of the Armenians were also part of the founding
cadres of the Turkish Republic. Thus, facing up to the past also
means that we may lose our founding 'heroes' and have them turned
into a series of 'murderers' to be embarrassed about instead. It is
now clear that we in Turkey have constructed an identity on top of
this whole denial mechanism," writes the Turkish publication.