Tweet
TAKING HISTORY HOSTAGE
by YAVUZ BAYDAR
Today's Zaman
Dec 20 2011
Turkey
Do we need to go down the same path over and over again? With the move
in France regarding late Ottoman history, I belong to those who feel
extremely weary of writing about this subject. I contemplated it a
long time before I decided to devote yet another column to the topic,
more or less airing the same arguments and thoughts.
Repetitions are often linked with folly because it sometimes is based
on the expectation that "this time, maybe a different result can come
of it." It does not, and the more the repetition, the more visible
the folly becomes.
Denying history and legislating history are two sides of the same
coin. It is what makes the ongoing charade between Ankara and Paris so
boring. Out there, in France, there is a president who plays politics
in an utterly populist manner. The tactics, the steps and all the
thoughts behind it belong to the past, yet he manages by using these
"demode" manners to gather a strong enough political will. Nicolas
Sarkozy does not care about teasing Turkey; he is only after as many
votes as he can find to remain in the seat, to be able to continue
his outdated politics. This is all his move towards criminalizing
the denial of the "Armenian genocide" is about. Not even Sarkozy, one
could argue, is certain himself that he has any moral consideration
about it at all.
Another boring aspect is the given reflexes of Ankara, so guaranteed
in its rhetoric, counter-moves and formations that its promises about
the same echo deep into the future. The government is threatening,
the opposition uniting and a chorus singing the same song, whose words
were learned by heart, without a heart. I was overwhelmed by a sense of
pity when I read yesterday that a large group of Turkish businessmen
-- all of them at a mature age by way of looking -- running about
in Paris to sing that same song and being prevented from doing so
by a hotel manager. Soon after pity, the feeling was that we are all
being forced to see this cheap, ugly drama which equals the lawmaker
in the French parliament and the boss in Turkish business. If they
all agree on a lose-lose solution, let them go on with it.
One can truly understand the grandchildren of Ottoman Armenians if
they feel content about the upcoming bill in Paris. They have been
waiting simply too long for a simple recognition of the grand crime of
humanity committed upon the orders of the militarist triumvirate --
Enver, Talat and Cemal Pashas -- which by majestic idiocy not only
caused a huge human tragedy but also demolished an empire. The least
Ankara can and must do is reach out to Armenians all over and tell
them that what these three enemies of humanity and their henchmen did
amounts to a crime and express a belated regret or, better, an apology.
But it cannot. For those still wondering why, I advise reading
the article by Markar Esayan in this newspaper titled "Why is it
difficult to confront 1915?" So at the moment, all we hope is to
see that day come in order to stop, as Vaclav Havel said, "a lie to
produce another lie."
At the moment, let them have it, the statesman, the politician and
the businessman. I have always been of the opinion that you cannot
legislate history and you should not criminalize the denial of
genocides. Sarkozy's is an irrational act, no doubt. It will cause
severe damage to academic freedom (it should therefore not be the
business circles of France, but its academia which should object, but
does not). It might cause problems if the implementation of the bill is
taken to the European court. That those denying 1915 as genocide will
be facing jail time while others denying, say, Srebrenica walk free
in France is simply a case for ridicule for that country. It will help
Sarkozy win votes, but put Turkish nationalism on the forefront again.
My thoughts at this moment go to the deceased and the survivors --
there are very few of them left -- whose scarred memory and grief
seem at a cheap auction again. It shows that history only repeats
itself; although the carnage of that time is no longer, hostage-taking
history feels the same. That is why having to write about this once
more leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
by YAVUZ BAYDAR
Today's Zaman
Dec 20 2011
Turkey
Do we need to go down the same path over and over again? With the move
in France regarding late Ottoman history, I belong to those who feel
extremely weary of writing about this subject. I contemplated it a
long time before I decided to devote yet another column to the topic,
more or less airing the same arguments and thoughts.
Repetitions are often linked with folly because it sometimes is based
on the expectation that "this time, maybe a different result can come
of it." It does not, and the more the repetition, the more visible
the folly becomes.
Denying history and legislating history are two sides of the same
coin. It is what makes the ongoing charade between Ankara and Paris so
boring. Out there, in France, there is a president who plays politics
in an utterly populist manner. The tactics, the steps and all the
thoughts behind it belong to the past, yet he manages by using these
"demode" manners to gather a strong enough political will. Nicolas
Sarkozy does not care about teasing Turkey; he is only after as many
votes as he can find to remain in the seat, to be able to continue
his outdated politics. This is all his move towards criminalizing
the denial of the "Armenian genocide" is about. Not even Sarkozy, one
could argue, is certain himself that he has any moral consideration
about it at all.
Another boring aspect is the given reflexes of Ankara, so guaranteed
in its rhetoric, counter-moves and formations that its promises about
the same echo deep into the future. The government is threatening,
the opposition uniting and a chorus singing the same song, whose words
were learned by heart, without a heart. I was overwhelmed by a sense of
pity when I read yesterday that a large group of Turkish businessmen
-- all of them at a mature age by way of looking -- running about
in Paris to sing that same song and being prevented from doing so
by a hotel manager. Soon after pity, the feeling was that we are all
being forced to see this cheap, ugly drama which equals the lawmaker
in the French parliament and the boss in Turkish business. If they
all agree on a lose-lose solution, let them go on with it.
One can truly understand the grandchildren of Ottoman Armenians if
they feel content about the upcoming bill in Paris. They have been
waiting simply too long for a simple recognition of the grand crime of
humanity committed upon the orders of the militarist triumvirate --
Enver, Talat and Cemal Pashas -- which by majestic idiocy not only
caused a huge human tragedy but also demolished an empire. The least
Ankara can and must do is reach out to Armenians all over and tell
them that what these three enemies of humanity and their henchmen did
amounts to a crime and express a belated regret or, better, an apology.
But it cannot. For those still wondering why, I advise reading
the article by Markar Esayan in this newspaper titled "Why is it
difficult to confront 1915?" So at the moment, all we hope is to
see that day come in order to stop, as Vaclav Havel said, "a lie to
produce another lie."
At the moment, let them have it, the statesman, the politician and
the businessman. I have always been of the opinion that you cannot
legislate history and you should not criminalize the denial of
genocides. Sarkozy's is an irrational act, no doubt. It will cause
severe damage to academic freedom (it should therefore not be the
business circles of France, but its academia which should object, but
does not). It might cause problems if the implementation of the bill is
taken to the European court. That those denying 1915 as genocide will
be facing jail time while others denying, say, Srebrenica walk free
in France is simply a case for ridicule for that country. It will help
Sarkozy win votes, but put Turkish nationalism on the forefront again.
My thoughts at this moment go to the deceased and the survivors --
there are very few of them left -- whose scarred memory and grief
seem at a cheap auction again. It shows that history only repeats
itself; although the carnage of that time is no longer, hostage-taking
history feels the same. That is why having to write about this once
more leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.