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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 23 2011
`A monstrous violation'
SEMİH İDİZ
By the time this commentary is out it should be clearer whether
Turkish-French relations are going to take a nose dive or if a sense
of reality has prevailed in Paris. The expectation at the time of
writing was for the worst.
This commentary is therefore based on the assumption that the bill in
the French Parliament ` which aims to severely punish anyone denying
that an Armenian genocide happened ` has passed and is now headed for
the Senate.
Even if it is held up in the Senate, this issue will remain a deadly
virus in ties between Ankara and Paris at a time when level-headed
French politicians are calling for deeper cooperation with an
increasingly influential Turkey.
It is of course highly cynical for the Turkish government to base its
campaign against France on the tenet of the freedom of expression.
Looking at the remarks from various ministers one would think Turkey
has the best record in this regard.
Let alone those like Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, who have been legally
hounded in the past for remarks about the Armenian issue, even current
events suffice to show where this country stands in this respect. But
one does not have to be pro-Turkish or anti-Armenian to understand
that this French attempt amounts to curbing free speech.
The best proof of this is the editorial in Dec. 21's Los Angeles Times
(LAT). Pointing to this development in France, the paper said, `If
stating even an incorrect view of history is a crime, it amounts to
pre-emptive censorship. The bill should be voted down.'
This is significant coming from a newspaper out of Los Angeles where
an influential Armenian community lives. The paper nevertheless
indicates that what is important here is not Turkish touchiness or
Ankara's warnings of a diplomatic rupture with countries using the
term `genocide.'
`That's not the reason to oppose the bill. The reason the French bill
deserves condemnation is that it would be a monstrous violation of
free speech,' it said, adding the following:
`Some would say that it's presumptuous for Americans to lecture the
people of a fellow democracy about the rights they accord their
citizens. But robust freedom of expression isn't some American fetish.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says:
`Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers.''
The Armenian issue is not as much of a taboo in Turkey as it was a
mere five years ago. There is a public discussion that may be
acrimonious at times but which nevertheless goes on with new
revelations. The Armenian Church in Turkey is currently interacting
with the government unlike any other time. There are also increasing
contacts between Turks and Armenians from Armenia today on various
levels.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's political whims also threaten to overturn
this already difficult trend and restore nationalist feelings of
enmity between the two nations. Turks say, `It takes one madman to
throw a stone in a well, but a hundred wise men to try and take it
out.'
Leaving aside his personal hatred for Turkey, which he has never
hidden, it seems Mr. Sarkozy does not even see the precedent he is
creating for his own country, which can hardly be said to have the
cleanest of histories. It's almost as if the ghost of Louis the XV has
been revived and is saying, `Après moi le deluge.'
December/23/2011
Dec 23 2011
`A monstrous violation'
SEMİH İDİZ
By the time this commentary is out it should be clearer whether
Turkish-French relations are going to take a nose dive or if a sense
of reality has prevailed in Paris. The expectation at the time of
writing was for the worst.
This commentary is therefore based on the assumption that the bill in
the French Parliament ` which aims to severely punish anyone denying
that an Armenian genocide happened ` has passed and is now headed for
the Senate.
Even if it is held up in the Senate, this issue will remain a deadly
virus in ties between Ankara and Paris at a time when level-headed
French politicians are calling for deeper cooperation with an
increasingly influential Turkey.
It is of course highly cynical for the Turkish government to base its
campaign against France on the tenet of the freedom of expression.
Looking at the remarks from various ministers one would think Turkey
has the best record in this regard.
Let alone those like Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk, who have been legally
hounded in the past for remarks about the Armenian issue, even current
events suffice to show where this country stands in this respect. But
one does not have to be pro-Turkish or anti-Armenian to understand
that this French attempt amounts to curbing free speech.
The best proof of this is the editorial in Dec. 21's Los Angeles Times
(LAT). Pointing to this development in France, the paper said, `If
stating even an incorrect view of history is a crime, it amounts to
pre-emptive censorship. The bill should be voted down.'
This is significant coming from a newspaper out of Los Angeles where
an influential Armenian community lives. The paper nevertheless
indicates that what is important here is not Turkish touchiness or
Ankara's warnings of a diplomatic rupture with countries using the
term `genocide.'
`That's not the reason to oppose the bill. The reason the French bill
deserves condemnation is that it would be a monstrous violation of
free speech,' it said, adding the following:
`Some would say that it's presumptuous for Americans to lecture the
people of a fellow democracy about the rights they accord their
citizens. But robust freedom of expression isn't some American fetish.
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says:
`Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this
right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to
seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers.''
The Armenian issue is not as much of a taboo in Turkey as it was a
mere five years ago. There is a public discussion that may be
acrimonious at times but which nevertheless goes on with new
revelations. The Armenian Church in Turkey is currently interacting
with the government unlike any other time. There are also increasing
contacts between Turks and Armenians from Armenia today on various
levels.
President Nicolas Sarkozy's political whims also threaten to overturn
this already difficult trend and restore nationalist feelings of
enmity between the two nations. Turks say, `It takes one madman to
throw a stone in a well, but a hundred wise men to try and take it
out.'
Leaving aside his personal hatred for Turkey, which he has never
hidden, it seems Mr. Sarkozy does not even see the precedent he is
creating for his own country, which can hardly be said to have the
cleanest of histories. It's almost as if the ghost of Louis the XV has
been revived and is saying, `Après moi le deluge.'
December/23/2011