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TURKISH CITIZENS SIGN PETITION AGAINST DENIALIST EXHIBIT IN DENMARK
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/12/18/turkish-citizens-sign-petition-against-denialist-exhibit-in-denmark/
December 18, 2012
ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)-In response to official statements that the
Royal Library of Denmark has agreed "to balance" an Armenian genocide
exhibition by allowing the Turkish government to mount its own,
"alternative" exhibit, a group of Turkish citizens-including academics,
writers, Members of Parliament, and mayors-have signed an open letter
to the Royal Library, which the Armenian Weekly publishes below in
full. (For a news report from Denmark on the matter, click here.)
The Royal Library of Denmark Don't Stand Against Turkey's
Democratization and Confrontation with its History!
The individuals whose signatures appear below have been distressed
to learn that the Royal Library of Denmark has given the Turkish
government the opportunity to present an "alternative exhibit" in
response to the Armenian Genocide exhibition.
It is incorrect to suggest that two different views of what happened
in 1915 are possible. Over one million Ottoman Armenian citizens
were forced out of their homes and annihilated in furtherance of an
intentional state policy. What exists today is nothing other than
the blatant denial of this reality by the Turkish government.
An honest reckoning with history is the non-negotiable precondition
of a true democracy. The Turkish government has been suppressing
historic truths and following a policy of denial for more than 90
years. In response to the many intellectuals in the nation who have
urged the government to confront history honestly, this systematic
suppression and intimidation policy, which reached its zenith with
the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, continues unabated.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in several cases on this
subject against Turkey's position and actions.
By giving the Turkish government the opportunity to present an
"alternative exhibit", you support their policy of suppression and
intimidation. The support that you are extending to a regime that
has made opposition to confronting history and denial of the truth
a fundamental principle is equivalent to supporting a regime of
apartheid. We want to remind you that your support constitutes an
obstacle to democratization efforts in Turkey today.
There is a regional aspect of this policy also. Peace, democracy and
stability in the Middle East will only come about through regimes
that are willing to confront history honestly. Through its position
of denying historical truths, Turkey represents an obstacle to the
development of peace, democracy and stability in the Middle East. We,
citizens fighting for a democratic Turkey, urge you to reconsider your
decision to grant the Turkish government the opportunity to present an
"alternative exhibit" and withdraw the offer immediately and we invite
you to join and support the democratic civil initiatives demanding
that Turkey confront its history honestly.
Fikret Adan覺r (professor of history), Taner Akcam (professor of
history), Ayhan Aktar (professor of sociology), Cengiz Aktar (professor
of political science), Cengiz Algan (The DurDe civic initiative),
Ahmet Altan (Chief Editor Taraf Newspaper), Maya Arakon (professor
of political science), Oya Baydar (Writer), Yavuz Baydar (Columnist
Todays Zaman Newspaper), Osman Baydemir (mayor of Diyarbak覺r),
Murat Belge (professor of litterature), Halil Berktay (professor of
history), 襤smail Be癬_ikci (professor of sociology), Hamit Bozaslan
(professor of political science), 襤pek Cal覺癬_lar (Writer), Oral
Cal覺癬_lar (Columnist Radikal Newspaper), Ayd覺n Engin (founding
Editor T24 webnews), Fatma Muge G繹cek (professor of sociology),
Nilufer G繹le (professor of sociology), 襤癬_tar G繹zayd覺n (professor
of law and politic), Gencay Gursoy (professor of medicine) Ay癬_e Hur
(historian, columnist Radical newspaper), Ahmet 襤nsel (professor
of economics), Ay癬_e Kad覺oglu (professor of political science),
Gulten Kaya (music producer), Umit K覺vanc (writer), Omer Laciner
(chief Editor Birikim Review), Roni Margulies (Poet), Bask覺n Oran
(professor of political science), Cem Ozdemir (Co-chair German Green
Party), Esra Mungan (professor of psychology), S覺rr覺 Sak覺k (MP),
Betul Tanbay (professor of mathematics), Zeynep Tanbay (choreographer),
Turgut Tarhanl覺 (professor of international law), Ufuk Uras (Former
MP), 癬^anar Yurdatapan (Initiative for Freedom of Expression).
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2012/12/18/turkish-citizens-sign-petition-against-denialist-exhibit-in-denmark/
December 18, 2012
ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)-In response to official statements that the
Royal Library of Denmark has agreed "to balance" an Armenian genocide
exhibition by allowing the Turkish government to mount its own,
"alternative" exhibit, a group of Turkish citizens-including academics,
writers, Members of Parliament, and mayors-have signed an open letter
to the Royal Library, which the Armenian Weekly publishes below in
full. (For a news report from Denmark on the matter, click here.)
The Royal Library of Denmark Don't Stand Against Turkey's
Democratization and Confrontation with its History!
The individuals whose signatures appear below have been distressed
to learn that the Royal Library of Denmark has given the Turkish
government the opportunity to present an "alternative exhibit" in
response to the Armenian Genocide exhibition.
It is incorrect to suggest that two different views of what happened
in 1915 are possible. Over one million Ottoman Armenian citizens
were forced out of their homes and annihilated in furtherance of an
intentional state policy. What exists today is nothing other than
the blatant denial of this reality by the Turkish government.
An honest reckoning with history is the non-negotiable precondition
of a true democracy. The Turkish government has been suppressing
historic truths and following a policy of denial for more than 90
years. In response to the many intellectuals in the nation who have
urged the government to confront history honestly, this systematic
suppression and intimidation policy, which reached its zenith with
the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink in 2007, continues unabated.
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in several cases on this
subject against Turkey's position and actions.
By giving the Turkish government the opportunity to present an
"alternative exhibit", you support their policy of suppression and
intimidation. The support that you are extending to a regime that
has made opposition to confronting history and denial of the truth
a fundamental principle is equivalent to supporting a regime of
apartheid. We want to remind you that your support constitutes an
obstacle to democratization efforts in Turkey today.
There is a regional aspect of this policy also. Peace, democracy and
stability in the Middle East will only come about through regimes
that are willing to confront history honestly. Through its position
of denying historical truths, Turkey represents an obstacle to the
development of peace, democracy and stability in the Middle East. We,
citizens fighting for a democratic Turkey, urge you to reconsider your
decision to grant the Turkish government the opportunity to present an
"alternative exhibit" and withdraw the offer immediately and we invite
you to join and support the democratic civil initiatives demanding
that Turkey confront its history honestly.
Fikret Adan覺r (professor of history), Taner Akcam (professor of
history), Ayhan Aktar (professor of sociology), Cengiz Aktar (professor
of political science), Cengiz Algan (The DurDe civic initiative),
Ahmet Altan (Chief Editor Taraf Newspaper), Maya Arakon (professor
of political science), Oya Baydar (Writer), Yavuz Baydar (Columnist
Todays Zaman Newspaper), Osman Baydemir (mayor of Diyarbak覺r),
Murat Belge (professor of litterature), Halil Berktay (professor of
history), 襤smail Be癬_ikci (professor of sociology), Hamit Bozaslan
(professor of political science), 襤pek Cal覺癬_lar (Writer), Oral
Cal覺癬_lar (Columnist Radikal Newspaper), Ayd覺n Engin (founding
Editor T24 webnews), Fatma Muge G繹cek (professor of sociology),
Nilufer G繹le (professor of sociology), 襤癬_tar G繹zayd覺n (professor
of law and politic), Gencay Gursoy (professor of medicine) Ay癬_e Hur
(historian, columnist Radical newspaper), Ahmet 襤nsel (professor
of economics), Ay癬_e Kad覺oglu (professor of political science),
Gulten Kaya (music producer), Umit K覺vanc (writer), Omer Laciner
(chief Editor Birikim Review), Roni Margulies (Poet), Bask覺n Oran
(professor of political science), Cem Ozdemir (Co-chair German Green
Party), Esra Mungan (professor of psychology), S覺rr覺 Sak覺k (MP),
Betul Tanbay (professor of mathematics), Zeynep Tanbay (choreographer),
Turgut Tarhanl覺 (professor of international law), Ufuk Uras (Former
MP), 癬^anar Yurdatapan (Initiative for Freedom of Expression).