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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Feb 5 2012
Researchers reflect on Turkish- Armenian civil society activities
5 February 2012 / YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN, İSTANBUL
Civil society initiatives between Turkey and Armenia have flourished
during the last decade and a half, and researchers are shedding light
in a new study on whether or not these initiatives have been
effective.
In their introduction to the study, researchers Esra Çuhadar and Burcu
Gültekin Punsmann noted the Armenian-Turkish conflict is different
from other conflicts because there is no violence at the moment,
although the past is a violent one.
"Unlike in other peace-building contexts, preventing or ending
violence is not an issue. It is more about healing a broken
relationship, rebuilding trust and coming to terms with the past,
while also building positive and constructive relations between the
two neighboring states," the researchers stated in the study,
"Reflecting on the Two Decades of Bridging the Divide: Taking Stock of
Turkish-Armenian Civil Society Activities," published by the Economic
Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV). The study was conducted
with the support of the German Marshall Fund's Black Sea Trust for
Regional Cooperation.
As their driving questions, the researchers asked: "What can citizens
and civil societies do to positively contribute to this process? How
can they do better? Can we empower them in a way that they become a
positive driving force for their governments to make peace?"
The researchers first compiled a detailed inventory of all civil
society efforts carried out from 1995 to 2011. Then, they selected a
handful of these projects, especially ongoing ones, in order to do an
in-depth study and explore dynamics on the ground. The researchers
conducted two field trips, one to Yerevan in 2010 and another to
İstanbul in 2011, where they interviewed about 25 civil society
activists.
During the third stage of the project, they gathered in Ankara in July
2011 a smaller group of Armenian and Turkish practitioners from
Armenia, Turkey and the Armenian diaspora in order to have them
further discuss and elaborate on some of the themes identified.
"There have been some civil society initiatives that have been
connected to politics, and there have been some that have not been,"
said Gültekin Punsmann.
The study identified the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council
(TABDC), a private sector-driven initiative, as the first initiative
to open a track-two channel, or an unofficial diplomacy channel. TABDC
was co-founded in 1997 in Turkey and Armenia to foster creation of
trade links between the two countries, and TABDC played a significant
role in the shipment of earthquake aid from Armenia to Turkey in 1999.
According to the study, civil society activities between Turkey and
Armenia showed a sharp increase in 2001-2003, as this period coincided
with a large grant scheme funded by the US government. The Turkish
American Reconciliation Commission (TARC) was a high-profile
initiative during those years, and more than a dozen track-two
diplomacy projects between the two countries were implemented.
Then, another sudden upturn occurred in 2005 with the renewal of
activism at the official level, as Turkey's Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan and Armenia's President Robert Kocharian created the
impression of dialogue.
"A new momentum was indeed launched by two public proposals -- one
Turkish and one Armenian. Prime Minister Erdoğan, in his letter to
President Kocharian, called for the creation of a joint commission to
study the historical developments and events of 1915. This was
accompanied by President Kocharian's proposal for an
inter-governmental commission to meet and discuss all outstanding
issues between the two countries, with the aim of resolving them.
These would have to be sustained by practical steps aiming at the full
normalization of bilateral relations," the study noted.
The final steep surge in civil society initiatives occurred in 2008,
during the most publicized period, featuring football diplomacy marked
by the last negotiation initiative that led to the signing of two
protocols between Turkey and Armenia to normalize their relations and
open borders.
"Although there was another decline in 2009, most likely due to the
stumbling protocols, compared to the 1990s, the initiatives were still
at a historic high in 2010," the study stated.
In addition, the study noted that Turkish interest in Armenia and
Armenians increases in the spring, as there are activities that aim to
prevent the president of the United States from qualifying the
massacres of the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire as genocide in his
annual White House statement. On the other hand, during the same
period, Armenian activists mobilize for the opposite purpose.
"Armenian and Turkish diaspora organizations based in the US engage in
a frontal opposition. The period between mid-March and the end of
April is therefore the least favorable time for any Turkish-Armenian
initiative aiming at normalization or reconciliation," the study
stated.
When it comes to who carries out most of these civil society projects,
the study stated that most of the projects so far have been carried
out by grassroots-level participants, such as youth, artists and civil
society activists.
"In other conflicts too, it is quite common to see grassroots-level
initiatives more frequently than elite-level initiatives. This may be
for several reasons, but one is that a larger pool to draw from is
available at the grassroots level. Secondly, the inter-communal aspect
of some conflicts, like the Turkish-Armenian conflict, requires close
attention to the grassroots level," Gültekin Punsmann said.
However, one deficiency she pointed out in those initiatives is that
most projects target a group of people who are already convinced of
the need to develop Turkish-Armenian relations and have a keen
interest in discussing the issue. In that regard, the study stated
that new projects should go beyond this and include those groups that
have not been included before, such as women, nationalist and
conservative youth, and young entrepreneurs.
At the end, the study suggested the Turkish-Armenian peace-building
process in coming years should adopt a strategy that aims to build and
strengthen relationships; build the capacity of civil society and
organizations to better address the conflict; and create institutions
or processes to constructively address the conflict.
The priority activity of civil society has been relationship-building
so far, however, very little is known about their effectiveness.
Do they change attitudes? Do they improve relations? There needs to be
systematic assessments required by donors concerning
relationship-focused initiatives, the researchers pointed out.
Gültekin Punsmann said TEPAV will have civil society initiatives
involving Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in addition, it will
have more initiatives to solve trade problems between Turkey and
Armenia.
Study suggests activities for Turkish, Armenian civil society
TEPAV researchers recommended a series of activities for the civil
society actors from both Turkey and Armenia:
Build cross-border professional partnerships through practical
projects because they are more likely to involve mainstream actors.
Cooperation on trans-boundary issues, such as environmental protection
and public health, presents new possibilities for professional-level
cooperation.
Establish information channels between the two societies; these
information channels need to be not only free of prejudice but also
strengthened and institutionalized.
Establish a new high-level track-two process to jump start the frozen
negotiations: Aside from TARC, the researchers haven't come across a
similar initiative. Now that the track-one level is stuck, it is the
right time to start a TARC-like high-level track two.
Assist in the rediscovery of the common past and shared memory with
Turkish-Armenian cross-border initiatives. Even the most technical
ones allow a re-reading of the past that binds peoples of the region
together. Furthermore, unraveling the shared memory and the common
past before 1915 will create a new cognitive space for the two
societies, which hold extremely polarized views at the moment.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Feb 5 2012
Researchers reflect on Turkish- Armenian civil society activities
5 February 2012 / YONCA POYRAZ DOĞAN, İSTANBUL
Civil society initiatives between Turkey and Armenia have flourished
during the last decade and a half, and researchers are shedding light
in a new study on whether or not these initiatives have been
effective.
In their introduction to the study, researchers Esra Çuhadar and Burcu
Gültekin Punsmann noted the Armenian-Turkish conflict is different
from other conflicts because there is no violence at the moment,
although the past is a violent one.
"Unlike in other peace-building contexts, preventing or ending
violence is not an issue. It is more about healing a broken
relationship, rebuilding trust and coming to terms with the past,
while also building positive and constructive relations between the
two neighboring states," the researchers stated in the study,
"Reflecting on the Two Decades of Bridging the Divide: Taking Stock of
Turkish-Armenian Civil Society Activities," published by the Economic
Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV). The study was conducted
with the support of the German Marshall Fund's Black Sea Trust for
Regional Cooperation.
As their driving questions, the researchers asked: "What can citizens
and civil societies do to positively contribute to this process? How
can they do better? Can we empower them in a way that they become a
positive driving force for their governments to make peace?"
The researchers first compiled a detailed inventory of all civil
society efforts carried out from 1995 to 2011. Then, they selected a
handful of these projects, especially ongoing ones, in order to do an
in-depth study and explore dynamics on the ground. The researchers
conducted two field trips, one to Yerevan in 2010 and another to
İstanbul in 2011, where they interviewed about 25 civil society
activists.
During the third stage of the project, they gathered in Ankara in July
2011 a smaller group of Armenian and Turkish practitioners from
Armenia, Turkey and the Armenian diaspora in order to have them
further discuss and elaborate on some of the themes identified.
"There have been some civil society initiatives that have been
connected to politics, and there have been some that have not been,"
said Gültekin Punsmann.
The study identified the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council
(TABDC), a private sector-driven initiative, as the first initiative
to open a track-two channel, or an unofficial diplomacy channel. TABDC
was co-founded in 1997 in Turkey and Armenia to foster creation of
trade links between the two countries, and TABDC played a significant
role in the shipment of earthquake aid from Armenia to Turkey in 1999.
According to the study, civil society activities between Turkey and
Armenia showed a sharp increase in 2001-2003, as this period coincided
with a large grant scheme funded by the US government. The Turkish
American Reconciliation Commission (TARC) was a high-profile
initiative during those years, and more than a dozen track-two
diplomacy projects between the two countries were implemented.
Then, another sudden upturn occurred in 2005 with the renewal of
activism at the official level, as Turkey's Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan and Armenia's President Robert Kocharian created the
impression of dialogue.
"A new momentum was indeed launched by two public proposals -- one
Turkish and one Armenian. Prime Minister Erdoğan, in his letter to
President Kocharian, called for the creation of a joint commission to
study the historical developments and events of 1915. This was
accompanied by President Kocharian's proposal for an
inter-governmental commission to meet and discuss all outstanding
issues between the two countries, with the aim of resolving them.
These would have to be sustained by practical steps aiming at the full
normalization of bilateral relations," the study noted.
The final steep surge in civil society initiatives occurred in 2008,
during the most publicized period, featuring football diplomacy marked
by the last negotiation initiative that led to the signing of two
protocols between Turkey and Armenia to normalize their relations and
open borders.
"Although there was another decline in 2009, most likely due to the
stumbling protocols, compared to the 1990s, the initiatives were still
at a historic high in 2010," the study stated.
In addition, the study noted that Turkish interest in Armenia and
Armenians increases in the spring, as there are activities that aim to
prevent the president of the United States from qualifying the
massacres of the Armenians of the Ottoman Empire as genocide in his
annual White House statement. On the other hand, during the same
period, Armenian activists mobilize for the opposite purpose.
"Armenian and Turkish diaspora organizations based in the US engage in
a frontal opposition. The period between mid-March and the end of
April is therefore the least favorable time for any Turkish-Armenian
initiative aiming at normalization or reconciliation," the study
stated.
When it comes to who carries out most of these civil society projects,
the study stated that most of the projects so far have been carried
out by grassroots-level participants, such as youth, artists and civil
society activists.
"In other conflicts too, it is quite common to see grassroots-level
initiatives more frequently than elite-level initiatives. This may be
for several reasons, but one is that a larger pool to draw from is
available at the grassroots level. Secondly, the inter-communal aspect
of some conflicts, like the Turkish-Armenian conflict, requires close
attention to the grassroots level," Gültekin Punsmann said.
However, one deficiency she pointed out in those initiatives is that
most projects target a group of people who are already convinced of
the need to develop Turkish-Armenian relations and have a keen
interest in discussing the issue. In that regard, the study stated
that new projects should go beyond this and include those groups that
have not been included before, such as women, nationalist and
conservative youth, and young entrepreneurs.
At the end, the study suggested the Turkish-Armenian peace-building
process in coming years should adopt a strategy that aims to build and
strengthen relationships; build the capacity of civil society and
organizations to better address the conflict; and create institutions
or processes to constructively address the conflict.
The priority activity of civil society has been relationship-building
so far, however, very little is known about their effectiveness.
Do they change attitudes? Do they improve relations? There needs to be
systematic assessments required by donors concerning
relationship-focused initiatives, the researchers pointed out.
Gültekin Punsmann said TEPAV will have civil society initiatives
involving Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in addition, it will
have more initiatives to solve trade problems between Turkey and
Armenia.
Study suggests activities for Turkish, Armenian civil society
TEPAV researchers recommended a series of activities for the civil
society actors from both Turkey and Armenia:
Build cross-border professional partnerships through practical
projects because they are more likely to involve mainstream actors.
Cooperation on trans-boundary issues, such as environmental protection
and public health, presents new possibilities for professional-level
cooperation.
Establish information channels between the two societies; these
information channels need to be not only free of prejudice but also
strengthened and institutionalized.
Establish a new high-level track-two process to jump start the frozen
negotiations: Aside from TARC, the researchers haven't come across a
similar initiative. Now that the track-one level is stuck, it is the
right time to start a TARC-like high-level track two.
Assist in the rediscovery of the common past and shared memory with
Turkish-Armenian cross-border initiatives. Even the most technical
ones allow a re-reading of the past that binds peoples of the region
together. Furthermore, unraveling the shared memory and the common
past before 1915 will create a new cognitive space for the two
societies, which hold extremely polarized views at the moment.
0
Post your comments / Share your thoughts
Display Name (What's this) Your e-mail address
Comment (Required) Characters Remaining:
Enter the following code:
Refresh
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are
on-topic and not abusive. For more in formation, please see our
Comments FAQ.
National Other Titles
'General Staff knew Uludere victims were civilians ahead of strike'
Match-fixing prosecutor may be investigated over privacy violation
Five PKK terrorists killed in southeast Turkey
General Staff promises legal action over BDP's 'herding' remark
Kozinoğlu's death was not caused by heart attack, preliminary forensic
report shows
Illegal foreign gambling websites threatening Turkey
Girl sold by father found in Sivas, reports say
Minister Nihat Ergün says Uludere was caused by error
Woman found dead under bridge in Gaziantep province
Anter: Not acknowledging Kurdish question makes it worse
Gov't pushes for new law to prevent terrorism financing
Ibrahim: Turkey gives Muslim world hope in the Arab Spring
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress