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TURKEY'S 90TH ANNIVERSARY: BLOODY PAST, UNCERTAIN FUTURE
October 29, 2013 - 17:55 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Ankara marks the 90th anniversary of the proclamation
of the Turkish Republic on October 29. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who
massacred the Greek population of Smyrna (Izmir) and dethroned the
last, 36th Sultan Mehmed Vahideddin, proclaimed the Turkish Republic
in 1923.
"Kemal celebrated his triumph by reducing Smyrna to ashes and
slaughtering the Christian population there," Winston Churchill said
upon proclamation of the Republic.
Built on the blood and bones of the Christian population of the
Ottoman Empire, present-day Turkey is not much better than its founding
father. It was Ataturk who initiated the policy of nationalism, with
the phrase How happy is the one who says "I am Turkish" (Ne mutlu
Turkum diyene!) as its motto, which, however, became non-obligatory
in the country's schools according to a new package of reforms.
Ataturk has done a lot for his country by cancelling the caliphate,
orders of Dervishes, veils, giving equal rights to women and family
names to Turks. Still, Turkey remains a cruel and authoritarian
country, where democracy and European values remain mere talk, with
Erdogan coming to replace Ataturk.
The celebrations went as usual: after President Abdullah Gul laid a
wreath on Ataturk's tomb, he stood with other attendees for National
Anthem.
"As we approach our country's centennial anniversary, our gains [and
successes instill a sense of] pride in us, [as we bear witness to
Turkey's] rise in all fields and its development as a global center,"
Gul's entry in the special guestbook at Anıtkabir mausoleum said.
Turkey, however, forgot all about the Treaty of Lausanne signed in
Switzerland on July 24, 1923. The treaty not only recognized Turkey's
independence, but also stipulated for the country to lift military
defenses in Black Sea straits. The oil-rich province of Mosul, which
was part of the Ottoman Empire, was annexed to Iraq.
Greece was obligated to compensate the damages inflicted on Anatolia
through actions of Hellenic army. On the other hand, Turkey,
considering the situation Greece was in, refused any reparation
claims. Ethnic Greeks were evicted from every Turkish territory except
Constantinople. Currently, around 4000 Greeks reside in Istanbul.
Turkey caused Tripe Entente to abandon the idea of forming a 'national
center' for Armenians. Out of 2 million of Armenians once residing
in the Ottoman Empire, 60-70 thousand currently living in Istanbul
remained.
Today, Turkey faces a choice to either follow Kemal's covenants or turn
the country into an Islamic republic. The General Staff responsible for
decision-making no longer exists; instead, the Justice and Development
Party (Ð~PÐ~ZÐ ) or rather, its chair Recep Tayyip Erdogan are in
charge. True, if Turkey were to resolve the Kurdish issue, peace
may come into the country. Yet Kurds, determined to defend their
independence, are demanding autonomy.
With bloody past and uncertain future, Turkish Republic starts
its last decade ahead of its 100th anniversary. 10 years is a lot,
especially if events veer off the Erdogan-planned course. And the
next year's elections will show if they will.
Karine Ter-Sahakian/ PanARMENIAN.Net
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/171924/
October 29, 2013 - 17:55 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Ankara marks the 90th anniversary of the proclamation
of the Turkish Republic on October 29. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who
massacred the Greek population of Smyrna (Izmir) and dethroned the
last, 36th Sultan Mehmed Vahideddin, proclaimed the Turkish Republic
in 1923.
"Kemal celebrated his triumph by reducing Smyrna to ashes and
slaughtering the Christian population there," Winston Churchill said
upon proclamation of the Republic.
Built on the blood and bones of the Christian population of the
Ottoman Empire, present-day Turkey is not much better than its founding
father. It was Ataturk who initiated the policy of nationalism, with
the phrase How happy is the one who says "I am Turkish" (Ne mutlu
Turkum diyene!) as its motto, which, however, became non-obligatory
in the country's schools according to a new package of reforms.
Ataturk has done a lot for his country by cancelling the caliphate,
orders of Dervishes, veils, giving equal rights to women and family
names to Turks. Still, Turkey remains a cruel and authoritarian
country, where democracy and European values remain mere talk, with
Erdogan coming to replace Ataturk.
The celebrations went as usual: after President Abdullah Gul laid a
wreath on Ataturk's tomb, he stood with other attendees for National
Anthem.
"As we approach our country's centennial anniversary, our gains [and
successes instill a sense of] pride in us, [as we bear witness to
Turkey's] rise in all fields and its development as a global center,"
Gul's entry in the special guestbook at Anıtkabir mausoleum said.
Turkey, however, forgot all about the Treaty of Lausanne signed in
Switzerland on July 24, 1923. The treaty not only recognized Turkey's
independence, but also stipulated for the country to lift military
defenses in Black Sea straits. The oil-rich province of Mosul, which
was part of the Ottoman Empire, was annexed to Iraq.
Greece was obligated to compensate the damages inflicted on Anatolia
through actions of Hellenic army. On the other hand, Turkey,
considering the situation Greece was in, refused any reparation
claims. Ethnic Greeks were evicted from every Turkish territory except
Constantinople. Currently, around 4000 Greeks reside in Istanbul.
Turkey caused Tripe Entente to abandon the idea of forming a 'national
center' for Armenians. Out of 2 million of Armenians once residing
in the Ottoman Empire, 60-70 thousand currently living in Istanbul
remained.
Today, Turkey faces a choice to either follow Kemal's covenants or turn
the country into an Islamic republic. The General Staff responsible for
decision-making no longer exists; instead, the Justice and Development
Party (Ð~PÐ~ZÐ ) or rather, its chair Recep Tayyip Erdogan are in
charge. True, if Turkey were to resolve the Kurdish issue, peace
may come into the country. Yet Kurds, determined to defend their
independence, are demanding autonomy.
With bloody past and uncertain future, Turkish Republic starts
its last decade ahead of its 100th anniversary. 10 years is a lot,
especially if events veer off the Erdogan-planned course. And the
next year's elections will show if they will.
Karine Ter-Sahakian/ PanARMENIAN.Net
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/171924/