Tweet
MASSACRES AND DENIAL, THEN AND NOW
MetroWest Daily News
Dec 12 2014
by MARTIN DEMOORJIAN
An earlier article about the waning interest in the First World War
creates this opportunity to write of another nearly forgotten and
notable part of the period, the 1915 Armenian Massacres. Like that of
the First World War, today there is anti-Armenian sentiment in Turkey
and Azerbaijan that escapes under the radar for political expediency.
Recently, the Azerbaijani military shot down an unarmed
Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter on a military training exercise, killing
all on board. Within hours of this fatal assault Azerbaijani leaders
awarded a military medal to the unit commander who shot down the
unarmed aircraft. Just like President Ilham Aliyev had earlier pardoned
Azeri soldier Ramil Safarov and made him a hero after he killed an
Armenian soldier by axing him in the back.
The downing of the helicopter is a violation of the 1994-cease fire
agreement showing an escalation of violence by Azerbaijan. A ceasefire
that was requested by Azerbaijan's then President Heydar Aliyev with
Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh.
Azerbaijan has several times officially threatened to shoot
down Armenian civilian passenger aircraft flying in or out of
Nagorno-Karabagh capital's Stepanakert Airport when it reopens.
Shooting down civilian aircraft is terrorism. And shooting down
an unarmed helicopter and axing a soldier in the back exemplifies
Azerbaijan's evilness.
There has been international criticism of Azerbaijan's worsening
domestic situation. Organizations such as the Human Rights Watch,
Amnesty International, Journalists without Borders have condemned
the government's actions and called for international sanctions. In
believe the United States should cut off military aid to Baku like
we did with Iran otherwise we condone their behavior.
The Minsk Group, a consortium to establish peace between
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, expressed 'serious concern' over
the attack. This generic wording places equal blame on both sides
and addresses the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan of their
responsibilities to respect the ceasefire and honor the commitments
made to find a peaceful resolution to their differences, apparently
this means little to today's untrustworthy President of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan's economy has been reliant on oil exports that have
decreased since 2010. The decline in world oil prices combined with
reduction of oil output have put pressure on the state, exacerbating
its inability to develop other export industries due to high exchange
rates caused by heavy reliance on oil income. I doubt the oil companies
want any war that can jeopardize their investments.
Intensifying violence is perhaps what Azerbaijan wants to eventually
reap concessions in exchange for de-escalation. Craziness of politics
probably not exclusive to only this region.
Turkey and Azerbaijan are aware of the forthcoming centennial of the
1915 Armenian Massacres. To further promote hatred, Turkey's Gazi
University, in collaboration with the Embassy of Azerbaijan, initiated
a poster competition that encourages participants interested in human
rights to design artworks on the theme of Armenian Persecutions of
Turks and Azerbaijanis. The competition is propaganda falsifying
Turkish history claiming Armenians committed genocide against Turks
and Azerbaijanis. This should question the integrity of Turkey
and Azerbaijan's academic institutions and the caliber of their
professors. How dark and broad the information blackout must be for
these supposedly educated people to be involved in this absurdity
which does not agree with the plethora of international news reports
of the time. They are lying to their own people and some know it.
Turkey's genocidal past is reflected in their distorted reference to
the 1915 Armenian Massacres of World War I, that some today identify
as the Armenian Genocide. There are very many facts that contradict
Turkey's ridiculous claims.
January on the anniversary of the assassination of Hrant Dink, a
Turkish-Armenian journalist, by an ultra-nationalist Turkish youth
in Istanbul. Hrant Dink's life message was about moving past hatred
and revenge for both Armenians and Turks.
This poster competition shows Turkey's true colors, not unlike its
lack of responsiveness to fight ISIS terrorism in that region along
with recent attacks on Kobani by ISIS from Turkey; too many talk out
of both sides of the mouth in that part of the world.
A simple fact makes it obvious that Turks killed Armenians is Turks
and not Armenians live in eastern Turkey or what today would be
Western Armenia.
Turkey presents itself as a secular modern democratic country yet it
commits human rights abuses against its minorities. It is not very
democratic when derogatory remarks about the Turkish culture, nation,
government, or Islamic religion gets one thrown in jail. Just saying
the words Armenian Genocide in public can get one put in prison or
worse, as Hrant Dink's murder proves. It is reported that Turkey has
the highest number of imprisoned journalists of any country. There
has also been recent anti-American activity against U.S. sailors in
port in Turkey by a small group, which can go unnoticed and foment
a growing disdain for the United States.
I want to think better of Turks and suspect there are those who find
such events absurd and repugnant while those in power vehemently
defend such hatred.
This is the opportunity for Armenians and others to paint truthful
posters depicting the Armenian, Greek and Kurdish genocides and present
them to Turkish embassies worldwide initiating its own competition
for the best poster representing the centennial of the 1915 Armenian
Massacres/Armenian Genocide in 2015.
The Jewish Daily Forward reported that Noam Neusner, former chief
speechwriter on policy issues for President Bush and White House
liaison to the Jewish community, was hired by the government of Turkey
to promote ties with Jewish groups in the U.S. and urging them to
oppose Armenian Genocide Resolutions which would have recognized
the 1915 Armenian Massacres as genocide. Such effort to manipulate
his people has divided Jewish Americans and caused a rift in the
Anti-Defamation League, known for its lobbying against Congressional
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Armenians have some unseen
enemies that can create trust issues no different than it would
for others.
This is a moral issue for which there is no wiggle room on genocide
denial, just as on Holocaust denial. As such, all things pass with
time when we fail to remember the history.
World War I was about the politics of commerce, taking over people's
colonies and mutual defense agreements. Almost 100 years apart,
then and now, it's all politics.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20141211/OPINION/141218613/2011/OPINION
From: Baghdasarian
MetroWest Daily News
Dec 12 2014
by MARTIN DEMOORJIAN
An earlier article about the waning interest in the First World War
creates this opportunity to write of another nearly forgotten and
notable part of the period, the 1915 Armenian Massacres. Like that of
the First World War, today there is anti-Armenian sentiment in Turkey
and Azerbaijan that escapes under the radar for political expediency.
Recently, the Azerbaijani military shot down an unarmed
Nagorno-Karabakh helicopter on a military training exercise, killing
all on board. Within hours of this fatal assault Azerbaijani leaders
awarded a military medal to the unit commander who shot down the
unarmed aircraft. Just like President Ilham Aliyev had earlier pardoned
Azeri soldier Ramil Safarov and made him a hero after he killed an
Armenian soldier by axing him in the back.
The downing of the helicopter is a violation of the 1994-cease fire
agreement showing an escalation of violence by Azerbaijan. A ceasefire
that was requested by Azerbaijan's then President Heydar Aliyev with
Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh.
Azerbaijan has several times officially threatened to shoot
down Armenian civilian passenger aircraft flying in or out of
Nagorno-Karabagh capital's Stepanakert Airport when it reopens.
Shooting down civilian aircraft is terrorism. And shooting down
an unarmed helicopter and axing a soldier in the back exemplifies
Azerbaijan's evilness.
There has been international criticism of Azerbaijan's worsening
domestic situation. Organizations such as the Human Rights Watch,
Amnesty International, Journalists without Borders have condemned
the government's actions and called for international sanctions. In
believe the United States should cut off military aid to Baku like
we did with Iran otherwise we condone their behavior.
The Minsk Group, a consortium to establish peace between
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, expressed 'serious concern' over
the attack. This generic wording places equal blame on both sides
and addresses the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan of their
responsibilities to respect the ceasefire and honor the commitments
made to find a peaceful resolution to their differences, apparently
this means little to today's untrustworthy President of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan's economy has been reliant on oil exports that have
decreased since 2010. The decline in world oil prices combined with
reduction of oil output have put pressure on the state, exacerbating
its inability to develop other export industries due to high exchange
rates caused by heavy reliance on oil income. I doubt the oil companies
want any war that can jeopardize their investments.
Intensifying violence is perhaps what Azerbaijan wants to eventually
reap concessions in exchange for de-escalation. Craziness of politics
probably not exclusive to only this region.
Turkey and Azerbaijan are aware of the forthcoming centennial of the
1915 Armenian Massacres. To further promote hatred, Turkey's Gazi
University, in collaboration with the Embassy of Azerbaijan, initiated
a poster competition that encourages participants interested in human
rights to design artworks on the theme of Armenian Persecutions of
Turks and Azerbaijanis. The competition is propaganda falsifying
Turkish history claiming Armenians committed genocide against Turks
and Azerbaijanis. This should question the integrity of Turkey
and Azerbaijan's academic institutions and the caliber of their
professors. How dark and broad the information blackout must be for
these supposedly educated people to be involved in this absurdity
which does not agree with the plethora of international news reports
of the time. They are lying to their own people and some know it.
Turkey's genocidal past is reflected in their distorted reference to
the 1915 Armenian Massacres of World War I, that some today identify
as the Armenian Genocide. There are very many facts that contradict
Turkey's ridiculous claims.
January on the anniversary of the assassination of Hrant Dink, a
Turkish-Armenian journalist, by an ultra-nationalist Turkish youth
in Istanbul. Hrant Dink's life message was about moving past hatred
and revenge for both Armenians and Turks.
This poster competition shows Turkey's true colors, not unlike its
lack of responsiveness to fight ISIS terrorism in that region along
with recent attacks on Kobani by ISIS from Turkey; too many talk out
of both sides of the mouth in that part of the world.
A simple fact makes it obvious that Turks killed Armenians is Turks
and not Armenians live in eastern Turkey or what today would be
Western Armenia.
Turkey presents itself as a secular modern democratic country yet it
commits human rights abuses against its minorities. It is not very
democratic when derogatory remarks about the Turkish culture, nation,
government, or Islamic religion gets one thrown in jail. Just saying
the words Armenian Genocide in public can get one put in prison or
worse, as Hrant Dink's murder proves. It is reported that Turkey has
the highest number of imprisoned journalists of any country. There
has also been recent anti-American activity against U.S. sailors in
port in Turkey by a small group, which can go unnoticed and foment
a growing disdain for the United States.
I want to think better of Turks and suspect there are those who find
such events absurd and repugnant while those in power vehemently
defend such hatred.
This is the opportunity for Armenians and others to paint truthful
posters depicting the Armenian, Greek and Kurdish genocides and present
them to Turkish embassies worldwide initiating its own competition
for the best poster representing the centennial of the 1915 Armenian
Massacres/Armenian Genocide in 2015.
The Jewish Daily Forward reported that Noam Neusner, former chief
speechwriter on policy issues for President Bush and White House
liaison to the Jewish community, was hired by the government of Turkey
to promote ties with Jewish groups in the U.S. and urging them to
oppose Armenian Genocide Resolutions which would have recognized
the 1915 Armenian Massacres as genocide. Such effort to manipulate
his people has divided Jewish Americans and caused a rift in the
Anti-Defamation League, known for its lobbying against Congressional
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Armenians have some unseen
enemies that can create trust issues no different than it would
for others.
This is a moral issue for which there is no wiggle room on genocide
denial, just as on Holocaust denial. As such, all things pass with
time when we fail to remember the history.
World War I was about the politics of commerce, taking over people's
colonies and mutual defense agreements. Almost 100 years apart,
then and now, it's all politics.
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20141211/OPINION/141218613/2011/OPINION
From: Baghdasarian