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"JUST MEMORY" DAVUTOGLU URGES ARMENIANS TO DENY THE GENOCIDE
Thursday, June 26th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/124462/just-memory-davutoglu-urges-armenians-to-deny-the-genocide/
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in an academic paper
published in the Turkish Policy Quarterly, urges Armenians to take
"bold steps" to usher in a "new era" of relations with Turkey and
Turks predicated on the infamous "condolence" statement made by
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The "bold steps" Davutoglu is advocating is for Armenians to deny the
Armenian Genocide and adopt Turkey's version of history, which has
recently been rebranded to included phrases such as "shared pain,"
which in Davutoglu's mind will foster a concept he calls "just memory."
The more than 10-page article, entitled "Turkish-Armenian Relations
In The Process Of De-Ottomanization Or "Dehistoricization": Is A"Just
Memory" Possible?" squarely puts the blame on the Armenian Diaspora
for what he calls perpetuating the status quo, which he says hinges
on recalling tragedy and thus creating "unjust memories," and urges
a resolution of the Turkish-Armenian issue via a new understanding
of history that will promote "just memory."
[Ironically, this piece was published one day before the House
Foreign Affairs Committee approved a measure which would hold Turkey
accountable for destroying Christian--among them Armenian--religious
sites].
"The greatest injustice that has been visited on both history and
the peoples in question is setting aside the shared history of the
two peoples and the previous rich centuries, and beginning instead
only with traumatic events like war and conflict, or reconstructing
the previous centuries by making these traumatic events the center
of everything," Davutoglu argued.
"The 'unjust memory' created around the events of 1915 constitutes
the most important example of this phenomenon as it mortgages the
shared past and future of the Turks and Armenians," Davutoglu wrote,
urging open and continuous dialogue between the two sides.
"The 'just memory' concept that we have frequently employed during
this process is critically important. In order for Turks and Armenians
to understand what each of them has experienced, it is essential that
they respect one another's memory. For the Armenians, 1915 was a year
of relocation during which exceedingly great tragedies took place. The
years prior to and after 1915 were also a time of tremendous tragedy
for the Turks in Anatolia. It was at this time that Turks fought for
their very survival in the Balkan Wars, at Canakkale, and in the
War of Independence. Actually, this was a time of 'shared pain,'"
Davutoglu explained.
The Turkish leader argues that Erdogan's April 23 "condolence"
statement should serve as the foundation for further steps.
"Erdogan's message of condolence should not be seen as a conjunctural
step. It should be seen as a prelude for transformation of minds and
memories because this is not only an offer of condolence but also a
sincere invitation to all parties to ensure a common future based on
lasting peace," he wrote.
Davutoglu's recipe for this "new era" of understanding is for
Armenians to collectively deny their own history-including the
Armenian Genocide-so that Turkey can continue its criminal policies
of oppression and state-sponsored murder without impunity.
Essentially, what Davutoglu is suggesting is that we all hold hands
and sigh and collective "oops" and move forward.
Thursday, June 26th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/124462/just-memory-davutoglu-urges-armenians-to-deny-the-genocide/
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in an academic paper
published in the Turkish Policy Quarterly, urges Armenians to take
"bold steps" to usher in a "new era" of relations with Turkey and
Turks predicated on the infamous "condolence" statement made by
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The "bold steps" Davutoglu is advocating is for Armenians to deny the
Armenian Genocide and adopt Turkey's version of history, which has
recently been rebranded to included phrases such as "shared pain,"
which in Davutoglu's mind will foster a concept he calls "just memory."
The more than 10-page article, entitled "Turkish-Armenian Relations
In The Process Of De-Ottomanization Or "Dehistoricization": Is A"Just
Memory" Possible?" squarely puts the blame on the Armenian Diaspora
for what he calls perpetuating the status quo, which he says hinges
on recalling tragedy and thus creating "unjust memories," and urges
a resolution of the Turkish-Armenian issue via a new understanding
of history that will promote "just memory."
[Ironically, this piece was published one day before the House
Foreign Affairs Committee approved a measure which would hold Turkey
accountable for destroying Christian--among them Armenian--religious
sites].
"The greatest injustice that has been visited on both history and
the peoples in question is setting aside the shared history of the
two peoples and the previous rich centuries, and beginning instead
only with traumatic events like war and conflict, or reconstructing
the previous centuries by making these traumatic events the center
of everything," Davutoglu argued.
"The 'unjust memory' created around the events of 1915 constitutes
the most important example of this phenomenon as it mortgages the
shared past and future of the Turks and Armenians," Davutoglu wrote,
urging open and continuous dialogue between the two sides.
"The 'just memory' concept that we have frequently employed during
this process is critically important. In order for Turks and Armenians
to understand what each of them has experienced, it is essential that
they respect one another's memory. For the Armenians, 1915 was a year
of relocation during which exceedingly great tragedies took place. The
years prior to and after 1915 were also a time of tremendous tragedy
for the Turks in Anatolia. It was at this time that Turks fought for
their very survival in the Balkan Wars, at Canakkale, and in the
War of Independence. Actually, this was a time of 'shared pain,'"
Davutoglu explained.
The Turkish leader argues that Erdogan's April 23 "condolence"
statement should serve as the foundation for further steps.
"Erdogan's message of condolence should not be seen as a conjunctural
step. It should be seen as a prelude for transformation of minds and
memories because this is not only an offer of condolence but also a
sincere invitation to all parties to ensure a common future based on
lasting peace," he wrote.
Davutoglu's recipe for this "new era" of understanding is for
Armenians to collectively deny their own history-including the
Armenian Genocide-so that Turkey can continue its criminal policies
of oppression and state-sponsored murder without impunity.
Essentially, what Davutoglu is suggesting is that we all hold hands
and sigh and collective "oops" and move forward.