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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 19 2015
To use or not use the G-word
NURAY MERT
The pope's use of the G-word and then the European Parliament's vote
to urge Turkey to recognize the `Armenian Genocide' angered not only
the president and the government, but also the nationalist opposition
and a majority of Turks.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÃ?Â?an first condemned Pope Francis and then
described the EU vote as an act of `enmity toward Turkey.' Although we
leftist/democrat intellectuals are inclined to recognize the Armenian
massacre as a `genocide,' and many of us have been using the G-word
for some time, we should admit that the nationalists of Turkey have a
point.
The point is that international condemnations of genocides, other
massacres and mass sufferings are indeed politically motivated in most
of the cases. Many can object to what the pope said when he defined
the Armenian Genocide as `the first genocide of the 20th century,' but
he did not dare mention the 19th-century genocidal mass murders of the
colonial powers. It can be considered timely for the European
Parliament to more strongly note the Armenian suffering in its
centenary. Nonetheless, turning a blind eye to so many other
historical crimes almost justifies the minor powers' objections that
the big powers are using history to intimidate them. It is true that
the powerful nations of the Western world are inclined to be more
self-critical, but their self-criticisms sound more like expressions
of benevolence and noble-mindedness than of shame.
On one hand, these objections should be taken into consideration. On
the other, however, minor powers like Turkey never seem to comprehend
the importance of self-criticism concerning their past; that is why
they miss all chances to acknowledge their share of responsibility in
the terrible events and moments of human history. Turkey and the
Armenian massacre is one of the best examples. Turkey's denial of
genocide or of even the true extent of the Armenian massacres is
always based on the accusation of treason ` that Ottoman Armenians
sided with the imperial powers, implying that they deserved what they
got.
Nevertheless, Turks never think that, in the end, Ottomans allied with
other (German) imperialists in World War I to save their own empire.
Besides, Turkey does not want to admit that it was not only the
Armenians who revolted and/or joined the Russian army, but the whole
civil population suffered from deportations and massacres. As for many
Armenian politicians, they supported the Second Constitutional regime
hoping for autonomy, and most became alienated from Ottoman rule only
afterward. By the way, the Arabs also allied with the `imperialists'
and staged the Arab revolt against the Ottomans, but Turks never
considered collectively punishing their Arab co-religionists (Thank
God). There are many other historical issues that we have to discuss
honesty, but we never recognize the fact that no matter who urges us,
we should use the opportunity to acknowledge the truths of our
troubled past to move forward.
Instead, Turkey has done everything to run away from the ghosts of the
past. Now, Turkey is insisting that historical matters should not be
politicized and should be left in the hands of historians.
Nevertheless, the Turkish state was more than happy when Western
powers and indeed historians turned a blind eye to Armenian suffering
in order to foster good relations after the foundation of the new
republic. There was also political motivation behind the courtesy of
Western powers in the wake of World War II. Then, after Turkey became
a staunch Western ally during the hot years of the Cold War, the big
powers avoided angering Turkey by raising the Armenian issue. At the
time, Turkey even managed to get away with the so-called `Conquest of
Cyprus.' Therefore, Turkey seems to be all too happy at playing
political power games, together with `Western hypocrisy' as far as it
suits its interests.
Finally, the most important aspect of acknowledging and apologizing
for the past is the show of willingness to avoid similar crimes or
responses in the face of current challenges. All nations and
societies, Turkey among them, need to use historical testimony to
avoid possible future misdeeds. But we first need to be honest enough
to be able to complain about the pope's, the EP's or others' hypocrisy
or injustice.
April/20/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/to-use-or-not-use-the-g-word.aspx?pageID=449&nID=81259&NewsCatID=406
April 19 2015
To use or not use the G-word
NURAY MERT
The pope's use of the G-word and then the European Parliament's vote
to urge Turkey to recognize the `Armenian Genocide' angered not only
the president and the government, but also the nationalist opposition
and a majority of Turks.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÃ?Â?an first condemned Pope Francis and then
described the EU vote as an act of `enmity toward Turkey.' Although we
leftist/democrat intellectuals are inclined to recognize the Armenian
massacre as a `genocide,' and many of us have been using the G-word
for some time, we should admit that the nationalists of Turkey have a
point.
The point is that international condemnations of genocides, other
massacres and mass sufferings are indeed politically motivated in most
of the cases. Many can object to what the pope said when he defined
the Armenian Genocide as `the first genocide of the 20th century,' but
he did not dare mention the 19th-century genocidal mass murders of the
colonial powers. It can be considered timely for the European
Parliament to more strongly note the Armenian suffering in its
centenary. Nonetheless, turning a blind eye to so many other
historical crimes almost justifies the minor powers' objections that
the big powers are using history to intimidate them. It is true that
the powerful nations of the Western world are inclined to be more
self-critical, but their self-criticisms sound more like expressions
of benevolence and noble-mindedness than of shame.
On one hand, these objections should be taken into consideration. On
the other, however, minor powers like Turkey never seem to comprehend
the importance of self-criticism concerning their past; that is why
they miss all chances to acknowledge their share of responsibility in
the terrible events and moments of human history. Turkey and the
Armenian massacre is one of the best examples. Turkey's denial of
genocide or of even the true extent of the Armenian massacres is
always based on the accusation of treason ` that Ottoman Armenians
sided with the imperial powers, implying that they deserved what they
got.
Nevertheless, Turks never think that, in the end, Ottomans allied with
other (German) imperialists in World War I to save their own empire.
Besides, Turkey does not want to admit that it was not only the
Armenians who revolted and/or joined the Russian army, but the whole
civil population suffered from deportations and massacres. As for many
Armenian politicians, they supported the Second Constitutional regime
hoping for autonomy, and most became alienated from Ottoman rule only
afterward. By the way, the Arabs also allied with the `imperialists'
and staged the Arab revolt against the Ottomans, but Turks never
considered collectively punishing their Arab co-religionists (Thank
God). There are many other historical issues that we have to discuss
honesty, but we never recognize the fact that no matter who urges us,
we should use the opportunity to acknowledge the truths of our
troubled past to move forward.
Instead, Turkey has done everything to run away from the ghosts of the
past. Now, Turkey is insisting that historical matters should not be
politicized and should be left in the hands of historians.
Nevertheless, the Turkish state was more than happy when Western
powers and indeed historians turned a blind eye to Armenian suffering
in order to foster good relations after the foundation of the new
republic. There was also political motivation behind the courtesy of
Western powers in the wake of World War II. Then, after Turkey became
a staunch Western ally during the hot years of the Cold War, the big
powers avoided angering Turkey by raising the Armenian issue. At the
time, Turkey even managed to get away with the so-called `Conquest of
Cyprus.' Therefore, Turkey seems to be all too happy at playing
political power games, together with `Western hypocrisy' as far as it
suits its interests.
Finally, the most important aspect of acknowledging and apologizing
for the past is the show of willingness to avoid similar crimes or
responses in the face of current challenges. All nations and
societies, Turkey among them, need to use historical testimony to
avoid possible future misdeeds. But we first need to be honest enough
to be able to complain about the pope's, the EP's or others' hypocrisy
or injustice.
April/20/2015
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/to-use-or-not-use-the-g-word.aspx?pageID=449&nID=81259&NewsCatID=406