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Al Jazeera, Qatar
Jan 31 2015
Turkey, Armenia and the tragedies of wars
Gallipoli is a good place to start for resolving the historic dispute
between Turkey and Armenians.
31 Jan 2015 08:32 GMT
Merve Sebnem Oruc, managing editor in online journalism and a
commentator in Turkey.
The Battle of Gallipoli was one of the most critical scenes in
Turkey's history. Britain and France opened an overseas front in
Gallipoli in East Thrace and tried to overcome the Ottomans. The
Russian Empire was promised the capital Istanbul by the two of Entente
Powers of World War I. It was a fight for the survival of a nation, a
struggle for life or death.
The victory in Gallipoli didn't help Turks win the war but it gave
hope to resist and start the war of independence a couple of years
later. The resistance is honoured every year on March 18 in Gallipoli
and on the shores of the Dardanelles.
Gallipoli is of significant importance to others like Australia and
New Zealand. Each year, on April 25, they commemorate the Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who died in Gallipoli. This is
known as ANZAC day.
It was a battle away from home. It wasn't even their war. They were
dominions of the British Empire when the war broke out. Gallipoli is
now a symbol of their national identity and existence. Their nations
were born there.
Honour and remembrance
Both commemorations are based on remembering and honouring - not
celebrating. Australians who come to visit Gallipoli are always
welcomed by the Turks who were their enemies once. After all, places
like Gallipoli are memorials - not only for the people on the side of
the Allies, but also for all those involved in the tragedies of wars.
There, the Memeds and the Johnnies are resting side by side.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli. Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited more than 100 world
leaders, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, to attend
centennial commemoration ceremonies. The UK's Prince Charles and the
prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand are expected to take part
in the ceremonies as well.
Armenians mark anniversary of mass killings
Turkey will commemorate the centennial on April 24 instead of the
regular memorial date, March 18, in a symbolic gesture of compassion.
April 24 also marks the start of the deportation of Armenians by
Turkish unionist authorities - it is the day Armenians around the
world traditionally commemorate their ancestors who were killed in
that campaign.
On April 23, 2014, Turkey issued a first-of-its kind statement
offering condolences to the descendants of slain Ottoman Armenians.
Erdogan, then prime minister, highlighted the "shared pain" endured
during the events of 1915, expressing condolences on behalf of the
Turkish state.
It is upsetting that Sargsyan has decided to reject the invitation,
which would have helped lead us one step closer to understanding and
reaching closure on the tragic events of 1915. The invitation, after
all, was yet another historic move following Erdogan's statement.
The Turkish public still largely refuses to accept what happened a
century ago. Turkey is only just coming to terms with the
Unionist/Kemalist ideology, which was the root of the animosity
against Armenians, and the official nationalist interpretation of
history is now collapsing.
Taboo talking points
Ten years ago, merely talking about 1915 was a feat of bravery, but
now there is no taboo when discussing anything out loud. Explaining
why he had rejected Erdogan's invitation, Sargsyan said he viewed it
as an attempt to overshadow the centenary of the Armenian genocide.
But while Turkey is taking historic steps, despite the sentiments of
the majority of its people, it would have been more constructive for
Armenia to have responded favourably.
Discussing and understanding history is more conducive to progress
than being stuck at the same point for years, and Gallipoli is one of
the most appropriate places to start.
Discussing and understanding historical reality is more favourable
than being stuck at the same point for years, and Gallipoli is one of
the most appropriate places to start.
Historians who write about Gallipoli hardly mention Armenians - and
writings about Armenians rarely mention Gallipoli. But prominent
researchers, even the ones who accept what happened in 1915 as
genocide, say there is a strong link between the Gallipoli campaign
and the Armenian deportations.
Taner Akcam, a leading international authority on the subject, draws
attention to that link in his 2006 book "A Shameful Act":
"It was not a coincidence that the Armenian genocide took place soon
after the Sarikamis disaster and was contemporaneous with the empire's
struggle at Gallipol ... A nation that feels itself on the verge of
destruction will not hesitate to destroy another group it holds
responsible for its situation... A prediction made by the German
Ambassador Wangenheim is worth mentioning. With the outbreak of the
war in August 1914, Henry Morgenthau warned him that the Turks would
massacre the Armenians in Anatolia, to which Wangenheim replied: 'So
long as England does not attack Canakkale ... there is nothing to
fear. Otherwise, nothing can be guaranteed.'"
While another historian, Ronald Suny, provides evidence that the
crisis precipitated by the Entente bombardment of the Dardanelles
fortresses in March 1915 was a trigger, Donald Bloxham, a professor of
modern history, believes that the arrests of the Armenian
intelligentsia on April 24 came after the news that the British and
the French were about to land their troops at Gallipoli.
That doesn't mean Gallipoli is an excuse for what happened, but
understanding this history will help us take significant steps and
achieve results.
Merve Sebnem Oruc is a managing editor in online journalism and a
commentator in Turkey.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not
necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/01/turkey-armenia-genocide-gallipoli-erdogan-150131081018938.html
Jan 31 2015
Turkey, Armenia and the tragedies of wars
Gallipoli is a good place to start for resolving the historic dispute
between Turkey and Armenians.
31 Jan 2015 08:32 GMT
Merve Sebnem Oruc, managing editor in online journalism and a
commentator in Turkey.
The Battle of Gallipoli was one of the most critical scenes in
Turkey's history. Britain and France opened an overseas front in
Gallipoli in East Thrace and tried to overcome the Ottomans. The
Russian Empire was promised the capital Istanbul by the two of Entente
Powers of World War I. It was a fight for the survival of a nation, a
struggle for life or death.
The victory in Gallipoli didn't help Turks win the war but it gave
hope to resist and start the war of independence a couple of years
later. The resistance is honoured every year on March 18 in Gallipoli
and on the shores of the Dardanelles.
Gallipoli is of significant importance to others like Australia and
New Zealand. Each year, on April 25, they commemorate the Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who died in Gallipoli. This is
known as ANZAC day.
It was a battle away from home. It wasn't even their war. They were
dominions of the British Empire when the war broke out. Gallipoli is
now a symbol of their national identity and existence. Their nations
were born there.
Honour and remembrance
Both commemorations are based on remembering and honouring - not
celebrating. Australians who come to visit Gallipoli are always
welcomed by the Turks who were their enemies once. After all, places
like Gallipoli are memorials - not only for the people on the side of
the Allies, but also for all those involved in the tragedies of wars.
There, the Memeds and the Johnnies are resting side by side.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli. Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has invited more than 100 world
leaders, including Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, to attend
centennial commemoration ceremonies. The UK's Prince Charles and the
prime ministers of Australia and New Zealand are expected to take part
in the ceremonies as well.
Armenians mark anniversary of mass killings
Turkey will commemorate the centennial on April 24 instead of the
regular memorial date, March 18, in a symbolic gesture of compassion.
April 24 also marks the start of the deportation of Armenians by
Turkish unionist authorities - it is the day Armenians around the
world traditionally commemorate their ancestors who were killed in
that campaign.
On April 23, 2014, Turkey issued a first-of-its kind statement
offering condolences to the descendants of slain Ottoman Armenians.
Erdogan, then prime minister, highlighted the "shared pain" endured
during the events of 1915, expressing condolences on behalf of the
Turkish state.
It is upsetting that Sargsyan has decided to reject the invitation,
which would have helped lead us one step closer to understanding and
reaching closure on the tragic events of 1915. The invitation, after
all, was yet another historic move following Erdogan's statement.
The Turkish public still largely refuses to accept what happened a
century ago. Turkey is only just coming to terms with the
Unionist/Kemalist ideology, which was the root of the animosity
against Armenians, and the official nationalist interpretation of
history is now collapsing.
Taboo talking points
Ten years ago, merely talking about 1915 was a feat of bravery, but
now there is no taboo when discussing anything out loud. Explaining
why he had rejected Erdogan's invitation, Sargsyan said he viewed it
as an attempt to overshadow the centenary of the Armenian genocide.
But while Turkey is taking historic steps, despite the sentiments of
the majority of its people, it would have been more constructive for
Armenia to have responded favourably.
Discussing and understanding history is more conducive to progress
than being stuck at the same point for years, and Gallipoli is one of
the most appropriate places to start.
Discussing and understanding historical reality is more favourable
than being stuck at the same point for years, and Gallipoli is one of
the most appropriate places to start.
Historians who write about Gallipoli hardly mention Armenians - and
writings about Armenians rarely mention Gallipoli. But prominent
researchers, even the ones who accept what happened in 1915 as
genocide, say there is a strong link between the Gallipoli campaign
and the Armenian deportations.
Taner Akcam, a leading international authority on the subject, draws
attention to that link in his 2006 book "A Shameful Act":
"It was not a coincidence that the Armenian genocide took place soon
after the Sarikamis disaster and was contemporaneous with the empire's
struggle at Gallipol ... A nation that feels itself on the verge of
destruction will not hesitate to destroy another group it holds
responsible for its situation... A prediction made by the German
Ambassador Wangenheim is worth mentioning. With the outbreak of the
war in August 1914, Henry Morgenthau warned him that the Turks would
massacre the Armenians in Anatolia, to which Wangenheim replied: 'So
long as England does not attack Canakkale ... there is nothing to
fear. Otherwise, nothing can be guaranteed.'"
While another historian, Ronald Suny, provides evidence that the
crisis precipitated by the Entente bombardment of the Dardanelles
fortresses in March 1915 was a trigger, Donald Bloxham, a professor of
modern history, believes that the arrests of the Armenian
intelligentsia on April 24 came after the news that the British and
the French were about to land their troops at Gallipoli.
That doesn't mean Gallipoli is an excuse for what happened, but
understanding this history will help us take significant steps and
achieve results.
Merve Sebnem Oruc is a managing editor in online journalism and a
commentator in Turkey.
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not
necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/01/turkey-armenia-genocide-gallipoli-erdogan-150131081018938.html