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KURDS AND ARMENIANS WILL NOT ACCEPT THE POLICY OF IMPOSED TURKISH IDENTITY ANY LONGER: DUTCH JOURNALIST
16:00, 13 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Both Kurds and Armenians have decided not to accept the policy of
imposed Turkish identity any more, Fréderike Geerdink, the only
foreign journalist settled in Diyarbakir, said in an interview with
Agos daily.
"The position of the Armenians and Kurds perfectly explains the
foundations of the State of Turkey. The imposed Turkish identity is
of both an inclusive and exclusive character. The policy towards the
Kurds has always been forcefully inclusive: you HAVE TO be one of us,
you have to be a Turk, and this is because Kurds too are Muslims.
Towards the Armenians the policy was explicitly exclusive: You are
not Muslims, so you can never be a part of us. Not only with concrete
measures like the Wealth Tax, but also with psychological warfare,
picturing Armenians as traitors, as enemies within," she said.
Geerdink said she learned about this in the days after the murder
of Hrant Dink. "He was murdered when I had been in Turkey for only
a month, and I spent days in front of Agos, making one of my first
big stories as a Turkey correspondent, for which I talked to many
Armenians. I was so impressed by this grief, and the people I talked
to were so good in explaining the situation of Armenians in Turkey,
it was like a crash course for me. I still get goose bumps when I
think back to those days."
"But both Kurds and Armenians have decided not to accept these policies
any longer. Hrant Dink did so much to make Armenians more visible, to
take away their fear of showing themselves, and the Kurdish movement
has done the same for Kurds. Both groups are making huge contributions
in helping break down the State system that cares only for the State
and not for the people. One day this will lead to, I hope, a beautiful
result, a democratic Turkey," she said.
Fréderike Geerdink, the only foreign journalist who is settled in
Diyarbakır, and who has lived in Turkey since 2006, has recently
published her book 'Roboskî: Gencler Oldu (Roboskî: The Young Died)'
on the massacre the families in Roboskî faced. The book focuses
on this massacre to delve into the history of the Kurdish question,
and also follows Geerdink's personal story of confronting the issue
as she lived for many months with the Roboskî families.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/03/13/kurds-and-armenians-will-not-accept-the-policy-of-imposed-turkish-identity-any-longer-dutch-journalist/
From: A. Papazian
16:00, 13 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Both Kurds and Armenians have decided not to accept the policy of
imposed Turkish identity any more, Fréderike Geerdink, the only
foreign journalist settled in Diyarbakir, said in an interview with
Agos daily.
"The position of the Armenians and Kurds perfectly explains the
foundations of the State of Turkey. The imposed Turkish identity is
of both an inclusive and exclusive character. The policy towards the
Kurds has always been forcefully inclusive: you HAVE TO be one of us,
you have to be a Turk, and this is because Kurds too are Muslims.
Towards the Armenians the policy was explicitly exclusive: You are
not Muslims, so you can never be a part of us. Not only with concrete
measures like the Wealth Tax, but also with psychological warfare,
picturing Armenians as traitors, as enemies within," she said.
Geerdink said she learned about this in the days after the murder
of Hrant Dink. "He was murdered when I had been in Turkey for only
a month, and I spent days in front of Agos, making one of my first
big stories as a Turkey correspondent, for which I talked to many
Armenians. I was so impressed by this grief, and the people I talked
to were so good in explaining the situation of Armenians in Turkey,
it was like a crash course for me. I still get goose bumps when I
think back to those days."
"But both Kurds and Armenians have decided not to accept these policies
any longer. Hrant Dink did so much to make Armenians more visible, to
take away their fear of showing themselves, and the Kurdish movement
has done the same for Kurds. Both groups are making huge contributions
in helping break down the State system that cares only for the State
and not for the people. One day this will lead to, I hope, a beautiful
result, a democratic Turkey," she said.
Fréderike Geerdink, the only foreign journalist who is settled in
Diyarbakır, and who has lived in Turkey since 2006, has recently
published her book 'Roboskî: Gencler Oldu (Roboskî: The Young Died)'
on the massacre the families in Roboskî faced. The book focuses
on this massacre to delve into the history of the Kurdish question,
and also follows Geerdink's personal story of confronting the issue
as she lived for many months with the Roboskî families.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2015/03/13/kurds-and-armenians-will-not-accept-the-policy-of-imposed-turkish-identity-any-longer-dutch-journalist/
From: A. Papazian