Zaman Online, Turkey
April 16 2005
Where are the Graves of So-called Murdered 1.5 Million Armenians?
By Cihan
A new argument has been put forward against the alleged Armenian
genocide by Turkish Institute of History (TTK) President Professor
Yusuf Halacoglu.
“People who still claim that 1,500,000 Armenians were killed make the
issue a political discussion. Can you imagine what kind of an area
would be needed to bury so many people? Even if you put them in graves
for 300 people each that would be 5,000 mass graves. Despite the
thousands of bombs the US dropped on Iraq during the war only 15,000
people have been killed. This is
an illogical number,” the Professor commented.
Halacoglu spoke of new books published by the TTK and new documents
discussing the Armenian Genocide allegations. The Professor said that
every single detail in Ottoman Archives is in the books about the
Ottoman Empire’s movement of Armenians and added that 12 new books on
this issue will be published soon.
Halacoglu gave information about “Deaths from Epidemics 1914-1918” by
Professor Hikmet Ozdemir, “Armenian Events in French Diplomatic
Documents, 1914-1918” by Hasan Dilan, and “The Tricolor Over Taurus
1918-1922” by Robert F. Zeidner, which is published in English.
Halacoglu said that the book titled “Deaths from Epidemics 1914-1918”
answers the claims that Armenians died of epidemics and added that it
is proven in documents that over 800,000 Muslim civilians and soldiers
also died of epidemics during the WW I. “It means that Armenians
escaped epidemics due to their emigration. Epidemics were already
there where they lived.” Halacoglu said that Armenians’ emigration has
nothing to do with the alleged genocide and added that they have the
original document sent to the governors office in the region while the
emigration was going on. Some of the sections of the document say:
“Those who want to return can do so. There will not be any pressure
over the ones who do not want to return.
Vehicles will be supplied to the ones who will return and their needs
will be met. When they return their homes and lands will be given to
them. Their goods kept under control will be given to them. All debts
of Armenians including taxes will be forgiven. The relatives of
Armenian children will be found and they will be given to them.
Armenians, who accepted Islam, may revert to their former religion if
they want.”