KurdishMedia, UK
April 27 2005

1915’s memory confuses Turks

27/04/2005 Bianet.org
Turkish public gives vexed reactions regarding the heated debate on
Armenian Question. While some propose: “Let’s recognize what had
happened in the past, this would only credit us”, others retort:
“Europe and the US are attempting at dismembering us.

BIA (Istanbul) – As the people of Armenia and the Armenian
`diaspora’ across the globe commemorate the 90th anniversary of
the `genocide’ of 1915, Turkish public is divided between
conflicting opinions.

Some believe that Turkey approaches the issue with paranoid doubts,
and believe that relieving the country from the burden of the past by
recognizing whatever happened in history would earn credits for
Turkey. Yet others perceive the Armenian Question as US and EU forged
conspiracy in order to dismember the country.

Randomly interviewed by bianet reporter, Istanbul inhabitants reflect
motley shades of both opinions.

`Nobody is going to carve Kars (an Eastern town city neighbouring
Armenia) out of Turkey’s boundaries. The Germans admitted that they
have killed the Jews and earned credits for repenting. It would not
be any different for Turkey,’ says insurance agent Seda Katırcı.
Student Hüseyin Alkan converges with the same opinion.

However a döner`grilled meat- seller Ahmet Barçın is cool to
say: `Nobody kills the other without reason,’ and argues that all
talk is coming from `those who want to stain the reputation of
Turkey.’

Meanwhile barber Cüneyt Aslan raises the issue of Turkish casualties
inflicted during the Armenian uprisings of the early 20th century:
`Nobody is talking about the Turkish people who died there. This
shows that Armenians and the Europeans are playing it double’.

Student Aysel OÄŸuz proposes a different approach though: `Let’s
recognize what happened then and apologize. Since our public memory
is weak enough, it will soon be forgotten. Nobody cares about what
happens in Iraq today as much as what took place 90 years ago’.

Comments

Hüseyin Alkan, student

Whatever you may call it, genocide or else, you cannot change the
blunt reality that; people were killed. Turkey must start recognizing
some things. Once you do so, you do not belittle yourself, or you
lose from your dignity. Instead, I believe you are gaining some
appraisal. In the end, it is the Ottoman Empire who did it, not
Turkey.

Ahmet Barçın, döner `grill- seller

Nobody strangles the other without reason. Those who want to stain
our history are at work again as proved by this Armenian issue. The
only friend of the Turk is nobody but the Turk. The Europeans whom we
had defeated feel themselves hurt and looking for revenge in
supporting Armenians. We will not allow this, if somebody tries to
meddle with our business, they will have the answer in a responding
manner’.

Seda Katrci, insurance agent

“Europeans regard us as barbarians, they look down upon us, and they
try to dismember Turkey’¦ All these are illusions forged in our
minds. Nobody perceives us this way. Nobody is going to carve `the
Armenia-Turkey border city of- Kars away. These events happened 90
years ago. The Americans accepted they killed the Amerindians and the
Germans admitted the same for the Jews, and they earned credits for
that. I think it would be no different for Turkey.

Cüneyt Aslan, barber

The Crusaders are back again. They are talking about a war that
happened 90 years ago, as if it happened yesterday. Nobody is even
talking about the Turks who died there. This shows that the Armenians
and the Europeans are playing it double. If they are not accepting us
in the European Union because of this, then they better don’t at
all’.

Aysel Oguz, student

It is as if whole world has left aside everything else and is
debating how many died 90 years ago. Yet they do not care how many
people already die in Iraq and in the ongoing wars elsewhere. Since
our public memory is extremely weak just like the fish memory. I
propose apologize. Everything will be forgotten soon. Thus, Turkey
will be relieved of the pressure coming from Europe and the US.

Hande Koçgürbüz, housewife

If we admit that genocide had occurred, I am afraid that very bad
things will happen. In the TV broadcasts, it is repeatedly reported
that Turkey’s interests are at stake. I wonder does EU support for
the Armenians mean, and what for a negative attitude towards Turkey.
And what if the Armenians are right? What if Turkey is right? We do
not know the answers to these questions. A war had happened and
people were killed. Our rulers will do whatever necessary.

Bahri Yavuz, art historian

The whole problem is not detached of our own perception of history
and our attitude towards the minorities. The core problem is that
`in our popular conscience- everybody except Turks are perceived as
villains plotting against our national interests, and this is what is
taught to the public: `Our homeland will be taken away from us’,
`The Armenians and the Kurds are plotting against our country’.

We must get rid of such paranoia and stop speaking of `so-called
genocide’ but resolve conflicts instead. We should also recognize
that people from other ethnic backgrounds are also living in this
country. The Armenians are one of those. Refusals will not solve
anything. (KÃ-/EÃ`)