Halaçoglu should take the bait
Turkish daily News

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

Come on! Let’s start a huge campaign. Let’s force the issue,
make speeches arguing ‘There was no genocide’ in France and
Switzerland. Let’s force them to convict us. Each court session should
feature all our top politicians, including the prime minister. Let’s
put pressure on these countries. At the same time, let’s open the
border with Armenia. Let’s think big for a change and stop complaining.

Mehmet Ali BIRAND

If you go to France or Switzerland and say, “There was no genocide,”
prosecutors file charges against you. This law was first passed for
the Jewish Holocaust, but later on Armenians also benefited from it.

According to reports in the media, Turkish History Institute
President Yusuf Halaçoglu is being sought by Swiss authorities with
a red Interpol bulletin for having made a speech denying the alleged
Armenian genocide while in Switzerland last year. If he is caught, he
will be arrested and put before a court. I don’t know the details of
the law, but it definitely entails certain penalties if found guilty.

This law was passed due to significant pressure from the Jewish lobby
in order to prevent the spreading of fascist ideas. Many argued that
such laws obstructed freedom of speech, but those against it failed
to make their voices heard.

Can you just imagine? You say something you deeply believe in,
announce the conclusion of your scientific study and say, “There
was no genocide,” and you are arrested by the police while leaving
the hall with the argument, “Hey you! We believe that this genocide
actually happened. You can’t claim otherwise.”

How can such a thing happen?

But it does.

Double standards and illogical attitudes dominate the world, just
like they do here.

Turkey may be able to carry this ridiculous law on to the international
public.

The way to deal with this issue is not to run away but to confront
it head on.

In other words, Halaçoglu needs to go to Switzerland, surrender
himself to the police and demand a trial. During the trial, all the
top leaders of the country, including the prime minister, need to
be present in the courtroom. We need to initiate a campaign overseas
against genocide allegations.

That’s not all.

Famous names need to go to France and Switzerland, declare that
there was no genocide and force authorities to arrest them. They
should make sure the charges are piled up. We should turn this into
an international incident in order to show the ridiculous nature of
the law.

The border with Armenia should be opened at the same time and
negotiations to develop relations should begin.

This is what we should do if we have the courage. Otherwise, we will
go nowhere by voicing arguments no one listens to and condemning
countries that recognize the genocide.

I repeat.

If Turkey does not think big, take bold moves and initiate courageous
political campaigns, it will eventually fall into this genocide
trap. That’s why we should not fall asleep just because April 24
has passed.

Why do Turks expect everything from the state?

I am sure you noticed it too.

There is a public upheaval where the Armenian diaspora is condemned.

Why?

These guys are following something they believe in for their country
and their community. It doesn’t matter if we think they’re wrong
or their arguments are full of holes and lies. The fact is that
the Armenian diaspora has been doing an effective job for the last
60 years.

Why have they been so successful?

Because they work like bees and never leave a stone unturned. They are
organized. There is internal bickering. Any argument they may have
doesn’t affect the way they pursue their objective. One donates $20
million to build a statue, while another pays $50 million to make
a movie. They know how to pressure parliaments and eventually get
what they want. With a single nod, they divert millions of dollars
to a university to found a chair to prove that the genocide actually
happened.

So, what do we do?

We also have a diaspora. Millions of Turks live overseas. Moreover,
most probably the Turkish diaspora has more money than the smaller
Armenian one.

However, when it comes the time to pay, everyone’s gone. We are
incapable of organizing or initiating activities. The one thing we
are good at is complaining. We complain about the government and
Armenians and accuse the West of conspiring against us.

Tell me if anything I’ve said is wrong.

Please listen to your conscience and tell me.

What did we do as civil society?

Besides calling on the state to help us or provide unwanted advice,
what did we contribute?

Apart from a select few, no one did anything.

Those who do nothing should remain silent and accept what’s coming
to them.

If anyone has any intention of doing anything, put your hands in your
wallet and start doing things. And stop complaining about the state,
Armenians and foreigners.

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