Kurdish Info, Germany
May 26 2005

The History Foundation of Turkey reacts delay of Symposium on
Armenians

ANKARA (DIHA) – The History Foundation of Turkey assessed the
prejudiced slander campaign against ‘Ottoman Armenians in the
Collapsing Period of Empire: Scientific Responsibility and Problems
of Democracy’ symposium organized by Bilgi, Bogaziçi(Bosphorus) and
Sabanci Universities as “Grisly and so negative development”.

The History Foundation of Turkey chairman Orhan Silier made a written
statement and said that Turkey failed in democracy exam. Silier
stated: “Dominant permanent staff of Turkey could not stand
discussion of intellectuals, who have different opinions about
different aspects of Armenian problem and considers the problem not
from the view of ‘national propaganda’ but from the view of several
areas of specialization in branch of social sciences, on their own in
a university”. Silier stated as:

“Turkish chauvenist-nationalism, which have been isolating Turkey and
assisting in Armenian nationalism on international scale, has blocked
democracy, peace and mutual understanding once more with a prejudiced
slander campaign started in National Grand Assembly, which is one of
the most important platforms of democracy test, even by an opposition
deputy. Scientific meetings are not formal debate platforms. How to
call 1915 emigration is not the only matter of discussion. There is
only one thesis in conference and different opinions are not
tolerated claims of people, who tried to eliminate the pluralistic
debate possibilities and therefore scientific research atmosphere
with the taboos they created, who tried to transform our universities
to provincial vocational schools of world, are far away to be
persuasive.

‘Attitude of government spokesman is grisly’

Silier stated that the attitude of government spokesman who insulted
and threaten Bogaziçi University is not acceptable and this attitude
is against government’s program, its national and international
commitments and it is grisly for intellectual life. Siler stated that
they act with solidarity with the science-people who research
subjects considered as taboo and with three universities.

It is also stated that The History Foundation of Turkey executive
committee are making preparations to organize a meeting entitled “Our
Democracy and Historiography within the Experience of Armenians in
Ottoman Empire Conference” and there is an interview with Murat Belge
about the subject in June issue of “Social History”.