Turkish Laureate Criticizes French Legislation

By SEBNEM ARSU
Published: October 14, 2006

ISTANBUL, Oct. 13 – Orhan Pamuk, the Turkish novelist who won the
Nobel Prize in Literature this week, went on television Friday to
criticize the French parliamentary vote that would make it a crime to
deny that the Ottoman Turks’ mass killing of Armenians constituted
genocide.

In a telephone interview broadcast live on the private television
network NTV, Mr. Pamuk, who faced criminal charges for his statements
acknowledging the massacre, said France had acted against its own
fundamental principles of freedom of expression.

`The French tradition of critical thinking influenced and taught me a
lot,’ he said. `This decision, however, is a prohibition and didn’t
suit the libertarian nature of the French tradition.’ The legislation
was approved by the lower house of Parliament, but it is uncertain
whether the upper house will concur.

In any case, Mr. Pamuk urged his compatriots not to let their
frustration with France get out of hand. He used a Turkish proverb to
get his point across. Roughly translated, it means `Don’t set the
blanket on fire for a flea.’

Some analysts fear that widespread anger against the French
legislation may turn more Turks against joining the European Union. A
Turkish opinion poll released in July showed a decline in support, to
58 percent from a high of 74 percent in 2003, in part because of the
prolonged road to admission.

Mr. Pamuk’s statement came after some in the country voiced suspicions
that the award was politically motivated. Mr. Pamuk owes part of his
celebrity in Europe to his criticism of Turkey’s stance on the
Armenian genocide. Many in Europe feel that Turkey should acknowledge
that the mass killings during and after World War I were genocide, and
the country’s refusal may complicate its attempts to join the European
Union.

Some of Mr. Pamuk’s supporters called it unfortunate that the prize
was awarded on the same day as the French parliamentary vote. They
fear that Turks will see the two events as more evidence that Europe
is treating their country unfairly.

Bulent Arinc, the speaker of the Turkish Parliament, challenged
Mr. Pamuk on Friday to tell the world what he thought about the French
legislation, which Mr. Arinc said `massacres freedom of expression.’

Mr. Pamuk was charged last year with making `anti-Turkish’ remarks
when he called attention to the Armenian genocide during an interview
with a Swiss magazine. Turkish nationalists initiated the criminal
case using a law that makes it a crime to insult Turkish
identity. Europeans and others who decried Mr. Pamuk’s treatment said
Turkey was violating his freedom of expression. After much outside
pressure, the charges were dropped on a technicality.

While the French legislation drew mostly negative reaction here,
Mr. Pamuk’s award inspired praise as well as criticism. Newspaper
writers and some other authors showered him with praise. But others
were more critical.

An arts critic, Ozdemir Ince, implied that Mr. Pamuk had won only
because he presented the view of Turkish history that many Europeans
wanted to hear. `Pamuk, who is given the Nobel Prize, accepts the
Armenian genocide,’ Mr. Ince said. `Turkey has been put on sale, and
Turkish history has been sold in an auction at the lowest price.’

Alev Alatli, a novelist, criticized Mr. Pamuk during an interview on
NTV.

`One of the most powerful institutions of the diaspora Armenians is in
Sweden, and they are very powerful there,’ she said. `Can you imagine
that one could have been even nominated without being in good terms
with these circles?’

Sema Munuklu, 38, a restaurant owner, said: `I don’t think that he
didn’t deserve it. After all, he is a great writer. But I can’t help
thinking that things he said might have been an influence on the
prize.’

Ms. Munuklu said the French Parliament’s action displayed European
hesitancy in accepting Turkey into the European Union.

Ibrahim Unseli, 55, who runs an electronics shop, said he was as
appalled by the French Parliament’s attitude as he was by Mr. Pamuk’s
position on the Armenians and added that he hoped that Turks would
boycott French goods