POLITICS OVER THE PAST
Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
Oct 16 2006
Editorial
RAKING up the past is a favourite pastime of the politicians. This
past week, France’s lower house passed a bill that makes it a crime
to deny Armenians suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks.
Turkey is understandably upset over the timing of the move by French
lawmakers. Ankara views the development as yet another attempt
to undermine its ambitions to join the European Union. Which is
a legitimate concern, given the growing paranoia in Europe with
respect to Muslim presence on the continent. Turkey does not deny the
excesses against Armenians during the World War I but they had been
part of a larger conflict that saw casualties on both sides. And the
modern Turkey is trying to heal the historical wounds by reaching
out to Armenia.
The French bill, introduced by opposition Social Democrats, does not
help this process of reconciliation between the two countries.
Besides, if we all go on digging up the past, where are we all going
to end up? And what about France’s own role in Algeria? It is better
for everyone to let sleeping dogs lie.
