Kurdish Aspect, CO
Oct 12 2007

Justice for Humanity

Uncalculated thoughts – by Goran Sadjadi

This week, the United States House of Representatives Committee on
Foreign Affairs approved a resolution declaring the mass killings of
up to 1.5 million Armenians during World War I as genocide. The event
was celebrated by Armenian communities and advocates of human rights
and reconciliation alike. The bill was passed by 25 votes to 21 in
the committee and will be debated and voted on in the House of
Representative as the next step. Despite outcries by those who deny a
genocide that occurred more than 90 years ago, the approval of the
bill marks a victory for truth and a small step towards justice.

In Washington, politicians are taking both sides in a debate on
whether the timing of such a bill is appropriate. Advocates of human
rights and justice may be surprised to learn that the congressional
resolution on genocide has caused controversy over U.S. foreign
policy with Turkey. The Bush Administration has expressed its
opposition to the bill saying that it will harm relations with the
NATO ally. However, these statements are highly contradictory to the
very claims that the administration has made all along: to spread
freedom and democracy in the Middle East and around the world. One
may ask how democracy is expected to spread to other nations
(especially through the hostile acts of war) when some of the U.S.’
own allies are far from democracies, and far from free as well.

In Turkey, referring to the events of over 90 years ago as genocide
can lead to imprisonment. Under several laws including controversial
Article 301 of the Turkish penal code, people are arrested and
sentenced by the courts. However, there is more to this code of law
than simply forbidding the use of the word genocide. The article
forbids public denigration of `Turkishness’, an idea far from the
realms of freedom and democracy and more closely related to
oppression and fascism. Unfortunately for seekers of peace and
freedom, consecutive U.S. administrations have fervently defended
this strategic ally and blatantly ignored these lacks of freedom and
democracy in their (NATO) ally that the organizational body called
NATO is supposed to protect.

And now, with a promising step taken by the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Turkish Government
has made its own public outcries, continuing to actively deny the
genocide took place. Turkish President Abdullah Gül has declared the
decision as having `no validity for Turkey’. Despite this lack of
`validity’, the Turkish Government has recalled their ambassador to
the U.S. for what they claim are simply `consultations’. The more
likely reason is a symbolic protest by Turkey for the approval of the
US resolution.

Another important point to highlight here is that the Turkish
president that reacted in such ways to the U.S. resolution is most
inappropriately labeled as a reformist for Turkey belonging to a
political party (AKP – Justice and Development Party) that is claimed
to be taking Turkey in the right direction. However, his words and
actions prove otherwise. One may rightfully assume that this false
image painted by Westerners of these select politicians in Turkey is
simply a result of their strong desire to wrongly paint Turkey as a
democracy so that they can maintain their strong relationship without
the threats of protest by rational beings. However, this action in
itself is just as worse as the acts of genocide because they provide
and strengthen the means necessary for the guilty to pursue its
injustices, thereby committing even more killings and more crimes.

Representatives in Washington such as Dan Burton assert that the U.S.
is in war and that the passing of the Armenian Genocide bill would be
`kicking the one U.S. ally [Turkey] in the face’. However, the
humanist may argue that the idea of such a debate even existing is a
kick in the face of humanity. And the fact that instigators of a
debate (that terribly exists) condemn the resolution for fear that it
will harm Turkish-U.S. relations shows their very nature as opponents
of democracy. Perhaps today, more resolutions alongside the bill for
the Armenian Genocide should be passed. The U.S. House should be
considering their relations with the Turkish Government and the
conflicting U.S. idea of democracy, and should be passing resolutions
to condemn the killings in present-day Turkey committed at ill will
by the Turkish military. For while the instigators of this seemingly
everlasting debate over the Armenian Genocide continue to bark
wildly, the Turkish State continues to engage itself in another
discriminating battle against the will of their Kurdish minority.

Perhaps the above is too much wishful thinking. However, proponents
of peace can only hope this resolution is one step to the hundred
that may need to follow. Without the recognition of past injustices
such as the Armenian genocide, there will be no recognition of
present injustices by the Turkish State. For part of demanding the
Turkish State to come to terms with its past faults, is to eventually
come to terms with its present faults, condemn atrocities, and
correct its system. Only then, can democracy and peace truly exist in
Turkey.

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