HAYK DEMOYAN: DEEP PROCESSES OF HISTORY REHABILITATION GO ON IN TURKEY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 11, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. A dialogue between the Armenians and
the Turks is needed, Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Museum-Institute
of Genocide, considers. At the international conference under the
title "The Countries of the South Caucasus and Middle East as Possible
Partners in the Process of Formation of a Regional Security System"
he said that the Turks should realize that the Genocide is part of
their history, which they carefully hid for many years. According to
H. Demoyan, the dialogue will contribute to establishment of confidence
between the young generation of the Armenians and Turks. In his words,
it is pleasant that a positive dynamics is observed in the past
year: the number of Turks, who are interested in this subject, has
grown. "The citizens of Turkey come to the museum to get acquainted
with history, but other history, about which it is not accepted to
speak in Turkey, as there is Article 301 of the Criminal Code and
there is the general atmosphere," Hayk Demoyan said.

Turkey’s actions on denying the fact of the Genocide result in
deepening of crisis phenomena in the Turkish society. Thus, a special
organization has been created in Turkey at the level of the National
Security Council. The activity of that organization is aimed against
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. And the further denial of that
fact is a threat to Turkish identity: "Official interpretation of
history is one thing and when absolutely a different thing is spoken
and written in the world, it is already a serious challenge, as the
most terrible thing may happen, when the citizens will stop believing
their own leadership. A conflict emerges, which may result in the
collapse of the state. Deep processes of history rehabilitation are
already going on today: the heritage of Ataturk is being discussed,
which was not accepted before."

In his words, the discussion of the issue of Genocide, certainly, is a
challenge for Turkey. At the same time, Armenia’s task is not to make
things more pointed: "We should not present Turks in the image of an
anemy or potential enemy but should consider them as our partners in
the dialogue that will be favorable for the peoples of both countries."

Cemal Usak, the Vice-President of the Fund of Journalists and
Writers from Istanbul, also spoke at the conference. In his speech
he also emphasized the necessity to establish a dialogue between the
representatives of both societies.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress