Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 28 2008

The Armenian apology campaign and the Ottoman Ergenekon

by IHSAN YILMAZ

The apology regarding the terrible fate of the Armenians in 1915
sparked harsh debates in Turkey. The same sections that vehemently
opposed President Abdullah Gül’s visit to Armenia are this time
blaming the signatories of the campaign. I will now simply repeat what
I had to write during the debates surrounding Gül’s visit. I think we
have to keep reiterating that there are certain sections in the
country — among them the Ergenekonian deep state — that do not want
a solution to the problems with Armenia so that they can meddle with
Turkey’s domestic and foreign politics. Any solution to the Armenian
issue will not make them happy.

This is a simple summary of modern Turkish history. Turkey is
surrounded by enemies and thus we need strong nationalist
authoritarian guardians to protect us. Now, as the Justice and
Development Party’s (AK Party) "zero problems with neighbors policy"
has shown, we can enter into dialogue with our neighbors and talk
about our differences. I hope that we can succeed in doing this with
Armenia as well.

As far as I can see, an overwhelming majority of people do not have
any problem with entering into dialogue with Armenia. Even the
terrible incidents around 1915 and the Armenian Secret Army for the
Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) terror organization’s assassinations of
our diplomats did not change Turks’ positive feelings toward
Armenians. Generally speaking, the remaining Armenians did not face
any hostility from Turks. Yet the state’s position is a completely
different story.

Even in the law, Armenians have not been treated as first-class
citizens. The Turkish state’s definition of citizen has somehow —
unofficially and in practice — been limited to Muslims. Non-Muslim
Turkish citizens could never get sensitive bureaucratic
positions. This is in full contrast to the Ottoman experience. In
terms of diversity and tolerance, the Republic of Turkey is light
years behind the Ottomans.

The state has always denied that there was any Armenian massacre
ordered by the state. I am not a historian and have not studied the
1915 incidents in detail. But whenever I — as an ordinary Turk —
think about the issue, the Turkish state’s treatment of its other
citizens instantly comes to mind and my mind starts drawing
parallels. I know very well that this is not a scientific technique or
instrument utilized by historians, but not every Turk has to be a
historian, and they still have feelings, ideas and opinions on certain
matters.

Yes, whenever I start thinking about the Armenian issue and the
incidents of 1915, the state’s treatment of Kurds in southeastern
Turkey comes to mind. Banning their mother tongue is a prime
example. Could there be any bigger torture than that? Then I remember
thousands of young people — leftist, rightist, Kurdish — who were
continuously tortured in Turkish prisons just after the 1980
coup. Then I remember how Turkey had to pay many thousands of dollars
in compensation on many occasions to our citizens of Kurdish
background just because some of our soldiers made them eat cow dung.

Then I think that if some of our administrators and bureaucrats could
do all of these things to our citizens in this age and time, then
like-minded Ottoman politicians, administrators and bureaucrats would
find it suitable to react to Armenian hostilities — encouraged by the
great powers and Russia — by simply deciding to exile them to Syria
without taking enough precautions about health and safety
issues. Moreover, some "Ottoman Ergenekonians" could easily target
these civilians.

My conscience and my reading of modern Turkey, including the Ergenekon
case, convince me that the Ergenekonian-like ultra-patriots who
thought the country was in danger — and it was indeed in danger —
could easily massacre Armenian civilians and that they would not
really need any legislation or document signed by a minister to do
that. I find it funny when our nationalist historians try to prove
that there are not any documents signed by the Ottoman authorities to
order the Armenian massacre. Did today’s Ergenekonians need such a
document to make Kurdish villagers eat cow dung or to kill many
people?

28.12.2008