TURKOFOBIA?
Naira Hayrumyan

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12:21:47 – 19/10/2009

Discussions on the Armenian-Turkish protocols revealed an interesting
topic that is constantly being mentioned, but is not elaborated until
the end – turkofobia. It is in the air, but few people say about it,
apparently because of sensitivity about the subject. However, all
judgments and fears in relation to the Armenian-Turkish settlement are
reduced, ultimately, to this subject. No one in Armenia is against
open borders, few deny the need for regional integration, but many
affirm that they would not be afraid of opening the borders, if it was
not the Turks, but any other nation. Moreover, there are a number of
qualities with which the Armenians characterize the Turks and, above
all, it is expansiveness. The Armenians, on the basis of historical
experience and free communication with the Turks (and Azeri Turks)
during the Soviet period, claim that they can in a short period of
time make not only economic but also demographic expansion. An example
of such expansion is in everyone’s memory: during the disintegration
of the Union not only in Nakhichevan and in Karabakh, but also in a
large part of the Armenian SSR, the Azerbaijani population grew at
an arithmetic progression.

The Soviet propaganda of peoples’ friendship did not allow
dwelling on this subject, but it is always present at the household
level. Moreover, such an attitude towards the Turks mostly was not
expressed in hatred towards the Turks, especially aggression, just
one in his heart thought that it would be better if they were not
present in the Armenian society.

This was the dominant feeling during the hostilities in Karabakh,
in which result the Turkish population nearly abandoned the Armenian
Karabakh and Armenia. And now many of those Armenians who lived
in areas densely populated by Turks, say, again not in full voice,
that life has become easier. Yes, with the Turks it was easier to
trade, they established friendly relations with many, but the danger
of expansion was hanging over their heads every minute, and since it
happened so, let it remain so. This view can be heard in many Armenian
villages Vayots Dzor, in Karabakh the more so.

In the post-Soviet period, the Soviet propaganda of friendship between
peoples has been replaced by the idea of globalization, the equality
of all races and peoples. Talking about the exuberance again became
inconvenient, and we now shamefully camouflage the desire to see the
Turks in Armenia, threats of economic and other measures. But on this
topic we will probably have to talk, even if it may seem obscurantist
in the 21st century. Even though, on the other hand, ethnic phobias
exist even in the "developed" Europe. Even if we say that in the
streets of European cities, there are many non-European people,
we should not forget that they are not in the public administration
systems of these countries, neither in the big business nor in areas
having an impact on world politics. Barack Obama was to confirm
the myth of the equality of all races and peoples, but the general
surprise at his election, rather, confirmed this mythical equality.