2015 – YEAR FOR COMMEMORATION OF COMMON TRAGEDY: TURKISH PARTY LEADER

news.am
Nov 27 2009
Armenia

Cem Toker, Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) leader who recently
visited Armenia "asked for the recognition of 2015 as a year for
the commemoration of the common tragedy of 1915," Turkish Sunday’s
Zaman writes.

The source quotes Toker as saying: "Both sides suffered from great pain
a century ago. We can initiate such a process to share our common and
mutual anguish without blaming each other and referencing the notion
of Genocide. I hope that the 2015 Year for the Commemoration of our
Common Tragedy will make a contribution to the peace process at a time
when protocols have been signed for the normalization of diplomatic
relations and the opening of border gates. People’s stories of family
tragedies are often followed by remarks of gratitude; they say, for
instance: ‘Our Turkish neighbors gave us food; they protected us. They
saved our lives; they told us they could look after our babies for
us, implying that we would come back anyway.’ These stories point
to the humane part of the whole story. This is a great potential to
look forward."

According to Toker, Turkey is the key topic of daily discussions in
Armenia, "If you want to survive politically there, you have to be
against Turkey; this is the dominant belief in the country. Turkey is
the only issue that people talk about when they get together. It does
not matter whether they hold positive views or not on Turkey. Turkish
people’s reaction to the Dink murder shocked the Armenian people.

Eager to prevent the emergence of positive feelings on Turkey,
nationalists strove to present this as an organization of the state;
however, this propaganda was not very influential. People have changed
their views on Turkey because of the slogans chanted at the funeral ‘We
all are Hrant; we all are Armenians’," Toker says, adding that Armenian
people were surprised when hearing there are 50,000 Armenians in
Istanbul working without feeling that they live in a hostile country.

Asked about the reactions he got in Armenia, LDP leader replied:
"Ordinary people also started changing their views on the Diaspora.

They now criticize Diaspora actors, noting that it is easy to make
recommendations from remote parts of the world. There are two kinds
of people: The moderates say, "Well, I am ready to erase the map in
my mind; but it will stay alive in my heart." The same also applies
to 1915. They say, "I will take the Genocide out of my brain; but I
will keep the anguish alive in my heart." The others, however, say:
"I will never forget this map; it will always remain alive in my
brain and heart. I will never erase the Genocide and the Armenian
cities. These are what make me an Armenian."

Touching upon Azeris’ reaction on the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation,
Toker told Zaman: "I have difficulty understanding why the Azeri
people show such an excessive reaction to the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations. It is really interesting to observe that
they are so critical of the moves Turkey has taken to address thorny
issues including Nagorno-Karabakh, the recognition of borders and the
Genocide allegations while remaining silent towards Iran’s eagerness
to keep its borders with Armenia open. I do not say Iran should close
its gates; quite the contrary, why did we close while Iran did not?

They do not object to Iran, but they criticize Turkey because we seek
a resolution. This is not acceptable."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress