A DECENT PROPOSAL — TO MAKE ME AN AKP FAN
Burak Bekdil

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 27 2009
Turkey

It is a healthy thing that Turks these days are freely debating some
of the darker episodes of their recent history, as evinced by the
unfolding of ideas on what is officially known as the "legitimate
repression of rioters in Tunceli," but more objectively known as the
"Massacre of Dersim."

For example, Hasan Saltuk, author of a new 600-page book, set
to be released in May, seeks to unravel the taboo of Dersim. Most
interestingly, he claims that the fundamental reason behind the bloody
operation in 1938 was that the region was home to Tunceli Alevis
who were merely Armenian genocide survivors that had changed their
identities. Was Dersim a second Armenian genocide, then? Perhaps it
was, perhaps not.

If Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was right when he claimed that
"Muslims could not commit massacres/genocide" there can only be two
versions of the "Dersim affair" to believe: a) the massacre never
took place, or b) it took place but its perpetrators were "not-so-good
Muslim" Turks.

The second version perfectly fits into the pro-Justice and Development
Party, or AKP, propaganda that Dersim, like all other evils in past and
present Turkey, can only be blamed on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Kemalism
and their present day hit-man, the Republican People’s Party, or CHP.

Naturally, this argument may sell well in the marketplace of ideas
sponsoring the AKP or is being sponsored by the AKP. But this article
does not intend to agree or disagree with either the "murderer CHP"
or the "innocent CHP" views. Let’s be pragmatic and look forward! Here
is a decent proposal:

First, let’s make a list of the Turkish atrocities of the past
century. There is Dersim, of course. But for a start, I shall also
propose the Armenian genocide; war crimes against Greeks during the War
of Independence; pogroms and other violence against Greeks, Armenians
and Jews during the earlier years of the Republic; the deaths of 40,000
Kurds as the only Turkish Nobel laureate once put it; and more Kurdish
atrocities between 1984 to 2002. Of course, these sorrowful events
can be multiplied endlessly and any other ideas are most welcome.

Second, we must refresh our memories and recall the present
parliamentary composition. The AKP and the Democratic Society Party,
or DTP, which we can safely call the "liberal and all-too-human" flank
of the house, together make up 65 percent of the legislation versus
a combined 35 percent for the Kemalist CHP and the ultranationalist
National Movement Party, or MHP. What nicer composition could we
have had?

Third, I would urge our pro-AKP liberals to pen a draft text in
recognition of a full list of Turkish atrocities in the 20th century,
decorated further with an official apology to the victims and their
relatives. I declare in advance that I shall join the signatories.

Fourth, and most importantly, we should encourage the liberal AKP not
to miss this unique opportunity to make peace with Turkey’s darker
past. Simply by means of its powerful parliamentary majority the AKP
should take up our recognition and apology text, make it a draft bill
and legislate it.

A few lines that will list the Great Turkish Atrocities of the Century,
their full recognition and finally some nice words of apology… Would
that not be great? Besides, the DTP’s parliamentary support for the
bill is more than guaranteed. Optionally, the AKP can annex a further
article to the original legislation to pardon Abdullah Ocalan, as
recently proposed by a pro-AKP columnist.

I, on my part, shall not only applaud the ruling liberals for this
very liberal act but shall also publicly commit myself to vote for
the AKP in the next general elections.

I would have volunteered to draft the text and proposed its suitability
myself, but sadly I suspect I may not have too many fans at AKP HQ. So,
better to confine my role to a mere proposal-maker. I therefore rely
on my liberal, fiercely pro-AKP colleagues with much more influence
in the AKP boardroom to proceed with this decent proposal and to
launch the campaign, which hopefully will end up in the shape of an
AKP-sponsored bill in Parliament.

Would that be too unpopular? But why? Does Erdogan not repeat a dozen
times a day that "we should not fear," that "he is prepared to take
any political risk for the good of our country," that "the nation
is the master," that "the nation knows what’s best for our country"
and that "our nation is most enlightened"?

I see no reason to worry. And I hope my plea to my liberal colleagues
will not go unanswered. Since the AKP is the ruling party, since it is
a liberal political grouping and since it has the powers to legislate
such a bill, the responsibility to make peace with our darker past
falls on this party. And we should all help and encourage the AKP
for this wondrous task.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress