ARMENIAN GENOCIDE? COMMEMORATED IN TURKEY

From: Mihran Kalaydjian <[email protected]>
———————————-

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATED IN TURKEY

By Ayse Gunaysu • on April 27, 2009 • 

ISTANBUL, Turkey (A.W.)-On April 24, the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Organization of Turkey organized an event commemorating the Armenian Genocide in Istanbul. The commemoration was held in what was formerly the “tobacco warehouse,” now renovated and being used for exhibitions, events, and meetings.

The event opened with Armenian and Assyrian songs performed by the group “Kardes Turkuler” (Songs of Brotherhood).

Keskin and Zarakolu address the audience. A photograph of Taniel Varoujan is seen in the background.

Lawyer Eren Keskin greeted the audience, numbering around 150, and said: “Today is the 24th of April, the 94th anniversary of the arrests in Istanbul which started the Armenian Genocide in 1915.” She added, “The official history [in Turkey] denies the genocide, but we know what happened and we believe it’s important to tell people the truth. So, today we will commemorate the most brilliant intellectuals of the Ottoman Armenians: the poets, writers, physicians, lawyers, and members of parliament, who were taken away on the 24th of April, 1915 and murdered.”

The Bosphorus Performance Arts Group presented the life stories and poems of three great Armenian poets who perished during the genocide-Roupen Sevag, Siamanto, and Taniel Varoujan-as well as the life and work of writer, lawyer, and parliamentary member Krikor Zohrab, who was also killed during the genocide. The presentation was accompanied by photographs projected onto a screen and Armenian folk music played in the background.

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu talked about Teotig, the Armenian writer who was arrested together with the others but escaped miraculously, and his famous book Hushartzan Abril Dasnimegi, which will be published in Turkish soon by the Belge publishing house. An exhibition of pages from this book was held in conjunction with the event, with lit candles under each page. A brief Turkish translation of each page was also provided.

In turn, Eren Keskin talked about Gomidas, while songs performed by Gomidas himself (recorded in 1912 in Paris) were played in the background and his photographs projected on the screen. At the end, Eren Keskin said, “Let’s leave the last word to Gomidas Vartabed.” And Gomidas’ song “Karun a” was heard while images of the deportation of Armenians were projected on the screen.

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Comments

By Tanguy on April 27th, 2009 at 8:29 am

Congratulations to people having the courage to face truth despite the position of their state. Question to all readers : how do you know if what you are educated to is true or false ? US were taught about terrible communists while USSR was educated to hate capitalists … how could an american or russian know if this education was based on true facts ? How could it all now vanish (nobody in the States or USSR would bring such positions now …) … To all Turkish people against the idea that their ancestors may have done this, knowing from their education they are right, how can you take position without really going to see genocide museums and all the facts that made it so that so many neutral countries recognized this, knowing the ones that did not recognize did not because Turkey is a priviledged partner … Please – before reacting negatively to this – try to accept that what you know in Turkey about this genocide is only from your education, and that all could have been done to make you think the way the state wants … like USSR and US at the time …
Give back Armenians their dignity by recognizing the past … no solution can be found if problem is not identified .., don’t let them stare at Ararat, historical site of Armenia, and Ani, their former capital, behind your border … give them back this little territory, like Germans once did …

By Beemer on April 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm

I am very touched by these commemoration in Turkey. A lot of Armenians died, but the truth will never die.

By Liz on April 27th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

I am an Armenian,born in Yerevan raised in the US. I must say that I have complete respect for every Turkish person that does their own research on the Armenian Genocide, and forms his own judgment on what really happened and not what their government told them what happened.And I must say, alot of Turks know the truth,but their pride will not allow them to accept the truth. Pride and dignity is accepting the truth and making mends, not denying it and giving the world the image that Turks are liers. I really wouldn’t feel proud being called a lier. The facts are out there do your own research, learn the truth. I did my own research even after my grandma told me that her dad died in the hands of Turks. I wanted to research both sides before I formed a judgment. And now I am convinced by my own research that there was an Armenian Genocide. Its really ok to say sorry, but to deny the truth is like condoning what your ancestors did.

By Aslan Bey on April 27th, 2009 at 8:14 pm

Ayse Gunaysu is an pro Armenian and sympathiser in the cause. Anything she writes should not be treated as trustworthy. The article is highly unlikely to be true…
I have a friend who grew up in Istanbul living in Yesilkoy, which is predominantly Armenian. He is a Turk. He went to school with Armenian kids, attended university with them, and some of these Armenian students went on to perform their military service. One is a dentist and even displays the Turkish flag and a foto of himself in his reception are of his dentist. They still catch up. One of his friends now resides in the US, and every couple of years, returns to Istanbul to visit. They meet and my friend collects the rent (in cash) from his tennant and gives it to him each visit (in cash)…
This is the trust they have in one another…
I am one person who spent the a considerable time in Turkey, and studied high school and Lise in Izmir, Turkey. I had friends of all sorts. Kurdish, Jewish etc. I travelled alot in Turkey over the years and prettymuch went everywhere.
Turks do not preach hatred of Armenians, (Can you say the same for yourselves?)I myself did not find out about the so called “Genocide” until 2002 when I came across some silly website. To be honest, I beleived it at first, then knowing my own countrymen, our history etc I started to do some research. Without being biassed I have learned what I have learned and am quite comfortable about it. It was a tragedy, yes, it was a dark terrible time in Anatolia… Armenians wanted their own lands and were tricked by Russians.. I can understand this and why you did what you did…
Why wont you open your archives for the historians to research? The Turkish government for decades have been inviting historians and scholars to investigate the archives of all those countries involved, Russia, Armenia, France, US and England. Recep Tayip Erdogan just in his comments on the Obama speach yesterday said “I have written a letter to the prime minister of Armenia in 2005 asking him to open his archives so a joint investigation can occur. The results should to to the international courts…. And Turkey is willing to accept its history, just show us unconditional, categorical, decisive truth in recorded (undocted) documents. Remember you are talking about rewriting history and the history of peoples who have been around as long as history itself.
By the way, Prime Minister Erdogan is yet to receive a reply. What is it Armenia is hiding???
Read the below// (Because you all speak and write Turkish fluently)
You can review this link :

“MEKTUBUMA CEVAP ALAMADIM”

– Ancak gösterdiğimiz bu hassasiyetin iyi algılanmadığını da zaman zaman görüyoruz. 1915 olaylarıyla ilgli önceki gün yapılan açıklamaları gerçeği yansıtmayan bir tarih yorumu olarak görüyorum. Açıklama metninin olayların bir bölümünün kaleme alındığını görüyorum. Tarihe ve tarih bilimcilerine bırakılması gereken böyle bir uzmanlık konusunun sürekli olarak kullanılması, her yıl lobilerin istismar meselesi haline getirilmesi, ülkeler arasındaki ilişkilerin normalleşmesini engelliyor.

– Türkiye olarak tarihçiler tarafından incelenmesi için her zaman samimi bir gayret içerisinde olduk. 2005′te bizzat yazdığım mektupla bu mektubun da cevabını almış değilim. İyi niyetli önerilerimiz karşılık bulmadık.

By Bernard Nazarian on April 27th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

Thank you my dear Ragip. I have received your e-mails about this historic event organised by you and the Istanbul Shubasi of Insan Haklari. As before, once again I salute your (and Istanbul Human Rights Branch members’ and activists’ – Ayse Gunaysu and Ereen Keskin amongst others) courage, deepest decency, integrity, humanity and principled friendship.
I was moved to read your email announcements about this event but really touched and moved to tears reading this account (above) and imagining the poetry of Siamanto, Varoujan… and the music of Vartapet Komitas being performed in Turkish on such a day in such a venue (where it all started!) by such people… .
It makes me sick that our authorities in Yerevan are presenting their negotiations with the Nazis in Ankara in the context of De Gaul-Adenauer negotiations in post-war Europe, therefore dignifying the deeply undemocratic and aggressive regime in Ankara with respect which it clearly does not possess or deserve and perpetrating the fallacy/deceptive self fantasy (deliberately cultivated once again by Europe and the US) that the two parties (aggressive Genocide perpetrator/denier Turkey and weak little Genocide victim Armenia) are equals!!!
Long Live the Struggle for true democracy in Turkey
Down with the militarist/aggressive Nazi regime in Ankara
Best,
Bernard

By OCDevin on April 28th, 2009 at 4:52 pm

If you are truly interested in finding out exactly what happened you need to do a little unbiased research about it yourself. Armenia as a nation is a troubled one. They have been used and manipulated throughout the history by western nations and Russia. Most Armenians have a little in common and this makes it very difficult to unite and accomplish peace within their borders. They do NOT agree on any of the important issues that can better their future, but the only issue that unites the majority is their hatred towards TURKS and the Armenian leaders and the politicians know that and they use that extensively to their own personal benefits. Growing up in Turkey the most will tell you that they have no issues or hatred towards Armenia or Armenians, most are not even aware of the way Armenians feel about them. This will eventually change and more and more people will eventually find out about it if Armenians continue with their attitude towards Turkey and Turkish people. By doing that you are NOT accomplishing anything, but hurting yourselves and your country. Why involve International Community, spend all that money all over the world instead of feeding your people. How do you thing you are going to benefit, if this so called genocide gets recognized internationally. Everybody in the area put their past behind and investing in their futures including Azerbaijan, but because of this hatred Armenia is being left behind in a land lock position, being manipulated and used by Russia again. Armenians WAKE UP! Russia is not your friend or solution to your problems. Stop being used and manipulated by Russia for their National interest.
Because of Armenian attitude towards Turks, find out what they have done to people Azerbaijan recently, many mass graves of men, women and kids to prove that. Now explain, why would a nation who believes that they have been subject to a genocide would subject the others to a genocide like this. The fact remains that Armenia have betrayed, back stabbed and deceived Turks after 600 years of great relationship by joining Russian Forces and attacking Turks. They have burned the villages down and killed the Turks and the Muslims in the area without discriminating men, women and kids which nobody talks about. This 600 years with Turks were Armenia’s golden years in history if you take your time and study their history you will see that. Do you really think that after all these years Turks woke up one morning and said lets kill all the Armenians today, does this really make sense???

Here is the truth on so called Armenian Genocide!!!

http://www.ermenisorunu.gen.tr/english/intro/index.html

By arpi haroutunian on April 29th, 2009 at 10:22 am

Don’t you have anything better to do than spread your manure at an Armenian site?

By arpi haroutunian on April 29th, 2009 at 10:23 am

By the way, my comment was intended for OCDevin.

By Bernard Nazarian on April 29th, 2009 at 11:26 am

Can our Turkish fiends Aslan Bey and OCDevin please take their heads out of the deep sand that they are buried in and answer this one question: If all the propaganda that you are repeating parrot style is true then WHERE ARE THE 2.5 MILLION ARMENIANS WHO HAD LIVED ON THEIR “ARMANI AYALATI” FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS NOW? And even if you actually believe your government propaganda and, as you say, the Armenians did revolt and side with the Russians, etc. etc. why were the entire population (2.5 million or as your government propaganda says 600,000!) deported/destroyed/killed?
as for Erdoghan’s letter to Armenia’s President in 2005 it was answered same week. the Armenian government has used many international diplomatic opportunities to repeat that answer publicly but since the Turkish government does not like the answer it was given it lies about not having received a relpy; see here
and here
– 37k
and here
– 37k

By OCDevin on April 29th, 2009 at 2:22 pm

Mr. haroutunian, I understand you don’t like to hear opinion of others, I feel for you and your loss, least you could do is show me the same sympathy. A human life and a mind is a terrible think to waste, regardless of race, religion, Turk or Armenian. It must not happen, in any place or time, but why is it difficult for you to accept both Turks and Armenians slained at the collapse of the Empire.
Mr. Nazarian, I am sure you do truly believe the information about 2.5 Million Armenians being in the area, but I assure you it is an impossibility for that area to have a population of that size at the time. If there were 2.5 million Armenians in the area constituting lets say 20% of the population you are saying the area had 10 million people. Does it make sense for such a remote area having that kind of population.
The borders are opening, and the both sides have agreed to study the events and the truth is about the come out, we all have waited long time and I have no problem waiting a little longer. You will see, both the Armenians and the Turks will overcome this challenge regardless of the results within our time and we will have to learn how to live together, our ancestors managed it for over a thousand year why can’t we. Many Turks died at the same time, the Ottoman Empire collapsed into pretty much nothing, those responsible were charged and arrested, I don’t understand what else Armenians could ask for. Again like your family you don’t get to choose your neighbors. Most Turks have forgiving you for the betrayal during that time, also forgiven you for the killings of Turkish officials, their wives and children in 38 cities and 21 Countries why can’t you.

By Ankene Boyrazian on April 29th, 2009 at 7:21 pm

To OC Devin and all Turks – you believe what you believe to be true about the Armenina Genocide because your government has educated you so. They have re-written historical facts, re-written history books, destroyed whatever archives they could get their hands on in order to cover this sad and dark history of the Ottoman Turks.  They made sure there was not one single piece of evidence in the entire country to show otherwise. Sit back and think – everything you know about the Armenian Genocide is what you have read and studied in your country, what your government told you to be “true” is this not so? Even your parents were so taught.  How would you know anything otherwise if you do not do the research yourself!  Armenians did not sit down one day and make all of this up. How absurd. This is a government conspiracy against all of it’s Turkish citizens.  These killings and murders perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks and their Kurdish “friends” at the time, against the entire Armenian population of Historical Eastern Anatolia in every Vilayet were documented by non-Armenian missionaries and ambassadors living and witnessing the fisrt Genocide of the Twentieth Century  – right then and there.

It’s done!  Now,  not you,  but your government needs to fess up.

I am curious, do any of your history books document the order from Constantinople from Talaat Pasha directing all Vilayets in how they were to execute this order and how they were to “exterminate” the Armeninas?  This original document exists.

By Bernard Nazarian on April 29th, 2009 at 8:53 pm

Having read Mr/Mrs OCDevin’s last extremely patronising and ostrich style posting where he completely fails to answer my simple questions and instead goes on aggressive and automatic Turkish official history or parrot/ostrich mode, with his head buried deep in the sand,  (i.e the Armenians were “good people” for 500 years of Ottoman Empire but when they suddenly decided to be “bad people…traitors…gaurs..” and sided with the Russians… etc. etc., instead of continuing to be like obedient sheep,  we Turks had to ‘deport’ them to the desert, etc. etc. the usual kindergartenor official  ‘history’ that most Turks are taught in their Kemalist schools which no one else in the world agrees or accepts) I have to agree with Mr Harutunian’s posting and say that it is pointless to try and reason with these guys in the same way that it would have been pointless to have tried to educate and enlighten any Germans away from racist nationalst thinking and resoning without the complete destruction of the Nazi state by the Allies and complete de-Nazification of  German state, education and society at large. This task is simply too great to be accomplished through this sort of web-reasoning by individuals. Mr OCDevin and millions of others who ‘think’ and ‘reason’ like him are proof that Turkish society as a whole is sick to the point that it is incapable of reforming itself with civilised, democratic-liberal values. These values must be imposed on it from outside, just like it was in the case of Germany and Japan – note what happens to people like Hrant Dink and Orhan Pamuk and thousands of other enlightened people who do not accept the official version of history in Turkey: they get persecuted and prosecuted under article 301 and if that doesn’t work they get murdered or forced into exile abroad. And yet a society that is not allowed to freely debate its history and has laws to punish any of its own citizens – including through torture, murder and exile, etc. – who are intelligent enough not to believe the official-kindergarten version of Turkish history but want to find out the truth for themselves through independent research and study, has the cheeck to lecture others and invite Armenia to research into the Genocide!
In this sense it is highly unfair that the Armenians and the Armenian Republic (and to some extent the Assyrians, Greeks/Cypriots) should be shouldering this fight almost single-handedly – a task which is simply above their capacity or capability as they have already been at the receiving end of Ottoman-Turkish subjugation and oppression, and  brutal Turkish racist nationalism for so often so long.  Europe and the US who have created this nightmarish monster, both through deliberate policy due to self interest as well as sometimes neglect and naivity, have a duty to sort the problem out before it commits firther upheavals/crimes/genocide against Kurds, Armenians, Greeks, etc. Just as importantly, Turkey must be democratised/liberalised/civilised before it can be Europeanised (can be let into Europe/civilised international community) otherwise there is every danger that Europe will be barbarised/Turkified as the latest examples in Davos and the Danish Mohammed cartoons/Rasmussen-Nato  shambles clearly demonstrate.