Turkish Forum

Category: Armenia

  • An Ugly Face of Armenian Nationalism – Video

    An Ugly Face of Armenian Nationalism – Video

    azer hasret babek
    Azer HASRET

    By Azer HASRET, [email protected]

    Just to compare. I am compiling a piece where would like to show if Azerbaijan is really dangerous for people of Armenian origin to come and enjoy a trip to this most tolerant country of the world.

    Why am I touching upon this issue must be clear. Just the world is discussing – arguing around a footballer of Armenian decent – Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who plays for London`s Arsenal. Arsenal is due to come to Azerbaijan – Baku, to play Europa League Final 2019 against another English team – Chelsea.

    While these two teams were defined to beat for the Final, the speculations arose why the UEFA takes these English players to so far distance of 4 thousands km? Teams and their supporters believe that they could play the game in London and it would be good for Arsenal and Chelsea fans. But UEFA explained that while two years ago the decision was made, no one knew that both finalists will be English ones.

    So if the decision was made some two years ago and no one knew which teams will be at the Final, speculations in regard to host city are baseless. One can say one of the teams could be from Azerbaijan as well…

    Now let`s go back to Henrikh Mkhitaryan`s issue. He claims that it is unsafe for an Armenian to come to Baku, Azerbaijan. He fears for his safety and took the decision not to come to play for Arsenal. As was stated by the Arsenal and Mkhitaryan himself the decision was taken together and is personal choose of the player. We respect this decision and would count on understanding of supporters of Arsenal and Mkhitaryan. But unfortunately we see that some people and some circles have staged very wide campaign, claiming that Azerbaijan is not allowing an Armenian player to come. Because he is just Armenian…

    Is that true? Not of course. The government of Azerbaijan and AFFA – Azerbaijan Football Federations Association officially stated that Mkhitaryan`s safety will be assured in very high level. Plus, official written letter was submitted to UEFA and Arsenal assuring the issue. But still a lot of people, most of whom are Armenians, are continuing an ugly campaign to accuse Azerbaijan even for being “racist”.

    We feel a need to answer these stupid – baseless claims and attacks on Azerbaijan. Because while one side continuously lies and spreads ugly propaganda the world becomes a tool on the hands of that side. Our obligation is to enlighten people and tell the truth.

    Is Azerbaijan really dangerous for the people of Armenian decent? Not at all. Instead of Armenia`s occupation of about 20% of Azerbaijani lands, the people of Azerbaijan and the government as well do not hate Armenians. That`s why some 30 thousands Armenians still live in Baku, Ganja and other cities of Azerbaijan side by side with other Azerbaijanis. I mean they are equal citizens of Azerbaijan like other ethnic and national minorities and enjoy the same rights as anyone else.

    One more point in regard to Armenians` safety in Azerbaijan. Still alive is a great sporty show while Azerbaijan hosted The 1st European Games in 2015. Some Armenian sportsmen also were among competitors and even one of them had won the 2nd place. In a video below we are showing what happened to that Armenian sportsman in the Baku Olympic Stadium.

    One can see, that while the name of Armenian sportsman is announced the people are booing him, the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev raises his hands and the people calm down, applauds the sportsman. That must be enough for those who is staging an ugly campaign against Azerbaijan with groundless anti-Armenian claims.

    Or we have one more, very recent video footage depicting two young Armenians who right now are in Baku. They are sister and brother. Gymnastics sportsmen. Duhik and Garsevan Janazyan are competing at the European Championship of Sports Aerobics in Baku. Two days ago they arrived to Azerbaijan and were interviewed by local journalists. We are adding a short video footage where they express happiness for being in Azerbaijan adding that sports are different from politics.

    Now if Mkhitaryan and his campaigner-supporters still are accusing Azerbaijan for being hostile to any Armenian on the world, that must be their problem, not Azerbaijan`s. We are tolerant, multicultural nation. We are not hostile towards any nation, including Armenians of the world. We have a problem with only Armenia which is still keeping under occupation Azerbaijani lands expelling around 1 million (some 250 thousands from Armenia and 750 thousands from occupied Azerbaijani lands) people from their homes.

    And at the end I`d like to stress out that the case of Mkhitaryan once more shows the ugly face of Armenian nationalism which uses any opportunity to blackmail Turks, including Azerbaijani ones. But we, as a nation dedicated to multiculturalism and tolerance, will pass through this stage and once more will approve that we are a nation of sport and we understand the distance between sport and politics.

    P.S. It is time for Arsenal to dismiss Henrikh Mkhitaryan at all as he caused so much noise just making such a sport game dirty for his nationalist claims…

  • While You Hear a Voice of Justice

    While You Hear a Voice of Justice

    azer hasret babek
    Azer HASRET

    By Azer HASRET, [email protected]

    Recently, on the day of 26th February, 2019 US Congress` Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20) raised an issue of Khojaly Massacre, perpetrated by Armenian occupant army regiments together with Russian Army`s 366th motorized unit 27 years ago. As the recent history witnesses, during this occupation and massacre operation 613 men, women, children and other innocent people of Azerbaijani nationality were brutally killed by occupant army units.

    27 years has passed since Khojaly Massacre and the people of Azerbaijan always ask international community for justice and help to bring to the responsibility desk those who ordered and who implemented this act of genocide. But unfortunately many organizations and forceful actors – world leaders were not even fair towards this act of genocide.

    As Azerbaijan is new democracy and looking towards new practices and challenges through the leading democracies, the people of country always are attentive to the world leader country – the United States. Even this country usually is behind democratization and bringing new values throughout the world, sometimes some voices from Washington are not fairly approaching events like Khojaly Massacre of 26th February 1992. That’s why while Hon. Alcee L. Hastings acted with statement in the House of Representatives calling “to recognize the 27th anniversary of the Khojaly Massacre” we, the people of Azerbaijan were happy to hear this. That was fair approach and an act of justice initiative.

    Rising the issue, Mr. Hastings once more approved his country`s role as a major actor on the globe to bring peace and justice to humanity. We always wish to see the US like this. We believe in the mighty of the United States and we believe that this country having all opportunities can be fair mediator to solve any kind of conflicts even thousands of miles away.

    While Mr. Hastings acted with the statement towards Khojaly Massacre, our belief that the perpetrators will be brought to justice were renowned again. Indeed, we want and wish to rely on US`s justice and fair approach.

    We, the people of Azerbaijan and likewise countries are always alongside with those forces which are powerful and fair. And which really is in line with international rules to defend those who face injustice. In this regard Mr. Hastings` act in the House is a sign of will, which can rehabilitate belief of people of Azerbaijan. Because we were losing our belief as the US actors sometimes were ignorant towards Azerbaijani peoples` pains.

    Using this opportunity we would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Hastings and call to other US Congress members to act likewise in order to help with justice to prevail. The US were and remain Azerbaijan`s ally on the globe. And Azerbaijan is the country which is trusty to its principles in combating any kind of unfair approach towards humanity. In this struggle Azerbaijan was and remain as a main ally of the United States in the region of South Caucasus and alongside geography.

    In order to solve the problem of occupation of lands by neighboring Armenia Azerbaijani people look towards US`s fair approach to act more quickly and more effective. As some 1 million people of Azerbaijan are still suffering the pains of war and occupation by Armenia we look towards fair voices throughout the world. Mr. Hastings is one of the rising fair voices in this regard which surely will rehabilitate belief on the US.

    Yes, Azerbaijan was very quick to respond to the US calls “in the days after September 11, 2001” to overcome the world terrorism. And Azerbaijan remains as a trusty ally in this regard. But waiting the same approach from the US side in combating occupation and inhuman approach by the aggressive neighbor – Armenia as well. In this regard Mr. Hastings voice in the US Congress was due for the hope of Azerbaijani people. And people of Azerbaijan have the right to wait more and effective efforts from the US to end with injustice in our region and bring a piece to the region of South Caucasus.

    P.S. While compiling very this piece of mine I just saw an initiative by the Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. on “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting visits and communication between the United States and the Republic of Artsakh at all levels of civil society and government”. One can be shocked while seeing this, as the US does not recognize any country under the name of “Artsakh” (Nagorno Karabakh). But political actors like Pallone always were obstacle while the US tries to act in a fair manner. Anyway we believe on US fair approach as there are politicians like Mr. Hastings who really want to contribute to peace building in our region.

    @azerhasret

  • Sen. Menendez Delays Senate Confirmation Of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan

    Sen. Menendez Delays Senate Confirmation Of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan

    By Harut Sassounian
    Publisher, The California Courier
    www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
     
    Pres. Donald Trump nominated on Sept. 4, 2018 career Foreign Service Officer Earle Litzenberger to serve as US Ambassador to Azerbaijan replacing Amb. Robert Cekuta who left Baku nine months ago.
     
    A month before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s October 4, 2018 hearing on Litzenberger’s confirmation, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) issued a press release urging the Armenian American community, friends of Armenia, and human rights activists to call on their Senators to scrutinize Litzenberger’s nomination.
     
    Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of ANCA, explained that “there’s never been a more urgent need for clarity regarding the nature and scope of American relations with the Aliyev regime. This confirmation process provides a much-needed opportunity for substantive Congressional oversight of an increasingly troubled U.S.-Azerbaijan bilateral relationship, characterized by escalating aggression against Armenians, a worsening crackdown on dissent, and a well-funded campaign to manipulate the American political process.”
     
    Litzenberger has served as Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund; Deputy Chief of Mission to the United States Mission to NATO; NATO Deputy Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan; Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia; and Deputy Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Litzenberger earned a B.A. from Middlebury College and M.S. from the United States Army War College. He speaks French, Russian, Serbian, and Bulgarian.
     
    During the October 4, 2018 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Litzenberger came under intense scrutiny. The ANCA reported that Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) referred to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev’s “bellicose rhetoric and sporadic outbursts of violence,” when pressing Litzenberger about Azerbaijan’s violent strategies. Litzenberger responded that he would urge the Azerbaijani government to step back from behaviors that would disrupt the line of contact in the Artsakh conflict. He also stated that the U.S. is working along three lines — the non-use of force, respect for territorial integrity, and the right to self-determination.
     
    In addition, Litzenberger referred to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group, which condemns “any violence and any threat of the use of violence along the line of contact” without specifically citing Azerbaijan’s attacks.
     
    During the hearing, Sen. Menendez inquired whether providing weapons to Azerbaijan should be curtailed based on its human rights violations. Litzenberger responded that the State Department will be careful to ensure its decisions do not undermine efforts to reach a peaceful settlement of the Artsakh conflict. He also mentioned an increased focus on Azerbaijani training in human rights.
     
    Following the hearing, both Sen. Menendez and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) submitted written questions to Litzenberger. At the request of Sen. Menendez, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee postponed consideration of Litzenberger’s nomination to an unspecified date. Both Senators may have additional written questions to the nominee as a result of their concerns at National Security Advisor John Bolton’s offer to sell weapons to Armenia and Azerbaijan during his late October trip to the Caucasus.
     
    Litzenberger was the only one of 19 ambassadorial nominations to be postponed, very likely until next year, when the Committee will hold its next business meeting.
     
    ANCA’s Hamparian welcomed Litzenberger’s delay giving the Senators the “opportunity for more careful Congressional oversight of our country’s increasingly challenging bilateral ties with Azerbaijan’s aggressive and abusive Aliyev regime, particularly in light of National Security Advisor John Bolton’s controversial suggestion that the U.S. start selling arms to Baku.”
     
    Hamparian went on to assert: “We join with our Senate friends in seeking greater clarity on this point, and, more generally, regarding the Administration’s policy on Aliyev’s worsening pattern of aggression against Artsakh and Armenia, incitement of hatred against all Armenians, unapologetic blacklisting of U.S. legislators, obstruction of the Royce-Engel peace proposals, threats to shoot down civilian aircraft, the destruction of the Djulfa cemetery and other Christian heritage sites, and – of course – his severe crackdown against domestic dissidents and ethnic-religious minorities.”
     
    Azerbaijan’s Turan news Agency reported the news about the delay of the confirmation of the US Ambassador to Baku. Surprisingly, Turan speculated that Pres. Trump may make a recess appointment taking advantage of the absence of Senate sessions in December, which would mean that the President could appoint Litzenberger as Ambassador to Azerbaijan without Senate confirmation.
     
    Readers may recall that Pres. Obama made such a recess appointment in the case of Matt Bryza dispatching him as Ambassador to Azerbaijan, after Sen. Menendez twice blocked his confirmation. Bryza could only serve in Baku for 12 months before being forced to return to Washington, after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee refused to confirm his nomination.
     
    In the case of Matt Bryza, the Armenian-American community had a good reason to object to his nominations as he had a serious bias against Armenia and favored Azerbaijan and Turkey. However, Litzenberger does not seem to have such biases and there is nothing personal against him. Delaying his nomination is simply a means to ensure that he would defend human rights in Azerbaijan and would urge the Aliyev regime to be less bellicose in the Artsakh conflict. Litzenberger’s delay would also send a message to John Bolton that the Senate does not welcome his offer to sell weapons to Azerbaijan.
     
    The delay of the Ambassador’s Senate confirmation would serve the additional aim of upsetting the Aliyev regime by prolonging the lengthy absence of a US Ambassador to Baku, causing an irritation in Azerbaijan-United States relations.
  • So-called Turkish-Armenian Scholarship Conference in Berlin Exposes Hypocrisy Galore

    So-called Turkish-Armenian Scholarship Conference in Berlin Exposes Hypocrisy Galore

    By Ferruh Demirmen, Ph.D.

    The news made hardly a ripple in the Turkish media, but a so-called Turkish-Armenian scholarship conference held on September 15-18, 2017 in Berlin had all the markings of a scandal. The conference, having the theme, “Past in the Present: European Approaches to the Armenian Genocide,” was the 10th in the series of “Workshop on Armenian-Turkish Studies” (WATS) held at different locations since its inception in 2010.

    Primarily organized by the U.S.-based Middle East Studies Association (MESA), this year’s conference (WATS 2017) was held at the European Academy Berlin under the auspices of Dr. Martina Münch, a Minister of the State of Brandenburg. The co-organizers were the University of Michigan, University of Southern California (USC), and Lepsiushaus Potsdam.

    The Pretense

    The WATS series is magnanimously advertised as forums “where Turkish, Armenian and other historians could conduct an informed debate relating to the controversy surrounding the relocation of Ottoman Armenians during World War One.”

    All that sounds good. The key words here are “controversy” and “debate.” Controversy on a historical topic should normally lead to debate, and the two words complement each other. The outcome of a debate may result in a stand-off, a compromise, and possibly accord.

    This is how things should work out, especially in the academic world.

    The Reality

    But it turns out that lofty description for the WATS series is merely a PR front. For one thing, the institutions or universities that have organized and promoted the WATS conferences are those that advocate “Armenian genocide.” This is certainly the case with the organizers of WATS 2017.

    In fact, the co-organizer Lepsiushaus Potsdam, a historical house where German Protestant missionary Johannes Lepsius (also known as the “Guardian Angel of the Armenians”) once lived, is now a museum in Potsdam, Germany, serving as a “Research Center for Genocide Studies.”

    Obviously a mission well-suited for advancing the “Armenian genocide” cause! (Question: Has Lepsiushaus organized a conference on the 1904-1907 Namibian atrocities committed by German settlers in Namibia? The racial extermination and collective punishment brought upon the native population are sometimes known as the “First Genocide in the 20th Century.”

    As for the other co-organizers, they are U.S.-based, and the positions of these institution on the 1915 events in Ottoman Anatolia are beyond dispute. They are die-hard proponents of “genocide.” In the U.S. the Armenian foundations are known for their “generosity” in advancing the “genocide” thesis, and a number of academic institutions reap rewards from this bounty. At the University of Michigan, for example, the Manoogian Foundation funds genocide advocacy under the banner of “Armenian Studies Program.”

    Another foundation has enabled Prof. Taner Akçam, the “Prince Charming” of the Armenian lobby, to be awarded the “Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies” at Clark University in Massachusetts – never mind Akçam’s unsavory past related to subversive activities and prison term in Turkey. Earlier, Prof. Akçam received financial support from the Zoryan Institute, and was the beneficiary of the “Cafesjian Family Foundation” when he was at the University of Minnesota.

    The largess from Armenian foundations to fund genocide “studies” goes on.

    Second, and not surprisingly, the attendees to the WATS conferences have been those researchers that support one way or another the “Armenian genocide” narrative. Academicians with Turkish names are particularly welcome in these conferences. In fact, they are the prized attendees. Researchers, Turkish or foreign, that do not subscribe to the Armenian narrative are treated as “persona non grata.” The net effect is that the conferences act like exclusive clubs.

    Hypocrisy

    Given these facts, it is sophistry or chicanery to talk of WATS conferences as forums to provide “an informed debate relating to the controversy” on the 1915 events in Ottoman Anatolia. Such language is pure deception. There is no substantive debate in these conferences, and given the prevailing mindset, it is naive to expect any. The “Armenian genocide” narrative is treated as a historical truth, not as a controversy, and the overarching debate is nonexistent.

    In fact, the title of this year’s conference, bearing the phrase “Armenian genocide,” drops all the pretense of being anything other than a doctrinaire posture on the 1915 events in Ottoman Anatolia.

    What all this amounts to is hypocrisy – in fact contemptible hypocrisy, given that it takes place in an academic environment and violates what true academic scholarship stands for. The august corridors of the academia can sometimes be deafeningly numbing if prejudice and cushy incentives take over and the mind is grievously frozen.

    Inconvenient Truths

    The no-debate, doctrinaire stance on the Armenian issue stands in direct contradiction with an inconvenient truth: the 2013 and 2015 positions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the 2016 position of France’s Constitutional Council. These high judicial authorities in Europe have underscored the fact that “Armenian genocide” is controversial among scholars.

    The doctrinaire stance is also in conflict with the position of a large number of Turkish and foreign researchers that do not subscribe to the Armenian narrative.

    Another “inconvenient truth” is that the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide explicitly requires that any determination as to the crime of genocide must be made by a competent tribunal – a requirement the proponents of “Armenian genocide” would rather – and in fact do not – talk about. The claim of “Armenian genocide” by parliaments, politicians, establishments such as MESA, etc., runs counter the edicts of this Convention. This is what the ECHR and France’s Constitutional Court have ruled.

    But then, as far as the Armenian side, why bother with such “details” when a well-funded, well-organized propaganda does a wonderful job to peddle the Armenian version of history!

    The Armenian propaganda in the West has been so effective that it has given rise to what this author has called the “Settled History Syndrome,” an affliction in the Western media that accepts Armenian allegations as a fact without questioning the veracity of these allegations – in utter contempt of anti-genocide scholars, and more recently, also the judicial positions of high courts in Europe.

    An Audacious Complaint

    All the above aside, what made this year’s WATS conference all the more egregious was a letter sent by MESA President Prof. Beth Baron and MESA Executive Director Dr. Amy W. Newhall to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım of Turkey. Dated September 15, 2017, and copied to few other high Turkish officials as well as a number of EU, Council of Europe and UN officials, the MESA directors had the audacity to complain and express “deep concern” about Turkey-based scholars being allegedly prevented from attending the Berlin conference – while also preaching the virtues of “academic freedom” and “freedom of expression.”

    But on the other hand, the same MESA officers didn’t have any compunction about limiting the conference to their hand-picked scholars.

    The MESA letter led to angry protests from some circles in Turkey, including Dr. Doğu Perinçek, given that the efforts of some Turkish researchers opposing the “genocide” thesis, and wanting to participate in the conference, were rebuffed by the conference administrators.

    On display was hypocrisy galore.

    As far as known, Turkish officials have not replied to the MESA letter. A reply given by this author on October 27, 2017 can be viewed at:
    https://www.turkishnews.com/tr/content/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Demirmen-MESA.pdf

    Note: This article was originally published in The Diplomatic Observer in English and Turkish in December 2017, Ankara, Turkey.

  • Shopping mall squabble in California draws venomous Armenian comments and prompts media censure

    Shopping mall squabble in California draws venomous Armenian comments and prompts media censure

    By Ferruh Demirmen, Ph.D.
    September 9, 2017

    The dispute between the Armenian lobby and the Americana-at-Brand shopping mall in Glendale, California last month on whether to display an advertisement on a billboard precipitated a series of events, shedding a disturbing light on the activities of the lobby and two pro-Armenian news outlets. The billboard was intended to advertise The Architects of Denial, a documentary purportedly giving an account of what the lobby calls “Armenian genocide” through interviews with survivors.

    The documentary was funded to the tune of 50,000 dollars by the well-funded Armenian lobby.

    Both the initial squabble and its aftermath were reported in the Armenian media as well as in the LA Times and its affiliate Glendale News-Press – outlets well known for their sympathies towards Armenian causes. The town of Glendale, just outside Los Angeles, is home to more than 65,000 Armenian Diaspora residents.

        Principled stand and surrender

        The Carusso-owned Americana initially refused to accept the billboard, arguing – correctly – that the advertisement was politically charged and would violate the city’s zoning rules. The owners had received advice from the Turkish consulate in Los Angeles in addition to the Armenian community about the advertisement, and was trying to keep its properties “neutral and impartial.”

        The notion of neutrality and impartiality embraced by Americana was not acceptable for the Armenian Diaspora. Upon Americana’s refusal, the Armenian lobbying apparatus quickly sprang into action. With intense pressure from the lobby, including threat of boycott of all Carusso-owned properties, Americana quickly relented and agreed to display the advertisement.

        It also said it would allow the screening of the documentary in the mall free of charge.

        Jackie Levy, executive vice president of operations for Carusso, even apologized for the initial rejection of the ad.

        The bullying tactics of the Armenian lobby and Americana’s cowardly reversal of its earlier decision were a shame. Here was a case of political extortion exerted on a private company by an ethnic minority that wanted to propagandize a century-old grievance – of all places, in a shopping mall, where people come to relax and do shopping. And the company pitifully caving in.

        For the Armenian lobby, apparently no place in America is off-limits in pursuit of its “genocide” propaganda.

        The sparring exchange

        The event spurred an exchange of opinions between the Turkish and Armenian sides in the comments section of the LA Times. Denouncing the Armenian lobby’s strong-arm tactics and Americana’s total capitulation to its demands, the Turkish commentators argued that the supposed documentary would narrate an old, unproven “genocide,” and that Americana had abandoned all pretences of objectivity.

        In response, the Armenian commentators countered that the “genocide” was real and well-documented, labeling the opposition as “genocide deniers.”

        Although most of the exchanges between the two sides were civil, some of the comments from the Armenian side had a venomous tone. The animosity from the Armenian side was directed not only at Turks, but also at Islam in general.

        One of the Diaspora Armenians referred to Turks as “Turkish Mongol Mutts from Central/East Asia,” adding that “Islam is based on three principles: stealing, killing, and lying.”

        Another one accused the “Islamic Government of Turkey” for “spreading lies and bribing scholars and historians.”

        Dark undertones

        More disturbing was implicit or veiled threats of violence from the Armenian side. A Diaspora Armenian fakely named “S.Schmidt” became ominously too personal with Mr. Ergun Kirlikovali, one of the Turkish commentators. He identified Kirlikovali as a Muslim Turk born in Turkey and now living “comfortably in California,” revealing Kirlikovali’s age, the county he lives in, and even the full name of his wife. The one important information he left out was Kirlikovali’s street address.

        The question arose: What was the purpose of revealing such personal information?

        “S.Schmidt” said Mr. Kirlikovali is “the president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA), a corrupt racist organization whose ONLY purpose is to discredit the Holocost” [sic]. He counseled Kirlikovali to “take your fundamentalist Turkish point of views back to your ancestral lands of Mongolia along with your family.”

        He also wanted to banish another Turkish commentator as an “agent of the government of Turkey.”

        Alarmed that he was being personally targeted, and fearing violence against him or his family, Kirlikovali responded back: “This is a public alert to FBI. I am getting a lot of hate mail from Armenians. I am listed as number one in at least two Armenian hate sites. If something happens to me or my family members, FBI people, please go after this fellow who hides behind the fake name S.Schmidt. He is a notorious Armenian cyber-terrorist who demonizes any one, group, company, religion, or nation that disagrees with Armenians.”

        Media censure

        The disturbing turn of events led the LA Times to quickly remove the incendiary comments from its website. The editors were evidently spooked by Kirlikovali’s call for a FBI alert, and the fact that some of the comments from the Armenian side, with a dark underbelly, were not reflecting favorably on the Diaspora.

        Also expunged from the comments section were two commentaries entered under an alias by this author, decrying the poisonous invective emanated from the Armenian side, likening such diatribe to the mentality of the Ku Klux Klan – the difference being that the targeted group is not black Americans but Moslems and Turks – castigating the LA Times for allowing such racism on its website, and suggesting that Kirlikovali’s FBI alert should be taken seriously. The readers were reminded of the terrorist activities directed against Turkish diplomats in the 1970s and 1980s by fanatics such as Gourgen Yanikian and Hampig Sassounian.

        After “sanitizing” the comments section, of the 55 comments originally posted, at the writing of this article there are now only 41 comments that can be seen on the LA Times website. The 14 comments that were deemed to be incendiary or harshly provocative have been censured out and no longer accessible.

        The bottom line

        The whole episode was a reminder of the hatred or animosity ingrained in the minds of some Diaspora Armenians. Anti-Turkism, Islamophobia, and ethno-religious bias and bigotry seem to be alive and well in some quarters of Armenian Diaspora, and perhaps even more disturbingly, the columns of LA Times.

        Further, language, indirect that it might be, from the Armenian Diaspora that could potentially agitate Armenian youths to take up violence to advance Armenian causes is not new. An example came to light in the wake of the European Court of Human Right’s 2015 Grand Chamber decision on the Switzerland-Perinçek case when Harut Sassounian, a leading Diaspora lobbyist, commented on the defeat of Armenians and criticized the court with an insinuation that was troubling.

          Turks and Turkish Diaspora should wake up to the kind of adversary they are facing.

        • ARMENIA?

          ARMENIA?

          From: Yahoo [[email protected]]
          I did some research on Armenia

          IN GOD WE TRUST !!!
          Richard C De Graff

           

          ARMENIA?

          I am getting sick and tired hearing about the so called Armenia genocide by the Turks of the crumbling Ottoman Empire in 1915.

          First, dear reader, I am an American through and through. My family escaped from the French Huguenots and migrated to Holland. After being in Holland for several decades they migrated to the Americas and Jeremiah, Isaac and Frederick De Graff founded Amsterdam NY. In1630.  My son David has the deed signed by King George of England declaring “all the land they could protect”.

          Secondly I never heard of Armenia until after 1975. I thought it was something one added to their garden salad until I had dinner at my secretary’s home with her husband and they told about the “Genocide by the Turks”.

          Strange, why was I hearing about it after 50 odd years after it supposedly happened?

          General Dwight David Eisenhower has film taken of Nazi Germany’s concentration camps “so some dumb bastard could not say it never happened 50 years from now.”

          Well some not so clever Armenians saw how Jewish Germans survived WW ll and could prove the NAZI’s stole their property- the received repatriation in German Marks.

          So these Armenians tried to tie up the Republic of Turkey. They got a lot of publicity for their nefarious efforts, but the history is all wrong.

          I have done research on this subject.  The first book was written in 1982 and published in 1983.

          It is THE ARMENIAN FILE The Myth of Innocence Exposed by Kamuran Gurun. This is a heavy duty book written for Turkish people who have a keen interest in their rightful history. It is like Robert Caro’s books on Lyndon Baines Johnson a former President of the United States; it is also heavy duty reading for a foreigner.

          The other book is a shocker of the surprised truth. Hovhannes Katchaznouni (The First Prime Minister of the Independent Armenian Republic) DASHNAGTZZOUTIUN HAS NOTHING TO DO ANYMORE (Report Submitted to the 1923 Party Convention)

          Katchaznouni became a member of the Armenian National Council in 1917 and was the Gashnag representative until 1018.He served on the Armenian committee conducting peace talks with the Turks in Trabzon and Batoun. He then became the first prime-minister of the independent Armenian State in 1918. He held that position until August 1919. He was arrested after the Bolsheviks came into power in 1920. He left the country after the counter-revolutionary revolt against the Bolsheviks rule was extinguished in 1921.

          OTTOMAN EMPIRE

          1299-1923

          The Ottoman Empire was unique to say the least. It covered Asia minor with Constantinople as its capital and control of lands around the Mediterranean basin, the Ottoman Empire was at the center of interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries. Following a long period of military setbacks against European powers, the Ottoman Empire gradually declined into the late nineteenth century. The empire allied with Germany in the early 20th century, with the imperial ambition of recovering its lost territories, but it collapsed and was dissolved by the Allied Powers in the aftermath of World War I. [i]

          They had some basic rules that apply to Armenia problem.

          Religion was a basic tenant of the empire. They had freedom of religion as long as you obeyed their laws. Turkey is rich with religious history. The first seven churches that the apostle John wrote about are in Turkey. The Muslims are Sunni and Jesus mother retired there too. When the Holy Roman Empire broke up the Greek Orthodox Church was headquartered in Constantinople.

          Missionaries were enthusiastically welcomed from all kinds of religious sects.

          The Trojan War took there.

          By 1914 there were Turkish Armenians living in Turkey as Turkish citizens.

          Question? Why would Turkey commit genocide on the Armenians when 6.9% of their population is Armenian? Something is fishy here.

          WW l

          Now here is the problem. The Ottoman Empire is in its death throes and it takes side with Germany. It seems a natural because Germany is strong, Russia weak and the Allies are causing them a bundle of problems.

          The Tsar of Russia has just recently annexed Georgia in 1801to its sphere of influence. (A stepping stone towards the Black Sea?) What Russia wanted was a warm water ports for its Navy and has its eyes on Constantinople straights and easy entry into the Mediterranean Sea. (It still does.)  The areas if influences in Turkey in 1914-15 are Russia, Germany, France, Italy, USA, and the British!

          So the Armenians side up to Tsarist Russia basically because the Ottomans are in shambles.

          This is one of worst decisions world history. The Russian Revolution broke out in 1917 and the Bolsheviks took over.

          Off with their heads. The Tsarist dynasty is no more. History has now shown us that communist dictators liquidate the opposition. Russia did such a good job that when Hitler started to take on Russia, the only competent General officer was General Zhukov from Vladivostok which is the farthest western city in Russia.( It borders China and North Korea.) He was so far away that Stalin probably thought he was harmless. He is now considered one of Russia’s greatest generals.

          I make this point because Tsarist Russia or the Communist had no use for the Armenians so the smart ones were disposed of. (Modern day language calls it the “brain drain”) I can imagine how eager the communist were dreaming of straights of the Dardanelles and Constantinople were part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic.

          The dates are important here. The Armenian File was published in 1983. So what happened in the 1920s?

          But the Tip-off is Katchaznouni’s Report made in 1923. The Russians suppressed the report and it was not until April 2006 that the first edition of the COMPLETE report was published. There is now a third printing.

          I believe the genocide is a major con job just to gain funds by politicians who have failed to bring prosperity to their constituents.

          On May 19, 1919 Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) landed in Samsun and the National Struggle started and would not end until 1923 after he had defeated all countries that want to break up Turkey. His defeat of the British and his leadership role of modern Turkey make him one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th century.

           

          [i]Wikipedia-Ottoman Empire