By Mehmet Kamis
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The Armenian issue constantly confronts Turkey. Everywhere in the world ? in France, America, Lebanon ? when Turkey is mentioned, some group appears hating Turkey and opposing them to the death. I have written on this story of hate in previous articles.
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More than in those subjected to deportation, this is a hate that has formed in later generations. The migration of Armenians, an Eastern Christian group, after World War II to Western countries played a big role in the transformation of the resentment of the first generation into the hatred of later generations.
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Last year was the 90th anniversary of the deportation. 2015 will be the 100th anniversary. The Armenians, or, more accurately, those who want to put pressure on Turkey, are trying to keep this issue on the agenda as much as possible and are preparing for a finale ten years from now.
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In World War II, which began in 1939 and ended in 1945, 35 million people died. Twenty million remained crippled. Twelve million mothers miscarried before holding their babies in their arms. Occupying France, Germany attacked Russia and caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people. A total of 35 million people from England, France, Italy and Germany lost their lives in this war. Killing millions of each other's people just 60 years ago, these states are uniting under one roof today by their own desire. But the events Turkey experienced with the Armenians during World War I are constantly bearing down on it, growing larger with each passing day. This issue constantly confronts us in a different country.
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There is only one action Turkey has taken against this situation. That is to say as loudly as possible to anyone who begins speaking about the alleged Armenian genocide that we didn't' butcher them, they butchered us. Repeated more so in Turkey, these words don't reach the rest of the world. The whole world believes the claims of the Armenians; their voice comes out a lot stronger than Turkey's. Turkey has no other approach or policy regarding this matter. When a few authorities repeat these words that we didn't kill them, Armenian gangs killed Turks, the subject is closed for us.
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For example, if we say that historians should handle this, it isn't going to resolve anything. The subject isn't closed for the Armenians and because it is useful for big states, it is constantly brought up against us. This situation could have been acceptable before because Turkey was a country squeezed between the Kapikule and Habur borders where only the rulers were happy. But things have changed today. We are finally living in a country integrated with the rest of the world.
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Turkey should change its policy on this issue and create warm ties with the Armenian Diaspora. In fact, civilians should be doing more than the government. We should sit down and talk with them a little about Fenerbahce football. Eating stuffed grapevine leaves together, presenting gold jewelry at weddings, and occasionally speaking Turkish. In short, it's necessary to remember again that we are societies that until yesterday did a lot of things together, ate the same food, sang the same songs, and reacted similarly when insulted; we shared the same emotions.
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There are so many people in the Armenian Diaspora who have never met a Turk in their whole life. Through face-to-face encounters, seeing that Turks are different from the type of person they have created in their minds could make a deep impression on them. Seeing that the Turks they hate to death are not like the image they have in their heads could turn their beliefs upside down.
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Turkey can overcome this issue with more human-oriented policies.
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Source: Zaman Online, 19 October 2006
http://www.zaman.com/?bl=columnists&alt=&trh=20061019&hn=37516
