1915s Memory Confuses Turks
Some believe that Turkey approaches the issue with paranoid doubts, and believe that relieving the country from the burden of the past by recognizing whatever happened in history would earn credits for Turkey. Yet others perceive the Armenian Question as US and EU forged conspiracy in order to dismember the country.
Randomly interviewed by bianet reporter, Istanbul inhabitants reflect motley shades of both opinions.
Nobody is going to carve Kars (an Eastern town city neighboring Armenia) out of Turkeys boundaries. The Germans admitted that they have killed the Jews and earned credits for repenting. It would not be any different for Turkey, says insurance agent Seda Katırcı. Student Hüseyin Alkan converges with the same opinion.
However a döner grilled meat- seller Ahmet Barçın is cool to say: Nobody kills the other without reason, and argues that all talk is coming from those who want to stain the reputation of Turkey.
Meanwhile barber Cüneyt Aslan raises the issue of Turkish casualties inflicted during the Armenian uprisings of the early 20th century: Nobody is talking about the Turkish people who died there. This shows that Armenians and the Europeans are playing it double.
Student Aysel Oğuz proposes a different approach though: Lets recognize what happened then and apologize. Since our public memory is weak enough, it will soon be forgotten. Nobody cares about what happens in Iraq today as much as what took place 90 years ago.
Comments
Hüseyin Alkan, student
Whatever you may call it, genocide or else, you cannot change the blunt reality that; people were killed. Turkey must start recognizing some things. Once you do so, you do not belittle yourself, or you lose from your dignity. Instead, I believe you are gaining some appraisal. In the end, it is the Ottoman Empire who did it, not Turkey.
Ahmet Barçın, döner grill- seller
Nobody strangles the other without reason. Those who want to stain our history are at work again as proved by this Armenian issue. The only friend of the Turk is nobody but the Turk. The Europeans whom we had defeated feel themselves hurt and looking for revenge in supporting Armenians. We will not allow this, if somebody tries to meddle with our business, they will have the answer in a responding manner.
Seda Katrci, insurance agent
"Europeans regard us as barbarians, they look down upon us, and they try to dismember Turkey All these are illusions forged in our minds. Nobody perceives us this way. Nobody is going to carve the Armenia-Turkey border city of- Kars away. These events happened 90 years ago. The Americans accepted they killed the Amerindians and the Germans admitted the same for the Jews, and they earned credits for that. I think it would be no different for Turkey.
Cüneyt Aslan, barber
The Crusaders are back again. They are talking about a war that happened 90 years ago, as if it happened yesterday. Nobody is even talking about the Turks who died there. This shows that the Armenians and the Europeans are playing it double. If they are not accepting us in the European Union because of this, then they better dont at all.
Aysel Oguz, student
It is as if whole world has left aside everything else and is debating how many died 90 years ago. Yet they do not care how many people already die in Iraq and in the ongoing wars elsewhere. Since our public memory is extremely weak just like the fish memory. I propose apologize. Everything will be forgotten soon. Thus, Turkey will be relived of the pressure coming from Europe and the US.
Hande Koçgürbüz, housewife
If we admit that genocide had occurred, I am afraid that very bad things will happen. In the TV broadcasts, it is repeatedly reported that Turkeys interests are at stake. I wonder does EU support for the Armenians mean, and what for a negative attitude towards Turkey. And what if the Armenians are right? What if Turkey is right? We do not know the answers to these questions. A war had happened and people were killed. Our rulers will do whatever necessary.
Bahri Yavuz, art historian
The whole problem is not detached of our own perception of history and our attitude towards the minorities. The core problem is that in our popular conscience- everybody except Turks are perceived as villains plotting against our national interests, and this is what is taught to the public: Our homeland will be taken away from us, The Armenians and the Kurds are plotting against our country.
We must get rid of such paranoia and stop speaking of so-called genocide but resolve conflicts instead. We should also recognize that people from other ethnic backgrounds are also living in this country. The Armenians are one of those. Refusals will not solve anything. (KÖ/EÜ)