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Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Jan 30 2007
Corpse-Lotto: How Many Armenians Killed?
Sedat Laciner
Tuesday , 30 January 2007
During World War I, like all other groups, so many people among
Armenians lost their lives, and many of them were forced to leave
their homes. However, the dispute on how many Armenians died during
the war is the maybe one of the most complicated debates in the
world.
Comparing the various historians' answers to the question of `how
many Armenians died' is really difficult. Each historian, Turkish,
Armenian or from any other origin, reaches quite surprising results.
One says 1 million, the other says 2 millions. It is worse than
guessing the true numbers in lotto; at least you have just 49 numbers
in lotto. Turkish historians and their formal institutions try to
show these numbers as low as they can. Among these people, there are
some historians who say this number is below 200.000 while some
others can increase the number to 400.000 etc. And there are also
people who draw down the number to even 10.000. But, even the Turkish
historians cannot reach a mutual understanding. Almost every number
between 10.000 and 800.000 people have mentioned in Turkey. If you
regard Orhan Pamuk as a `Turkish historian' (!), it is possible to
increase this estimation up to 1.5 million people.
If you look at the numbers of the Armenian side, you surprise more.
The numbers start from 500.000 and increase up to 1 million, 1.5
million even 2 millions. In recent years, in one of the meetings in
Wales, the Armenians have increased the number up to 2.5 millions.
Henceforward, it cannot be known that, if this number is going to be
increased up to 3 millions, 4 millions, or even over the total
population of Ottoman Empire at that period.
Unfortunately, the debates on the number of the killed Armenians
resemble the auction rooms. But with one difference, while Armenians
increase the number, Turkish people tries to decrease it...
`1 million...'
`There is someone who gives 1.1 million ...'
`Yes, they say 1.5 millions. Who increases it?'
`Mr. Pamuk, they say 1.5 millions. Do you increase this number? Or
you Mr.? Isn't there any historian who increases the number? Isn't
there any scientist who increases the number?'
***
The scene is cursorily awful. The policy is made on the corpses.
So-called historians, play corpse-lotto. There is not a single person
who is abashed of this. The people who say 2.5 million people died
and who say 500.000 people died can argue with a same tone of voice...
However, this is very clear: some people lie without blushing. They
also lie without scruple. They are not abashed of this... They make
business on the corpses, in order to defend their benefits they use,
they abuse the corpses.
***
`500.000. Isn't there anybody who decrease it?'
`There is someone who says 400.000. Yes, is there someone who
decrease to 300.000? Isn't there any professor who decrease the
number, isn't there any historian who decrease it to 10.000 even less
than that?
If there are this much different numbers, some people anyhow lie. Or,
some people do not fulfill the requirements of their jobs. If there
are tens of dead-toll, we cannot say `historian' to the so-called
historians who speak. It also cannot be said `the historians should
come together and solve this problem '. It's necessary for the
historians who are at this picture not to appear on the scene, not to
show themselves...
Another 24 April is close again ... And, again the number of the people
who play corpse-lotto increases ... People who want to satisfy their
interests and desires are going to give an estimate one more time and
they are going to call it `science' ... Let's see this year; up to what
number will the Armenian researchers increase the number...
By the way, how many Turks and Armenians live right now to live
together, any guess?
---
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat LACINER: Director of the USAK (International
Strategic Research Organization, Ankara & Davos Economic Forum Young
Global leader 2006.
[email protected]
translated by Zerin Acar and Kemal Tuzcu (JTW)
http://www.turkishweekly.net/comments.php? id=2450
Jan 30 2007
Corpse-Lotto: How Many Armenians Killed?
Sedat Laciner
Tuesday , 30 January 2007
During World War I, like all other groups, so many people among
Armenians lost their lives, and many of them were forced to leave
their homes. However, the dispute on how many Armenians died during
the war is the maybe one of the most complicated debates in the
world.
Comparing the various historians' answers to the question of `how
many Armenians died' is really difficult. Each historian, Turkish,
Armenian or from any other origin, reaches quite surprising results.
One says 1 million, the other says 2 millions. It is worse than
guessing the true numbers in lotto; at least you have just 49 numbers
in lotto. Turkish historians and their formal institutions try to
show these numbers as low as they can. Among these people, there are
some historians who say this number is below 200.000 while some
others can increase the number to 400.000 etc. And there are also
people who draw down the number to even 10.000. But, even the Turkish
historians cannot reach a mutual understanding. Almost every number
between 10.000 and 800.000 people have mentioned in Turkey. If you
regard Orhan Pamuk as a `Turkish historian' (!), it is possible to
increase this estimation up to 1.5 million people.
If you look at the numbers of the Armenian side, you surprise more.
The numbers start from 500.000 and increase up to 1 million, 1.5
million even 2 millions. In recent years, in one of the meetings in
Wales, the Armenians have increased the number up to 2.5 millions.
Henceforward, it cannot be known that, if this number is going to be
increased up to 3 millions, 4 millions, or even over the total
population of Ottoman Empire at that period.
Unfortunately, the debates on the number of the killed Armenians
resemble the auction rooms. But with one difference, while Armenians
increase the number, Turkish people tries to decrease it...
`1 million...'
`There is someone who gives 1.1 million ...'
`Yes, they say 1.5 millions. Who increases it?'
`Mr. Pamuk, they say 1.5 millions. Do you increase this number? Or
you Mr.? Isn't there any historian who increases the number? Isn't
there any scientist who increases the number?'
***
The scene is cursorily awful. The policy is made on the corpses.
So-called historians, play corpse-lotto. There is not a single person
who is abashed of this. The people who say 2.5 million people died
and who say 500.000 people died can argue with a same tone of voice...
However, this is very clear: some people lie without blushing. They
also lie without scruple. They are not abashed of this... They make
business on the corpses, in order to defend their benefits they use,
they abuse the corpses.
***
`500.000. Isn't there anybody who decrease it?'
`There is someone who says 400.000. Yes, is there someone who
decrease to 300.000? Isn't there any professor who decrease the
number, isn't there any historian who decrease it to 10.000 even less
than that?
If there are this much different numbers, some people anyhow lie. Or,
some people do not fulfill the requirements of their jobs. If there
are tens of dead-toll, we cannot say `historian' to the so-called
historians who speak. It also cannot be said `the historians should
come together and solve this problem '. It's necessary for the
historians who are at this picture not to appear on the scene, not to
show themselves...
Another 24 April is close again ... And, again the number of the people
who play corpse-lotto increases ... People who want to satisfy their
interests and desires are going to give an estimate one more time and
they are going to call it `science' ... Let's see this year; up to what
number will the Armenian researchers increase the number...
By the way, how many Turks and Armenians live right now to live
together, any guess?
---
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sedat LACINER: Director of the USAK (International
Strategic Research Organization, Ankara & Davos Economic Forum Young
Global leader 2006.
[email protected]
translated by Zerin Acar and Kemal Tuzcu (JTW)
http://www.turkishweekly.net/comments.php? id=2450