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Prime Minister Erdogan Finally Admits Turkey Practiced Ethnic Cleans

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  • Prime Minister Erdogan Finally Admits Turkey Practiced Ethnic Cleans

    PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN FINALLY ADMITS TURKEY PRACTICED ETHNIC CLEANSING
    By Harut Sassounian

    AZG Armenian Daily
    28/05/2009

    Turkey

    http://www.armengenocide.org/ 2009/05/prime-minister-erdogan-finally-admits.html

    In a daring statement, Prime Minister Rejeb Erdogan admitted for
    the first time, that the expulsion from Turkey of tens of thousands
    of ethnic Greeks in the last century was a "fascist" act, Reuters
    reported.

    Some commentators viewed Erdogan's remarks as a reference to the
    expulsion of 1.5 million ethnic Greeks from Turkey to Greece in
    1923. The large-scale population exchange between the two countries
    also included the transfer of more than 500,000 ethnic Turks from
    Greece to Turkey.

    Other observers thought that Erdogan was referring to the pillaging
    of thousands of Greek shops and houses by Turkish mobs in Istanbul on
    Sept. 6-7, 1955, following the spread of false reports that Ataturk's
    house in Thessaloniki, Greece had been burned down.

    Beyond the expulsion of Greeks, Erdogan made an indirect reference
    to the tragic fate of other ethnic groups, such as Armenians, in
    Turkey. "For years, those of different identities have been kicked
    out of our country.... This was not done with common sense. This was
    done with a fascist approach," Erdogan said on May 23, during the
    annual congress of the Justice and Development Party, held in the
    western province of Duzce.

    "For many years," Erdogan continued, "various facts took place in this
    country to the detriment of ethnic minorities who lived here. They
    were ethnically cleansed because they had a different ethnic cultural
    identity. The time has arrived for us to question ourselves about
    why this happened and what we have learned from all of this. There
    has been no analysis of this right up until now. In reality, this
    behavior is the result of a fascist conception. We have also fallen
    into this grave error."

    The Turkish Prime Minister's candid remarks were harshly criticized by
    opposition parties. Onur Oymen, vice president of the main opposition
    Republican People's Party (CHP) said that associating Turkey's history
    with terms like fascism based on hearsay was not right. He also said
    that no Turkish citizen had ever been expelled because of his or her
    ethnic background. Oktay Vural of the opposition MHP party added:
    "Erdogan's words are an insult to the Turkish nation."

    In sharp contrast, liberal Turkish commentators praised Erdogan
    for his conciliatory remarks: "For the first time you have a prime
    minister who wants to admit that mistakes were made in the treatment of
    religious minorities. This is historic," wrote journalist Sami Kohen
    in Milliyet. "But whether this rhetoric will be followed with deeds,
    remains to be seen." Hurriyet Daily News added: Erdogan's speech was
    historic; it was the first time that a high official accepted there
    have been unlawful and undemocratic practices against minorities in
    the past. This sentiment was echoed by Prof. Halil Berktay in Vatan
    newspaper: "That statement was the most courageous thing ever said by
    Erdogan." Baskin Oran, another academic well-known for his liberal
    views, told Star newspaper that he was "proud of a prime minister
    who denounces ethnic and religious cleansing."

    CNN-Turk News Director Ridvan Akar was more skeptical about Erdogan's
    true intentions. He wrote in Vatan: "Minority rights as well as
    those of religious foundations are a structural problem within the
    Turkish state. Of course, Erdogan has taken a step forward with this
    declaration. But the sincerity of his words will depend on facts to
    back them up, such as the restitution of rights to those who have
    been expelled, the return of confiscated properties, or compensation."

    The Prime Minister's statement is encouraging, if it is an indication
    that Turkey's leaders have finally decided to face the ugly chapters
    of their country's past.

    However, it would be wrong to draw overly optimistic conclusions from
    this single statement. Erdogan has made similar comments about the
    Kurds in Turkey, only to have their hopes dashed by taking unexpected
    repressive measures against them.

    The fact is that Erdogan is not the master of his political domain. The
    "fascists" he attacks are not buried in an Ottoman historical grave,
    but are alive and well in Turkish society and occupy the highest
    echelons of the military and judiciary.

    Yet, Erdogan is politically shrewd enough to realize that his
    condemnation of fascism would resonate at home and in the West, and
    win him accolades and support against his powerful domestic opponents.

    Erdogan's battle against the ghosts of the Turkish past is in fact a
    fight for his political survival against those in today's Turkey who
    view him and his Islamic party with deep suspicion, and are determined
    to counter his every move, ultimately seeking his downfall from power.
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