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  • Genocide And Repentance

    GENOCIDE AND REPENTANCENURI KINO

    Assyrian International News Agency
    http://www.aina.org/guesteds/20090527142019 .htm
    May 27 2009

    Stockholm (AINA) -- His father was one of the perpetrators; he is
    the first to ask for forgiveness through action

    Four Kurdish men gathered a group of Christian female survivors
    in the cathedral's yard. They pointed their weapons at the women
    while forcing them to carry out all the books they could find in the
    cathedral's library and pile them up in the yard. Quickly, the yard
    was full with books lying on top of each other. When the library
    was emptied, one of the men took out a match and set the books on
    fire. One of the other men closed the gate to the yard as the other
    men gripped and pulled the women's frightened children from their
    arms and threw them into the fire. The mothers instinctively rushed
    to save their children, as the men opened fire and shot the women
    who fell into the flames. The men didn't stop throwing women into
    the fire until all were dead. In the yard, there were now only ashes
    left. A ten-year-old girl survived the massacre and related the story.

    This is one of the many stories of the genocide that has now, about
    90 years later, brought me to an apartment in Jakobsberg, a densely
    populated suburb in northern Stockholm. We are sitting in a small
    living room with the blinds down in order to keep out the strong
    rays of the sun. We talk about our background. Three of the men in
    the room have been in jail; imprisoned from 11 to 15 years. A forth
    man says that he was too smart for the Turkish state. I, myself,
    was too young to be one of the politically active students in the
    beginning of the 70s and the 80s in Turkey. Compared to the others,
    I am Assyrian, but we are all born in Turkey. We are all interested in
    our motherland and its development, and we are all writers. They write
    for a web paper called Nasname. A website for intellectual Kurds in
    the diaspora. The sun is gushing through the blinds making the room
    stuffy, but the room is filled with activity. The men are going to
    publish several articles about a seminar that was held in the Swedish
    parliament a few hours ago. One of the men, Behzat Bilek, was one of
    the main participants at the seminar and up until noon today was known
    as Berzan Boti. His real identity had been kept disclosed because of
    his fear of reprisals for his action; an action he has dreamt of doing.

    He is the grandson of one of the Kurdish perpetrators from Siirt. And
    he wants to be the first to apologize for the genocide committed on
    Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks in Turkey during the First World
    War. He doesn't only want to apologize with words; he wants to
    apologize with an action. Behzad has given the title deed to the
    property he inherited from his grandfather who had confiscated it
    from Assyrians after they were murdered in the genocide. Behzad has
    given back his share of the family's land. In 1991, after he had
    spent 12 years in prison due to, as he himself puts it, fighting
    for human rights and justice he decided to redeem his grandfather's
    deeds. 'I couldn't live with myself as fighter for freedom knowing
    that my inherited property was stolen; knowing that blood had been
    shed in order for me to inherit this land."

    Behzad says that he didn't know about the genocide until he, as an
    adult, started researching it. It was never taught in school, and
    at home it was also taboo to mention. Today, Behzat is living in the
    city of Mersin. Most of his nine siblings have also left Siirt, but
    their mother still lives there. 'It wasn't until I had spoken to my
    mother that I finally made up my mind. She gave me her support and
    she said that what I was about to do was honorable".

    I don't quite understand how things will be settled in practice. Behzad
    has nine siblings which all are heir to the property he now has
    given away.

    Seyfo Center is a lobby-organization in Holland with members and
    offices all over the western world. Seyfo is the Assyrian word for
    sword and the name Assyrians use in reference to the genocide during
    the First World War.

    Sabri Atman is a Swedish citizen; this is why the official hand
    over of the title deeds of the property was held in the Swedish
    parliament. Another reason for Seyfo Center to choose the Swedish
    parliament as the place where the title deed would be handled over
    was due to the fact that many Swedish members of the parliament have
    been involved in getting Turkey to recognize the genocide. It was
    a very emotional ceremony. Many of the people present couldn't hold
    back the tears, including Behzad himself.

    Back in the living room in Jakobsberg, one of the men is pouring up
    tea for us while Behzat looks in to my eyes and continues: "Finally,
    I can relax and let go. From the time I made my decision till the
    time it was done, it has been very difficult for me. My wife, who
    is an attorney, has supported me the most. Our biggest concern is
    our ten-year-old daughter, who tells me that she doesn't want to
    live without a father. Up until now, I have only received positive
    reactions, but I also know that my actions have made me some enemies
    as well."

    Now he is less tense and says that I may ask any questions I would like
    to ask. He has nothing to hide, he says. I question what he has done. I
    don't understand how it is going to happen in practice and what will
    happen if Sabri Atman decides to sell the land. I even question the
    property's worth." We are talking about 5,000 hectare that will be
    divided among ten people, my nine siblings and Sabri Atman who will
    get my share. How and when, I don't know. The future will tell. All
    I know is that I feel happy. I feel that I have created history,
    and I hope that my action will contribute to recognition. This is
    now more than just a symbolic action."

    I begin to irritate the other men with my constant questioning. Behzat
    has done something great. After all, it is the symbolic value that
    counts. Most Kurds, and Turks for that matter, don't even know about
    the genocide. Now it has been confirmed by the grandson of one of
    the perpetrators. I give up. None of the four Kurds in Jakobsberg
    knows any details about the genocide; they don't even know about the
    massacre in the city of Siirt where Behzad was born.

    The day after, I call the research assistant, Jan Beth Sawoce. He
    is the one who told me the story about the ten-year-old girl
    who survived the massacre in Siirt. 'One of the most well known
    intellectual orientalists lived in Siirt at that time. So did the
    Chaldean-catholic archbishop, Mon Signor Aday Sher, who was in charge
    of the Mor Jakup cathedral. Throughout his years in Siirt, he was
    mostly known for his book collection and for the cathedral's library
    with its 30,000 books. Mon Signor Aday Sher was an author himself of
    books with theological, philosophical and linguistic themes."

    It was exactly those books that were used in the fire when the four
    Kurdish men murdered the widows and their children. The cathedral was
    a culture center and its books were invaluable to Assyrians (who also
    go under the denominations of 'Chaldeans" and 'Syriacs'). This is the
    reason why Beth Sawoce has decided to focus on this city. Beth Sawoce
    works at the University of Sodertorn in southern Stockholm. Together
    with Professor David Gaunt, he writes on his second book about
    the genocide of non-Muslims in the Ottoman Empire during the First
    World War.

    When I meet Sabri Atman he looks relieved, just like Behzat. It has
    been trying times. He has feared that the hand over of the title deeds
    would be sabotaged. 'Of course it is not about the land itself; it is
    the action. You were there and saw how many cried when we shook hands
    yesterday. It is historical; it is a beginning to recognition, but it
    is also a beginning to reconciliation. Until the last minute before
    going public about his real identity, Behzat had to keep it a secret
    because we feared that he would be hurt or that someone would somehow
    sabotage everything. Now we will see what will happen next. None of us
    knows how things will develop or what this can lead to. One thing is
    sure though, Assyrians worldwide have gotten a very eagerly awaited
    recognition. Behzat's action is heroic and honorable. It is just a
    shame that the little girl who survived the massacre in Siirt isn't
    alive to experience this historical moment."

    Nuri Kino is a journalist in Sweden specializing in investigative
    journalism, and is one of the most highly awarded journalists in Europe
    (CV). He is an Assyrian from Turkey. His documentary, Assyriska:
    a National team without a Nation, was awarded The Golden Palm at the
    2006 Beverly Hills Film festival.
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