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Hurriyet, Turkey
Jan 4 2012
Let us turn to ourselves as we vent our fury on France
MEHMET ALİ BİRAND
Wednesday,January 4 2012, Your time is 1:59:54 PM
We have never been able to form a consistent policy in the face of
Armenian genocide allegations.
There was one truth constantly flung in my face while talking in Paris
last week to French intellectuals and journalists who were well
acquainted with Turkey, and which upset my whole chemistry, as they
were dead on.
A journalist friend of mine who knew intimately human rights issues
and problems pertaining to freedom of thought in Turkey said, `You
criticize us incessantly and say we have struck a blow to the freedom
of thought because of the law on Armenians. Why do you not take a look
at yourselves a little bit? The French public knows the situation in
Turkey, and people generally react by saying you ought to look at
yourselves before criticizing us...'
Just as those claiming there was no genocide are going to be punished
through the recent draft bill in France, those claiming the opposite
are also getting badly bruised here.
Naturally, no wrong could be forgiven because of another wrong, but
our situation is truly lamentable. There are several striking examples
most often employed by those who propagate this law. One pertains to
the misfortunes that befell Taner Akçam due to a book he wrote
claiming there was a genocide; another is the trial of Hrant Dink on
the grounds of `insulting the Turkish identity;' while yet another has
to do with the mighty reaction toward Orhan Pamuk for saying that we
killed the Armenians and the Kurds.
As a matter of fact, we need not go very far. The calamitous state of
our record on the freedom of thought is glaringly blatant, ranging
from journalists locked behind bars to the law about `insulting the
Turkish identity' that is hanging over our heads like the sword of
Damocles.
We just cannot get used to the notion that people could openly
propagate every idea as long as they do not resort to terrorism, use
arms or tell others to go and bomb a certain place through broadcasted
or published material. We immediately fall back on punishing every
idea we dislike or find inconvenient.
That is the reason why we cannot put up with imprisoned journalists
alleged to be sympathizers of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) and who purportedly `share the PKK's views' despite the fact
they never got involved in terrorism. They, too, are journalists like
us and should not be sent to jail.
Does it not look silly to slam the French and act as a champion for
the cause of the freedom of thought after such conduct and so
flagrantly trampling on that freedom?
It is not without reason they say, `Those living in a glass mansion
should not stone another's house.' Let us clean our own backyard first
before stoning another's.
No one can speak with any certainty yet, but it is generally reckoned
that the denial bill is going to pass through the French Senate during
the second half of February. That is why it is important to start
preparing early on.
We should plot our moves so as to avoid a situation where a different
voice issues from each ministry, or to avoid taking measures in a
flush of excitement that would harm ourselves rather than punishing
France.
And let us not forget, this bill in France is not the end of the road.
Such bills will pass through the Parliaments of many countries until
2015, regarded as the 100th anniversary of the affair.
We ought to decide. Are we going to pick a fight with every country
and shut our doors, or are we going to receive the increasingly more
politicized matter of genocide in a different manner?
Let us decide fast and form an appropriate strategy. Otherwise, we are
going to end in smoke by lashing out at each unfolding development.
January/04/2012
From: A. Papazian
Jan 4 2012
Let us turn to ourselves as we vent our fury on France
MEHMET ALİ BİRAND
Wednesday,January 4 2012, Your time is 1:59:54 PM
We have never been able to form a consistent policy in the face of
Armenian genocide allegations.
There was one truth constantly flung in my face while talking in Paris
last week to French intellectuals and journalists who were well
acquainted with Turkey, and which upset my whole chemistry, as they
were dead on.
A journalist friend of mine who knew intimately human rights issues
and problems pertaining to freedom of thought in Turkey said, `You
criticize us incessantly and say we have struck a blow to the freedom
of thought because of the law on Armenians. Why do you not take a look
at yourselves a little bit? The French public knows the situation in
Turkey, and people generally react by saying you ought to look at
yourselves before criticizing us...'
Just as those claiming there was no genocide are going to be punished
through the recent draft bill in France, those claiming the opposite
are also getting badly bruised here.
Naturally, no wrong could be forgiven because of another wrong, but
our situation is truly lamentable. There are several striking examples
most often employed by those who propagate this law. One pertains to
the misfortunes that befell Taner Akçam due to a book he wrote
claiming there was a genocide; another is the trial of Hrant Dink on
the grounds of `insulting the Turkish identity;' while yet another has
to do with the mighty reaction toward Orhan Pamuk for saying that we
killed the Armenians and the Kurds.
As a matter of fact, we need not go very far. The calamitous state of
our record on the freedom of thought is glaringly blatant, ranging
from journalists locked behind bars to the law about `insulting the
Turkish identity' that is hanging over our heads like the sword of
Damocles.
We just cannot get used to the notion that people could openly
propagate every idea as long as they do not resort to terrorism, use
arms or tell others to go and bomb a certain place through broadcasted
or published material. We immediately fall back on punishing every
idea we dislike or find inconvenient.
That is the reason why we cannot put up with imprisoned journalists
alleged to be sympathizers of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party
(PKK) and who purportedly `share the PKK's views' despite the fact
they never got involved in terrorism. They, too, are journalists like
us and should not be sent to jail.
Does it not look silly to slam the French and act as a champion for
the cause of the freedom of thought after such conduct and so
flagrantly trampling on that freedom?
It is not without reason they say, `Those living in a glass mansion
should not stone another's house.' Let us clean our own backyard first
before stoning another's.
No one can speak with any certainty yet, but it is generally reckoned
that the denial bill is going to pass through the French Senate during
the second half of February. That is why it is important to start
preparing early on.
We should plot our moves so as to avoid a situation where a different
voice issues from each ministry, or to avoid taking measures in a
flush of excitement that would harm ourselves rather than punishing
France.
And let us not forget, this bill in France is not the end of the road.
Such bills will pass through the Parliaments of many countries until
2015, regarded as the 100th anniversary of the affair.
We ought to decide. Are we going to pick a fight with every country
and shut our doors, or are we going to receive the increasingly more
politicized matter of genocide in a different manner?
Let us decide fast and form an appropriate strategy. Otherwise, we are
going to end in smoke by lashing out at each unfolding development.
January/04/2012
From: A. Papazian