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Today's Zaman, Turkey
April 11 2015
The conflict around the `G word'
ARZU KAYA URANLI
April 11, 2015, Saturday
According to E! online magazine, reality star Kim Kardashian along
with her husband, Kanye West, and other family members are on a
journey to Armenia to mark the 100th anniversary of the `Armenian
genocide' in Yerevan. During the trip, a film crew will accompany them
to shoot several episodes of the reality series, `Keeping up with the
Kardashians.'
Kardashian announced that she will be visiting the Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial in the capital, Yerevan, but will not attend any official
commemoration. Since her late father, Robert Kardashian, was a
third-generation Armenian-American, she has for years -- and on
several occasions publicly -- supported the international recognition
of the Armenian genocide, and now, for the first time, is visiting
Armenia. But Kim Kardashian is not the only one paying extra attention
to the issue this year.
Given that relations between Turkey and the US have not been going
well recently, many people believe this might be the year when US
President Barack Obama uses the `G word.' Forty-nine US lawmakers have
already sent a letter urging President Obama to recognize the
`Armenian genocide.' They claim this move would somehow help improve
relations between Turkey and Armenia. As you might remember, during
the 2008 presidential race President Obama promised to recognize `the
mass killing of Armenians' as `genocide' and Armenian-Americans are
more hopeful that this year he will keep his promise.
The term `genocide' was first coined and defined by Polish lawyer
Raphael Lemkin in 1943 to describe the massacre of ethnic Armenians by
the Ottoman authorities in what is now Turkey. Armenians claim that
during World War I, 1.5 million Armenians were either killed or died
during forced exile in an intentional effort to completely destroy the
Armenian minority in Eastern Turkey. Nonetheless, despite Turkey
accepting that there were mass killings and forced deportations, as a
state it has argued that `genocide' is not an appropriate term. Turkey
has instead continued lobbying against the recognition of the 1915
events as genocide, arguing that the acts were a result of war and
that the number has been inflated.
I have just finished a book by Turkey's Armenian journalist Hayko
BaÄ?dat entitled `The snail' (Salyangoz), and realized once more how
difficult it has been for the Armenian minority to be `the other' in
Turkey for centuries and that exile is only a small part of that
ongoing inequity. Recognition of this mass killing with a proper term
could be a strong starting point to heal the wounds in the hearts of
Armenians. Yet Ankara is not even close to expressing any form of
regret for what took place in history after all this time.
Ironically, President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an announced that the 100th
anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I would be held on
April 24. Choosing the same date that Armenians around the world
annually observe as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is absurd. Even
pro-government Turkish-Armenian author and columnist Etyen Mahçupyan,
who currently serves as a top adviser to Prime Minister Ahmet
DavutoÄ?lu, accused President ErdoÄ?an of not being `chic' over the
decision and claimed that ErdoÄ?an acted unethically to gain
nationalist votes during the June 7 election.
So far, 22 countries have formally recognized the historical event as
`genocide.' In addition, 43 American states have accepted its status
as such. Nonetheless, apparently, when it comes to the US, it seems it
is very important to Turkey if Obama uses the `G word.' Several
high-level Turkish officials have visited Washington since January to
convince the US not to. Nowadays, Foreign Minister Mevlüt ÇavuÅ?oÄ?lu is
expected to visit Washington just before Obama's statement for the
same reason. The freshly established Turkish Institute for Progress, a
new Turkish-American lobby group that aims to bring about
reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, has neglected to label the
1915 killings.
Instead of efforts at this time of year to lobby in the US not to use
the `G word,' offering different solutions and creating a new
commemoration day is the answer. There is profound grief over the
issue and 100 years is long enough for the denial stage. It is time to
face it and find common ground to solve the conflict and heal deep
wounds.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/arzu-kaya-uranli/the-conflict-around-the-g-word_377662.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
April 11 2015
The conflict around the `G word'
ARZU KAYA URANLI
April 11, 2015, Saturday
According to E! online magazine, reality star Kim Kardashian along
with her husband, Kanye West, and other family members are on a
journey to Armenia to mark the 100th anniversary of the `Armenian
genocide' in Yerevan. During the trip, a film crew will accompany them
to shoot several episodes of the reality series, `Keeping up with the
Kardashians.'
Kardashian announced that she will be visiting the Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial in the capital, Yerevan, but will not attend any official
commemoration. Since her late father, Robert Kardashian, was a
third-generation Armenian-American, she has for years -- and on
several occasions publicly -- supported the international recognition
of the Armenian genocide, and now, for the first time, is visiting
Armenia. But Kim Kardashian is not the only one paying extra attention
to the issue this year.
Given that relations between Turkey and the US have not been going
well recently, many people believe this might be the year when US
President Barack Obama uses the `G word.' Forty-nine US lawmakers have
already sent a letter urging President Obama to recognize the
`Armenian genocide.' They claim this move would somehow help improve
relations between Turkey and Armenia. As you might remember, during
the 2008 presidential race President Obama promised to recognize `the
mass killing of Armenians' as `genocide' and Armenian-Americans are
more hopeful that this year he will keep his promise.
The term `genocide' was first coined and defined by Polish lawyer
Raphael Lemkin in 1943 to describe the massacre of ethnic Armenians by
the Ottoman authorities in what is now Turkey. Armenians claim that
during World War I, 1.5 million Armenians were either killed or died
during forced exile in an intentional effort to completely destroy the
Armenian minority in Eastern Turkey. Nonetheless, despite Turkey
accepting that there were mass killings and forced deportations, as a
state it has argued that `genocide' is not an appropriate term. Turkey
has instead continued lobbying against the recognition of the 1915
events as genocide, arguing that the acts were a result of war and
that the number has been inflated.
I have just finished a book by Turkey's Armenian journalist Hayko
BaÄ?dat entitled `The snail' (Salyangoz), and realized once more how
difficult it has been for the Armenian minority to be `the other' in
Turkey for centuries and that exile is only a small part of that
ongoing inequity. Recognition of this mass killing with a proper term
could be a strong starting point to heal the wounds in the hearts of
Armenians. Yet Ankara is not even close to expressing any form of
regret for what took place in history after all this time.
Ironically, President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an announced that the 100th
anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I would be held on
April 24. Choosing the same date that Armenians around the world
annually observe as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is absurd. Even
pro-government Turkish-Armenian author and columnist Etyen Mahçupyan,
who currently serves as a top adviser to Prime Minister Ahmet
DavutoÄ?lu, accused President ErdoÄ?an of not being `chic' over the
decision and claimed that ErdoÄ?an acted unethically to gain
nationalist votes during the June 7 election.
So far, 22 countries have formally recognized the historical event as
`genocide.' In addition, 43 American states have accepted its status
as such. Nonetheless, apparently, when it comes to the US, it seems it
is very important to Turkey if Obama uses the `G word.' Several
high-level Turkish officials have visited Washington since January to
convince the US not to. Nowadays, Foreign Minister Mevlüt ÇavuÅ?oÄ?lu is
expected to visit Washington just before Obama's statement for the
same reason. The freshly established Turkish Institute for Progress, a
new Turkish-American lobby group that aims to bring about
reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, has neglected to label the
1915 killings.
Instead of efforts at this time of year to lobby in the US not to use
the `G word,' offering different solutions and creating a new
commemoration day is the answer. There is profound grief over the
issue and 100 years is long enough for the denial stage. It is time to
face it and find common ground to solve the conflict and heal deep
wounds.
http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist/arzu-kaya-uranli/the-conflict-around-the-g-word_377662.html
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress