The New Anatolian: Gross injustice

The Americans say that if Turkey "helps itself" by taking such steps, the administration will be able to defend Turkey more easily in Congress. One cannot help wondering whether the "opportunity" that arose as a result of Dink's murder is for Turkey to use in order to serve the interests of the U.S. and Armenia.

Even though Turkey hasn't established diplomatic relations with Armenia, it recognizes the country. The Turkish-Armenian border is closed, but goods are transported annually by 4,000 TIR trucks to Armenia via Georgia. In this way, Turkey is the second-biggest trading partner for Armenia. There are 60,000-70,000 Armenians illegally working in Turkey. Flights are operating to Istanbul and Antalya, etc.

Despite these facts, an additional demand to open the border and set up diplomatic relations would mean abandoning Azerbaijan in the face of the continuing Armenian occupation of Karabakh and other parts of this country. Moreover we have to keep in mind that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) does everything for a solution while the international embargo against it continues.

There is not a single Ottoman monument left in Armenia. Not a single Turk or Azeri lives there. You could think that the Ottoman Empire's Revan province never existed. However, we invited the Armenian diaspora to restore the Akhdamar Church. Since there was no reply, Turkey did the restoration as a gesture. In return, the infamous bill was introduced to the French Parliament and a resolution introduced at the U.S. Congress.

Meanwhile, pressure on us to repeal Article 301 is continuing. Thus, we are expected to "face our history" and recognize that the 1915 events amounted to genocide. Actually, if we accepted the genocide, nobody would want us to face our past.

Today, Armenia is a Tashnak dictatorship. But it dares to urge us to expand freedom of expression. Not a single book that denies the genocide claims is sold in Armenia. Let alone those written by the Turks or foreigners, even the report (rather the testament) submitted to the Tashnak Assembly of 1923 at Bucharest by the first prime minister of the independent Armenia and the most important Tashnak leader of the era, Hovhannes Katchaznouni, is still banned. They do not read documents by even those who played a leading role in their history so that they can keep intact their belief in a genocide.

Considering that it is almost impossible to have serious cooperation with such a country, the U.S. should be expected to put pressure on Armenia with a view to accelerating the democratization of its regime. The U.S. not only does not do this, it does not even try to prevent the unilateral genocide propaganda in its schools. But it gives priority to influencing our attitude.

Under these conditions, there is no alternative other than seeking a solution to the problem by adjudication or arbitration. Mr. Gul expressed this view in December during the budget debates. In response, not a word was heard from the U.S. administration, EU countries or institutions, Armenia or the Armenian diaspora. It's as if all of a sudden everyone became deaf and mute.

In Turkey too, none of those who consider themselves intellectuals said, "All right, let's solve the problem by adjudication or arbitration." They murmur, "It cannot be done through adjudication. We should face our history and use empathy with the Armenians," just as Armenia and the Armenian diaspora demand. I hope that they do not render these services without remuneration.

Can adjudication be done without facing history? All the archives will be opened and population statistics, forensic research, hospital records and all incidents that happened during the relocation will be thoroughly examined. Nothing better can be done to face history.

No, they urge only us to face history. They wish to ignore Armenian insurrections, massacres, collaboration with the enemy, and betrayal. As a result we would appear as perpetrators and they as victims.

The attempts to portray Turks as being responsible for genocide are the basic reason for the current psychological regression and the harsh nationalist reaction in our society. Nobody should entertain any illusion that Turkey will eventually yield to these unilateral allegations. We will take Armenia and its supporters to court and will make them face history together with us. And we will make them respect our dead as well.

There is no way out for anyone anymore.

By Gunduz Aktan

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