Turks Demand from Turkey

• 01.23.2015, 01:24
•  Region,  World,  Interview

"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is important not for Armenians, but for Turks and for Turkey", - this view has expressed Turkish historian, sociologist and writer Taner Akçam. In an Interview with "Armedia", he has suggested to establish an institution similar to police under the UN supervision, which will control the mass crimes within countries.

 - Your attitude towards the Armenian Genocide differs from the Turkey’s official position. What has contributed to the formation of such an attitude and what hinders the Turkish society to realize the truth?

-The problem is in the policies of the Turkish Government. For 95 years it has denied it. I think, in case of denying the history a real democracy will not been established in Turkey. I am not alone with this view concerning this question; a lot of people call the Government to change their attitude towards certain historical events. It is a moral thing to respect the history and I hope that the Turkish Government will soon change its policy. Turkey has now started a positive process, for example, in case of the Kurdish question, which we call "democratization of the Kurdish rights". Thus, I hope that we will have such process also in the case of respecting the history. In this regards, I am the so called representative of the next Turkey. You know since Hrant Dink’s funeral, there are hundred-thousands of Turks, who are publicly declaring, that they are Armenians, with the slogans "We are Hrant Dink". We ask our Government to look at the dark pages of our history and recognize all our historical mistakes. I think, that this is important not for Armenians, but for Turks and Turkey.

-  We know that there is a pressure on you because of your convictions. To what extent does it affect your performance?  

- I am not prosecuted that much. I think that the main gaps in Turkey are not the legal restrictions, though we still have certain undemocratic laws, for example Article 301. This article is a great obstacle on the way to the freedom of speech in Turkey. However, the main problem, as it was before, is the secret organizations that operate among militants, police and bureaucrats. "Ergenekon", which is one of such organizations, is still active. Recently we have heard that they even plan to kill some Armenians visiting Turkey. Thus the main concern is that illegal, secret organizations, which can be a threat for the intelligentsia. I know that some of my friends are still under the protection of the police. To speak about me I would say that in some regard I am safe, as I live in the USA, whereas my friends from intelligentsia are under a greater threat in Turkey and they are braver than me. This is a struggle for the sake of democracy, and if we want to have a democratic Turkey, then we should face those difficulties. Here is what is going on in Turkey.

- Do you consider it possible for Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide? To what extent does the approach of the world community influence the official position of Turkey?
- Turkey is now in a transitional period. We pass from an authoritarian regime to a more open democratic system. The democratization process is mostly felt in the sphere of the rights of the Kurds. There are also several changes concerning the role of the militants in Turkey’s political life. Our Government really tries to push the military out of the politics. I also expect such changes in the attitude towards the historical holes. In the upcoming years this will be one of the most important changes and as I have already said, I hope that Turkey will be able to face that dark side of its history. Turkey is not the same country as we knew it ten years ago. If Turkey wants to be an EU member state, a member of a civilized world, it would have to accept its past mistakes. I know that it is quite difficult, but I can only repeat what I have already said. I think that Turkey is on a right way, the developments are not that negative and one day they will recognize some historical facts. In this regard, I hope, there are positive developments. 

- In your opinion what is needed to be done to prevent such acts like the Armenian Genocide?

 -The prevention of Genocide is a political question and according to me there is still nation-state division. As long as nation-states political system exists and those states continue pursuing their monopolistic claims, there will be genocides and mass crimes in the world. Thus it is the UN's job to establish such a system, where the national monopolies will not be able to do whatever they want. It can be like the world police, which in case of necessity will be able to intervene. Thus, the main problem, I think, is the existence of nation-state and the monopolistic control of those nation-states. Therefore, the best means of crime prevention is the abolition of the right of this monopoly. 

Anna Balyan