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Ayse Gunaysu

Ayse Gunaysu

Ayse Gunaysu is a professional translator, human rights advocate, and feminist. She has been a member of the Committee Against Racism and Discrimination of the Human Rights Association of Turkey (Istanbul branch) since 1995, and is a columnist for Ozgur Gundem. Since 2008, she writes a column titled "Letters from Istanbul," for the Armenian Weekly.

16 Comments

  1. Aristotle has stated that every human being seeks knowledge, and Francis Bacon stated that knowledge is power. We are led to conclude that the governing bodies of ‘old’ and ‘new’ Turks and Turkish rulers remain ‘uneducated’ and teach their citizens ‘uneducation’ and therefore remain with no power. However, the rulers of this century in Turkey seem to believe the contrary, thus overshadowing Aristotle and Bacon, in addition to a huge number of philosophers and psychologists. Armenian lands will be repossessed by Armenians and the Republic of Armenia sooner or later, even if that takes decades or ‘centuries’ simply because the culture of ‘weak citizens’ inculcated within the present ‘boundaries’ of the Turkish Republic will surface willy nilly.

  2. Powerful article. Ms. Gunaysu went to the heart of what genocide commemoration means. She is not fooled by the PR stunt that is “common pain” used by Turkey.

    The Armenian genocide is about the genocide of Armenians and it’s denial. It is a decidedly on-sided event.

  3. Ayse Gunaysu always reaffirms my faith in humanity with her incomparable empathy for Armenians and her commitment to truth. She is a rare human being. She deserves our praise and appreciation.

  4. Ayse Gunyasu is like the white person who goes out of their way to make white people look bad in an attempt to be accepted by black people. Give me a break.
    .
    “Are we only responsible for those actions we carry out ourselves, especially if it is not an isolated crime… the murderous setting of denialism?”
    .
    Yes, we are only responsible for our actions, or inactions (standing around doing nothing during a genocide makes you guilty too, in my opinion). Why else would one feel guilt? I can apologize and feel guilt and shame on my collective ancestors behalf, but what have I done personally to feel guilty about?
    .
    “In other words, we became, were made, the agencies that enabled the genocide to serve its purpose. The simple fact is that they were exterminated, and we are here to live and to prosper.”
    .
    Oh, now I see. Me simply being Turkish and being born in Turkey is a crime. Makes sense now. I forgot I got to choose where I was born.

    • RVDV, why such harsh words against Ayse Gunaysu for simply speaking the truth and acknowledging the great injury committed against the Armenian people in 1915 and that continues to be inflicted through the Turkish campaign of denial?

  5. RVDV: Your opening lines are coarse, insulting and wrongheaded from a number of points of view.
    You did not score a bullseye with them. Quite the contrary. And with your absorption with your personal place in all of this (or that of other Turks) you seem to have missed one of the author’s fundamental points: that Armenians as Armenians should be able to openly commemorate 1915 in Turkey without its somehow being an extension of something initiated. sponsored or permitted by ethnic Turks. If you and other Turks support that, then I frankly think the conundrum of blame or shame would be greatly reduced.

  6. We need more Ayse Gunaysus. Not just we Armenians or we Turks but we human beings. It is obvious that Gunaysu, not necessarily uniquely but to a far greater degree than most on the Turkish left, is not mainly interested in speaking out on these issues for the sake of hearing her own voice or to promote herself, but because she is committed to truth and justice. Rather than preaching to or lecturing Armenians she has actually listened to them and learned from them. People like Gunaysu don’t have to make phony declarations about how much they feel Armenians pain. What she is doing means a whole lot more than such empty phrases.

  7. Thanks again Ayse. You are great human being and a great source of hope.
    And as of RVDV, despite being an intelligent persoon disappoints me at times.

  8. RVDV:

    I agree with Boyajian: you were a bit harsh on Ms. Gunaysu.

    If you ever have the opportunity to meet her or listen to her in person, I think you will understand why she has formed her worldview vis-à-vis Turks and Armenians, and you might change your mind.

    She came to California in November 2011 to an ANCA Grassroots conference.
    I had read her columns before of course, but what she talked about in person was quite unexpected.
    When she spoke, the entire conference room went silent: you could hear a pin drop.

    Her story made an indelible impression on the several hundred people present (including me).
    All I can reveal here is that she has had a very personal experience with AG Denialism, and has sacrificed much personally for her beliefs.

    You are more than fair when it comes to AG. But living in US since you were little, you may not have experienced daily what Ms Gunaysu has and probably still does living in Turkey.

    Ms. Gunaysu is a very brave and unique woman.
    Turks should be proud and honored there is one like her amongst them.

  9. In general I agree with Avery and others,such as Salpi ghazarian,applauding Ms. Gunaysu.may I add like Taner Akcam and a few others…
    But like the Armenian saying goes with one(or a few)flower Spring does not come…
    Moreover ,even if they are brave enough to utter the taboo amongst their own as well, it leaves one issue to accept that they have THE RIGHT TO FEEL TURKISH.After all,some day -hopefully-if more many many more Turks are convinced that denialism leads them nowhere and it is a Cul de sac,become ready to accept it,then again THEY STAY AS TURKS ON MOST OF THE LAND THEY ARE ON.Stop imagining tiny Armenia with its huge Diaspora is capable of matching up with that country.
    We have to think how to confront -AS YET-with their govt.´s adamant stance as to the Genoicde their predecessor Govtg.´s brought upon us-For they are headed that way.Repeat witha few flowers do not expect Spring to come!!!!
    it would be indeed very much of help if these few good people excercisesd more of their abiliteis within Turkey proper!!!! or even within their Disporas.Oh yes they now have huge Diasporas, from Germany to France to England to anywhere in EU and over the ocean West to the Americas and even in Aussiland…
    Stop being happy with a few flowers.Respect them ,indeed and encourage them Of course.But it stops there….
    Right now I am watching meanwhile USArmenia T.V.A talk is going on as rgds the Armenians in Baku(Axerbaijanis insist there are 30,000 Armeniasn there…) I doubt that very much.they say such outrageous lies in order to upset us as much as possilbe.
    Use their War rhetoric day in day out to scare our brethren sisters -especially in NK-.Luckily our brave compatriots there do not give a hoot to this kind of big talk!!!
    Nonetheless, we must receiprocate.This is we are not good at.Example???
    Hey Kardashlar. We are the owners of NAKHIJEVAN, some 40,.000 Nakhijevantsi in RA proper and more than that many overseas, are getting ready to come back and live there and chase you out of there…
    it is only a matter of time when KURDISTAN WILL BECOME A REALITY and then we shall settle our land isssue with them kurds amicably ..
    One more thing HEIRS OF BAKU OIL WELL OWNERS the Lazarian.s Mantashians, Nercessians, Gulbenkians and Lianazoff(Armenian9 are getting ready to lodge claim as to their lawfull wells and ..our Huge Diaspora is to support them ..
    Thje Ar,menian Diaspora may soon lodge their claim FOR BLOOD MONEY !!!!
    If we prefer not to do the above ,then there turco azeris will become convinced that there is no such thing as HAY TAHD OR CLAIMS,compensations etc.,so git a move on please!!!!

  10. Brilliant. Simply an expression of compassion for Armenians or it could be for any other persecuted minority.

  11. In hindsight, I may have come off as more insulting than intended. But I stand by other remarks. Here is what Ms. Gunaysu says:
    .
    “Even if our families are thoroughly clean in this respect, we are the members of a group who reproduced, proliferated, and reinforced its dominance as a majority in the absence of the Armenians and other Christian peoples annihilated just for this purpose.”
    .
    Simply being a Turk is guilt by association? Is this not what she is claiming here? This is a fundamentally flawed mentality if I understand the point here correctly.

    • RVDV, its about empathy, not guilt. You may personally have little to feel guilty for, but you have every reason, as a Turk/Kurd/human being to feel compassion, empathy and a desire to rectify a great crime.

  12. RVDV:
    “Simply being a Turk is guilt by association?”
    No! but I see not, I hear not and say nothing about the Armenian Genocide is!

  13. There are good Turks and bad Turks. There are good Armenians and bad Armenians. There are good Jews and bad Jews. There are good Eskimos and bad Eskimos. There are good Pygmies and bad Pygmies. Be aware of the matrix and realize its potentials. Bear in mind that the world on the whole is led and controlled by Godless, self-seeking groups and individuals who, will stop at nothing to further their own agendas, even at the expense of besmirching the collective name if need be. As a result, while group consciousness has its place in life, discernment is paramount. Some things are good/beneficial taken in small doses, but outright harmful when indulged in large quantities. This is the nature of the physical world we all live in.

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