The Turkish version of the article below by Ergun Babahan appeared in STAR Gazete on March 14.
Following the approval of the House Foreign Affairs Committee of the U.S. Congress, the Swedish Parliament also adopted a resolution that recognizes the Armenian Genocide.
These are real decisions, not feigned acts.
The Turkish government was furious. And immediately recalled its ambassadors in Washington and Stockholm. Visits to the U.S. and Sweden were cancelled.
Apparently this reaction targets those countries that have passed the resolution recently, because there is no reaction against countries that have passed similar resolutions in the past.
Visits to such countries are not being cancelled and the ambassadors to those countries are on duty.
Obviously, the top echelons of the state have decided to recall their ambassadors or visit countries that pass resolutions regarding the Armenian Genocide after 2010.
Because Enver Pasha may have been a putschist, may have finished the empire, may have condemned 90,000 youth to death by freezing, but he would not have commit genocide.
Amongst us, we can criticize the Unionists and their policies, but we are firm believers in the proverb “the arm may be broken but remains inside the sleeve.”
See, even TUSIAD (the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association) has become étatist.
Shame on you. Defend the most liberal policies and then surrender to a chauvinist policy.
Then you, too, are secret Unionists; after all, the role of the Uninonists in the formation of your capital was undeniable.
Had they not crushed and butchered the minorities, your grandparents would not have been able to usurp their goods and form their capital.
In short, you are owning up your history.
And anyway, the Americans killed the Indians, didn’t they? Well, they acknowledge this and teach it in their schools, but who cares?
Armenian babies were deported for having joined the Russians and declared war on the Ottomans. And their mothers were subjected to forced immigration because they procured arms for the babies.
The events of Sept. 6-7, 1955 were in fact concocted by the Greeks to humiliate Turkey in the eyes of the world.
The Ottoman Dynasty may have been traitors, they may have been in league with the enemy, but their administration would not have commited genocide.
I had written in the Sabah newspaper previously.
Had Hitler been Turkish, we would have denied the Holocaust, too. (Of course, there are some conservative newspapers that deny the Holocaust.)
Yes, we started off from Central Asia and marched into the midst of Europe by handing out sweets to babies, food to mothers, and jobs to husbands. And we had to return because we ran out of sweets and bread at the gates of Vienna. Otherwise our history is spick-and-span without a blemish.
We do concede that an army whose battle cry is “Allah, Allah” may have planned to bomb mosques, but we do not concede the truth of that same army annihilating its own citizens.
Dersim is a reality, but the Armenian Genocide is a lie.
Mr. prime minister, how about you also make public the verdicts of the deportations?
Although we cannot explain how the number of Armenians varied between 300,000 and 1.5 million, and how those had been living on these lands for over a thousand years decreased to the level of some tens of thousands, so be it.
In my opinion, everyone should prepare placards that read “We are all Enver, we are all Unionists” and take to the streets on April 24.
The previous editor-in-chief of the Hurriyet newspaper was very influential and successful in the “flag demonstrations.” He could successfully undertake “We are all Envers” demonstrations too.
They may even supply a placard for every five coupons.
Come on nationalists, to the streets…
Ergun Babahan
Latest posts by Ergun Babahan (see all)
- Babahan: We are all Enver - March 16, 2010
I dont agree to Mr.Babahan.I m not an Enver and I wont be.Never!! Nationalism is our posion and pan-turkism by the CUP was the beginning of the end.
Enver was the head of the 1913 Coupe D’etat an and their goverment was a junta who organized 1915 Armenian Disaster and lots of disaster in their time.
I dont defend them and I will say the truth all the time.Ethnic cleansing is a fact against non-muslim community and after 1923 TR we lost our jewel with same policy of CUP.CHP (Republican Populist Party)is the following party of CUP and there isnt any differences between them.
Founders of TR are the former CUP members.We need to be face to face with the reality for the brigth future of the nations of our lands.
Former Ottoman citizen Armenians (Diaspora) deserve to die and born and live in their lands with us as the 1st class of the members of our country.
We must not forget that they were living in these lands before Turks and we need to respect each other.
IN ONE WORD THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR.BABAHAN
YOU ARE A TRULY HUMAN BEING.
LONG LIVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU.
Mr Babahan is a decent human being. Most of Turkish public is ignorant about the true history of their country. Hopefully articles published in Turkish press, if allowed by the establishment (Re: article 301), by people like Mr. Babahan, will open the public’s eyes to the truth…
Mr. Babahan and articles similar to the above article is one of many which a reader can find in the Turkish media now days. If you read pages of Taraf, Radikal, Zaman papers very often articles of this sort pointing to the Armenian Genocide can be found under the shadow of Turkish Panel Code 301. In other words these columnists ,writers , intellectuals to a great deal are jeopardizing their own well being, by writing these articles with the hopes that they are contributing to the reeducation process of the Turkish population about their own history, so that the truth can come out. We all know, what happened to the first Turkish Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk’s faith when he spoke openly about the Armenian Genocide. Now the question is, how we, the Armenian diaspora are going to build bridges between us and these brave Turkish individuals who are out there on the ground at point zero-not in a foreign land- defending the truth, trying to achive what we are trying to achive the acceptance of the Armenian Genocide. After all at end of the day it does not make a difference how many foreign parliaments accept what happened to our ancestors, we all know our history, as Hrant Dink used to say “that is our pain and we will carry it to eternity”. I also know what type of a pain my family suffered during the Genocide, by simply glancing through my families tamparan in the Armenian Cemetery, where family members names are marked symbolically on the tume stone, many of them sharing the same death year, 1915. In my opinion the only acceptance really matters is , when Turks accept it. Then, only then, the healing process can start, since the rest is nothing more than playing politics with the blood of our ancestors!
Isn’t he good? Mr. Babahan’s sarcasm is soooo fitting and justified. The Turks claim that Armenians that died during the Genocide were only 300,000… Huh what a laughing matter and how fitting was Babahan’s sarcasm. Armenians in 1915 were on or about 3,000,000. in Turkey and after 1919 there were left only 280,000. 1.5 Million Armenians were annihilated from 1915-1923, about 800,000 miraculously escaped including the child orphans and the half dead half alive women and children who were lucky enough to land on Syrian lands after walking the death marches. Then there’s a difference of 420,000 Armenians who have also parished during the Armenian Genocide. So yes, when we say anywhere from 1.5 – 2 Million Armenians were annihilated during the Genocide; the numbers are not exaggerated but quite right. Not to mention even before the 1800’s Armenians were always being targeted for lootings, killings and kidnappings of children and women…. But like mr. Babahan said; no not the Turks no no never, they wouldn’t do such things and may God forbid if they accept their crimes of the first Genocide of the 20th century as the Germans did for the Nazis’ crimes of the Haulocaust in 1945.
Thank you Mr. Babahan….from the bottom of my heart…
There were two approaches to Babahan post.One that does not quite grasp that he does wish to accept facts as they are-but mind you-in a veiled,rather cautious way also, in order that he may not be persecuted in his country.Like someone above pointed out ,nonetheless he plays with the FIGURES,thus downgrading the immensity of the Genocide.Granted he ,in his turkish maneuvring “massals” like style is downgrading it.
However, we must understand that their manners are dfferent than those of ours or any other nation on earth.They simply have adon of being able to by and by “yavash yavash’ come to reach to a conclusion that while accepting the irrevocable Crime committed by their ancestors,they seek a way out of it without EVEN MENTIONING THAT THE CULABLE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACT -AS IS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN -AND THENCE TO MAKE REPARATIONS/COMPENSATIONS.
NEXT ,OZAN ON THE OTHER HAND IS MORE SPECIFIC TO IT ,HOWEVER FOLLOWING SAME PATH OF HIS KARDASH(BROTHER) THAT ARMENIANS SOULD COME AND LIVE on their ancestors’ lands…BUT IN A VERY VEILED FASHION …TAKE NOTE “their lands”…he writes but….. WITH US !!!!
WITH YOU? WHY NOT WITHOUT YOU BEING THERE. NOW MY RESPONSE:-
THANKS FOR NOTHING!!!
IF WE ARE TO LIVE ON OUR ANCESTORS LANDS,WE WANT IT ALL FOR OURSEVES-LIKE THOSE LADS AD MONASTERIESW CHURCHES ,SCHOOLS WERE BUILT BY US -OUR ANCESTORS,all belongs to us. We are heris apparent.
SO WHY DO YOU WANT US TO “live with you”.you are better off WITHOUT US!
Just stay as good neighbours,further to the West.Then of course if there is room for you there.SINCE “mountain turks” now occupy most of those lands,i.e., KURDS!!!
NO ! THESE ISSUES CAN ONLY BE SOLVED WHEN LIKE THEGERMANS YOU /YOUR PEOPLE/YOUR GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS THE REALITY OF GENOCIDE PERPETRATED ON OUR ANCESTORS AND MAKE AMENDS-FOR “BLOOD MONEY”..TO BEGIN WIT..
WE CAN WAIT UNTILL YOU HAVE SOLVED YOUR p r e s e n t PROBLEM WITH ALL THOSE KURDS THERE…COSE TO 20 MILLION?
OR ARE THEY “MOUNTAIN TURKS” AS YET??????
PLEASE ,ETHER COME CLEAN ,STRAIGHT OR ELSE GO GRIND YOUR “SUGAR COATED” OXYDATED AXES ELSEWHERE.
Some “Paremid hyes here’ not to say Barzamids still ,easily wis to kiss and make up..
Wake up !!understand the ENORMITY OF THE CRIME,dear compatriots!!!!
Shantagizoum
thank you Shantagizoum!!! for your clear headed response, after all if we don’t stay clear we will not shine.
It is inevitable that to propagate and support a myth, legal protections and politicizing of history may not be enough, you may have to resort to other myths to protect and cherish the original one.
Many here continue to claim that this topic can never be freely discussed and Turks who will agree with Armenian interperation of the events will be prosecuted, then tarred and feathered. Ergo, Turks are uneducated and ignorant and that explains their disagreement with the the Armenian claims.
Nothing unique about Babahan article. You can and I have, ran into countless Turks in countless forums and some in real life who have similar views. I do not agree with some of their positions but will defend their right to opine in any way they wish freely. Sure things get heated at times, but there is a variety opinions on this sibject and most are expressed freely unlike in Armenia, France or Switzerland for example. There is no one in jail in Turkey because they said this or that about 1915, and though the nationalists abuse the law to abuse different voices, in the end it does not stick, and there is no explicit law that makes this discussion a crime.
I am sure none of this will stop the efforts to propagate the myth that Turks are brain washed and ignorant and can not even talk about their history. That is what makes a myth a myth, they are impervious to facts.
The real question is, where is the Armenian Babahan, Pamuk or Akcam?
THE ARMENIAN PAMUK -PLEASE DON’T RATE HIM WITH THE OTHER TWO,BABAHAN AD AKCAM…
IS ON THE WEB SITE -just with one very hsort concise info-go to
-www.armeniancafe.com and then click on ARTEMIS post…THERE!! you will see what the Armenias accomplished for the turks!!!
ALL ARMENIANS SHOULD VISIT AND SEE THAT “CLIP”…
There are two very important essentials when one is posting on these kind of posts, being respectful to others opinion regardless of how you may disagree with their position, and second be truthful about facts when posting them.
Let’s talk about the latter first: How can one claim that, there are no laws in Turkey which is barring people to express their feeling freely about the Genocide when TPC 301 is still alive and part of the panel code? How fast did you forget prosecutions of Hrant Dinks, Baskin Orans ,Orhan Pamuks, Taner Akcams, Elif Safags and many others with this law because of their stand on the subject of the Armenian Genocide? How soon did you forget when so called lawyer Kerincesiz ( currently under arrest due to Ergenekon trials) and company, threw everything in their pocket to the faces of the above individuals when they were entering to the court room to attend their court hearings under 301? How soon did you forget when deep state put a gun in the hands of Ogun Samat and shot Hrant Dink from his back at the prime of his life just because he was speaking the truth and nothing more, even though he loved that country as much as any Turk? Come on, let’s talk about the truth , granted that, things have improved dramatically last few years in Turkey, including speaking about the 1915 due to freedom of speech, but pretending that even today, everything is openly being discussed in Turkey is not being fort coming to say the least , with the hopes that some of us do not really know what is going on over there . As far as where Armenian Akcam’s Pamuk’s and Babahan’s are, it appears that you already forgot Hrant, but even now, if you are a serious reader seeking the truth you don’t need to look any further that your backyard in Turkey to find the Etiyen Mahcupians, Mark Esayan’s, Sevan Nishanian’s. Everyday they are writing their honest opinion in Taraf, Zaman, Agos newspapers. But the real question in reality is, are you ready to listen and evaluate what they are saying and dig into your own history to learn what really happened in 1915, or you rather to keep your knowlede in the context of Emin Oktay’s tarih kitabi aka masal kitabi? Hopefully one day you will seek the truth, and then only then, when you are posting any of these sites again, you will talk about reality as is, and as it was in 1915, and not in the context of the reality you are made to believe.
As far as myinger here , you can call me“barzamid” because of the ‘hate free” future I like to envision for Turks and Armenians. I take that as a compliment, since I rather to be called a “barzamid” by those, who can not understand the freedom and comfort a “hate free” future can bring to the next generation of Armenians and Turks, rather than being called a “compatriot” by those who pride themselves in the complexity of their hateful thoughts . Allthough as Hrant Dink once said “we Armenians, will carry the pain inflicted to our ancestors by the genocide to eternity as a Cross on our shoulders” , but imagine for one moment how nice things can be for the Armenians and Turks if one day we can understand each other again, accept the history as it happened in 1915 and get ridof the hate feeling, and dance a ‘shurch bar” and a “cifte terli” both at the same time, at the same place somewhere in Anatolia. That will be the day, when this generation of Armenians and Turks will be able to say that, we are handing this world better than we found to the next generation!
Very moving KYB and to the point.I trust the turks on this Forum wll wish to eally accept as you put it facts that are facts…to that effect.
But i don’t really beleve that those here present are the amuk type.Nonetheless keep pumping into their mindset such as you have,who knows you may ,at the very least
make some progress,like I am trying to do.I just posted another similar below ANI up above on Muradian’s visit to the palace of Mr.Gul, pres. of R.of Turkey…
am also trying my best to explain to them that we are all for it,for coming to a mutual understanding-provided- they respond…Quite doubtful though …
Since as we know, as of Ataturk’s Schooling -some 80/ years or so their understanding of truth from “massals” ad concocted up stories has been submitted to a total “reverssely” explaining what occurred then in 1915 ad even prior to that in the 1890’s(REd Sultan Hamid’s reigh0…
let us hope that some of these new generation turks may by and by -having lived abroad as well, go back and educate their bvrethren ssters…
g.p
I believe that Who did the sin he /she will pay it in this world and will pay it after the life.
Who s responsible about Armenian Massacres they paid it with their lifes in this world and they will pay it later.But as a Turkish citizens we need to give back their houses and prosperties and their honour back.All armenians werent betrayer they didnt deserve the deportation from their lands.
To Adana,
Please don’t truth with fiction.Armenians you write “all Armenians weren’t betrayers.This IN ITSELF A WRONG CONCEPTION.THE ARMENIANS DID NOT “BETRAY”THEY STOOD UP DEMANDING JUSTICE-a few Fedayiins with few arms.THAT IS NOT BETRAYAL.IF YOU MEAN THE LATER EVENTS WHEN ARMENIANSW FOUGHT BACK AT SARDARABAD KARABEKIR, having armenian officdrs and generas trained by Russians,THEN DON’T FORGET THAT AT THE TIME THE OTTOMAN TURKISH ARMIES WERE ALSO TRAIEND BY…German officers..MOREOVER ..THE ARMEIANS ,AS ANY OTHER POEPL/NATION WISHED TO BE RID OF OTTOMAN RULE-PICTURE IN YOUR MIND ALL THE BALKAN PEOPLES,BULGARIANS GREEKS ETC., THAT WERE UNDER harsh ottoman rule,LATTER HAVING INVADED THEIRR LANDS AND THEN STOOD UP GOT ARMED AND drove out the ottoma turks/
THAT…IS A GOD GIVEN RIGHT!!! to get back one’s land home,throw the invader out.
aother example for you and your friends.
north african morish tribes ,khaliphates had invaded and ruled another country 600 years…very much like the ottoman turks over armenia…
then a princess united the princes and drove the invadors out of S P A I N …and WAS PROCLAIMED QUEEN OF SPAIN ,IZABEL LA CATOLICA..
SOME MORE HISTORY NO, NOT FOR YOU OR YOUR COMATRIOTS ONLY..ALSO FOR ARMENIANS HERE.
a battel that took placce on th high seasMEDITERRANEAN, CALLED “la BATALLY DEL LEPANTO”” the ottoman turkish vs the spanis armada.latter crushed the OTOMANS and destroyed their NAVY THAT WERE TRYING TO …
I think this will suffice for today…