The Armenian Weekly
April 2010 Magazine
“The history of civilization” started in Anatolia, a geographic region that harbored the riches necessary for “sedentary life.” This richness made it an attractive place throughout history, and resulted in its being constantly invaded.
However, it never saw a massacre as horrible as the one during World War I, and never went through such homogenization.
In this war of apportionment between western imperialism and the Ottoman Empire, the latter committed a social and cultural genocide to peoples such as the Armenians, Syrians, Alevis, Kurds, Pontic Greeks, and Yazidis, destroying, in just a few years, all the tangible and intangible treasures of humanity formed in the past 14,000 years.
Approaching these policies of genocide and deportation from only a biological and social point of view makes it harder for us to see the costs for humanity. This event demolished all the scientific and cultural values in the region, where the foundations of the history of civilization were laid.
These genocides in Anatolia, the cultural heart of the Middle East, weren’t confined to it, but caused a historical decline for all “Oriental communities.”
Such a fragmentation in Anatolia almost turned the reconstruction of the Middle East into a puzzle.
And in this puzzle, Kurds have come very close to finding their real place within Anatolian unity. Nevertheless, they know that their place will remain incomplete until the other pieces of the puzzle find their own places as well.
This awareness has not evolved into a concrete theory within the Kurdish movement. In connection with this theory, which must be formed without delay, Kurds can play a crucial role in this puzzle of the century, provided that the right steps are taken.
The most sensitive point regarding the formation of this theory is that the puzzle is composed of “organic” pieces, and that therefore it can be made whole not by rational and crude political calculations, but by sincerity only.
Kurds must come to terms with their history, remember their brotherhood with Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Greeks, Alevis, and Yazidis—with whom they wrote the history of civilization in Anatolia—and recapture this organic connection with them.
These peoples, who have suffered genocides, are dispersed throughout the globe. Their eyes and ears are turned toward Turkey, and what they expect most is sincerity.
A few weeks ago, I thought it might be a good symbol of the Kurds’ sincerity if a house that once belonged to an Armenian in Diyarbakir, Turkey, were bought and returned to an Armenian in need. I got an appointment from the Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality to talk about the legality of such a proposal.
Before the appointment, however, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Armenia by stating that he would deport these Armenians.
That is why I cancelled my appointment with the municipality. And now I am making my proposal to those who really count:
“None of these peoples, with whom we share our songs, stories, dances, and sufferings, is an immigrant on these lands. Let’s give them back what we took away from them, so that they don’t have to live on their lands as ‘immigrants!’”
Of course, I don’t expect this proposal to be accepted by Turkey. But I want those who are sincere about this to gather around the proposal.
Gulisor Akkum
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Akkum.. i would like to thank you for your sincere desire to make things right…
Your gesture of doing such great deed is much appreciated… It is the thought that counts and we all know, where there is a will, there is a way.. regardless how much Turkey will oppose your idea..with people such as yourself fighting and going after what is right, justice will prevail…
Please do keep us updated on the progress of your plan.
God be with you
Gayane
…Thank You…
Arram
There is much debate regarding whether Armenia should receive its lands back, but I have never heard the question placed in the context of restoring Asia Minor (or Anatolia) to its historically indigenous peoples (Armenians, Kurds, Alevis, Yazidis, Pontic Greeks, Syrians, etc.) The implied cooperative struggle of these combined peoples is quite intriguing to me and feels like an organic imperative. People often criticize Armenians for not letting go of something that happened “so long ago,” but placed in the context of the full scope of the history of the region, 95 years is just a mere moment ago. I just wonder, when average Turks look at the destruction of the natural order that took place in Asia Minor a century ago, do some swell with pride knowing their forefathers accomplished what 14,000 years of invaders, marauders and conquerors could not? I know some Turks have begun to shudder with the barbaric enormity of what was done, and we Armenians are grateful for these brave people.
I wish We’d all unite against their fascism to regain our indigenous homeland and live in it peacefully free from islamist brutality.
Boyajian – amen!
and for this:
placed in the context of the full scope of the history of the region, 95 years is just a mere moment ago
True words!
Gulisor Akkum –
The people in my family come from all sides of Armenian politics. 95 years ago, one of my great grandfathers was a local leader (in Kharpert) of a party called Hunchag. (Honestly, I do not know a lot about Hunchag party, just some things my grandmother told me. Maybe others here can fill me in better.) I know that he wanted a better, progressive Turkey for everyone. He was in prison for a long time, being tortured. When the massacres started, he was tortured to death in front of his wife and children. My grandmother was his oldest child. For him, I hope I can reach across time to you and others like you in his name. Consider that I shake your hand.
Thank you friend!!!!!!!!!
Hye, give back what was taken – ONLY? Oh no, there is more due and owing to the Armenians… the losses of fhumans, family members whom we were never t0 know, the losses of homes/lands/culture and more… all belonging to the ancient and advanced peoples of Armenia, lost to the hordes from the Asian mountains.
Armenia deserves much more than what was ‘taken’…
Access to the ‘civilized’ nations – borders away from the Turk – and more – an access to the seas, and monetary reparations which the Turks used
to ‘deny’ via the lobbyists – millions, now shall belong to the Armenians for the
vile and insulting abuse of a nation; men, women, children slaughtered, kidnapped, raped, set afire in our churches, bandidos torture of the feet here the soles were beaten bloody, to burst… many Ottoman and subsequent Turk
leaderships devised land executed tortures too cruel to mention…
Reparations and long, long overdue and owing – Turks have not to get off with just a ‘give back’ – Turks reparations shall be from the Turks treasuries, which is the only way I can think of that the Turk understand. Just a ‘sorry, here’s your lands back’ is never enough for what the Turks set out to accomplish – Turks set out and did, elimination of a peoples from their own lands of nearly 4,ooo years!
Manooshag
great gulisor…
living all debates that come to my mind aside this is a good start coming from a kurd or a turk which they both took part in the genocide.a very good start,i hope there will be more