Turkish-Jewish Businessman Advises Turkey to Apologize
An influential figure in Turkey’s Jewish community, Ishak Alaton, in an interview with Hurriyet newspaper advised the Turkish government to apologize to the Armenians before 2015.
“What worries me is 2015. In April 2015, hell will break loose. We need to act fast,” he said, adding that through his work with the Open Society Institute, “10 cases of apology” will be showcased.
“Half of the world is against us [on the Armenian Genocide issue]. But it is our insensitivity that lies at the root cause of the problem. We committed a murder, but we deny it. The victims of the murder are not suffering from the murder but from the denial of the murder,” he said.
Alaton noted that the Turkish educational system had relied on “dogmas” for nearly a century, and that today Turkey needed a “mental revolution.” Turkey has mistreated its minorities, he said, but he believes Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a “humanist” and a “rational” individual.
Armenia’s FM Tells Turkey to Stay out of Karabagh Conflict
“If Turkey really wants to contribute to the resolution of the Karabagh conflict, it should stay as far as possible from the process,” said Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian in an interview with local television channels, after his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu urged France’s removal from the OSCE Minks Group co-chairmanship, reported Asbarez.
Toumanian’s House Saved from Becoming Hostel for Turkish Workers
A great-granddaughter of legendary Armenian author Hovannes Toumanian, Irma Safrazbekyan, notified Armenian authorities that the Tbilisi residence of the author has a buyer, thus halting an effort by a Georgian-Turkish joint venture to turn the house into a hostel for Turkish migrant workers.
The new buyer of the house is reportedly willing to donate the house to the Armenian community in Tbilisi on the condition that it be turned into a cultural center.
Last month, the Union of Armenians in Tbilisi sounded the alarm by issuing an announcement, which explained, “The historical building was transferred to a businessman back in the 90s. The businessman put the apartment on sale, and the ‘GeoTuran’ Turkish-Georgian joint venture is going to purchase the apartment to turn it into a hostel for Turkish workers. The company’s management has even asked poet’s great-grandchild Alina Toumanian, who lives in the second part of the building, to sell her territory also, but she refused to.”
Genocide Acknowledgment without Accountability is Hollow and Meaningless.
Genocide Acknowledgment without Accountability is Worse than Denial.
Be ware of a solution (closure) that is worse than the problem.
Genocide Acknowledgment with Accountability:
Land . Reparations . Restitution
Articles such as this one, should be in front page of all Armenian publications, not “Anonymous” hacker’s ultimatum!
Does any of your readers appreciate what it takes to speak openly in Turkey?
Not even our ‘Hrant Dink’ ever told Turks to apologize!
Being realitic, Taner Ackram, Orhan Pamuk and similars, contributed more to our cause than many Turkish-Armenians.
Given that even the Jewish community in Turkey has felt pressure, and given the atmosphere in Turkey about its history, it takes some guts to say what he’s saying.
If you google “Ishak Alaton”, you’ll find an article about his father and what he went through under the 1942 wealth tax.
He is a true patriot. Loved and respected. A son of the land. As mentioned, story of his father is very interesting and tragic. A reminder of one of the truly shamful acts of a Republic of Turkey government at any time.
Here is a real case for apology and compensarion if there is one. This stain still remains on Turkish Republic record. Though the official policies towards minorities in the 40s are condemned and reviled uniformly by all, I do not recall an official act. Erdogan talked about it and I am still hopeful that he may yet do something to remove this shame.
I hope so too, though I don’t think Erdogan is the man to do that.
He must first get rid himself of his beloved myth that “Muslims could not have committed genocide”.