The parallels seem deliciously endless in number and category. A week’s worth of unrest in Turkey, spreading from Constantinople (Bolis) to other cities, could go to unpredictable places, both good and bad.
Already, I’ve heard that the AKP’s (ruling party) youth wing is tussling with others. What does this suggest? Is it an indicator that the party feels threatened and is unleashing its thugs? Contradicting this is the reality that Prime Minister Erdogan left the country for a couple of days. This is an indication of confidence, although it could just be another manifestation of his renowned arrogance.
The first question that came to mind when I heard about these goings-on is, “Are the Islamists (Gulenjees, perhaps) and the secularists (Ataturkjees) butting heads in what could be the beginning of something big?” This was reinforced by the opinion I read that the situation could devolve into a civil war.
Imagine, something that started as simply as a protest to save Gezi Park (evidently the only remaining green space in Bolis), could spark huge changes. Here, we have a parallel with the successful struggle to save Yerevan’s Mashdots Park. This also speaks to how fundamentally important environmental issues are to life. The police overreacted, using water cannons and tear gas—and here we have the parallel to the Egyptian government’s overreaction to the demonstrations in Cairo during the “Arab Spring” just over two years ago.
Ultimately, the government stood down, and I saw pictures of the demonstrators cleaning up the mess, not the authorities! And here’s another parallel, to the Occupy Movement that established self-governing mini-communities throughout the U.S. In fact, I even saw “Occupy Gezi Park” thrown out as a term/name.
Various “man on the street” interviews portrayed this outpouring as a reaction to Erdogan’s increasingly repressive government. Interestingly, he attributed this outpouring to the political opposition and to “foreign” ties. The latter accusation is particularly ironic given Turkey’s involvement in “promoting” the Arab Spring as part of its grand, neo-Ottoman delusions—er, excuse me, designs—on the Middle East. Turkey meddled in Libya, and is the main conduit for supplies going to the rebel forces fighting the Syrian government. Given this history, it would be no surprise if other countries have decided to “return the favor” by stirring the pot in Turkey. The three most likely countries are Syria, Iran, and Russia, all of whom have every reason to desire revenge against Turkey for its international shenanigans, particularly the murderous outcome we’re seeing in Syria. It is also a way for these countries (and perhaps others, too) to tell the U.S. and Europe to “back off” after the mess they’ve created in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.
Finally, what is very intriguing is a hit piece on Turkey that already appeared in a Jewish publication, The Tablet. This struck me as odd since it seemed to me that relations between Turkey and Israel were on the mend. Perhaps there’s more going on in the background in this relationship. Otherwise, it’s just plain weird that such a strongly anti-Turkey piece should appear so soon after the protests in Turkey started.
Keep a very close eye on this. Perhaps this is indeed a “Turkish Spring” in the making. If so, we should strive to also make it an Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, and Kurdish Spring, simultaneously.
Garen Yegparian
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It would be recommendable to mention that part of the Gezi park used to be the Armenian cemetery (Pangalti cemetery). It was the largest non Muslim cemetery in Istanbul for 370 years.In 1939, its marble tombstones have been sold and used in the construction of Gezi Parkı Inonu and Eminönü Square, designed by the French urbanist Henri Proust. Part of the cemetery is currently occupied by Divan Hotel, Hotel Hilton, Hyatt Regency Hotel, and the buildings of the Turkish Radio and Television. The first monument dedicated to the victims of 1915 was erected in 1919 in the area of Park Gezi, specifically around the Hotel Divan, Radio Istanbul Harbiye Military camp. It was destroyed during the early years of the Kemalist Republic. Its photograph is reproduced on the cover of the first edition of the book “Huşartsan”, an almanac written by Armenian writer Teodoros Lapcinciyan said Teotig. (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=470344203013968)
The Armenian Surp Agop Hospital of Istanbul,owned the Armenian cemetery of Pangaltı & it was confiscated by the Turkish government.
Of course no need to say that this property together with so many others should be returned back to the Armenian community in Istanbul.
VTiger: Are you sure the cemetery was where Gezi Park is now? Erdogan wants to destroy the part partly because he wishes to build a recreation of the Halil Pasha Artillery Barracks, which stood at the exact location of Gezi Park from 1780-1940. At least, that’s what I’ve read from Turkish sources.
We need to unchain ourselves from all things Turk and Turkish. I could care less if they apologize for their crimes and thefts.
We should develop first and foremost a strategy of patience to keep our generations Armenian in Diaspora, just as the Lebanese, Chinese and Jews have done, along with total commitment to the unity and strength of Armenia. Turkey is our implacable enemy.
Getting this or that third party to call a Genocide a Genocide feeds nobody in Armenia, and does nothing to keep the youth in Armenia. Our salvation will come from Christ and knowledge, not by appeals to third parties. Jews got their own nukes, they do not depend on the US for their security. The only people who can protect Armenia are Armenians. Our friends will always abandon us.
Someday we will return, as the Jews did, but until then, why should we care about which type of Anti-Christian Turk is in power, which type of anti-democratic Turk kills his own people, or which Turkish Generals are selling drugs to Europe? There is no history or tolerance of dissent or democracy in the Turk culture, and there never will be except by a very slow process of acculturation from the West.
These are people who name their sons Cengiz, as in Genghis Khan, full of ridiculous myths that they are the genetic descendants of violent conquerors, when in fact they are the descendants of terrified Christians murdered into conformity with backwardness and violence. Its as if Germans were naming their daughters Adolfetta.
The supposedly brave and quite touchy race of conquerors haven’t won a major battle outside Anatolia in centuries, if you don’t count murdering civilians who had the temerity of self-defense, yet they see themselves as the natural rulers over their Christian and Muslim neighbors. Anti-imperialists except when they can be the Imperialists.
Forget about the day to day events in this nightmare country. Don’t fall for her supposed western orientation. She wants to run the ME and control oil. She will gladly kill her own citizens, we mean even less.
They want us all dead. Not every Turk, but a critical mass of them do.
Turkey treats her own certified 100 per cent Turk Muslim citizens like bogh, we must stop hoping for anything humane, decent or civilized from them. Yes, continue the struggle, but keep our people and their welfare uppermost in our thinking.
You have just posted a very narrow-minded, bigoted comment concerning about what is going on. You should actually use this as an inspiration to push for massive protests in your own motherland to get rid of Sarkisian’s oligarchic system which is causing people emigrate in mass numbers out of their homeland and causing economic inequality. I am a person who believes the 1915 events should be labels as Genocide, no Medz Yeghern, no Great Calamity, no Shared Suffering, no Common Tragedy, but: GENOCIDE. I have roots in Hatay provinces and some of my relatives would do business with Armenian merchants in very nearby Syria and Lebanon. There are people who are ready to martyr themselves concerning to find a true and just solution to the Armenian question. Meaning dying, ready to get killed, and going to prison as well. What does your statement do to the service of Turkey-Armenia normalization of relations, as well as how the Middle East should get rid of all despots, spanning from Tblisi, to Cairo, to Tel Aviv, to Riyadh, to Teheran and so on? You should be inspired by your neighbors to push for change against the Corrupt Oligarchs in Yerevan.
“Someday we will return, as the Jews did..”
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And how did Jews return? With the help of their British friends and the UN. Israel may not depend on the US for its security now, but what about in 1948? But you are right about one thing, with your displayed self-centered attitude your friends and your neighbors will leave you.. always.
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“There is no history or tolerance of dissent or democracy in the Turk culture..”
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True, in part. There is no history of tolerance of dissent. One of the reasons for the protests. The whole point of the protests is to get the wannabe dictator out and get Turkey BACK to being a democratic nation. Hopefully, a democratic nation where there will be a tolerance of dissent and differing opinions, an environment where things like, I don’t know, the Armenian genocide can be freely discussed without fear of a government sponsored or endorsed murder.
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“Getting this or that third party to call a Genocide a Genocide feeds nobody in Armenia, and does nothing to keep the youth in Armenia”
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You are firmly against Armenian diaspora attempts to get the AG recognized by western nations then, right?
Hatayli: it is not bigoted to point out the murder your state and culture celebrates (the Cengiz part). It is truth, which you admit, at least as to Genocide of Armenians, and perhaps Rum, Assyrians, and Pontics. Rather than worry about my people, worry about your own, their denial, hatred, and celebration of Genocide. You tear down Talaat’s museum and Boulevards, you demand that racism stop being taught as virtue, you demand that the Talaat’s societies shut down, you tell the old men in your mational family they are a disgrace. We’ll worry about our country, which harms nothing but itself.
RVDV,
Over the centuries, patience and cohesion work. Armenia and her children have been declared dead before. We are still here; our detractors of long ago are dust.
I favor efforts to have the Genocide of Christians recognized, but the point is that it is not going to help us cohere and persevere.
Individual Turks for the most part are indifferent or racist, perhaps genocidally so.
An apology from their state will never come, and unless land or reparations are paid along with it, it means nothing. Pur nation is overrun by murder, theft, lies and worst of all: modernity.
Hatayli,I am very much surprised that you do not mention the AXEbeijani authoritarian, most corrupt mafia boss.
I forgot to mention about Aliyev as well. He is just installed to extract oil for worldwide markets actually.
RVDV,yes I’m 100% sure.
On May 31, 2010, Markar Esayan wrote in the Turkish newspaper “Taraf” an article on the existence of a monument erected in 1919 whose purpose was to commemorate the great crime of 1915. An English version was published by the newspaper “Today’s Zaman” a year later, on the eve of the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. On 10 October 2012, the newspaper “Agos” recalls the existence of the Armenian cemetery, the cemetery Pangaltı on what is now part of Gezi Park.
RDDV, go to this site which is in French & you can google translate it.There is the map of the cemetery as well.
http://collectifvan.blogspot.fr/2013/05/turquie-des-spoliations-dhier-aux.html
RVDV,go to this site as well where there are many references,Armenian & Turkish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangalt%C4%B1_Armenian_Cemetery
Wikipedia confirms the hotels and the TRT building but no mention of gezi park. I’m not saying your information is wrong as both the cemetary and the military barracks could have been next to eachother. I think we’d find many Armenian Greek and Jewish areas “lost” in Istanbul if we only scratch beneath the surface.
There are vintage maps of the city that show exactly where the cemetary is. History always shows us that Turk Government can NEVER be trusted.
@Hatayli- I appreciate your sentiments.
No problem Joseph, if neighboring nations can protest for their leaders to promote democracy over tyranny and corruption, there can be a fair and just resolution for 2015. Let’s hope for the best, rather then the worst.