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Exiled Turkish-Armenian Journalist Hayko Bağdat Speaks to U.S. Armenian Communities
On January 22, the local Armenian community of New Jersey welcomed journalist and TV and radio personality Hayko Bağdat to speak at the Pinajian Center in St. Leon Church. Bağdat, a Turkish citizen, is considered the first Armenian radio personality to air programming about Armenians in Turkey; he is currently living in exile. He was in New Jersey as a part of a larger tour, visitin
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There is no doubt that Bağdat will do his part in exile. It is public knowledge that Erdogan has hit squads in Germany and elsewhere in Europe targeting Armenians as well as other minorities and activists from Turkey. Bağdat’s life has been threatened in both Turkey and Germany.
This event was co-sponsored by AGBU Ararat; The Ramgavar Party; the Armenian-American Support & Educational Center – Hye-Doon; the Armenian Network of America – Greater NY Region; Knights of Vartan – Bakradouny Lodge; the Daughters of Vartan – Sahaganoush Otyag; St. Leon Armenian Church and Tibrevank Alumni Association.
However true, Erdogan’s power outside of turkey is way weaker than it is within its borders.
It is true as Armen says that Erdogan is stronger inside Turkey than outside.
But that is true of the leader of any country.
Though he is nutty, Erdogan has still managed to keep relations with the US and Nato on a more or less even keel, though not without problems.
Erdogan has sent agents to the US to harass Gulen’s people, and the fallout from Erdogan’s attacks on DC protesters has not been as strong as it could have been since the Trump administration dropped a lot of the charges.
Many countries are still afraid to confront Turkey because, frankly, it’s just plain crazy and reacts like a madman at the slightest criticism. This has been going on for more than 100 years. It’s just the way Turkey is: crazy.
Turkey is unlike any other country except perhaps North Korea, which has its own nutjob as its leader.
When outspoken Armenians such as Dink, Paylan and Bagdat face assassination for daring to seek justice and equality, our long, sad history as captives who go along to get along in the Ottoman Turkish Empire becomes a very real concept. In Turkey, the only way an indigenous Christian can survive is to deny and hide his identity — or leave.
Religion has little to do with it. As it shows, once they got rid of non-Muslims, they began targeting Kurds, Alevis and Arabs (non-turks).
Great article! Thank you for being a true hero, Mr. Bagdat.
@Armen
religion stands for motivation and a theory in the Armenian Genocide. Without islam as motivation Kurdish people would not participate into the genocide to the factual large extent comprising syriac christians in territories in east. There were virtually no turk living there.