A book of the famous Italian Armenian Antonia Arslan, coauthored with sociologist Enzo Pace, has come out through the Italian EDB Punlishers. The book “Forget Genocide: Long memory of Armenian people” tells that despite anything the Turkish intellectuals are opening for themselves the truth about the tragedy, the Italian newspaper Avvenire reports. The co-authors exchange their opinions in the article.

“Enzo Pace: We have often talked about how the Turkish historical memory about the Armenian Genocide is being erased. I have colleagues in several Turkish universities who openly state about this, noting the necessity to confront the past, as the Germans did with regard to the Holocaust. This is told by journalists and used to be mentioned more carefully by several politicians from the current ruling party (but during the talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU). We think that deciding to reopen the old pages means to have courage to address the unresolved issues of democracy, which hasn’t yet matured and is too nation-centric, sparking intolerance towards numerous cultural, religious and ethnic minorities.

Antonia Arslan: The foundation of the denial of Genocide, which has become a dogma since the establishment of the republic, is more apparently developing cracks. Not at the level of state ideology, but in public opinion, in the minds of many Turks, whether this is among the circles of culture, journalism, science or ordinary people, including those in the most distant regions in the east of Anatolia. There is a growth in the number of Turks, who don’t want to shut their eyes and ears, who give different opinion, although not openly. The fiction about the state, based on the pride of the Turkish blood, is more strongly showing its fragility.

It’s important to understand that the question here is not only about Armenians. The policy of young Turks included extermination of other Christian minorities (Greeks and Assyrians) as well, and the assimilation of Muslim minorities, including Kurds.

Enzo Pace: Despite the significantly large Armenian community in the United States, the the decisive acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide by the US Government doesn’t take place. What is the obstacle?

Antonia Arslan: Turkey has always been the loyal ally of the United States, while the latter has large American bases on Turkey’s territory. The constant pressure [by Turkey] on the US government makes it practically impossible to officially acknowledge the Genocide.”

Source: news.am