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Neşe Düzel : Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide

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Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide Neşe Düzel

Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide
Neşe Düzel

By Hambersom Aghbashian,

Nese Duzel (born in Aydin-Turkey) is a Turkish writer and journalist, very well known for her interviews with outstanding intellectuals and political activists. Nese Duzel is a graduate of Izmir’s Ege University and  started to work in journalism in 1979 . She was a reporter and writer for Milliyet and Hurriyet newspapers and  for Taraf. On 14 December 2012, she followed the  founding editor-in-chief of daily “Taraf” Ahmet Altan, his assistant editor Yasemin Çongar, columnists Murat Belge, and stepped down from her post at the newspaper*.  Taraf patron Başar Arslan appointed the former managing editor Markar Esayan “temporarily” to take over its editorial chair. On February 1, 2013, Oral Çalışlar was appointed as  editor-in-Chief, but he also resigned  and Nese Duzel became the new editor-in- chief . Nese Duzel published many books among them “Deleted to a desired memory Pursuit” (sells Books/2012), where she compiled her interviews, “Fearless History” (Alkim Publications/2011) and “Turkey’s Hidden Face” (Communication Publications/2002).

According to “Radikal newspaper, Istanbul, June 30, 2000,”  Nese Duzel interviewed Professor Halil Berktay, a historian of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Turkey, who has taught at Birmingham University (UK), Harvard, Middle East Technical University (Ankara), and Bogazici University (Istanbul), and currently is a member of the faculty at Sabanci University (Istanbul). Nese Duzel, through her questions about the Armenian genocide, the history of it, the reasons, the execution, the consequences and many other aspects, could reveal lot of facts concerning the Armenian Genocide, an issue which was a taboo in Turkey at that time, but professor Berktay explained, analyzed and unfolded the files of 1915 Armenian Genocide. (1)

Neşe Düzel interviewed late Hrant Dink ,(Radikal, 23 may 2005), where she reminded him asking in an interview before years “What happened to the civilization, the wealth, created by thousands of years old society, i.e. the Armenians? And asked him to whom did it go? Dink explained whom did it go and continued “….Because a law called ‘Abounded Properties’ was issued, a dead line was given to the Armenians. It was said ‘let them come; we will give them their goods’. The goods of Armenians who didn’t come within the prescribed period of time went to the Treasury.” Hrant Dink was assassinated on January 19, 2007, and after 10 years from the interview , in 2015, Tanier Akcam and Umit Kurt published a book titled “The Spirit of the Laws: The Plunder of Wealth in the Armenian Genocide”, they said” We only cracked the door open slightly with the hope of making small contribution to the shock and transformation, which was awaited, predicted, and hoped for…” (2)

The “I Apologize Campaign” is an initiative that was launched in December 2008 in Turkey by numerous journalists, politicians, and professors that calls for an apology for what they considered as the “Great Catastrophe that Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915”, through a form of a signature campaign.  That which is an expression used to avoid using “Armenian Genocide” and the consequences of using it. The stated “My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them.” The campaign was signed by 30,000 signatories by January 2009. The campaign, which some interpreted as in direct reference to the Armenian Genocide, created widespread outrage in Turkish society. Neşe Düzel was one of the notable signatories. (3)

Taraf Newspaper wrote on 20th April 2010 “A group of intellectuals, among them Ali Bayramoğlu, Ferhat Kentel, Neşe Düzel, Perihan Mağden and Sırrı Süreyya Önder, for the first time in Turkey, will commemorate this year on 24 April as the anniversary of the events of 1915, under the leader-ship of “Say Stop!” group. The commemoration will start in front of the tram station in Taksim Square. The following abstracts are from the text of the commemoration activity, “This pain is OUR pain. This mourning is for ALL of US. In 1915, when our population was just 13 million, 1,5 to 2 million Armenians were living in these lands…. In April 24, 1915 they started “to send them”. We lost them. They are no longer available. They have not even graves. But the “Great Pain” of the “Great Disaster”, with its utmost gravity EXISTS in our pain”. Ümit Kıvanç was one of the intellectuals who signed the text. (4)

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* Daily Taraf, was the source of the many agenda-setting reports in recent Turkish history, and it  also became the first Turkish partner of the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, joining internationally known publications in signing a contract to publish the site’s leaked documents firsthand. The daily published a series of highly controversial stories that revealed the involvement of the Turkish military in daily political affairs. In his well-honed daily columns, Altan attacked Erdogan as a “hollow bully,” ready to adopt ultranationalist policies to further his own ambitions. The prime minister won a libel suit against Altan for calling him “arrogant, uninformed, and uninterested.”

1- http://www.atour.com/~aahgn/news/20010105d.html

2- https://books.google.com/books?id=os2dBAAAQBAJ&pg=PP5&lpg=PP5&dq=Nese+duzel+and+the+armenian+genocide

3- http://www.latimes.com/la-oe-ozyurek5-2009jan05-story.html

4- http://setasarmenian.blogspot.com/2010/04/good-thoughtful-and-ugly-from-turks-on.html

Murat Paker Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide

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By: Hambersom Aghbashian,

Turkish-itelc-70Murat Paker (born in 1962), is a Turkish Psychotherapist, Clinical Psychologist (Ph.D.-1999) and a Medical doctor (M.D.- 1992). Currently he is Assistant Professor at the Psychology Department of Istanbul, Bilgi University on a full-time basis, the director of the graduate program in clinical psychology at the same university; also a psychotherapist and clinical supervisor on a part-time basis.(1)(2)
In December 2008, 200 prominent Turkish intellectuals released an apology for the “great catastrophe of 1915″. This was a clear reference to the Armenian Genocide, a term still too sensitive to use so openly. The brief text of the apology is ” My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize to them.” Murat Paker was one of the Signatories.(3)
According to a press release by the “Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress and Genocide” (AASSSG), “…. Approximately 140 people, primarily of Armenian and Turkish descent, gathered to participate in A Psychospiritual and Educational Dialogue Between People of Armenian and Turkish Descent, sponsored by (AASSSG) and co-sponsored by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) NY Chapter, The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) and Fordham University. This open dialogue was held in commemoration of the 86th Anniversary of the Ottoman Turkish Genocide of the Armenians. The facilitators were Dr. Anie Kalayjian, a Psychology Professor at Fordham University, NY, and Dr. Murat Paker, a Clinical Psychologist practicing in NY. Dr. Murat Paker reminded the audience that no one on the panel was a noted historian or established scholar on the issue in question; rather they were all “concerned individuals” seeking reconciliation, friendship, solidarity and reparation for what happened in 1915 and afterward. Dr. Paker added that unlike other massacres, this was pre-designed, whole scale destruction campaign, determined by a government. Ottoman government was first-degree responsible of this deliberate mass destruction of its Armenian citizens. On all accounts, this act of destruction is totally indefensible and inexcusable. And it should be recognized as such.” (4)
According to “www.tallarmeniantale.com” , Murat Paker and many other Turkish intellectuals, historians, scholars, Human Rights activists, writers, physicians, etc. where criticized for being friendly to the Armenians Genocide issue and recognizing it, and as Turkish scholars they agree with the Armenians that what happened in 1915 to the Armenian is a Genocide. (5)
Under the title “Recognition of the Armenian Genocide”, “aghet1915.wordpress.com” wrote the following “The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many historians, states and international organizations.” It listed the names of the Turkish intellectuals ( historians, academicians, writers, journalists, human rights activists) and others who have recognized the Armenian Genocide. Halil Berktay , Taner Akçam, Murat Belge, Ahmet Insel, Ercin Kursat Ahler, Ali Ertem, Engin Akarli, Koray Caliskan, Dilek Kurban, Yunus Tuncel, Ugur Ümit Üngör, Murat Paker and many others are mentioned in the list. (6)
Dr. Paker has been writing a (psycho-political) columns for a leading web-based newspaper, T24, for a year now. The title of his article published on April 19, 2005 was “Why is it difficult, but important, to confront Armenian Genocide?” (7)
On May 14, 2015, a large academic panel titled “Talking about the Armenian Genocide in its centennial anniversary” was organized at Istanbul Bilgi University by a group of Turkish intellectual including Dr. Murat Paker. Dr.Paker was the moderator and one of the 12 presenters in the panel. (8)
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Thanks to Dr. Murat Paker for reviewing this article. (H.A.)
1- http://www.muratpaker.com/hello.htm
2- www.bilgi.edu.tr/site_media/uploads/staff/murat-paker/
3- http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=200_prominent_Turks_apologize_for_great_
4- http://www.atour.com/~aahgn/news/20010425aa.html
5- http://www.tallarmeniantale.com/TURKISH-SCHOLARS.htm
6- https://aghet1915.wordpress.com/recognition/
7- http://t24.com.tr/yazarlar/murat-paker/1915-ermeni-soykirimi-ile-yuzlesmek-neden-zor-ama-onemli,11709
8- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU-ZCbuDa5E&feature=youtu.be

Gonca Sönmez-Poole: Turkish Intellectuals Who Have Recognized The Armenian Genocide

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  By: Hambersom Aghbashian

Gonca-Sonmez-pooleGonca Sönmez-Poole In her article “Armenian genocide: Why many Turkish people have trouble accepting it” (May 4, 2012), she wrote “I now use the word genocide when speaking about the massacres of 1915 because doing otherwise would be a retreat into ignorance on two fronts, both intellectual and personal. I know I simply cannot go on denying the true depth of brutality and suffering brought upon the Ottoman Armenians, and the animosity and hatred 1915 perpetuated for nearly a century. On a more personal level, such a denial would be an affront to all of my new friends and acquaintances … not only because they happen to be Armenian, but because they are human beings whom I care about.”(3)

            On May 4, 2012, Gonca Sönmez-Poole wrote in “Global post, ” Many Turkish people, who are just starting to learn about their own history, feel that somebody is always trying to shut them up unless they start any sentence with the “G” word. Genocide is the word that encapsulates the events of 1915: large-scale deportations and massacres. To Armenians, this is known as the Armenian Genocide. Turkish people speak of the same events in the context of other factors that occurred during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. They don’t deny there were large-scale deportations and even murders. They acknowledge the killing of women and children as a result of the deportations. But they have a hard time describing all of this as “genocide.”(4)

Gonca Sönmez-Poole is an American citizen of Turkish descent. She is a  TV producer, filmmaker, writer, and a member of the Boston media community for the past 28 years. She has spent two decades working for WCVB-TV’s Chronicle program, followed by thirteen years managing her own nonprofit organization, Mediation Way, Inc.. She holds a BA in mass communication from Emerson College and  is a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy’s mid-career MA program. After earning her master’s degree, she has worked in television both within the United States and internationally, and  since 2007, she has been volunteering for a number of Armenian-Turkish dialogue projects in and around Boston. She is the founder of TAWA (Turkish-Armenian Women’s Alliance), a grassroots effort among a diverse group of Boston-based Armenian and Turkish women who met at regular intervals between September 2012 and May 2014. For the past seven  years, she has dedicated her free time to Armenian-Turkish dialogue work around Boston, Massachusetts.(1)(2)

” When they died ” is Gonca Sönmez-Poole’s article where she wrote “…many Turkish people, don’t disguise the elephant in the room. Whether the realization comes after a quarter of a century, as it did for me, or overnight with luck and soul-searching, I believe that all Turkish people need to know and accept one simple truth: somewhere, somehow, an ancestor of theirs may have taken the life of an innocent Armenian person just because that person was Armenian. When that bit of information is understood, genuinely accepted, digested, and settled into the hearts and minds of every Turkish person, then, and only then, can we all start a new chapter. And in that chapter, the discussion will no longer be an argument about the term genocide, the definition of intent, or the total tally of killings on either side, it will simply be a discussion about the question we want to leave for our children to ponder: how do we deal with the “other”?(5)

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“Elephant in the room” is an English metaphorical idiom for an obvious truth that is either being ignored or going unaddressed. The idiomatic expression also applies to an obvious problem or risk no one wants to discuss. It is based on the idea that an elephant in a room would be impossible to overlook; thus, people in the room who pretend the elephant is not there have chosen to avoid dealing with the looming big issue.

1- http://www.fletcherforum.org/2013/04/15/sonmez-poole/

2- http://goncasp.net/?page_id=27

3- http://neweasternpolitics.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/armenian-genocide

4- http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/commentary/armenian-genocide-why-turkish-people-have-trouble-accepting-it

5- http://goncasp.net/?page_id=18

Armenia Visiting Turkish Intellectual Receives Memorial Medal

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Ismail-BeshikchiYEREVAN—The National Council of Western Armenians has decided to convene its 4th Congress of Western Armenians before April 24, 2015, where the participants will approve the legal and political demands that will be presented to the state and public circles of Turkey.

Before that, at a meeting on Oct. 12, the Council established a memorial medal named after Catholicos George V of Armenia, which will be awarded to Turkish intellectuals who have revealed important insights about the Armenian Genocide.

Writer, historian, and sociologist Ismail Beshikchi became the first recipient of the medal. He has authored dozens of scientific works, which contradict the Turkish official policy of distorting history. He started writing about the Armenian Genocide from 1970s and spent over 15 years in jail for expressing his opinion. In all his works, Beshikchi stresses that the massacre of Armenian in 1915 was the first genocide.

“In the course of my research I’ve come to understand that the Kurdish and Syrian issues are the logical continuation of the Armenian Genocide. Had the Armenian Genocide been punished, there would be no Kurdish issue,” he said.

The Turkish writer visited Armenia’s Dzidzernagapert Genocide Memorial on Tuesday to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.