THE ZOMBIE SUBJECT
Today’s Zaman
April 10 2012
Turkey
One of the issues for Turkey that will never go away by itself is the
“Armenian problem.” This is mainly because the Armenians dispersed
throughout the world keep the subject alive at all times and insist on
its remembrance by any means possible. In fact, expatriation (forceful
eviction from one’s homeland) has become the nucleus of the Armenian
common identity, shared by all Armenians worldwide. The Ottoman
officials that decided on the eviction of Armenians from Anatolia, the
heartland of the envisaged Turkish nation-state, called their drastic
act deportation. The Armenians call the initiative and ensuing criminal
acts genocide. The Turks reject this concept and its implications.
April 24 is approaching. This is the date of the rounding up of 235
prominent Ottoman Armenians from Ä°stanbul in 1915 and sending them
away to an obscure future. The Armenians commemorate this day with
eulogies and condemn the act as genocide. They demand the Turks
follow suit.
Turks resist for three reasons: 1 — As a matter of identity. They do
not want to be recognized as the grandchildren of people who have been
labeled criminals. 2 — As a matter of the founding myth of the state.
The fact that the Turkish state is built on extermination and
assimilation of other peoples is a frustrating notion. 3 — As a
matter of enforcement that may entail criminal charges and retribution
(in kind or liquid assets for property and businesses lost, as well
as children left behind).
Turkey has not developed any legal definition of the past (1915)
events. The commonly adopted concept is deportation and punitive
precautions to prevent treason. This argument rests on the fact that
the Armenians living in eastern provinces had helped or joined the
invading Russian armies in the hope that the Russians would guarantee
the founding of an Armenian nation-state. There is sufficient evidence
for this argument; however, there is no plausible explanation why
Anatolia as a whole was depopulated of Armenians and that their losses
were not compensated. The issue of why deported Armenians did not come
back, and those 300,000 that did so after 1919 had to leave only few
years later, has to be addressed. (The first official census held in
1927 reveals that there were only 100,000 Armenians left in Turkey.)
It is hard to understand why the Turkish Republic, which was
nonexistent at the time of the catastrophe, has taken on the blame and
taken the beating since then. There may be three explanations: 1 —
Those that were involved in the deportation and related implementations
were court-martialed for their crimes (1919-1920) in Ä°stanbul after
the Ottoman state lost World War I. But a wider circle of affiliated
(either physically or psychologically) officials joined the national
cause and fought for the founding of the Turkish Republic. Further
investigation and litigation was aborted. 2 — Millions of
Turks/Muslims from the Balkans had to migrate from Eastern Europe
to Anatolia when these lands were lost to the Orthodox Christians
who established their national states. These dispossessed masses
and those coming from the North Caucasus (Circassians), depopulated
by the tsarist armies, were given the homes and properties of the
Armenians labeled as “traitors.” The new owners always felt that
this was a just and necessary exchange for what they had lost. 3 —
The sense of loss and misery of Eastern Anatolian Muslims who were
removed from their lands and whose families perished during the
Armenian quest for independence is much deeper and wider than what
Armenians and contemporary Turks believe. The resentment and mistrust
of Armenians is surprisingly still alive.
What can be done?
1 — Turkey can go ahead and ratify the protocols that have been signed
between the two governments. Armenians have to follow suit. In fact,
the signing of the protocols was a mutually reluctant move, with both
sides believing that the other would back out at the last minute,
exposing the “true character” of the other.
2 — The Turkish government could issue an apology for the unfortunate
acts of the past that it was not responsible for but for which it
will take on the humanitarian initiative of compensating the Ottoman
Armenian citizens. Descendents of the deported or killed Armenians, who
lay claim to lost property and valuables, may apply to a newly created
office with their evidence. Turkish courts may be made responsible,
operating on declared (transparent) legal principles and procedures. A
sum may be allocated to a bank for monetary compensation.
3 — (This is strictly my idea and hope.) Citizenship may be afforded
to those descendents who wish to be Turkish citizens.
Thus the bridge that was brought down in the first quarter of the
20th century may be mended in the coming era, placing the zombie in
its resting place and ending the haunting of both peoples who were
simultaneously victims of nationalism.