NOAM CHOMSKY ACCUSES TURKISH PAPER OF FABRICATING PARTS OF INTERVIEW
11:53 31.08.13
American linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky
has accused Turkish daily Yeni Safak of publishing an interview with
himself containing fabricated remarks that he did not state about
recent incidents in Egypt, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
To back up his claims, Chomsky published the original version of
the questions and answers of the email interview with the reporter,
Burcu Bulut. Yeni Å~^afak’s published interview and the philosopher’s
website version are quite different in content.
“Chomsky.info would like to let readers know that an interview with
Professor Chomsky published by Turkish newspaper Yeni Å~^afak on
Aug. 26 contains fabrications and is not an accurate or faithful
translation of Professor Chomsky’s written responses to questions
he was emailed for the interview,” a post said on Chomsky’s official
Facebook page today.
“How does it make you feel for unarmed people to be killed this way?”
the daily said it asked Chomsky.
“Those who did it and those who made them do it will pay a bitter
price. Those who remain silent against brutality will not see a happy
end, just like those who commit such brutality,” Chomsky was quoted
as saying by Yeni Å~^afak.
However, in the original text Chomsky published, there was no such
question or answer.
Chomsky’s website also said a question included in the Yeni Å~^afak
piece, “Could it be another reason for Western states to fear rising
Muslim countries?” was not actually included in the interview.
Chomsky was quoted as saying, “Yes, this is the most important reason”
on the supposed question.
“Turkey stood with the oppressed people in Syria and Egypt cases,
in which unarmed, civilian people were victims. Turkey is a country
that has suffered from coups and dictators,” Chomsky was quoted as
saying on a question about Turkey’s Middle East policy.
The original answer, however, was quite different, according to the
academic’s website.
“Erdogan harshly condemned the coup and voiced strong support for the
Muslim Brotherhood. And in Syria, he has been supporting the highly
fragmented and complex rebel opposition. In both cases, I think more
nuanced approaches are appropriate,” he said.
The daily also reported that Chomsky said, “The West does not want
to see powerful countries that have adopted democracy.”
“Do you think this chaos in the Middle East worries Western states;
on the contrary, when everything goes well, then the West becomes
alarmed and as I see, their plan has worked,” he was quoted as saying.
In another exchange about Israel, the daily quoted Chomsky as saying:
“We know that Israel has a huge sympathy for the Egyptian army, and we
know that they meet frequently, we have heard. But there is no proof
that Israel is behind the coup; at least I am not a witness to it.”
Chomsky, however, subsequently said he had answered, “Israel did not
hide its sympathy for the military coup, but I know of no evidence
of significant cooperation.”
Bulut said the interview was the outcome of a long mailing process
and that she was saddened by reports that her interview included
fabricated sections.
“The raw material of our interview is not that. I have sent an email
to Chomsky about the issue,” she said.
Bulut told T24 website on Aug. 30 that she had sent two emails to
Chomsky and combined them, while Chomsky’s website only published
the first part of the written interviews.
“The interviews conducted in English can be broadened by being loyal
to the content. That is to say, it is not written as a simultaneous
translation. Otherwise, everyone who can do simultaneous translation
would be able to conduct interviews,” said Bulut, in an apparent
explanation of her additions to the interview.
Armenian News – Tert.am
From: Baghdasarian