Part of Turkish civil society ready to recognize Armenian Genocide but is silenced, says journalist Simone Zoppellaro
08:30,
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. For a century, little or no pressure was put on Turkey by Europe and the US to recognise the genocide and achieve reconciliation, and this was a tragic mistake, just as the current approach to Turkey, which privileges business at the expense of human rights, is wrong and counterproductive, Italian journalist, writer Simone Zoppellaro told ARMENPRESS when asked whether actions other than calls and resolutions are needed given that Turkey continues its policy of denial 107 years since the Armenian Genocide.
“Since I studied at the University of Bologna, twenty years ago, I have seen the attention paid to this subject grow year by year. A topic that, also due to the Cold War, was still little known and studied outside the Armenian communities in the last century. Today much has changed. The denialist theses are now very little accepted in the academic and political world, and even ordinary people, thanks also to successful films and books, have at least a general idea of the issue. A not insignificant fact, moreover, is that the awareness of the Metz Yeghern has contributed to the popularization of the concept of genocide, as elaborated by Raphael Lemkin.
For a century, little or no pressure was put on Turkey by Europe and the US to recognise the genocide and achieve reconciliation. This was a tragic mistake, just as the current approach to Turkey, which privileges business at the expense of human rights, is wrong and counterproductive. Now, it is crucial to work on different levels. Culture undoubtedly plays an important role in this. Turkish writers and directors, together with many activists, took important steps in this direction years ago. All this ended up being stifled by Erdogan’s new dictatorial drift. Many Armenians have also made important contributions. I am thinking of Pietro Kuciukian, who collected dozens and dozens of stories of the Turkish Righteous who opposed the genocide. But, once again, how can these figures be promoted in an authoritarian context such as the current one? Europe must get rid of all its autocrats, including Erdogan. A part of Turkish civil society, I say this also from personal experience, is ready to recognize the genocide. But this will never happen as long as their voice is silenced by the state,” Zoppellaro said.
Asked on his opinion on when and under what circumstances Turkey would recognize the Armenian Genocide, as well as the current process of normalization between Armenia and Turkey, the Italian journalist said: “The recognition and acknowledgement of genocide by a state that is heir to its perpetrators is always a long process. The philosopher Günther Anders told us how, even at the end of the 1970s, the majority of Germans did not want to face the Shoah. Now, Erdogan’s Turkey is not the Federal Republic of Germany, and it would be crucial for the state to commit to a path not yet taken. The circumstances you ask about, I am afraid, are not the present ones, but a possibility may soon open up, although I doubt very much that there is the will to go all the way through what the Germans call Schuldfrage, the question of guilt.
Now, a new Turkey that acknowledges the Armenian genocide and the crimes of the Ottomans would undoubtedly be able to dialogue with its minorities, starting with the Kurds, and have a more constructive approach to its neighbours. And it would be able to live in peace and prosperity, as has rarely happened in Turkey in the last century.
A rapprochement would be essential, but I well understand the fears of many Armenians. Today’s Turkey is authoritarian and violent, Erdogan unreliable, and his role in the aggression in Karabakh is unquestionable. If such a rapprochement were to become a reality, it would be an important step towards a possible common memory and peace. But beware, let us take the case of Italy and Slovenia, two democracies that are part of the European Union, and the crimes committed during the Second World War: a common memory is still lacking in many respects, and tensions have not been absent, even recently. So we should not spread false optimism in this regard. Whatever happens, it will be a long road and not without obstacles.
As Gabriele Nissim writes, it is necessary to translate the ‘never again’ into a here and now, recalling the example of Raphel Lemkin. What is the point of commemorating if, even today, we remain indifferent to crimes against humanity and genocide? The new millennium has already seen at least one genocide, the one against the Yazidis, and it will certainly not be the last if we do not activate prevention mechanisms in our parliaments and international institutions. The Milan-based foundation I work with, Gariwo, made some important proposals to our parliament last year: Appoint an Italian genocide advisor in Parliament to work in collaboration with the UN Special Advisor on Genocide Prevention and EU institutions; to commit the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament to draw up an annual report presenting to public opinion the dangers of new genocides in the world and the possible measures to be taken to prevent them; the creation in Italy of an autonomous and independent human rights agency, as proposed by the European Union, which, in collaboration with the International Criminal Court, would permanently investigate the state of rights in the world and crimes against humanity. We need a commitment that links past and present, and that goes from education to culture and politics. We cannot know our future, but we must go deep into our past, especially the most terrible pages, to ensure that they do not recur. Unfortunately, the events of recent months suggest the worst for our future. That is why it is more important than ever to remember and act.”
Interview by Anna Gziryan
Part of Turkish civil society ready to recognize Armenian Genocide but is silenced, says journalist Simone Zoppellaro
08:30,
YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. For a century, little or no pressure was put on Turkey by Europe and the US to recognise the genocide and achieve reconciliation, and this was a tragic mistake, just as the current approach to Turkey, which privileges business at the expense of human rights, is wrong and counterproductive, Italian journalist, writer Simone Zoppellaro told ARMENPRESS when asked whether actions other than calls and resolutions are needed given that Turkey continues its policy of denial 107 years since the Armenian Genocide.
“Since I studied at the University of Bologna, twenty years ago, I have seen the attention paid to this subject grow year by year. A topic that, also due to the Cold War, was still little known and studied outside the Armenian communities in the last century. Today much has changed. The denialist theses are now very little accepted in the academic and political world, and even ordinary people, thanks also to successful films and books, have at least a general idea of the issue. A not insignificant fact, moreover, is that the awareness of the Metz Yeghern has contributed to the popularization of the concept of genocide, as elaborated by Raphael Lemkin.
For a century, little or no pressure was put on Turkey by Europe and the US to recognise the genocide and achieve reconciliation. This was a tragic mistake, just as the current approach to Turkey, which privileges business at the expense of human rights, is wrong and counterproductive. Now, it is crucial to work on different levels. Culture undoubtedly plays an important role in this. Turkish writers and directors, together with many activists, took important steps in this direction years ago. All this ended up being stifled by Erdogan’s new dictatorial drift. Many Armenians have also made important contributions. I am thinking of Pietro Kuciukian, who collected dozens and dozens of stories of the Turkish Righteous who opposed the genocide. But, once again, how can these figures be promoted in an authoritarian context such as the current one? Europe must get rid of all its autocrats, including Erdogan. A part of Turkish civil society, I say this also from personal experience, is ready to recognize the genocide. But this will never happen as long as their voice is silenced by the state,” Zoppellaro said.
Asked on his opinion on when and under what circumstances Turkey would recognize the Armenian Genocide, as well as the current process of normalization between Armenia and Turkey, the Italian journalist said: “The recognition and acknowledgement of genocide by a state that is heir to its perpetrators is always a long process. The philosopher Günther Anders told us how, even at the end of the 1970s, the majority of Germans did not want to face the Shoah. Now, Erdogan’s Turkey is not the Federal Republic of Germany, and it would be crucial for the state to commit to a path not yet taken. The circumstances you ask about, I am afraid, are not the present ones, but a possibility may soon open up, although I doubt very much that there is the will to go all the way through what the Germans call Schuldfrage, the question of guilt.
Now, a new Turkey that acknowledges the Armenian genocide and the crimes of the Ottomans would undoubtedly be able to dialogue with its minorities, starting with the Kurds, and have a more constructive approach to its neighbours. And it would be able to live in peace and prosperity, as has rarely happened in Turkey in the last century.
A rapprochement would be essential, but I well understand the fears of many Armenians. Today’s Turkey is authoritarian and violent, Erdogan unreliable, and his role in the aggression in Karabakh is unquestionable. If such a rapprochement were to become a reality, it would be an important step towards a possible common memory and peace. But beware, let us take the case of Italy and Slovenia, two democracies that are part of the European Union, and the crimes committed during the Second World War: a common memory is still lacking in many respects, and tensions have not been absent, even recently. So we should not spread false optimism in this regard. Whatever happens, it will be a long road and not without obstacles.
As Gabriele Nissim writes, it is necessary to translate the ‘never again’ into a here and now, recalling the example of Raphel Lemkin. What is the point of commemorating if, even today, we remain indifferent to crimes against humanity and genocide? The new millennium has already seen at least one genocide, the one against the Yazidis, and it will certainly not be the last if we do not activate prevention mechanisms in our parliaments and international institutions. The Milan-based foundation I work with, Gariwo, made some important proposals to our parliament last year: Appoint an Italian genocide advisor in Parliament to work in collaboration with the UN Special Advisor on Genocide Prevention and EU institutions; to commit the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament to draw up an annual report presenting to public opinion the dangers of new genocides in the world and the possible measures to be taken to prevent them; the creation in Italy of an autonomous and independent human rights agency, as proposed by the European Union, which, in collaboration with the International Criminal Court, would permanently investigate the state of rights in the world and crimes against humanity. We need a commitment that links past and present, and that goes from education to culture and politics. We cannot know our future, but we must go deep into our past, especially the most terrible pages, to ensure that they do not recur. Unfortunately, the events of recent months suggest the worst for our future. That is why it is more important than ever to remember and act.”
Interview by Anna Gziryan