Category: News

By Elif Shafak

Amid the political turmoil in Turkey this week, culminating in the prime minister’s announcement that he’ll stand down within days, it was Oscar Wilde who became the subject of a heated debate in the Turkish parliament. A member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said he wanted to quote a line from Wilde. A deputy from the ruling AKP party objected to the idea of citing someone who was neither Muslim nor Turkish. “Do you not have any examples from this culture, this civilisation?” Yet another AKP member confused the Irish author with the Oscars, to which a female HDP deputy, Burcu Özkan protested: “It’s Oscar Wilde. He is not an award, he is a man!”

When they are not debating Wilde, MPs are busy exchanging blows. During a discussion to strip them of their immunity – a deliberate amendment that might lead to the trial and incarceration of Kurdish MPs – Garo Paylan, an Armenian deputy, was kicked, punched and subjected to hate speech by several AKP members. Paylan said: “What they can’t digest is this: a person of Armenian identity reveals their lies and stands upright.”

It is hard to be an Armenian in Turkey. Or a Kurd, or an Alevi, or gay, or a conscientious objector, or a Jew, or a woman, or someone who just doesn’t agree with what is happening in the country. If you happen to tick more than one box, life is even harder. The list goes on and on. Diversity has been stifled. Freedom of speech has been abandoned. An “ideology of sameness” dominates the land. That ideology is shaped by Turkish nationalism, Islamism and authoritarianism blended with machismo and patriarchy. The tension in politics penetrates all aspects of daily life.

Turkey is no longer simply politically polarised. It is now bitterly divided into two planets: those who support and will continue to support the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, no matter what; and those who are, for a variety of reasons, against him. The president, who is theoretically above political parties and strictly neutral, is in truth, anything but. Erdoğan is the most divisive politician in Turkey’s modern political history.

A full, unconditional obedience to the leader is expected from AKP members. There isn’t even the slightest trace of inner-party democracy. Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu’s announcement surprised everyone. He said his resignation was not a choice, but rather “a necessity”. It is no secret that his successor will be someone fully approved and controlled by Erdoğan, who will even further consolidate his power. Eventually, Erdoğan wants to change Turkey into a presidential regime with a monopoly of power.

What little opposition exists is fragmented, scattered, and demoralised. Since theGezi Park riots three years ago, people have been increasingly and systematically intimidated. On average, every four days someone is being sued in Turkey for insulting Erdoğan – almost 2,000 people since he became president. Among them are artists, journalists, cartoonists, academics, even students for Facebook comments. Over the years, as Turkey’s media has been curbed, social media has become more politicised. Now that too is heavily monitored. Turkey tops the countries demanding content removal from Twitter.

Everything is shifting in Turkey – and very fast. We Turks live with a feeling of “what now?”, knowing that every day something new happens. As the country slides backwards, what we have in our hands is not a democracy but a crude form of majoritarianism. The central components of democracy – such as separation of powers, rule of law, freedom of speech – are all but broken.

Murat Belge, a well-known academic and columnist, was put on trial for insulting the president. Academics who signed a peace petition criticising the government’s actions in southeast Anatolia have been slated in pro-government media. Some have lost their jobs. Four were imprisoned. The infamous article 301, which claims to protect “Turkishness”, even though nobody knows what exactly that means, has re-emerged.

There are three major dangers: an absolutist monopoly of power; the total collapse of the Turkish-Kurdish peace process; and the loss of secularism. Recently the parliamentary speaker, İsmail Kahraman, came up with a horrifying proposition: “Secularism shouldn’t take place in the new constitution.” Secularism was the one principle that separated Turkey from other parts of the Middle East. It made the country relatively more liberal, more open, more diverse. And the recent talk by some AKP members about developing a religious constitution is alarming – particularly for women, who need to uphold secularism more loudly and wholeheartedly than men because they have more to lose in an Islamic fundamentalist regime. Befittingly, Bayan Yani, a humour magazine produced by an all-female staff, and whose title means “the seat next to a woman on public transportation”, drew a cartoon of a Turkish Marianne leading the people with the caption: “Long live secularism!”

Hikmet Çetinkaya and Ceyda Karan, two veteran journalists from the daily Cumhuriyet – one of the last remaining alternative voices in the media – have been sentenced to two years in prison for reprinting Charlie Hebdo cartoons. During their trial Islamist slogans were chanted in the courtroom. The sentence profoundly shocked Turkey’s democrats. Today, in Reporters Without Borders’ world press freedom index, Turkey ranks 151st of 180 countries.

In the past we had a solid tradition of black humour. Politics was always rough, but it was OK for the people to laugh at politicians. Not any more. Recent research shows that only half of Turkey’s people think it OK to criticise the government publicly. When Angela Merkel allows German comedians to be sued by Erdoğan, it is a clear message to Turkey’s democrats: “You are all alone.”

So what happened to the Turkish model we used to be so hopeful about? That unique blend of western democracy, secularism and majority-Muslim culture and pluralistic society is today empty rhetoric. Even the EU, to which we Turks once so aspired, has turned into a political game.

However, Turkey has millions of beautiful people who – though deeply depressed, demoralised and lonely – are globally connected and ahead of their government. And that quote in parliament which fell on deaf ears? It was about the vulgarity of power.

The Bundestag will affirm the term” genocide,” in a resolution to be discussed in June this year, Member of Bundestag, President of Germany-Armenia Forum Albert Weiler said in Yerevan.

He voiced hope that the document on the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide would be comprehensively considered in the German Bundestag.

Albert Weiler has been granted a title of Honorable Doctor of the National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia for the contribution to the strengthening of the Armenian-German friendship.

He has been blacklisted by Azerbaijan for visiting Nagorno Karabakh.

The German on June 2, according to an agreement reached in April between the Greens and the government.

The ruling coalition, the Left and the Alliance90/Green Parties have reached an agreement to call the 1915 events “genocide.”

“After failing to resolve the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict by force in early April, Azerbaijan, through fraud and manipulation tries to portray itself as a victim and to avoid responsibility for unleashing the military aggression and the numerous war crimes accompanying it,” Spokesperson for the NKR Foreign Ministry Ani Sargsyan said in comments to News.am.

The comments come after the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan organized a visit of representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Azerbaijan to the Line of Contact between the armed forces of the NKR and Azerbaijan.

“By participating in the badly staged actions of the Azerbaijani side, representatives of the international community automatically allow themselves to be drawn into the propaganda campaign of official Baku aimed at the justification of the criminal actions of the Azerbaijani authorities,” she added.

“We are convinced that in order to form a truly unbiased idea of the existing situation and get comprehensive information on the reasons and consequences of the Azerbaijani aggression, the diplomats and representatives of international organizations should, first of all, visit the NKR,” the Spokesperson added.

“The NKR authorities are ready to provide all-sided assistance in the organization of such a visit,” she concluded.

The annual Armenian Genocide Commemorative Lecture, organised by the Australian Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (AIHGS) in remembrance of the 101st Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, will feature the launch the book “Armenia, Australia & The Great War” and will take place on May 17 from at NSW Parliament House, the Armenian National Committee of Australia reports.

Co-authors of “Armenia, Australia & The Great War”, Vicken Babkenian and Professor Peter Stanley will address the audience, along with NSW State Treasurer, the Hon. Gladys Berejiklian MP.

As conducted in previous years, a Wreath Laying Ceremony will first take place at the Armenian Genocide Memorial “Khatchkar” in the Peace Garden of Level 9 in NSW Parliament House.

Later, inside the Theatrette, Vicken Babkenian will address the audience, before moving on to the official launch of“Armenia, Australia & The Great War”, which will feature a Panel Discussion with the Authors, chaired by Gladys Berejiklian.

At the conclusion of the event, copies of “Armenia, Australia & The Great War” will be available for purchase. There will also be a chance for the co-authors to sign the books.

The Azerbaijani-language website of Public Radio of Armenia will present the facts as they are and will not engage into propaganda, says Arman Saghatelyan, Executive Director of

According to him, its one of the many existing information platforms aiming to present the developments, provide for plurality of views and collision of opinions.

“The target audience includes people reading in Azerbaijani and first of all, Azerbaijanis themselves,” Arman Saghatelyan says.

The newly launched website aims to present the events as they are, something Azerbaijanis are deprived of in their country, the Executive Director says.

“The United States, along with the rest of the international community, does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status will only be resolved in the context of a comprehensive settlement, so we urge the sides to come to the negotiating table in good faith in order to reach a settlement that achieves those goals,” US Department of State Deputy Spokesperson Mark C. Toner told a daily briefing, as he commented on Artsakh recognition submitted to Armenian parliament by two MPs.

“All of this needs to be worked out within the context of the Minsk group. There is a process here, and that process needs to be returned to by all sides,” he said.

Asked about the harassment of ethnic Armenian MP Garo Paylan, Toner said “I don’t have the details of this particular individual or his case. Obviously, the member of any political party who is being harassed or beaten or detained in any way would be of concern to us.”

He added, however, that they have no details of the case and refrained from further comments.

A delegation of bishops and priests of the different Churches of Jerusalem visited the Armenian Patriarchate to extend Easter wishes to the Patriarch and his community, the reports. 

The delegation, led by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Fouad Twal, was composed of the main leaders of the Churches of Jerusalem and the priests and pastors accompanying them. Anglican, Lutheran, Ethiopian, Coptic, Syriac, Melkite, Roman Catholics and others met, greeted, and settled together in the elegant reception salon of the Armenian Patriarchate. All the Jerusalem Churches have the tradition of meeting in the different bishoprics, in a warm-hearted and fraternal ambience, exchanging greetings and good wishes during the two major liturgical feasts – Christmas and Easter.

On behalf of all the Churches, the Latin Patriarch has the privilege of delivering a short speech extending best Easter wishes to His Beatitude, Archbishop Manougian, and to the Armenian community.

In his remarks, Patriarch Twal highlighted how “all Christians are  united in joy in the risen Christ”. A week after the one hundred and first anniversary of the Armenian genocide, the Latin Patriarch assured his “Armenian brothers” of prayers for all Armenians facing the “terrible situation of suffering that they endured and continue to endure, in certain countries.”

The Patriarch did not fail to make an explicit reference to the genocide perpetrated by the Turks, 101 years ago: “We recall the events of the genocide and pray they will never be disregarded. Sadly, though we are told never to forget, many do...”

Speaking next, Patriarch Manougian warmly thanked Patriarch Twal and the present leaders of Churches, while recalling in turn how the Paschal mystery constitutes the heart of the faith of all Christians. Referring to the brotherly friendship that unites the Churches, he mentioned, not without emotion, the “support and assistance” given by the Latin Church and the Vatican during the genocide: “A support that Armenians will never forget.”

The Azerbaijani side used artillery weapons, 82 mm mortars and hand-held antitank grenade launchers as it kept violating the agreement on ceasefire at the line of contact with Karabakh forces last night.

Front divisions of the NKR Defense Army keep control of the situation at the frontline and resort to actions consistent with the development of the situation in case of necessity.

The losses of the Azerbaijani side in the recent clashed along the Nagorno Karabakh line of contact are estimated to exceed 800, OSTKRAFT analytical center reports, quoting sources at the Azerbaijani General Staff.

According to the report, it was the great number of losses that made Azerbaijan stop the aggression and return to the negotiating table.

“Judging from this data, the words of Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia about the readiness of his country to solve the Karabakh issue in a military way look deeply untenable, as Azerbaijan has neither power, not means for that,” the analysis says.

According to the report, the only thing Azerbaijan provoked with its unreasonable actions is the possible recognition of Nagorno Karabakh by Armenia.

Clark University History Professor Taner Akçam received the “Friend of the Armenians” award from the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) at a banquet of the Diocesan Assembly on April 29 in Cleveland. Hundreds of Armenian Church leaders from around the country attended.

“It is deeply rewarding to be recognized as a friend of the Armenians,” Akçam said. “While power, not truth, reigns supreme in politics, it is truth that wins in the fields of education and scholarship. We need to train dozens of young academics who can express the truth not as an emotional plea but as a scholarly fact.”

In his speech, Akçam (pictured) recognized two scholars, and Ümit Kurt, who recently earned their doctoral degrees in Armenian genocide studies from Clark’s .

“The truth is that the more academics we have working in this field the less oxygen denialism receives. Education is where the real investment needs to be made,” he said.

Every year, the New York-based Diocese of the Armenian Church of America bestows its “Friend of the Armenians” award on an individual in the public arena who has been a heroic advocate for the Armenian-American community. Past recipients have included U.S. Ambassadors Harry Gilmore and John Evans; U.S. Sens. Edward Kennedy and Robert Dole; and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick.

The Diocese selected Akçam for the award because of his “history of courageous humanitarianism” and his “lifelong effort to reveal and defend historical truth of the Armenian genocide through his scholarship.”

“All of these things have done much to promote admiration, goodwill and affection for [him] throughout the Armenian-American community,” wrote Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.

In recent years, Akçam has been honored with the Hrant Dink Spirit of Freedom and Justice Medal by the Organization of Istanbul Armenians, theHeroes of Justice and Truth Award from the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Churches of America and the Hrant Dink Freedom Award from the Armenian Bar Association. In 2006, he was recognized by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for his outstanding work in human rights and for fighting genocide denial.

Akçam is the Robert Aram, Marianne Kaloosdian and Stephen and Marian Mugar Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies. He received his doctorate in 1995 from the University of Hanover, with a dissertation on “The Turkish National Movement and the Armenian Genocide against the Background of the Military Tribunals in Istanbul Between 1919 and 1922.”