Turkish Forum

Author: Aylin D. Miller

  • COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE ABC RADIO NATIONAL MANAGER

    COMPLAINT LETTER TO THE ABC RADIO NATIONAL MANAGER

    Dear Sir/Madam,

    I am writing to you in relation to the Saturday Breakfast program that was aired on 21 June and 28 June 2008 on ABC Radio National. Author Giles Milton was the guest of these programmes and he spoke about his recent book “Paradise Lost: Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of Islam’s City of Tolerance”. During the program, he uttered groundless and biased allegations about the march of Turkish army to Izmir in 1922 to rightfully save the city from enemy occupation.

    I would like to point out that fabricating such blackening and one-sided stories about a nation’s history does not conform to scientific objectivity which seems to be totally lacking in the author’s book Furthermore, airing such biased views on a national broadcasting service does not comply with the spirit of harmonious relations among different societies successfully established by the multicultural character of Australia.

    I therefore underline my deep disappointment and strongly protest the ABC Radio National for airing one week after another, such a biased interviews full of fabricated and slanderous propaganda. By the way, it was the Greek occupation army which had destroyed and burnt the beautiful Turkish city of Izmir and committed heinous crimes as they fled.
    With the sincere hope of listening to programmes reflecting not only fabrications but also the objective truths of a story.

    Guide:

    1. Click the link below to open ABC complaints page:
    2. Fill in the necessary spaces.
    3. Copy and paste the above text to the appropriate space.
    4. Click send.

  • European Commission awards €5m in scholarships to Turkish Cypriots

    European Commission awards €5m in scholarships to Turkish Cypriots

    By Maria-Christina Doulami

    AROUND 120 Turkish Cypriot students and teachers have been awarded scholarships by the European Commission, a press release announced yesterday.

    This allows them to study an undergraduate or postgraduate programme or engage in research in any of the other 26 Member States of the EU for the duration of maximum one year.

    The EU Scholarship programme will run for three consecutive academic years, from 2007-2010 and its total value amounts to €5 million. The grants are financed from the European Union Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.

    The aim of the programme is “to give Turkish Cypriot students and teachers additional educational opportunities that will increase their knowledge in their own technical field while giving them the experience of studying and living in another EU Member State” said the announcement.

    The main objective stated by the press release is “to bring the Turkish Cypriots closer to the EU and Europe closer to the Turkish Cypriot community.”

    This opportunity will allow the 122 grantees to return to Cyprus after the completion of their studies and “contribute to the social and economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community” said the press release.

    A former grantee summarises this unforgettable experience as “a new world” and says that “this scholarship gives me the opportunity of living at the standards of any other European citizen, makes me feel financially secure and lets me concentrate fully on my studies”.

    “I feel that I am exploring new horizons, questioning, gaining new perspectives, making new friends.”

    Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

    Source: Cyprus Mail, 5 July 2008

  • COUP/DARBE: A documentary film about the military interventions in Turkey

    COUP/DARBE: A documentary film about the military interventions in Turkey

    NEWS:

    COUP / DARBE

    RELEASED ON DVD!

    A documentary film about the 1960, 1971, 1980, and 1997 military interventions and coups d’etat in Turkey

    Directed by Elif Savas Felsen
    Produced by Brian Felsen
     

    COUP is made possible by a grant from the New York Council on the Arts and the Experimental Television Center 

    COUP (DARBE) explores the origins of the militarily-patrolled democratic system created by Ataturk in the 1920’s; the place of the armed forces in the political and cultural life of the nation; the causes and consequences of each coup d’etat and how they differ from those in South America and the rest of the world, and the future of the “military democracy.”

    COUP contains not one word of voice-over narration or one frame of simulated footage.  The film instead weaves together interviews with activists, politicians, and military leaders with extraordinary archival and personal footage of the military actions, street demonstrations and extremist activisms.  This enables the film to illustrate the variegated nature of the current debate in Turkey, interweaving radically differing viewpoints without passing them through the filter of an overriding narrator.  In so doing, the film can remain true to its subject, giving the viewer visual experience of the devastating impact of the collision between state and military authority and extreme civil activism, while providing a hoard of information that goes beyond the mere “sound-byte.”

    SPEAKERS

    Some of the film’s interview subjects are Former National Ministers of Health, the Interior, and Foreign Affairs; authors of the Turkish Constitution; current and former Members of Parliament; aides to the President and Prime Minister; military officers; junta leaders; intelligence agents; publishers; party leaders; extremist activists; former death-row prisoners, and scholars.

    Several of the film’s interview subjects have never before spoken on film about their experiences.  The filmmakers have brought together for the first time politicians from all sides of the political spectrum, even the extremes, to talk about issues of international importance.

    COUP is above all an oral history of world-shaping events, and viewers are able to hear direct testimony from the participants themselves.  Several who participated in the 1960 coup are well into their 80’s, making this film a great chance to preserve their thoughts and a wonderful window into their times.  Already, four of our speakers are no longer with us: General Muhsin Batur (who died in Florence Nightingale Hospital in Istanbul of natural causes after filming), Columnist Raif Ertem, Constitutional Law Professor Bulent Tanor, and Journalist Ahmet Taner Kislali (who was murdered by a car bomb outside of his home shortly after filming completed.)

    FOOTAGE

    Never-before-seen photos, documents, audio clips, and film footage from news services and personal archives form the backbone of the film. The film contains ceremonials with the Ottoman Pasha from the 1910’s; Atatürk speeches from the 1930’s; footage from the army trial resulting in the hanging of Prime Minister Menderes; speeches by 1960 coup leader Turkes; clips of the condemned student leader Deniz Gezmis; May Day street demonstrations from the 70’s and extremist café bombings; the September 1980 coup announcement and the follow-up elections in 1983; the 1995 rise of the religious Refah party; the 1997 coup by memorandum and closing down of the Refah office; and military press briefings from 1998.

    COUP examines the degree to which abstract ideals (such as “freedom of speech” and “human rights”) are actually applied in a country facing political exigencies.  Even if such rights exist on paper, there are practical consequences of asserting them in a nation where the stakes are so high: one of the film’s speakers was murdered by a car bomb after filming; some were jailed for their writings; and some were punished for having spoken with Amnesty International about their experiences.  The film also takes a hard look at the practical and ethical issues raised when a country takes anti-democratic measures in its attempt to preserve a democratic system. These implications are both national, when the military becomes involved in the political process, and international, when the nation must balance their own needs with those of foreign governments and world powers.

  • Turkey Not Ready To Recognize The Genocide Of Armenians by Gevorg Harutyunyan

    Turkey Not Ready To Recognize The Genocide Of Armenians by Gevorg Harutyunyan

     

    Turkey Not Ready To Recognize The Genocide Of Armenians

    by

    Gevorg Harutyunyan
    Hayots Ashkhar Daily, July 04, 2008 Armenia
    Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the National Academy of Sciences, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan is the interlocutor of “Hayots Ashkharh” daily.

    “Mr. Safrastyan at this stage of the geo-political developments what peculiarities do Armenian-Turkish relations have?”

    “We must record that Turkey’s attitude towards Armenia is at clarification stage in the condition of the aggravation of the country’s internal-political situation. As we know the ruling party “Justice and Development” is facing different charges.

    Besides that, recently the sector of the Turkish secret organization named “Ergenekon” was revealed. The goal of the organization is to stage a military coup d’tat in Turkey.

    Ex-military-men, influential figures, Generals and representatives of Turkish elite are the members of the before mentioned organization, by the name of a Turkish epos.

    In fact it is the regular attempt of the traditional Turkish kemaly elite to maintain power. The thing is there is a struggle between two pro-governmental groupings in Turkey. The newly formed elite united with the pro-governmental “Justice and Development” party is struggling against the kemaly elite that has been in power for decades.

    This struggle has created great tension in Turkey’s internal political life. In such conditions the government in power did certain steps regarding Armenian Turkish relations, aimed at gaining the support of the West, especially the USA. It is not a secret that for many years the USA puts pressure on Turkey to open the borders with Armenia.

    In this context, it’s worth mentioning that the victory of Democratic Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama is becoming quite possible.

    Turkish analysts preview that in this case it will be impossible to avert the adoption of resolution 106 in the Congress.

    It is not accidental that the representatives of Turkish Foreign Ministry met with Obama’s counselors, during which according to our information the Americans recommended their Turkish partners to elaborate another program of Armenian-Turkish relations. The Turks will most probably try to create delusion among American democracy as if they are doing their best to improve relations with Armenia.”

    “Why delusion? Doesn’t Turkish people, society, or the authorities want to have regular relations with Armenia?”

    “In my view Turkey is not ready for principled changed in their policy regarding Armenia. According to Turkey Armenia must announce that it doesn’t have any territorial demands towards Turkey and that it recognizes Kars agreement, that it is ready for unilateral concessions regarding Karabakh, refuses the goal of the recognition of the Genocide of Armenians and will remove this issue from its foreign policy.

    Of course the latter is the most important issue for Turkey. But we must also record that Armenian historians and the specialists have already recognized the fact of the Genocide. American scientist’s society doesn’t accept Turkish stance saying that the fact of the Genocide is disputable.

    The US leadership also accepts the fact of the Genocide, but not officially, taking into account their state interests. But in the very near future the USA will have to officially recognize the Genocide of Armenians. In this regard Turkey intimidates that it will break off with the USA and will use sanctions, but it is of course ridiculous. And the USA in its turn recommends Turkey not to lose face and to find serious solutions.”

    “Recently OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted Turkey’s proposal, according to which the Parliaments of the member countries must encourage the idea of the formation of the joint committees of the countries with disputable issues, to conduct historical investigations. Thus many issues will be solved.”

    “Still in 2005, when Erdoghan sent a letter to our President to set up a committee of historians, Armenia officially responded that we are ready to set up a committee to study all the spheres. In my view this is the only way to bilaterally discuss, all the existing problems and achieve results.

    In case of setting up a committee of historians, believe me, Armenia will never agree to making the issue of the Genocide of Armenians a matter of discussion. We are ready to discuss the reasons and consequences of the Genocide in the framework of historical facts. But before the discussion there should be a certain consensus. For scientific dispute there are certain principles that must be mutually agreed upon. Otherwise the discussion is senseless.”

  • Reconciliation Attempts Between Turkey And Armenia

    Reconciliation Attempts Between Turkey And Armenia

     

    Reconciliation Attempts Between Turkey And Armenia

    by

    Ömer Engin LUTEM

    Turkish Forum Advisory Board Member
    03 July 2008
    The echos of the decision of Serj Sarkisyan, the President of Armenia, to invite the Turkish President Abdullah Gül to the football match that will be played between Turkey and Armenia on September 6, 2008, are still continuing. However, the statement made by the group representative of the Dashnak Party in the Parliament, Vahan Hovannisyan, a presidential candidate in the previous elections, implies that they will protest the visit of Abdullah Gül if he goes to Yerevan. Although the Dashnak Party is a part of the coalition in the Armenian Parliament, they have different policies that sometimes contradict governmental policies.

    In terms of the relations between the two countries, the most attention -grabbing part of Sarkisyan’s words is that he is not actually against the set-up of a commission that is to investigate the 1915 incidents. Due to the reason that such a commission may threaten the “genocide” that is regarded as a historical fact, not only the Dashnaks, but also the supporters of the chief opposition leader, the former president Ter Petrosyan, have reacted Serj Sarkisyan’s views.

    The Armenian presidency and the government made some statements concerning these reactions. Samyel Fermanyan, the press spokesman of the President, stated that accepting the investigation of an event would not discredit the truth. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edvard Nalbatyan, said that the establishment of that commission would not prevent Armenia’s worldwide activities for the recognition of the “Armenian Genocide”. As to the Dashnaks, their spokesman stated that they asked an explanation from President Sarkisyan who said that this commission would by no means determine whether there was a genocide, but, on the contrary, it would only examine some aspects of the genocide.

    As can be seen, Armenian authorities consider that the commisson should first of all agree that a genocide took place, and then it can investigate some details of the “genocide”. Moreover, they state that they will continue to promote the genocide activities for its recognition. There is no doubt that, with this approach, the commission will be disfuntional.

    Armenian press, inspired by the statements made by President Sarkisyan in Moskov, considers that Armenia accepts this commission as a counterpart for the openning of the Turkish border and the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

    However, the statements of some American Foreign Affairs officials, such as Daniel Fried and Mattew Bryza, envisage another reconciliation formula which propose the Armenian recognition of Turkish territorial integrity, the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia, and the openning of the Turkish border which would be followed by the establishment of the commission.

    Currently, the Armenian press is not mentioning the Armenian recognition of Turkish territorial integrity that would mean the end of “Great Armenia” dreams. It is possible that this issue, if becomes upfront, will get as much reaction as the historians’ commission does.

  • The Armenian Issue, Genocide By The Ottomans?

    The Armenian Issue, Genocide By The Ottomans?

     

     

    The Armenian Issue, Genocide By The Ottomans?
    June 23rd, 2008, SOP newswire
    Recently, the Swedish Parliament decided, nearly unanimously, that there had not been an Armenian genocide by the Ottomans. Swedish officers were on duty as observational officers in the 1915 incident, when Armenians started to shoot at the Ottoman Army from behind and as the German General ordered the expatriation of the Armenians in the region.

    Hence, Ottoman army paid in silver, daily moneys to the Armenians (half the amount to the children) and pushed them to the south. Swedish officers and under officers followed this plight as observers and their reports are in the Swedish archives.

    This is the reason why there are Armenians today, in southern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Yemen. Many Armenians emigrated to France and USA. Had they been killed, there would not be Armenians in these countries now.

    Armenians lived happily in the Ottoman Empire and contributed significantly in all the professions. During the WW1, with the influence of the British, Russians encouraged Armenians to revolt against Ottomans and Armenians, in many instances murdered Turks and Kurds. (70.000 In Van region and more in other regions.)

    Russian archives have abundant reports on these, which Prof. Perincek of Turkey recently has discovered.

    Archives of Ottomans, Germans, British and Russians and of the USA and of Armenia have plenty of evidence that there has been no genocide whatsoever.

    The UN has no resolution on that and no court has decided on such a thing. Armenians are afraid to open up their archives as this would reveal their lies.