Facing Up To The Past - Turkey

April 2006
Ankara's handling of calls to recognise the Armenian Genocide reveals the deep strains tearing at Turkish society. When author Orhan Pamuk acknowledged the massacre, he provoked an outcry.

"The Armenian Genocide is a taboo which lies at the heart of the modern Turkish republic", states popular novelist Orhan Pamuk. Turkey's official position is that no genocide ever took place -- a line most Turks believe. In challenging this and publicly questioning the deeds of Turkey's founders, Pamuk ran headlong into the turbo charged power of Turkish nationalism. "He directly insulted the Turkish nation and the very idea of being Turkish", fumes lawyer Kemal Kerinciscz. Pamuk was charged with insulting the Turkish State. His books were burnt, photo shredded and he received death threats. "There was a sort of lynching campaign. I was forced to leave the country", he recalls. Although Pamuk's case collapsed, dozens of other writers have also been charged under Article 301 for the same offence. Many fear that if Turkey recognises the killings, it will be forced to pay out billions in compensation. But with the EU pressuring Ankara to allow greater freedom of speech, Turkey may soon have to face a public debate on its past.

Produced by ABC Australia
Distributed by Journeyman Pictures

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News & Politics

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• Turkey
• Past
• Public
• Debate
• Freedom
• Speech
• Genocide
• Society
• Massacre
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[MinisterAilingTongue]

Hrant Dink deserved better than to be persecuted and then murdered for standing up for the truth.

[MinisterAilingTongue]

@mamaschuck Not genocide. The Armenians were slaughtered en masse in a coordinated attempt to purge them from the empire. That's genocide. No such attempt was made by US forces though harsh relocations and occasional massacres occurred. Bands of murderers from the settler community went on pogroms, and no attempt was made to assimilate the Indians and hence justice for Indians was never served. Those represent a clear divergence from genocide--a term that ought not to be thrown about cavalierly.

[MinisterAilingTongue]

I remember reading My Name is Red when I was 15. It was the first translated novel I'd ever read. That was shortly before 9-11. I felt I had special knowledge because none of my peers had read it or taken an interest in Levantine history. I'm still fond of his books.

[mamaschuck]

I am an American. My forefathers came to this country and killed, raped, and stole everything from the American Indians that were already here. Millions of innocent indians died and I am truly sorry that such a shameful incident occurred. I am already teaching my small children not to believe what they are taught in school about the founding of this country. I am not proud of what happened here many years ago but admitting it and feeling sympathy for those harmed are the first steps.

[buasasdas]

"I am Turkish and i can say that i really respect Mr. Pamuk as a writer. I have already read all his books. During war time, many Turkish people were killed as well. During war time, many Turkish people were raped and abused by Armenians and Russians. Maybe Orhan Pamuk was right about their loss but I think he is totally wrong about the number of Armenian people killed. Has he ever tried to find out how many Turkish people, women and children were killed and raped during those times?"i agree

[bengucilali]

I am Turkish and i can say that i really respect Mr. Pamuk as a writer. I have already read all his books. During war time, many Turkish people were killed as well. During war time, many Turkish people were raped and abused by Armenians and Russians. Maybe Orhan Pamuk was right about their loss but I think he is totally wrong about the number of Armenian people killed. Has he ever tried to find out how many Turkish people, women and children were killed and raped during those times ?

[kralorhann]

lan orhan pamuk adimi rezil ettin aq yaziyorsan TÜRK ULUSU için deger veren birsey yaz aq

[Nimroud]

@Serpico261 Cheers my friend! So sad to see so much beauty being destroyed by the hands of evil. Humans have such great potential, yet we continue our thirst for blood, power & riches, things that are totally alien to the nature of this world. We can learn so much just from watching the behavior of animals, how they play, eat, nurture, appreciate the land. These simple things we take for granted. I swear, animals have more honor than us!

[Serpico261]

@Nimroud i salute you too companero! The reason why humans are so vulnerable is not a mistery. When you think about that the architecture of our brain is not an invention of the 20th century. The basic functional concepts of our brain and all the implications that it bring are up to 160,000 years old.

I hope you dont get a false impression from me. I was a lot in turkey and i like "everything" there, its the place where i have my roots, but still a narrow minded culture and mentality dominate.

[Nimroud]

@Serpico261 Well said my friend. It's so sad when we see Ignorance dominating the brains of the masses in the world, when they too can be so much better than that, if they just opened their minds, just a crack.

Blind Ignorance & False Pride, the cancer of every civilzation!

Cheers to all!