Comments on: Turkey is Typing….

By: Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Turkey is Typing….

Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » Turkey is Typing…. — Sat, 24 Dec 2005 18:36:21 +0000

[...] Last week I posted about the trial of Orhan Pamuk, and from that post ensued a very lively debate about the situation between the Turks and the Armenians. This week the debate continues. Amerikan Turk (who I forgot to cover last week-sorry agabeyim) writes about the truth of the issue, and Erkan’s Field Diary has more information about the trial, including the security issues that the author has to deal with. The outcome of this trial will be very important as the the future of free speech in Turkey. [...]

By: Farid Pouya

Farid Pouya — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 16:23:39 +0000

I don’t think that Turks or Turkish state is muderer or killer or genocide responsible. But Ottoman empire at 1915 was a murderer and mass killer.Hitler was inspired by armenian genocide to launch his evil
plan agiants jews: Holocaust.
I think killing one million armenians was very systematic and a real planning was needed.

By: Murat

Murat — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 14:20:03 +0000

When one looks at the Jewish Holocaust and compares it against the Armenian deaths of WW1, there is a striking disparity, making it very clear that the same word cannot be used to describe both events. This doesn’t equate to a denial of the events in question. It’s a re-defining of the overall tragedy. As I continue to educate myself with proper sources, going forward I hope to contribute more thoughts on this subject.

By: Metin

Metin — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 16:48:43 +0000

farid:
by your reasoning, are you calling the Turks murderers?
are you referring to the Turkish government or the Turkish people or both?
how is it ‘obvious’ that assirians and others were also killed by Turkey?
were these murders committed against Turkish citizens (since the armenians and others were subjects of the Ottoman Empire or kurds in Turkey being Turkish citizens?
why were some ethnic groups selected while others not for such murders?
did Turkey open its doors for persecuted Jews both in the inquisition era, as well as the more recent holocaust era?
were any murders committed against Greeks living in Turkey as Turkish citizens?
just a few questions that puzzle me…

By: faridpouya

faridpouya — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 10:33:46 +0000

I am sorry for this misunderstanding. I just didn’t want to use one verb twice.For me murdered & killed are the same. Concerning Genocide
I should say I am just refering to UN. According to United Nations there are three Genocides in 20 century: Armenian Jews and Rwanda…
It is obvious not only Kurds Armenians were murdered or killed in Turkey but Assirians Aramenians and so on. Best

By: Metin

Metin — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 07:16:05 +0000

according to Farid (maybe paraphrasing Pamuk), the 1 million Armenians are “killed” but the 30,000 Kurds are “murdered.” What a ‘novel’ concept!! Was that by design or an unintentional play of words.

I’d like to ask: What constitues a “Genocide?” Is it dependent on the numbers of killed/murdered or is it the ‘state’ ordered mass execution of a specific ethnic or religious group within its borders. If it occurs outside borders, it’s called “war??”

Oh I forgot! In “War,” civilians are never killed or murdered. (i.e. Iraq??)

Anyway, someone clarify this issue for me. I am not admitting/denying the existence of ‘genocide’ per se, but I am confused as to its parameters.

By: Amerikan Turk

Amerikan Turk — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:04:10 +0000

And recently Lithuania has joined the band-wagon. If the govt doesn’t punish Pamuk, the public will kill or maim him- mark my words. He’s now marked himself like Salman Rushdie. Freedom of speech in Turkey is limited for a few reason, I think, which I tried to scratch the surface of last night in an entry about ethnicity versus nationality.

I am snubbed from this week’s name-dropping by Deborah Ann. Hopefully I have not offended anyone.

By: faridpouya

faridpouya — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 14:31:28 +0000

I think it will be good to explain why Pamuk,the best seller writer and famous novelist, is on trial. He openly talked about Armenian Genocide where 1 million people,according to Pamuk, were killed by Turkish army at 1915. He also mentioned about 30 thousands Kurds were murdered by Turkish army. United Nations and European Parlement recognised that Armenian genocide happended but Turkey refused it.

By: socioeconomics

socioeconomics — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 13:36:22 +0000

So Turkish Torque is silent? Get used to it, Deborah.

Mr. Akinci usually keeps quiet for months, and then makes up for the delay in a matter of days. :)

By: Erkan

Erkan — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 12:28:52 +0000

Oh I guess it is a bit late but still good luck with your finals, Deborah! Same wish to all bloggers. I am glad I am done with all this stuff, finals I mean, but i feel worse is coming next year when I will be writing my thesis:) For now, I am having tea in my warm apartment, waiting snow to start, surfing the net for new updates in my blog, reading from time to time and wathching a movie in this Sunday. Simply enjoying my time. But my wishes are sincere!