According to Armenians and their supporters Turks committed pressure and tortured Armenians in all their history with Turks and massacred since 1890. And they claim that Turks committed genocide in 1915.
Issue is being brought to agenda by anti-Turk circles as "Armenian genocide" and tried to be replied by Turkish side as "so called Armenian genocide ideas".
Issue should be handled as "riots of Armenians during World War I" instead of handling it like "Armenian genocide". Other than that what should be focused on is not the events that happened to Armenians but also the practices of Armenians against muslim population. What should be discussed is not only the responsibility of Ottomans about the events but also and even before that responsibility of rebel Armenians and external supporters of them. If we want to make a right conclusion, and if we want to reach truth we need to see whole Picture.
Issue, which contains a long time interval, have political, military, historical, social, religious, and cultural dimensions. First condition for a right evaluation for the issue is to determine events with all their aspects. Focusing on the ideas of one party and exluding official records and archives is not acceptable.
Armenian party's and pro-Armenians desires and lobby activities cause international public opinion to have false ideas about the issue. There are more than 100 decision of national parliaments and international foundations about the issue. As we get close to the 100th anniversary of 1915 events the number of these goes on increasing. Turkey also faces with these in the way of the EU membership.
In the begining of World War One, Armenian committees cooperated with Russians and thousands of Armenians joined to the invader Russian forces. In this process, the activities of Western countries (especially England) should not be forgotten. The activities of Armenian gangs during war, as massacring the people in defenceless Turkish villages, atrocities, and riots can't be defined as independence struggle. Armenian activities were armed riots and betrayal to national defence.
After events, Ottoman goverment decided to search Armenian committee centers and Armenian churchs in 24 April 1915. After researchs government arrested many documents and weapon and also arrested 2345 Armenians. 24 April is the day when Armenian partizans were arrested. It is so interesting that it is accepted as day of start of "genocide". The law drafts by foreign Parliaments about recognizing so called Armenian genocide is a serious accusation against Ottomans and their heirs Turks. Genocide allegations will go on to have its place in the agenda of Turkey in 2009.
Ertugrul YALCINBAYIR
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