Events during and after World War One were discussed in the TV program “Tarihin Arka Odası (Back Room of History)” that is presented by Murat Bardakci with Erhan Afyoncu and Pelin Batu.
Discussing the issue of population exchange between Turkey and Greece, Pelin Batu stated that both Greek and Turkish people committed crimes against each other. “Many people in both sides died ontheir wayas they were being exchanged. Many villages were burnt,” said she.
Reacting to the statements of Pelin Batu, Erhan Afyoncu asked when will she defend the position of Turks and said, “We entered Anatolia in 1071. If Turks wanted to erase Greeks or Armenians from this geography, they would do that in that time. If we had slaughtered a certain number of Armenians every year since 1071, there would not be any Armenian in the world now. Why did not we slaughter them in 1071? Why not in 1600’s? Why not 1700’s? But such problem occured in 1900’s. Why? Because they wanted to slaughter us. Because we were powerless and dropped our sword. But we stood against that and did not let that happen. That is what happened.”
“First of all, i am not on the side of Greeks. I am telling that both sides were harsh against each other. If you claim that i have a humanist approach, that is true,” added Pelin Batu.
“The point is that people of Black Sea region did not let Greeks who wanted to terminate Turkish existence in Black Sea. So, they should had let Greek gangs to slaughter themselves? Yes, they killed many Greek partisans. But that was nothing more than self defence,” replied Erhan Afyoncu.
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