Let’s consider the things that happened to the daughter of Baskin Oran, Sirma Oran in France. We know Baskin Oran with his statements like “Turkey should face with her own history. We should leave the policy of denial” on so called Armenian genocide. He was one of the leading figures in the campaign for apologizing Armenians for 1915 incidents.
On the other hand, his daugther Sirma Oran resigned from candidacy in local elections in Villerbanne, after Mayor Jean Paul Bret questioned her whether she recognizes so called Armenian genocide or not. Afterwards she sued Bret on the issue and stated that she was exposed to discrimination because she is Turkish origin.
Chief Judge stated that Sirma Oran took part in a protest demonstration where there were banners denying so called Armenian genocide, while the “genocide” is recognized by the laws of France. The court decided that Bret had the right to question Sirma Oran on her opinion on so called Armenian genocide.
Sirma Oran defined the decision of the court as “disgraceful” and said, “I was questioned on this issue because i am Turkish origin. Judge did not even listen to me. I am carrying the case to ECHR.”
The unjust enforcement that Sirma Oran is exposed in France shows how democracy, human rights and concept of liberty can be trampled on for political interests. Leaving denial of so called Armenian genocide to a side, even staying near a banner that denies Armenian allegations is a guilt in France.
Aren’t there any questions that Sirma Oran may ask her father now? For example, would not she ask, “While American historians like Bernard Lewis, Andrew Mango, Justin Mc Carthy, Norman Stone and Stanford Shaw prove with documents that Ottomans did not commit a genocide, and while Armenian historians does not accept discussing 1915 incidents in a joint historians commitee despite Turkey’s calls, how can you be so unjust against your own country?”
In fact, she should. Because French Criminal Code includes denial of so called Armenian genocide to be evaluated as the denial of Holocaust and “deniers” to be penalized with one year of prison and 45,000 Euros. This is an ironic example that how easily the mistakes we made in panels, newspapers and apologizing campaigns may return to us and leave the etiquette of “committer of a genocide” on our foreheads.
Ruhat Mengi /VATAN
