BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
It seems Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not see the irony in his statement Tuesday, when he threatened to deport Armenians from Turkey if Congress passes the Armenian Genocide resolution.
For years, the Turkish government has used its “tolerance” toward undocumented Armenian immigrants, allegedly numbering 100,000, as a way to promote Turkey’s “good will” toward its neighbors.
Needless to say that a senior Armenian government official accused the Turks late last year of grossly inflating the number of illegal Armenians residing in Turkey, saying that it does not exceed 5,200. An Istanbul-born Armenian researcher who studied the issue last year came up with a similar estimate.
In this most recent iteration of Turkey’s anger toward the US, Erdogan effectively took a page from the playbook of his ancestors of the Ottoman Empire, whose systematic deportation of Armenians was part of the Turks’ genocidal plan.
Erdogan and the Turkish government have gone to great lengths to deny the Genocide, yet this latest threat, broadcast worldwide on the BBC, proves only one thing: state-sponsored persecution is not only part of Turkey’s history but it is also engrained in its society.
The Erdogan remarks should also raise red flags among those who invoke Turkey’s significance as an ally to rationalize their opposition to US recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Their steadfast perpetuation of the Turkish lie gives a green light to the Turkish prime minister to nonchalantly use the threat of deportation against Armenian living in Turkey today.
Just imagine the visuals: Turkish interior ministry forces rounding up the alleged 100,000 illegal Armenians from their homes and stuffing them into vehicles to be transported to their exile. Or will they want to them to walk to their exile?
The most shocking is the reaction of international leaders to this announcement. Instead of being admonished for his inhumane posturing, Erdogan, who is in London at the invitation of his British counterpart, Gordon Brown, was assured Wednesday by British officials that the Genocide bill pending in parliament would not pass.
While Armenia’s prime minister and justice minister were quick to criticize Erdogan’s latest desperate retort, they should have vocally stated that Armenia would welcome its own citizens back with open arms.
This statement should also send a clear signal to Armenia’s leadership that the protocols process, which was shortsighted to begin with, is, in fact, fraught with dangers for Armenians and their national security.
Has the BBC interviewer reminded Erdoghan that, turkish citizens leaving country in droves since 50’s to present day to europe because of intolerance, unemployment, incompetence of Governing the country…?
has the BBC asked, Mr. Erdoghanistan that, these Armenians whatever their numbers they live in their country with their 1.5 milion Genocided spirits, which presently you call turkey?
perhaps the numbers Mr. Erdoghanistan is blowing in the air, is portion of Genocided armenians` his grand father murdered with his turk mates! or he is having nightmeres, like Tallaat Pasha when Adivar Hanoum spock to him after the war.
I think Otoman empire lasted four hundred year because Armenians were living in the empire; but Turkey won’t last until 2023 or there about.
And the unbelievably unsophisticated and juvenile tantrums continue…
If history is recognized, Erdogan is going to retaliate by kicking out the “illegally” residing Armenians… How ironic that these Armenians are being called “illegal residents” while possibly residing on their own ancestral lands! In actuality, Erdogan himself is the illegal resident of once Greek, Armenian, Assyrian and Kurshish lands!! Erdogan’s government should first pay for the lands Turkey has stolen from the Armenian nation, and return the part that the “illegal Kars” Treaty rewarded it, before calling these Armenians “illegal”. It should also pay for all the stolen properties and assets that it has built its wealth on. “Illegal” are Turkey’s borders. What is illegal is taking another people’s lands by killing its indigenous people. Committing Genocide is the utmost undeniably “illegal” crime that a government can commit.
95 years have passed, however Turkey’s leadership has not advanced an inch in civility, and the government once more wants to resort to punishing innocent regular folks for its political shortcomings. And the response from Europe… I don’t know what to call it but disgraceful and undignified.
Katia, may I ask you what lands are you talking about? Let’s assume you right, and armenians had lived/owned some lands before Ottomans took over. How far in history should we go? Should Azerbaijan ask half of Iran’s lands back, because Russians and Iranians divided Azerbaijan by Turkmenchay treaty in the beginning of century? Or should Turkey demand half of Europe, because Ottomans lived in those lands for more than 400 years? How about Mexican folks… Shoul they ask the US to give Texas and California back to them? Dont you think all of these examples sound childish just like Armenians claiming that half of Turkey belongs to armenians???
Any thoughts..?
Azerbayjan belongs to Iran. You have reversed the names.
Mr WashingtonDC,
you have an invalid analogy, The Azeris are still living in Iran and have not been killed, or deported as the Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians from modern Turkey during the Ottomans. The Armenians never invaded the Turks’ land as the Ottomans did in Europe (google it or go to http://www.wikipedia.org, duh). The minority Turks are still living in the countries they invaded, Bulgaria is an example. The Mexicans are not the indigenous people of US to claim Texas and California!
What kind of school Mr WashingtonDC you graduated from? looks like a Turkish school!
Erdogan is a disgrace. He has proven once again that he has no regard for what we call a civilized world. This man is uncivilized, does not know how to control his tongue and his temper and who knows, this may very well be the beginning of another Genocide towards the Armenians.
WILL THE WORLD’S SO CALLED ‘CIVILIZED’ NATIONS BE A PARTNER TO ANOTHER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE? It seems Britain for one, is ready to stand by its Turk friend as she did during the first genocide in 1915. SHAME! SHAME on Britain.
It seems OBAMA is following the same path.
YOU WILL ALL GET YOUR ANSWER in due course.
MAY THE LORD BLESS AND PRESERVE THE ARMENIAN NATION for the good of humanity.
Ara, clear-cut article indeed.
One small remark. Serj Sarksian was asked if Armenia is waiting and welcoming its citizens back, to which he answered “yes” without equivoke.
What you thing Mr. Assitant of Sultan Hamid is there different between you and your Boss,
absulely, you still blaming ottoman empire that the Armenian Genocide done by them, now this is
big proof that Turk people are the same in the PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE have to know
USA AND EUROPE WITH OTHER CIVILIZED COUNTRIES they Genocide and through them
out of their HISTORICAL LANDS on which basis you are supporting LIERS people,you Mr.Justice
Minister U.k. how come you are rejecting the Resulation of Armenian Genocide to represent in the
Lord House for voting, shame for you and your Government.look Sweden Parliment as well
Spanish parliment too, Armenian People wants you to REACT YOUR THOUGHTS and
Reconize the Genocide as well to stop support turks!!!
Is it amazing that Erdogan wants to expel the Armenians back to where? they are living on their own soil which Turkey now occupies, I want like to remind Erdogan and the likes of him that 7 tenths of Armenian is now occupied by Turkey,whats left of Armenia is only 3 tenths.
So, if there are only 170000 Armenians in Turkey now of which 100000 are illegal immigrants, that leaves 70000, so what happened to the rest of the Armenians where the Armenian population was 2.5 million in 1915 Mr Erdogan?