BY HENRY D. ASTARJIAN M.D.
Some dream of it, many don’t! When contemplated, many say it is impossible! When brought to focus they give you a hundred reasons as to why it is a losing proposition; the faint hearted freeze at the thought; The ones who have guts to face the issue, don’t have leadership, yet the leadership of the major political parties do not even have it on their radar screen! Or if they do, they tremble before its challenges! The issue on their political platform like Maurice Ravel’s Bolero, is repetitious, rhetorical, and aimless. Yet they manipulate the emotions of their audiences by uttering the cliché rhetoric “Miatsial Azad Angakh Hayastan” (United Free Sovereign Armenia). This is the topic which generates all that is mentioned above, and it is the height of hypocrisy. People would not tolerate it anymore; the political Parties would lose whatever credibility they have left – which is less than that of the Congress of the United States- and the legitimacy of their leadership would further deteriorate to incredulity.
Miatsial Azad Angakh Hayastan!
The concept is right, the cause is legitimate and just, the task is difficult, and to some, who are oblivious to the vagaries of the political situation, it is unrealistic at best. These are people who, given a successful project will give you ten reasons why it will not succeed.
The situation of all these factions is fully understandable; Armenian Diaspora, though fully recovered physically, is severely traumatized psychologically to a degree that mere mention of Turkey generates hatred, disgust, and anger. Even the third generation Diasporan Armenian, talks about their ancestral home in “Turkish Armenia”, and recant the stories of horror, death and destruction that the Turks and some Kurds, mostly of Zaza tribe, have inflicted upon its innocent, most valuable citizens, the Armenians, the Assyrians, and of late the Kurds.
To these people, Turkey is a giant; it is a member of NATO, it is indispensable in implementing the policies of the United States in the region, it is an ally of Israel, it is a counterbalance to Iran, and can check Syria anytime. It has a unique strategic land mass, which enables her to control the Black sea despite the international treaties regulating naval passage. For all these reasons, and more Turkey is untouchable.
This is how Turkey looks from outside! What is inside is another matter. Kemal Ataturk’s pronouncement of Turkey being “Independent, layik, and democratic” has completely failed. Turkey is neither of those; Turkey may be relatively independent, but is neither secular nor democratic. One man one vote does not make democracy, and I am not even talking about Jeffersonian democracy; democracy is a way of life, which Turkey does not have, makes no effort to achieve, and can not achieve even if its rulers desired it, though they don’t.
Claimed secularism is contrary to the realities of Turkish society, which is Islamist, it is Islamist, it is Islamist, despite Turkish official denial. And the dominant sect is the Naqshbandi branch of Islam., which is now in power. This sect has many branches, of which the Golden Chain Naqshbandi-Haqqani, globally headed by Sheikh Nazim al-Qubrisi of Cyprus, is the most influential in Turkey. To this sect belong Necmettin Erbakan ( The mid 1990s Prime Minister of Turkey who was tried and convicted for embezzlement, stashing 140 kilos of gold, later pardoned by his ally, President Abdullah Gul), Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Turkey’s Prime Minister), and Abdullah Gul (Turkey’s President).
It is this clique which has been elected by Turkey’s people, admittedly in a democratic way. So, if Turkey is secular, how did these Naqshbandi Islamists come to power?
The year was 1993. In a rally in Berlin, sheikh Nazim al-Qubaisi was introduced as the lead speaker. A long white bearded, turbaned man with bulged eyes ascended the podium acknowledging the thunderous applause of the audience, by glorifying God: “Allaahu Ekber”, which echoed “Allaahu Ekbar” in the huge stadium, by their pronouncement, you could tell they were not Arabs. He was the epitome of the sheikhs and mullahs of the Ottoman era Turkey, who preached in mosques during the Friday Prayers, calling for the annihilation of the infidel Armenians and Assyrians, and asserting the supremacy of Islam, as being the Deen-ul-Haqq (The legitimate religion) and the Khalif, the Khalif of All Muslims.
His speech spewed rhetorical flame asking the audience to win the battle against the infidels. To me he looked and behaved like the Ottoman General, who rallied his troops at the gates of Vienna, before being soundly defeated.
In the audience, seated in the front row, were non other than Erbakan, Erdogan, and Abdulla Gul; the present top brass of Turkey.
This situation does not sit well with the Kemalists, especially the military hierarchy. Their prophet is the Free Mason Kemal Ataturk whose orientation was secularism European style. To achieve that he beheaded hundreds of sheikhs and mullahs, like Sheikh Qubrusi including Kurds. The mere existence and strong presence of the Islamist government is a prime indication of the death of Kemalism. For some wishful thinkers, it is morbidly wounded, but not quite dead yet; for them Ataturk remains to be their prophet, yet for the Islamists the real prophet is Mohammed, and rightfully so.
There exists bitter enmity between the Army, the guardian of Ataturk doctrine, and the Islamist government, which is the true representative of the people. The army, the guardian of the faith, has ruled Turkey with iron fist, since the inception of the “Secular Republic”. They continue to muzzle free speech; hundreds of journalists, including our Hrant Dink, have been tried and convicted. Utter criticism of the government is construed as “Insulting Turkishness” requiring punishment. This is none other than Pavlovian control of the mind Turkish society is thus split. Turkey’s society is even more fragmented; Kurds and their non-Kurdish sympathizers, on one side, and the establishment on the other.
This clash of faith and philosophy is Turkey’s Main dilemma, and might be cause for its transformation to another entity, especially when the Kurdish Cause is entered into the equation. Could the condition be changed?
This is Turkey to which the corrupt Armenian Government is cow-towing, trashing the Nations interests. See you next week!
an observation for you henry. you start by talking about a united free sovereign armenia and you finish by emphasising the secular v religious divide in turkey. you make several interesting and valid points on both topics, but i find it hard to see the link between the two.
Okaaaay… You’ve stated all the realities on stage today on both sides, Dr. A.. My personal mission for Armenians to accomplish is what’s on that map behind WW! I don’t care if Turkey, the U.S., Britain and especially Israel recognized our Genocide any more. They can deny it all they want, for I know what I’ve heard from my grandmother and her mother to be nothing but Genocide. But for getting our land back, I happen to think NONE of the means utilized by the Jews to finally have a country in 1947, such as a promise from a super power country, migration, terrorism, politics, bribery, diplomacy, purchasing Western Armenia from Turkey as real estate acquisition, etc… will work for us. The only way is war, in one context or another, and again it would require Russia’s involvement… As the greatest window of opportunity became available in WW2, but USSR under Stalin would not give us the green light. We can forget about the U.S. as Armenian doesn’t have oil! Without the Ruskies, we would have to wait several hundred years to be powerful enough to take on Turkey on our own. Ironically, without that Black Sea coast it WILL take that long… We have to think of ways and schemes to turn Russia and Turkey into such enemies that are ready to go to war over something worth and equal to matter of existence and survival as nations!
So Dr. Astarjian, in your upcoming ‘Yes We Can! Part II’, I expect you to illustrate how will we ever be able to have our future Armenian generations enjoy living or vacationing in our own Armenian Riviera at the Black Sea and rank among the world’s top 50 tourist destinations…
“You may say I’m a dreamer… But I’m not the only one!” This WILL happen one way or the other. I’m quite sure of it. I only hurt that such reality is not on stage TODAY, for me and my love ones to currently enjoy…
“destruction that the Turks and some Kurds, mostly of Zaza tribe, have inflicted upon its innocent, most valuable citizens, the Armenians, the Assyrians”
Zaza’s are not a tribe of Kurds, they are not even Kurds. They are an Iranic people. They claim Greater Tsopk’ as being Zazaistan. The northern Zaza’s are Alevi were and are pro Armenian. They did not participate in the Armenian Genocide. They saved well over 20,000 Armenians during WWI. They were victims of genocide in 1908 and 1937. Southern Zaza’s are Sunni. They took part in the genocide.
As for “Turkish Armenia”, this is an archaic term. The proper term would be Turkish occupied Armenia or Western Armenia. The Armenian countries occupied by Turkey are the following: Greater Armenia, Lesser Armenia, Commagene and Cilicia.
Genocide has been committed against all non sunni populations. Armenians, Greeks, Pontians, Alevi Zazas, Yezidis and Syriacs. Alevi Turks are and have been severely repressed. As for the difference between an Armenian and an Alevi “Turk”, leaders of them in the past have said the “difference is that of the width of an onion layer” and that “both are cut from the same cloth”.
We are all Anatolians. Some are pure evil, some are future allies in the destruction of the kemalist state.
There can be no peace without justice for all.
Sadly, we cant achieve any of our goals when we have such corrupt crooks in power,they need to be thrown out by the people and the architects of these treacherous protocols must be put on trial for treason,they are Serzh,Nalbandian,and Arman Kirakossian,anything less will not do.
To save Armenian Nation … Armenian People have to “SACRIFICE” few hundred TRAITORS!!
No you cannot! It is clearly suicidal for you to try to invade Turkey. Are you really serious? When i read this article, I felt like, wow, I do not know anything about the country, the country that i lived in 27 years.
When all is said and done, Turks unite. people can be islamist, secular, communist or whatever. We are all one body. You are just living in a dream that will never be true. Why do not you try to lead a normal life? Just be yourself, realize your power(lesness) against Turkey. Try to be happy in your life, this is how we are living in Turkey
“I do not know anything about the country, the country that i lived in 27 years.”
This is very true of most “turks”. You and the rest of the citizenry of the turkish republic are completely brainwashed as I shall explain. North Korea and Turkey have much in common. Cult of personality- kemalism, brainwashing a turkish identity on to the vast majority who are not really turks, repressing Anatolian cultures- non Sunni based culture. The turkish government is built on a foundation of blood and lies.
Being a “turk” is just a veneer. The downfall of turkiye is based on removal of this veneer. The soviet union collapsed because of economics. Turkey will collapse because of ethnicity, religion and the sheer weight of the lies of kemalism.
It’s nice that you care about what we do with our time and wish us pursuit of a happy life, great advice, but what could be better then seeing to the destruction of the most genocidal state in world history? Even if my chances of winning are 1 in a million it’s wonderful to be a thorn in turkey’s side and get turkey upset and its brainwashed people to see the error of their ways.
Afterall, who would have thunk it that the Soviet Union would disintegrate? 😉
Evil states come and go quicker than most. Stalin’s Russia, Hitler’s Germany and soon Kemal’s “turkey”.
It is not easy to push a nation to the wall. Wait and see. Soon, Armenians will invent weapons that will paralyze our old friend upon going online. Of course, we will discriminate against one lucky Turk for London museum. You should start praying. You could be the lucky one. We must have learned something from our old friends.
Very BIG LIE!!
Yes, the history of your pseudo-country is a big lie. 🙂
Both Shant Melkonian and Dino Ajemian; I echo your dreams and aspirations as I have for as long as I have been on earth! Between the Kemalist Masonry regime full of lies and their followers, the leftist Musilmans “Allah U-Akbar and El Deen Al-Haqq” of Sheikh Nazim-El Qubrisi, then the 20 million Kurds right in the middle of Turkey’s throats «խրչափողը» I wish and pray that Melkonian’s predictions will come true and Turkey will be fallen completely apart, better yet Turkey and Russia will become such huge enemies to go into war, then we shall finally gain control of our anscestral lands back, and hopefully more than the Wilsonian Armenia. I say May God will be willing… en francais, Que Dieu sera dispose… in Arabic, Insha Allah… in Armenian Աստուած կամենայ կամ Աստուծոյ կամոքն: Շանթ եւ Տինօ, Աստուած Ձեր բերանէն լսածը իրականացնէ:!!!!!!!
@Nairian, Yes you are right. Wishful thinking is also known as day dreaming. Keep it up !!!
Mr. Turk, what about your dream? Yes. Your dream is Armenia without Armenians. Your forefathers tried it very hard and failed. Please, consult Webster Dictionary for meaning of the word “Turk.”
I predict Armenians have been planning to use internet and realize their dream.
@Mir Ali, you go watch what’s happening in your country (Turkey), the army is fighting against the AKP the Islamists. There’s a lot going on in your country – go worry about that.
Whether we dream or not it is our business; you turks stole our historical Western Armenian lands after annihilating the majority of our people on our own lands, and then you stole it and keep on denying the Armenian Genocide for almost 100 years. Know this, we shall overcome and we shall have our Western Armenian lands back one way or another for we are smart and resilient. You go and dream of Pan-Turanism (your impossible) dreams.
@ Nairian, To start with I am not a Turk nor I am an Azeri. Try to be fair to all. You guys occupied 7 districts of Azerbaijan and expelled the entire population from there who were rightly living in their homeland a mere 16 years back. But in the same breath you talk about your rights which you foresook a hundred years back? And you think the Turks will gladly give back with a thank you note? Try to be fair and reasonable In India they call it the Karma
Hye Shant Melkonian, hang in there… Turkey is a decadent, decayed, decaying nation. It’s collapse is imminent, even sooner than the Turks can see. Manooshag
I think the deniars are delusional. The definition of delusional is that despite being to told the facts, ones refusal to come to terms with reality. Turks are delusional. They have to accept reality that they cannot exist in this world by their murdering and denying old ways. Ghengis Khan can’t save them now. It is a smaller world. They are despised all over the world and treated as the scum they are. If it were up to me, I would like to see them seek refuge back in the Gobe desert, for their own safety, of course.