Friday, November 14, 1997
Justice for Armenia long overdue
GENOCIDE:
Turkey needs to acknowledge, issue apology for 1915 attack By
Taline Gulesserian
With questions concerning countries that violate human rights,
the question of the Armenia-Turkey issue quickly comes to my mind.
One might read this and wonder, "There is no argument. Neither
country is ever talked about." To that person I will clearly state,
"Don’t judge a book by its cover."
The year is 1915. For quite some time now, the Armenians have
been enduring Turkey’s attacks. However, this year, the Turks are
taking different measures. The male population is discreetly
decreasing. The intellectual leaders are missing. The remaining
population is being unjustly thrown out of its homeland and led
onto a deadly desert march. One word: genocide. One statement by
Adolf Hitler in 1939: "Who, after all, speaks today of the
annihilation of the Armenians?"
The year is now 1997. Turkey, in cooperation with its brother
land, Azerbeijan, still has its deadly grasp on what appears to be
Armenia’s feeble neck. Faced with this threat, in addition to
typical internal problems of a developing country, the Armenians
are struggling to barely survive. Deep down inside, however,
Armenia’s patriots are fighting guerrilla style warfare to reclaim
the lands taken away decades ago.
Politically, Armenia still fights what is known as the "Hye Tad"
(Armenian Cause). It still demands Turkey’s acknowledgement of the
1915 Genocide. The Armenians still gather and, in a unitary voice,
raise their voices to be heard not only by the Turks, but by the
world. They do not want money. Instead, they want, actually they
demand, an apology. The Jewish people got their justice. It is now
the Armenians’ turn.
Personally, I strongly believe in the argument. My main stand
targets the unfairness. What I mean is that the 1915 genocide was
the first one of the 20th century. However, its acknowledgement is
long overdue. Furthermore, the time has come and actually passed
for the Turkish government to at least accept its predecessors’
actions. It is, therefore, time for the Armenians to receive what
they deserve.
The Turks argue that the genocide never existed. The Armenians
counteract with pictures and eyewitness accounts. In turn, the
Turks retaliate, thus initiating an attack by the Armenians. In
order to end this ongoing feud, both sides must act. The Armenians
have already done their part. The Turks just have to admit and
accept it. To them I say, admit your forefathers’ actions and
accept the consequences. The Turks should realize that the longer
they wait, the worse the consequences. This is evident in the Nazi
trials, in which the accused were tried, convicted and properly
punished a short time after the crimes. If the Turks were put to
trial earlier, or even if they accepted their mistakes earlier, who
knows how the course of history may have differed? But, this did
not happen, and as a result, the issue still lives to this day.