generalspeaking

Nations As Criminals

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey can be a most irascible man. Readily riled should anyone whisper of, much less seek to pass legislation recognizing the genocidal massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces across Ottoman-era Turkey during the First World War. It is estimated that one and a half million Armenians died because Turkey considered them to be traitors to the Ottoman Empire.

Turkey has spent a century denying it was ever involved in anything bearing approximation to anything as distasteful as genocide. There are those among the Turks, but not with Mr. Erdogan's Justice and Development Party, who believe that it would be in Turkey's best interests to admit its culpability, and thus allow the matter to fade into history, after sincere apologies to the Armenians and suitable reparations.

Mr. Erdogan will have none of it, but he is certainly not alone. His attitude reflects that of his predecessors. This sensitive topic seems to drive official Turkey into paroxysms of denial. France, which studiously has worked behind the scenes to keep Turkey from being admitted into the European Union, has now mortally offended Turkey by passing a bill making it a criminal offence to question the disputed genocide.

Of course, this move by France to officially satisfy the demands of both history and its half-million French citizens of Armenian descent, leaves France open to counter-accusations by Turkey that France was responsible for genocidal massacres in independence-seeking Algeria. "What the French did in Algeria was genocide", Mr. Erdogan fumed.

The official total number of Muslims who died during Algeria's uprising is said to be around a million, revealed through an authoritative study of the war. In return a like number of French settlers were expelled from Algeria upon independence in 1962. France, charged Mr. Erdogan, "mercilessly martyred" 15% of the Algerian population.

On yet another front, Turkey is faced with another country finally recognizing the same charges against Turkey. Israel had long restively put off any such declaration - though it felt an obligation to the Armenians to express the truth - for fear of offending then-friendly Turkey. As Turkey has shed its long-term relationship with Israel under its new Islamist regime, Israel no longer feels constrained.

A simple, official statement is likely all that will proceed from Israel's decision, placing it squarely in the camp that condemns Turkey for not acknowledging this disgraceful human-rights abuse from its recent past. In France, in contrast, a prison term of up to a year and a $60,000 fine for any who deny the event, will become law if the bill is passed.

In the meanwhile, Turkey has cut off all diplomatic relations with France, while Mr. Erdogan foams at the mouth, and he is guaranteed to continue foaming as soon as Israel too, makes it an official national statement.

Sovereign nations officially recognising the Armenian Genocide include:

Labels: Conflict, France, Traditions, Troublespots, Turkey

posted by Pieface @ Monday, December 26, 2011