Lately, a lot of Turkish columnists and writers placed well written, open-minded and with sincere interest in the Armenian-Turkish conflict, columns in Turkish Daily News.
The last one, yesterday, came out the pen of a Turkish researcher who converted to Christianity.
Here the article:
Rehumanizing Armenians and Turks
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ziya MERAL
You are not alone if you have not heard the word ''rehumanization'' before. Unlike its twin sister ''dehumanization,'' rehumanization is not a popular tool in politics and identity construction. We would rather build identities or pursue political power by stripping the other from their humanity in order to legitimize our superiority over them. We are more inclined to demonize, discredit, and humiliate the other in order to win an argument or establish our ''rights'' over theirs. Rehumanization is restoring the other's dignity and humanity and attributing the other the same rights ''we'' have or demand. Without rehumanization, there can never be reconciliation simply because without accepting each other as human beings and acknowledging the other's voice, we can never expect that the other will hear our pain and concerns and be moved by it to act unselfishly. Dehumanization is plentiful in Armenian-Turkish relations as each side still wages war for the exclusive rights to be heard. That is why debating sides tend to channel their energy only to disprove the other's historical account in order to prove the world how ''immoral'' or ''deceptive'' the other is. Continue reading.
In fact, I expected tons of reactions on all these articles. But nothing. Until yesterday when Hovhannes NIKOGHOSYAN gave his opinion:
An Armenian responds to Birand, others.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Hovhannes NIKOGHOSYAN
Well, Armenian-Turkish relations seem to be the urgent issue in regional politics (in the South Caucasus) and even more urgent than the conflicts in this area. Some people think, and I will rank on a par with them, that within the resolution of this old controversy between two nations – Armenians and Turks – lies the key to other conflicts as to the Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) conflict – I will say for sure.
So, what exact prejudices have been preventing the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations? Here I want to reply to some arguments made by Mr. Birand (brought up in the TDN article on 16.10.2007) and other authors who have some judgments over the above mentioned issue.
At least under two statements by Mr. Mehmet Ali Birand I will sign in with no eye open: "Let's get rid of articles like the 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. Let's convince our Azerbaijani brothers. Azerbaijani brothers should be made to change their mind.” These are the first obstacles for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation. Continue reading
When I finished reading the last article, I thought: 'Is this all?', 'is there nothing more to answer, discuss'? Anyway I hope that in the future there will be a lively dialogue.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
De Keukenhof, the Netherlands
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