Armenian geniocide - 100 years on

NickSCFC · Last edited by NickSCFC on Sat Apr 18, 2015 10:29 am, edited 3 times in total.

This year mark the 100th anniversary of the genocide of up to 2 million Christians.

Is it time Turkey publically recognised this and apologise?

http://www.armenian-genocide.org/genocide.html

In April 1915 the Ottoman government embarked upon the systematic decimation of its civilian Armenian population. The persecutions continued with varying intensity until 1923 when the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist and was replaced by the Republic of Turkey. The Armenian population of the Ottoman state was reported at about two million in 1915. An estimated one million had perished by 1918, while hundreds of thousands had become homeless and stateless refugees. By 1923 virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolian Turkey had disappeared.

I think for a thread like this you really need to provide a bit more information for your reader.

NickSCFC wrote:Is it time Turkey publically apologised?

Did anyone in Turkey today take part in it? Why should a bunch of people apologise for something they didn't do?

NickSCFC

If Tony Blair can apologise for 17th century slavery, then I think Turkey can apologise for this.

It's the right thing to do, look at how much hurt has been caused by the Japanese government totally denying WW2 atrocities.

NickSCFC wrote:Our government apologises for all kinds of things that happened decades ago.

What has our government apologised for that happened a century or more earlier?

Turkey should acknowledge that it happened but I'm not somebody that thinks countries should apologise for things that happened before the vast majority of the country were even born.

Corazon de Leon

It's not that they won't apologise, more that the official government stance is still that it never happened. Anyone with an interest in the subject should look up Serj Tankian's essays and articles - ignore the fact he's a metal singer for five minutes and give him a bit of time.

Interestingly, System of a Down are doing a tour right now to raise awareness of this matter.

Just saw your edit, Blair never apologised for slavery, he expressed sorrow that it had happened.

Corazon de Leon

Moggy wrote:
NickSCFC wrote:Our government apologises for all kinds of things that happened decades ago.

What has our government apologised for that happened a century or more earlier?

Turkey should acknowledge that it happened but I'm not somebody that thinks countries should apologise for things that happened before the vast majority of the country were even born.

We(Blair I think) apologised for slavery a few years back, that's even older than the Armenian Genocide in the UK.

Corazon de Leon wrote:
Moggy wrote:
NickSCFC wrote:Our government apologises for all kinds of things that happened decades ago.

What has our government apologised for that happened a century or more earlier?

Turkey should acknowledge that it happened but I'm not somebody that thinks countries should apologise for things that happened before the vast majority of the country were even born.

We(Blair I think) apologised for slavery a few years back, that's even older than the Armenian Genocide in the UK.

No we didn't.

Corazon de Leon

He came as close as is possible without actually saying the words.

Like I say, apologising for the event 100 years down the line is one thing, claiming it didn't happen(and using your more powerful western allies to continue the fallacy) is an entirely different thing that, yes, they should admit to and apologise for. It's whitewashing a tragedy.

Corazon de Leon wrote:He came as close as is possible without actually saying the words.

Like I say, apologising for the event 100 years down the line is one thing, claiming it didn't happen(and using your more powerful western allies to continue the fallacy) is an entirely different thing that, yes, they should admit to and apologise for. It's whitewashing a tragedy.

I absolutely agree (and said above) that they should acknowledge it happened and expressing regret/sorrow would be a good idea. Blair did well (one of the only times I've ever said that!) to express sorrow and acknowledge how wrong slavery was.

An apology is meaningless though as the perpetrators and victims are no longer here.

Corazon de Leon

I don't disagree with you there.

The families of the victims want an acknowledgement of the genocide as it will help their claims for land and compensation, as well as help them rebuild a bit of cultural heritage. Unfortunately it won't happen.

I think one of the reasons a government never fully apologises for such atrocities is so there can be no comeback if someone tries to take them to court. Obviously that isn't the case with Turkey as they're saying though the deaths occurred they weren't systemically carried out against one set of people. Or something.

Somebody Else's Problem wrote:
NickSCFC wrote:Is it time Turkey publically apologised?

Did anyone in Turkey today take part in it? Why should a bunch of people apologise for something they didn't do?

The Turkish government could start by stopping their denials that it was genocide and stringently criticising anyone who says otherwise.

Turkey continue to deny the Armenian genocide, their human rights record is frankly appalling, and their continued illegal occupation of northern Cyprus is simply unjustifiable. We should be ashamed to call Turkey an ally, no matter how useful they are in the region.

Most nations have committed genocide, but the issue is that they don't even acknowledge it.

I'll be honest and confess to being ignorant to this ever happening up until I was watching a program 'Kill the Christians' a few days ago where Isis destroyed a prolific Armenian Genocide memorial completely. I like to think myself quite informed, but to basically not know of it because of zero coverage etc is quite unbelievable considering the 'romance' of WW1 around the same time.

Yes they should acknowledge it, and didn't the same thing happen in Greece as well while that was occupied by the Ottomans?

Armenian geniocide - 100 years on

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