Armenian MP: Turkey is facing another 1915

Dictatorship in Turkey has run out of steam but democracy is still facing lots of obstacles, including the Armenian and Kurdish causes. And as long as Turkey is denying its own history, it will be hard to save it from chaos, Armenian MP Aragats Akhoyan has told EADaily.

“Concerning arrests of pro-Kurdish MPs, I can say that Turkey is facing one more 1915. One century after 1915, Turkey is like a sick man who seems to be healthy but is rotten inside. It has become a habit for Turkish authorities to be looking for scapegoats: one hundred years ago, those were Armenians, today, these are Kurds. This is how they justify their actions and policies. I don’t think that there is anybody who will approve of this,” Akhoyan said.

“Unfortunately, the Turks’ refusal to recognize their past is leading to its recurrence. I see no difference here: in 1915, the Turkish authorities repressed Armenians, now they are acting likewise with respect to Kurds. But they have forgotten then this is not a war, when you are fighting an enemy, but a war against own citizens. There are lots of people in Turkey who believe that the Armenian Genocide is the root of the current problems with Kurds. But the Turkish authorities do not seem to be willing to give up on their Kemalism, a policy stipulating that all people living in Turkey should be Turks. It would be good if they did it,” Akhoyan said.

He believes that international forces should do something about this even though external interference can backfire, especially as it is not clear if Erdogan is ready to solve this problem democratically. “The answer is recognition of the past as the denial of the Armenian genocide has resulted in a Kurdish Cause. Turkish politician Ismail Besikci is of the same opinion,” Akhoyan said.

According to the Armenian MP, today, Turkey is surrounding itself with a desert in both literal and metaphorical sense. Turkey’s Zero Problems with Neighbors policy is artificial as it has no real neighbors, except Azerbaijan. “And this has been proved by Erdogan’s last statement that Turkey should embrace not only Cyprus, Aleppo, Mosul but also Batumi,” Akhoyan said.

“I think that the Turks’ hope that their brotherhood with Azerbaijan will help them is a road to nowhere. To rely on a state like Azerbaijan is nothing but political shortsightedness,” Akhoyan said.

By Lia Khojoyan