471) 1915 Incidents Cannot Be Called Genocide

The reaction of French historians defending “Historians write history, not the politicians” continues. One of the important names of French Annales School, Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, 86, along with Fernard Braduel, criticize the so-called Armenian genocide law approved by the French Parliament in 2001. . .
Answering questions from Zaman in his house in Paris, Ladurie defines himself as “a friend of Armenians”; however, for the 1915 incidents, the French historian asserts, “There is no reason to enact a law about the 1915 incidents. The deputies do not know anything. We did the worst. The parliamentarians do not have a say on the history, not only for the Armenian case. It is one thing to show sympathy towards the slaves, victims, but they cannot write history.” Commenting on the last amendment, which foresees inclusion of “positive aspects of France’s colonial history” in history books, Ladurie finds this attempt as “ridiculous”. Supporting the thesis suggesting, ”colonialism led to advances”, the French historian told, “the new law is very ridiculous, it is a disaster. They should see what the historians say. Historians are serious people, but politicians are not. France has always come face to face with its history.”

“I am a friend of Armenians; I am a friend of Deveciyan (Armenian decent former minister Patrick Deveciyan). I sometimes tell him, “You are a Turk”. There was Balladeur, he was also a Turk. I do not mean this in a bad sense,” Ladurie says as he criticizes the parliament’s decision on the so-called Armenian genocide. Upon a question asking how he evaluates the 1915 incidents, he says,” Of course, I paid attention to the incidents. There were many deaths. It is a massacre.” When asked whether these incidents can be called a genocide, Ladurie expresses,” the term genocide is used for Jews, it is necessary to handle this in this framework. The other cases should be termed differently.”

Paris
By Suleyman Kurt
December 25, 2005
zaman.com