- IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF? IS TERRORISM REAWAKENING?
- TERRORISM SUPPORTED BY THE FRENCH COMPANY LAFARGE AND FRANCE
- LOS ANGELES MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS: IS HOSTILITY TOWARDS TURKS THE CRITERION?
- ASALA BUZZING ON THE ROAD TO NORMALIZATION BETWEEN TÜRKİYE AND ARMENIA
- ARMENIA IS DISTURBED BY THE RADICAL ACTIVITIES IN THE DIASPORA
- MARTYRED DIPLOMATS: ORHAN GÜNDÜZ, HONORARY CONSUL GENERAL OF BOSTON (MAY 4, 1982)
- WHAT IS OPERATION NEMESIS?
- A MOVIE REVIEW: AURORA’S SUNRISE
On October 10th, 2022, the service vehicle of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Washington was shot at gunfire. The officials of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Washington immediately informed the US institutions and presented the camera footage to the authorities. On October 12th, the chargé d'affaires of the United States of America in Azerbaijan was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, grave concern and dissatisfaction with the incident was conveyed, and a request was made to ensure the security of the diplomatic mission of Azerbaijan[1].
. . . .The recent attacks on the Azerbaijani Embassies in Washington, Paris, Beirut and other cities show that the attacks on the diplomatic missions of Azerbaijan by radical members of the Armenian communities in foreign countries have reached a systematic dimension and constitute a serious concern.
Reminding the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations[2], Azerbaijan emphasized that the security of its diplomatic missions in foreign countries is an obligation of the host country in accordance with the international convention. Azerbaijan has once again stated that a judicial investigation should be carried out on every incident and the security of the Azerbaijani Embassies and Azerbaijani diplomats should be ensured.
As it will be remembered, after the declaration of independence in 1991, Armenia made terrorism a state policy tool in order to realize its territorial claims against Azerbaijan and extensively used tools of terrorism in different fields in the process of occupying Azerbaijani lands.
It would be appropriate to remind that 31 Turkish diplomats were martyred in the past by Armenian terrorism in many different parts of the world. On this occasion, we commemorate Ahmet Benler, son of Özdemir Benler, Turkish Ambassador to the Hague, who was martyred by JCAG/ARA on October 12th, 1979.
The recent attacks on the Azerbaijani diplomatic missions and the Azerbaijani society in European capitals and the city of Los Angeles are reminiscent of the attacks against Turkish diplomats and their family members in the past. Unfortunately, it is on record that the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks were not punished in the courts of the host countries. Similarly to the past, the perpetrators of the terrorist acts have not yet been punished. It is this recklessness that encourages radical Armenian groups to resort to new provocations. Not punishing terrorism merely encourages terrorist activities.
All these developments once again remind us of the racist Armenian terrorist attacks in the past. Only one question comes to mind: Is racist Armenian terrorism, which was encouraged by Western countries by not being punished without delay, awakening again today?
[1] “No:478/22, Information of the Press Service Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan concerning the shooting of the vehicle that belongs to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Washington, D.C.,” mfa.gov.az, October 12th, 2022, https://mfa.gov.az/en/news/no47822.
[2] Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, Article 22
- The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission.
- The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.
- The premises of the mission, their furnishings and other property thereon and the means of transport of the mission shall be immune from search, requisition, attachment or execution.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
There was considerable suspicion of terrorism for a long time towards the activities of the French cement company Lafarge in Syria. Last week, an important development occurred regarding this issue. On Tuesday, October 18th, 2022, Lafarge pleaded guilty to providing financial support for the ISIS terrorist organization and was fined $777.78 million.
A statement was made by Lafarge, which was acquired by Switzerland-based Holcim in 2015 and had its named changed. In the statement, Lafarge and its subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria, stated that they took responsibility for the actions of the respective managers whose conduct clearly violated Lafarge's rules. Holcim emphasized that they deeply regret the occurrence of this behavior and that they are working with the US Department of Justice to resolve this matter[1].
It has been determined that Lafarge's subsidiary, Lafarge Cement Syria, provided financial support of at least 13 million Euros and transferred approximately 70 million dollars from its revenues between 2012 and 2014 for the cooperation with ISIS in advance[2].
In this way, it has been registered with a court decision that Lafarge is a company that supports the terrorist organizations PYD and ISIS.
It has once again come to the fore that France is lacking in fighting against terrorism. Although it has been proven that Lafarge, one of the most prominent companies of France, cooperated with terrorists and was convicted in the USA, it is not known what France is doing concerning the recent developments.
There is no doubt that France was aware of these developments from the very beginning. Anadolu Agency (AA) has published some documents on the subject. It is stated in the documents that the French authorities were constantly being informed about the French company Lafarge's relationship with ISIS[3].
Given this development today, does France intend to investigate and file a lawsuit against Lafarge? As it will be remembered, until the Orly Airport attack in 1983, France continued to defend the baseless allegations of Armenian terrorist organizations. It is being followed with curiosity what France, which acts extremely tolerant towards Armenian terrorism and is known for constantly supporting Armenian terrorism as long as the terror does not affect it, will do concerning this subject.
[1] “French company fined $777 million and pleads guilty to paying ISIS as terror group killed Westerners,” CNBC.com, October 18th, 2022, https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/18/lafarge-cement-to-plead-guilty-pay-more-than-700-million-on-charges-of-bribing-isis-as-terror-group-killed-westerners.html.
[2] “Lafarge in Syria: Accusations of complicity in grave human rights violations,” ECCHR, https://www.ecchr.eu/en/case/lafarge-in-syria-accusations-of-complicity-in-grave-human-rights-violations/#case_case.
[3] “1 year on since Anadolu Agency uncovers links between French cement giant and Daesh/ISIS,” Anadolu Agency, September 9th, 2022, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/1-year-on-since-anadolu-agency-uncovers-links-between-french-cement-giant-and-daesh-isis/2678143.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
The Los Angeles Mayoral elections will take place on November 8th, 2022. Two candidates, Karen Bass and Rick Caruso, are running for Los Angeles mayor. Both candidates were put to the test for Turkish hostility by the Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR). According to the answers they gave during the survey held in August 2022, both candidates aimed to gain ANCA's sympathy and voter support regarding the issue of anti-Turkish sentiment.
Thus, ANCA stated that as a result of this test, they would determine which of the candidates would be suitable for them in terms of anti-Turkish sentiment and declared that they would direct their support according to the final evaluation of the answers they received from the candidates.
According to the responses given by Karen Bass and Rick Caruso, the positively evaluated candidate will be invited for an interview on the date determined for the face-to-face interview. Ultimately, ANCA will support the candidate, who is considered to be the most anti Turkish, in the elections.
There are 18 questions in the questionnaire directed to the candidates. The questions are generally antagonistic towards Turkey and Azerbaijan. For this reason, the questions deviate extraordinarily from those that would normally be directed to a mayoral candidate. The answers given by the candidates to the questions based on discrimination are also noteworthy. Candidate Rick Caruso said he had Armenian relatives. Candidate Karen Bass stated that she had worked with Armenians before and that she would like to work with more Armenian executives if she took office. They defined the nature of their struggle as "Armenophobia" rather than openly stating that they would generally fight against violence in Los Angeles. In the survey, in which the animosity against Turkey and Azerbaijan was also among the topics, Karen Bass stated that the so-called state Artsakh was occupied by Azerbaijan and that Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire with the support of Turkey. Apparently, candidate Karen Bass seems to have forgotten that Armenia ruthlessly occupied Azerbaijan 30 years ago. Candidate Rick Caruso also stated that denying the killing of 1.5 million Armenians would never be acceptable and that Los Angeles would not be a shelter for those who deny the 1915 allegations. However, there is an important point that Caruso forgot. The Turks living in Los Angeles have as much freedom of expression as the Armenians. Thus, Candidate Caruso discriminates and argues that a certain group does not have freedom of expression[1].
In summary, ANCA openly encourages hostility and aggression towards a certain section of the electorate through its poll. It should not be forgotten that our diplomats were murdered in Los Angeles not so long ago. Traces of almost all of the murderers were never found again. The only murderer caught was released in 2021 and was merely rewarded by enabling him returning to Armenia. As a matter of fact, this terrorist continues to work to fuel the hatred of Turkey and Turks in Armenia.
It would not be correct to say that anti-Turkish sentiments and/or Islamophobia is limited to the Armenian community in the United States. In this context, it is stated in Justin McCarthy’s book “The Turk in America” published in 2010 that the image of Turkey began forming in a negative way since the early history of the United States. It is emphasized that the New American Republic is a conservative Christian state, despite the principle of secularism in its Constitution. It is stated that very little is known about the religion of Islam except that it is the supposed enemy of Christianity. McCarthy wrote that Americans are justifiably proud of their new democracy, while they think that the Turks have no connection to democracy whatsoever. In short, with limited information, prejudices against Turks continue in the United States[2]. Emphasizing that the state policy of the United States of America is based on religion, Justin McCarthy says that religion is one of the components of the formation of the Turkish image in the United States[3]. Although the title of the book is “The Turk in America”, American missionaries in the Ottoman Empire laid the foundations of today’s United States and its legal systems and propaganda activities were formed according to these missionary activities.
As a result, it is seen that the American people are still being influenced by the results of some observations and propaganda activities in the 1800s. The Los Angeles Municipal elections are on the way to becoming a precedent where this biased approach takes root once again. It is understood that no matter which candidate is elected, he/she will not go beyond being a supporter of Armenian views under the guidance of ANCA.
[1] “LA Mayoral Election: ANCA-WR Publishes Candidates’ Responses to Questionaire,” ANCA-WR, 11 October 2022, https://ancawr.org/press-release/la-mayoral-election-anca-wr-publishes-candidates-responses-to-questionnaire/.
[2] Justin McCarthy, The Turk in America – Creation of an Enduring Prejudice, The University of Utah Press: Salt Lake City, p. 9.
[3] Ibid, p.9
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
After the Second Karabakh War, the statements of Armenia, the Armenian diaspora and the terrorist organization ASALA (Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia), which is still in existence, raise concern. However, a new actor has been added to those who make statements. A representative of the so-called Karabakh administration is making statements in a similar manner to a terrorist organization[1]. The audacious words in his statements are in line with the statements made by ASALA.
This year, like every year, ASALA continued its racist and aggressive remarks on the anniversary of its establishment. In its statement, ASALA, while “advising” Armenia, conveyed that it “appreciates” the initiatives of the ARF (Armenian Revolutionary Federation), which it considers as its supporter ally. Additionally, ASALA declared that it always stands by Armenia in its struggle and will always support Armenia[2].
It is a well-known fact that ASALA acts with the support of the West. ASALA is a murderous organization that massacred dozens of Turkish diplomats. Praising ASALA and its militants indicates a stance in line with this organization. One of the obstacles to the normalization process between Türkiye and Armenia is the lack of a clear definition of terrorism. Armenia openly commemorates the founders of ASALA on its official Twitter account, calling them national heroes[3].
After the 2020 Second Karabakh War, which resulted in Azerbaijan regaining its territory, both ASALA and the so-called republic in Karabakh continue to make statements in a similar vein. In an interview on January 25th, 2023, the so-called Minister of State of the so-called republic stated that “the international community must make Azerbaijan pay for what it has done”. There is a fact that is persistently denied here: The territories in question belong to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan’s statements are not baseless. In fact, a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Security Council document entitled “Legal Opinion on Third Party Obligations with Respect to Illegal Economic and Other Activities in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan”[4] prepared by Prof. Allain Pellet has been published[5]. The report examines the legal consequences of the direct or indirect involvement of third-party countries and real and legal persons in Armenia's illegal activities, the obligations of third parties in relation to Armenia's activities and the measures that can be taken by the international community. The report explains in detail that under international law, the “secession” of Karabakh from Azerbaijan cannot be justified on the basis of the the people’s right to self-determination. This is due to a) the unlawful use of force of Armenia, and b) the violation of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, the report concludes that the situation in Karabakh is that of a belligerent occupation by Armenia[6].
Supressing the rhetoric of the terrorist organization ASALA and similar unofficial organizations is an important step to be taken in the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process. Such a situation should not be tolerated and must be ended entirely. But what is the meaning behind the attempts towards the resurgence of terrorism with similar statements and terrorists being commemorated by Armenia? While Türkiye and Azerbaijan are firmly committed to constructive rhetoric such as intensification and acceleration of trade and energy agreements as well as improving diplomatic relations, attempts to hinder the normalization process may have undesirable consequences for the future of the region.
[1] “State minister: Karabakh Armenians’ struggle to live with dignity on their land is also important for the World,” news.am, News, 25 January 2023, https://news.am/eng/news/741229.html.
[2] “ԿՈՉ ՀԱՄԱՅՆ ՀԱՅՈՒԹՅԱՆ Հայաստանի Ազատագրության Հայ Գաղտնի Բանակի հիմնադրման 48-ամյակի առիթով,” asala.army, ASALA, 19 January 2023, https://www.asala.army/news/ԿՈՉ-ՀԱՄԱՅՆ-ՀԱՅՈՒԹՅԱՆ-Հայաստանի-Ազատագրության-Հայ-Գաղտնի-Բանակի-հիմնադրման-48-ամյակի-առիթով.
[3] “Today is the #birthday of Monte #Melkonyan, National Hero of????????, Legend of the #Armenian nation, Commander. His name will always remain in the history of #Armenia. We bow before you, Immortal Hero!, https://twitter.com/armenia/status/1463845349404069902?s=21&t=pbAC-WGMAJn_Gqt_oGk2SA.
[4] “Legal Opinion on Third Party Obligations with Respect to Illegal Economic and Other Activities in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan,” “Annex to the letter dated 10 April 2017 from the Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, Legal Opinion on Third Party Obligations with Respect to Illegal Economic and Other Activities in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan”, 7-10.
[5] Ali Murat Taşkent, “A Flagrant Violation of International Law: The Case Of Nagorno-Karabakh,” avim.org.tr, AVİM, 31 May 2017, https://avim.org.tr/en/Yorum/A-FLAGRANT-VIOLATION-OF-INTERNATIONAL-LAW-THE-CASE-OF-NAGORNO-KARABAKH.
[6] Taşkent, “A Flagrant Violation of International Law: The Case Of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
On January 30th, 2023, Nzdeh Garagavoryan, the “new generation” representative of the Youth Office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau of the Dashnaktsutyun Party in France, was declared persona non grata by the Armenian authorities and prevented from entering Armenia[1].
The ARF conveyed its belief that this development confirms the “anti-Armenian” attitude of the Armenian authorities, who are trying to undermine the work of the ARF youth branch. In its statement, the ARF also said that the Armenian authorities are acting in a similar manner to the Azerbaijani authorities and drew attention to the resemblance in the policies pursued. Furthermore, while citing Azerbaijan's blockade of Karabakh to prevent Armenians from entering their “homeland” as an example, the ARF claimed that the Armenian authorities have adopted the mindset of their “enemy’s” blockade policy and have included a similar practice on their agenda, and expressed its discomfort that Armenia is moving in the same direction as Azerbaijan[2].
In its statement, the ARF, as always, used threatening expressions. They declared that even if the Armenian authorities escalate their “persecution”, “oppression” and “illegal” activities a hundredfold, they will see the faith of the youth branches grow stronger, strengthening and hardening[3]. As it will be remembered, the terrorist organization ASALA uses similar expressions in its statements[4]. It is clear that the Dashnaks and the radical Armenian diaspora did not and do not display the slightest sign of discomfort with being associated with terrorism.
With this development, Nzdeh Garagavoryan became the sixth person to be denied entry into Armenia. On July 2022, Murad Papazyan, a prominent leader of the Armenian community of France (Conseil de coordination des organisations arméniennes de France, CCAF), was denied entry into Armenia, and on July 2022, Masis Abrahamyan, the head of the "Garegin Nzhdeh" youth organization in the Netherlands, and Syune Abrahamyan, a member of the aforementioned organization, were also denied entry into Armenia. On October 25, 2022, a similar development took place and Konstantin Zatulin, a Russian deputy of Armenian origin and a defender of the Armenian cause in the Duma, was also denied entry to Armenia[5]. Armenian-born Margarita Simonyan, a prominent figure in the Russian media known for her affinity to the Russian administration, announced on her social media accounts that she was declared persona non grata in Armenia[6]. The aforementioned five people, who were previously denied entry to Armenia, are also known for their opposition to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
The Dashnaks vigorously protest this development both in Armenia and France.
As is well known, the Dashnaktsutyun, which has a dark historical record, is a political party today. But in the past, it was an organization known for its bloody terrorist activities.
Preventing the entry of the aforementioned individuals into Armenia is a constructive development for the healthy progress of the Turkey-Armenia normalization process, and Armenia is expected to give more support to Turkey's peaceful and conciliatory attitude towards the process.
*Photograph: https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=74237&lang=3
[1] “One more ARFD member denied entry to Armenia,” arminfo.info, ARM info, 30 January 2023, https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=74237&lang=3.
[2] “One more ARFD member denied entry to Armenia,” https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=74237&lang=3.
[3] “One more ARFD member denied entry to Armenia.”
[4] Hazel Çağan Elbir, “ASALA Buzzing On The Road To Normalization Between Türkiye And Armenia,”, avim.org.tr, AVİM, 3 February 2023, https://avim.org.tr/en/Yorum/ASALA-BUZZING-ON-THE-ROAD-TO-NORMALIZATION-BETWEEN-TURKIYE-AND-ARMENIA.
[5] Alev Kılıç, “Olaylar ve Yorumlar,” Ermeni Araştırmaları, No. 72, 2022, s. 13, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/2794994.
[6] “Margarita Simonyan’ın da Ermenistan’a girişi yasaklandı,” ermenihaber.am, Ermeni Haber, 26 October 2022, https://www.ermenihaber.am/tr/news/2022/10/26/Margarita-Simonyan-Ermenistan-Zatulin/238952.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
Approximately three months after the assassination of Kemal Arıkan, the Consul General of Türkiye in Los Angeles on January 28, 1982, the Honorary Consul General of Türkiye in Boston, Orhan Gündüz, was also shot. Both murders were claimed by the Justice Commandos of the Armenian Genocide (JCAG), a Dashnak terrorist organization. Armenian ultra-nationalist terrorists first bombed the office of Honorary Consul General Orhan Gündüz and then martyred him some time afterwards. The bombing took place on March 22, 1982 and the assassination on May 4, 1982.
After the bombing, Turkish Ambassador to Washington, Şükrü Elekdağ, sent a detailed telegram to Ankara on March 22, 1982:
“On the street at 678 Massachusetts Ave. No. 101, 678, a bomb was detonated today (March 22, 1982) at 19:45 local time in front of our Honorary Consul General in Boston’s office on the ground floor. Although there was extensive damage to the office, there were no casualties or injuries. Honorary Consul General Orhan Gündüz was at home at the time of the incident. The front windows of the office were broken. After the violent explosion, it became clear that the JCAG terrorist organization was responsible[1].”
In the telegram sent by Honorary Consul General Orhan Gündüz on March 23 following the incident, he wrote that on March 22, 1982, at 20:00, he received a phone call from the guard of the inn where the Turkish Consulate General was situated and that he went to the Honorary Consulate General of Boston and witnessed a powerful explosion in the office.
Approximately one and a half months after the bombing, on May 4, 1982, United Press International (UPI) telephoned the Turkish Embassy and informed that it had received news that Orhan Gündüz, our Honorary Consul General in Boston, had been murdered. Upon this phone call, Orhan Gündüz’s house was searched and when he could not be reached, the security bureau of the U.S. Department of State was asked to investigate the veracity of the news. After an investigation lasting about an hour, the US State Department reported that a person was found in a car at a station with a single gunshot wound to the head, but could not be identified and needed confirmation[2]. This person was the Honorary Consul General of Türkiye, Orhan Gündüz. According to the information received, JCAG claimed responsibility for the assassination.
According to what was known at the time, despite a request from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Orhan Gündüz was not provided with police protection. This was not possible despite repeated requests from his friends and family who feared for his safety.
Shortly after the assassination, the Los Angeles office of UPI received a phone call:
“I’m calling on behalf of the Armenian Genocide Justice Commandos,” the caller said, “We just shot the Turkish Consul in Boston, Massachusetts. That’s our style. We will strike again,” the caller said.
After attempting several small-scale bombings in the United States, the JCAG began a campaign of violence in North America in 1982, especially targeting Turkish diplomats. Their plans involved multiple targets in the Turkish diplomatic community. What they wanted was more than recognition: “revenge.” In this context, in a statement sent to the Associated Press in 1982, the JCAG said, “We will continue our struggle until all Armenian lands are returned to their rightful owners, the Armenians.” Three months before the murder of Orhan Gündüz, on the morning of January 28, 1982, two men drove a 1977 Chevrolet Nova to the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Comstock Street in Pasadena, California, waited for Kemal Arıkan, the Consul General of Türkiye in Los Angeles, to pass by, and murdered him. JCAG claimed responsibility for the assassination.
In FBI documents, JCAG’s murder methods are clearly revealed. Of the 21 Turkish diplomats killed by JCAG between 1975 and 1982, 14 were attacked at traffic intersections. This method was despised by the rival Marxist Armenian terrorist group, the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), which preferred explosives to armed attacks. The group called JCAG’s tactics “cowardly hit-and-run assassinations[3]”.
The FBI kept the Orhan Gündüz case under lock and key for 40 years. Requests for the release of the FBI file on Orhan Gündüz went unanswered for almost a decade, until finally, in 2021, the FBI shared nearly 4,000 pages of its files with MuckRock. MuckRock is a website founded by investigative journalists. The content of the files was published by MuckRock last year.
Among the files published are FBI memos indicating that five men allegedly linked to the terrorist group, including the possible shooter of Orhan Gündüz, were also linked to the bombing of Honorary Consul General Gündüz’s office of in late 1982.
Forty years later, some of these terrorists are still alive, living freely in the United States and receiving support from the Armenian diaspora.
Armenian terrorist organizations such as the JCAG, which claimed responsibility for the murder of Orhan Gündüz in Somerville in 1982, have continued their violent campaign for Türkiye to recognize the so-called genocide. Instead of justice, official recognition of the so-called genocide has become a unifying goal within the Armenian-American community. Although the parliaments of 34 countries, including Armenia, have officially recognized the 1915 events as “genocide”, Türkiye’s resolute stance on the issue and the fact that the United States did not officially recognize the “genocide” until last year have continued to create a lingering sense of discontent among diaspora Armenians. Today, instead of being encouraged to live in peace and tranquility, many young people of Armenian descent in the US are merely being intellectually slaughtered with hostility and tales of the so-called genocide. Our Consul General in Los Angeles, Kemal Arıkan, and our Honorary Consul General in Boston, Orhan Gündüz, were unfortunately assassinated by teenagers suffering from this psychological disorder.
We commemorate our diplomats and citizens who were murdered by Armenian ultra-nationalist terrorist organizations and we bow with respect before their cherished memories.
*Photograph: http://forumusa.com/abd/boston-fahri-konsolosu-orhan-gunduz-icin-fbidan-koruma-istenmisti/
[1] Bilâl N. Şimşir, “Şehit Diplomatlarımız – 2,” Bilgi Yayınevi: Ankara, 2000, p.496.
[2] Op. cit. p. 496.
[3] “The KAPIKILL Files, chapter 1: FBI files reveal the inside story of the 1982 assassination of a Turkish diplomat outside Boston and the hunt to find his killers,” MuckRock, muckrock.com, 16 May 2022, https://www.muckrock.com/news/archives/2022/may/16/kapikill-files-fbi-turkey-diplomat-murder-1/.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
On April 25th, 2023, a monument dedicated to the Operation Nemesis terrorists was unveiled in Yerevan’s Ring Park. The ceremony was attended by many members of the public, as well as artists, academics and descendants of the Operation Nemesis terrorists.
The monument dedicated to the Operation Nemesis terrorists was designed by Kamo Areyan. Kamo Areyan is the former mayor of Yerevan. In a report published in Asbarez, Areyan claimed that “the country was covered in blood” in April 108 years ago to justify the monument[1]. This statement completely contradicts the facts. To recall briefly, a circular was issued on April 24th, 1915, which resulted in a number of arrests. In the circular, after it was understood that Armenian separatist organizations were preparing for a collective rebellion despite all warnings, the Commander-in-Chief of the Ottoman Army instructed the military units on 27 February 1915 that the weapons, bombs and some coded documents captured within Armenian organizations showed that they were preparing for a revolution, and for this reason, it was ordered that Armenian soldiers in the army should not be used in armed services, to be more careful everywhere and to take the necessary measures, but not to harm those among the Armenians who were loyal to the state[2]. As is known, the Law on Relocation and Resettlement was issued on May 27th, 1915. According to the Law, only Armenians in the war zone and along the supply routes were to be subjected to relocation and resettlement, the three major provinces of Istanbul, Edirne and Izmir were excluded from the scope of this law. It was even decided to introduce some exceptions with the circular dated August 28th, 1915, which was subsequently issued for the implementation of the law.
As part of this process, some officials were found to have mistreated the caravans. It is known that these individuals condoned extortion attempts and some of them caused deaths. The administration acted in a very sensitive manner regarding this issue and in 1916, 1647 people were brought to court. Of these people, 500 were sentenced to imprisonment, more than 60 to hard labor and 67 to death.
Operation Nemesis, carried out by the Dashnak terrorist organization, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), was called the second period of Armenian terrorism and these “revenge” attacks were orchestrated to “punish” those responsible for the decisions taken on April 24th, 1915 and May 27th, 1915. Operation Nemesis is a terrorist act in the truest sense of the word. In February 2015, Syracuse University launched a digital and physical book titled “Sacred Justice.” The book was written by Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy, the granddaughter of Operation Nemesis member Aaron Sachaklian. In the promotional article, the members of Operation Nemesis are portrayed as heroes and their eternal hatred as a sacred oath. Aaron Sachaklian’s family knew him as a man who served for many years as the chief financial officer of the church he helped found; who, with his wife, provided housing for many Armenian families after World War II; who wrote countless letters on behalf of his people to governments, churches, and prominent leaders; and who wrote a play that was staged in Syracuse. Aaron Sachaklian served as the organization's finance and logistics officer[3]. Many years later, towards the end of his life, he bemoaned that “I could have done more[4].” His granddaughter then told the whole story as if it was a tale of heroism. Aaron Sachaklian, who died on August 5th, 1964, said, “I could have done more,” suggesting that he was lamenting his own inadequacy concerning the organization he was a part of. It is clear that terrorists show no signs of remorse today, as they did yesterday.
In his book on Operation Nemesis, Eric Boghosian quotes Louise Nalbandian’s book “The Armenian Revolutionary Federation: The Development of Armenian Political Parties Through The Nineteenth Century”, he writes, “In an 1892 publication, the ‘Program of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation,’ in which the goals and means of the organization are laid out, it is clearly stated that the organization would strive “to stimulate fighting to terrorize government officials, informers, traitors, usurers, and every kind of exploiter… to expose government establishments to looting and destruction[5].” By sharing this statement, Boghosian aimed to assign a different meaning to the concept of “terrorism”. Just as the expression “genocide,” which is a legal concept, was recognized by 33 parliaments despite the fact that the Armenian allegations were not recognized by a competent court, with the aforementioned and similar monuments, attempts are being made to establish the concept of “terrorism” is as a “just cause movement”. Through these and similar organizations, terrorists are being commemorated as heroes and legitimized. This is also seen in Boghosian’s book:
“With no recourse against government-sponsored violence, in the late nineteenth century, Armenians formed revolutionary societies, notably the Armenakan Party, the Hnchag (Bell) Party (or Hnchags), and the Hai Heghapokhakanneri Tashnagtsutiun (the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, or ARF, also known as the Tashnags). Emboldened by revolutionary activity in Russia, these organizations had committed themselves to education of the peasantry, agricultural reform, and the establishment of a constitutional and/or socialist government. They were also, by their own admission, terrorist[6].”
The book also includes a definition of “terror” in the notes section: “Though the terms ‘terror’ and ‘terrorist’ can be found throughout ARF literature from its earliest days, the leaders of the Tashnags and their fedayeen did not see ‘terror’ in terms of direct attacks on innocent civilians. Assassinations of officials and ‘traitors’ were the mainstay, though there could be exceptions, as seen in the paragraphs that follow[7].”
Boghosian’s book also includes the assassinations of Azerbaijani high-level state officials. On June 19th, 1920, Arshavir Shiragian and Aram Yerganian, who are portrayed as heroes in the book, assassinated the former Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Fatali Khan Khoyski[8]. On March 15th, 1921, a few months after the release of Tehlirian, who killed Talat Pasha in Berlin, Misak Torlakian, with the help of Harutiun Harutiunian and Yervant Fundukian, shot and killed Behbud Khan Javanshir, the former interior minister of Azerbaijan, in front of the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul on July 18th, 1921[9].
Operation Nemesis did not only target Turks. Armenians also lost their lives as a result of the attacks of Operation Nemesis members. Among those who lost their lives was an Armenian named Harutiun Megerdichian. Megerdichian was murdered by Soghomon Tehlirian, the assassin of Talat Pasha, following him step by step[10]. The details of the murder are described in Boghosian’s book. There were other Armenians who were declared “traitors” by the murderers of Operation Nemesis. Vahe Ihsan (Yesayan) was murdered by Arshavir Shiragian for informing the Turkish police of groups preparing to revolt and for assisting in arrests as a result of the Circular of April 24th, 1915. The terrorist Shiragian, it will be recalled, had assassinated Sait Halim Pasha in Rome on December 6th, 1921 and Cemal Azmi Bey in Berlin on April 17th, 1922. Hmayag Aramiantz was also assassinated by Arshavir Shiragian with the help of Arshag Yezdanian[11].
Boghosian’s book, “Operation Nemesis,” contains blood-curdling sentences. In addition to praising terrorism in general and presenting the use of terrorism to instill fear in the masses as a heroic act, it is essentially a handbook for terrorism. For instance:
“‘My second bullet got Ihsan in the arm. When he realized that he would not be able to use his gun, he started to run. I fired two more bullets after him as I chased him. There was quite a commotion in the street. Pedestrians were screaming and trying to take cover, and from nearby windows people were throwing things at me—flowerpots, shoes, anything. But no one dared to get in my way or grab me. Ihsan fell; his head struck a stone. My third and fourth bullets had hit him, but he didn’t seem human. He was still alive. He got to his knees and tried to stand. We were both being struck by the various objects which people were throwing at us from the shelter of their homes. Taking advantage of the confusion, Ihsan managed to get his revolver out of his pocket. He started to take aim. I jumped on him and fired my last two bullets into his head. Then I started to run away. But I couldn’t leave. I had to turn back to make certain that he had stopped breathing. In my nervousness and because of my inexperience, I had done a “sloppy” job. His skull was shattered and his brains had splattered on the stones.’
Over the next few years, Shiragian would develop a more elegant killing technique[12].”
All the information given above and sourced from Armenian authors clearly demonstrates that Operation Nemesis was a terrorist activity. In this context, what Artyom Yerganian, a journalist and descendant of Aram Yerganian, one of the Nemesis terrorists, said at the so-called memorial event in Yerevan is astonishing. “Can you imagine what would have happened without Operation Nemesis?” he asked, to which he replied, “we would have been a sick nation suffering from psychological complications. I often compare them to psychiatrists. They made us feel worthy. These people are not terrorists, they are the executors of a just verdict by a legitimate court.” It is sad that Armenians admit that they resorted to terrorism to define their identity or to make themselves feel worthy. This in itself shows the amount of psychological scars they have inflicted upon themselves. Moreover, the fact that they believe that there is a court of law present gives an idea of their current psychological state.
All statements regarding the so-called monument in question are incompatible with historical facts and encourage violence, anger, hatred and separation. It is a step that does not contribute to and even undermines the normalization process Armenia is in with Turkey. We respectfully commemorate the diplomats and citizens we have lost due to terrorism and we bow before their cherished memories.
*Photograph: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/03/993128456/operation-nemesis
[1] “’Nemesis’ Monument Inaugurated in Yerevan,” Asbarez, asbarez.com, April 25, 2023, https://asbarez.com/nemesis-monument-inaugurated-in-yerevan/.
[2] “What Happened on 24 April 1915?,” Marmara Üniversitesi, Marmara.edu.tr, http://turksandarmenians.marmara.edu.tr/en/what-happened-on-24-april-1915/.
[3] Eric Boghosian, “The Assassination Plot That Avenged The Armenian Genocide – Operation Nemesis,” The Little, Brown: New York, April 2015, p. 263.
[4] Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy, “Sacred Justice – The Voices and Legacy of the Armenian Operation Nemesis,” Transaction Publishers: New Jersey, 2015, p. 83.
[5] Eric Boghosian, p. 57.
[6] Ibid. p. 50.
[7] Ibid. p. 318.
[8] Ibid. p. 247.
[9] Ibid. p. 241.
[10] Ibid. p. 132.
[11] Ibid. p. 244.
[12] Ibid. p. 246.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
The existence of films, books, exhibitions and a number of other projects that interpret the 1915 events as “genocide” is no longer surprising. A new one was added to these productions a year ago, titled “Aurora’s Sunrise.” After its premiere on November 24, 2023 in London, the film started to draw attention quickly. It was made with the support of the Zoryan Institute, EurImages, Lithuania, the USA, France, Germany and Anadolu Kültür from Türkiye. It is not possible to view the movie from Türkiye without a VPN. When you want to watch the movie, you will see statements that “it cannot be viewed in your geography”. The duration of the movie is 1 hour and 36 minutes. Approximately 70 minutes of the movie consists of animation and almost 10 minutes of the movie consists of interviews given by Arshaluys Mardiganian. The movie also includes some scenes from the 1917 Hollywood silent movie “Auction of Souls”, which is the subject of the movie.
In the movie, eastern Türkiye is referred to as “Western Armenia”, in line with the fanatical and antagonistic Armenian discourse. One day, the door of an Armenian family living in peace and happiness in Çemişgezek is knocked on by their Kurdish neighbors. The Kurdish shepherd (this part of the movie is in Turkish) tells them that the war is imminent, that the city has become dangerous for Armenians, that Armenians have started to gather around Istanbul, and that he has heard that a similar situation could happen here. He warns that going to the mountains is now a safer alternative. Kirakos, the father of 14-year-old Arshaluys, who narrates the story, says that he will not go anywhere and that only cowards would flee. Kirakos believes that running away would justify the Turks “punishing” other Armenians. A few days later, Turkish soldiers came to take Arshaluys’ father and brother. After that day, his father and brother were never heard from again. Meanwhile, some frames from the movie “Auction of Souls” are shown. These images show that people who are taken away from their families under the pretext of being taken to war are shot and killed without question. However, it is not explained how the circumstances changed from living in peace and happiness to this point in time. The film does not mention the Muslim community in Anatolia experiencing a similar situation, nor the rebellions that took place between 1882 and 1909 in different important regions of Anatolia, especially in Erzurum, Bitlis, Van, Elazığ. Of course, these will not be referred to as “rebellions” in the following frames, but will be presented as “the just struggle of freedom fighters.” Nonetheless, gratitude to the foreigners who supported them through missionary activities will be expressed in this way.
The movie, in which Arshaluys Mardiganian tells the story of Armenians being forced to change their names and religion, being subjected to inhumane treatment, and girls being raped, also includes quotes from the propaganda book “Ravished Armenia”. There are also references to some articles that have nothing to do with reality and the statements of a supposed eyewitness are used to make it seem as if they are true. The first article that comes to mind here is the article titled “Nearly a century after the Armenian genocide these people are still being slaughtered in Syria” published in The Independent on December 1, 2013[1]. In this article by R. Fisk, he writes: “[...] It was difficult to find these bones because the Khabur River – north of the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zour – had changed. So many were the bodies heaped in its flow that the waters moved to the east. The very river had altered its course[2].” It is difficult to find a more “creative” solution to explain the failure to find the bodies. Fisk also comes up with another alternative explanation concerning the “failure” to find the bodies. Despite the contradiction that no mass graves have been found in the areas where “genocide” was allegedly committed and where no rivers were present nearby, Fisk makes the claim regarding the 5000 Armenians in this area, “they stuffed them into a cave and then started a bonfire at the mouth and filled the cave with smoke. They all asphyxiated. They all coughed until they died[3].”
In an article written by Jeremy Salt, it is stated that Fisk’s Armenian driver told him this story and it is not explained how he knew all these details. However, Fisk’s unquestioning acceptance of this situation is striking. Fisk continues, “Up here in the cold dry desert the Turks turned this crack in the earth’s crust into the twentieth century’s first gas chamber. The principles of technological genocide began here in the Syrian desert, at the tiny mouth of this innocent cave in a natural chamber in the rock.” Fisk returned to his accusations in 2014, stating as a fact that in the northern Syrian desert, “‘the Turks’ ‘engineered the first primitive gas chambers, by driving thousands of Armenians into rock caves [not one cave any longer] and asphyxiating them by lighting bonfires [sic.] at the entrance’[4].” There is no evidence for these allegations. As it can be understood, the claim put forward in the movie is reinforced by another claim that cannot be supported by documents.
Returning to the issue of the changing of Armenian names, we can see that the film deals with the issue in a different way. Arshaluys Mardiganian, with the help of a gang leader in Tbilisi, introduced as Antranik Pasha, first travels to Russia, then to Norway and then to the USA. Here, her story attracted much attention from Americans. Henry Gates and his wife, who wrote the book based on her and were her legal custodians asked Arshaluys to change her name. The reason was that it was difficult for Americans to pronounce. Here we can see the first cracks of the American support that she relied on so much. Later, the Gates couple, who had exploited Arshaluys, who fainted on stage, exhausted as a result of telling her traumas over and over again while going from promotion to promotion, gave up on Arshaluys and abandoned her to the convent. However, they would continue their “popular” tour by taking other girls they made look like Arshaluys to promote the movie. The purpose of this propaganda was to gain the support of the US Senate for then US President Woodrow Wilson’s plan to establish an Armenia in eastern Anatolia under American mandate. However, the Wilson Plan was rejected by the senators. “The very people that said I was family had used me,” Arshaluys said. Of course, this is still true today.
Even though the movie stands out as “only genocide propaganda,” it also makes references to the erosion of the Armenians’ identities in the countries they visit. It is so obvious that the film was prepared with the focus being on “genocide” that there are self-contradictions in the very brief mentions of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk towards the end. An example would be the statement, “Meanwhile, different empires were forming opposing plans for what was left of my homeland. Wilson was pushing the American mandate for Armenia; Lenin wanted to see us under his new socialist empire; and under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Turkish soldiers were taking up arms again to build a new Turkish state in the lands of Armenian suffering.” Additionally, the statement “Mustafa Kemal was building a new Türkiye by committing massacres his way across Armenian lands.”, considering the fact that President Wilson’s plan was rejected by the Senate by 52 votes to 23, is the blatant example of contradiction in the movie. In the statements, both the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Türkiye are accused separately. The film goes one step further and tries to extend the period defined as the events of 1915 to 1923. Just as the Ottoman Empire is made to seem guilty for the Relocation and Resettlement Law, the Republic of Türkiye is also held responsible.
At the end of the film, it is stated that “The United States was the 33rd country to recognize the Armenian genocide. Türkiye still denies the genocide.” There is a point that needs to be clarified here; it does not matter how many countries’ parliaments recognize the 1915 events as “genocide.” The fact that the United States is among them is not enough to legitimize this situation. The fact is that the concept of “genocide” is a legal concept, which can only be recognized by the International Criminal Court. Another issue regarding the 1915 events that should not be ignored is the work on the Malta Tribunals. At the end of the First World War, 144 Ottoman officials were arrested by the British on charges of “mass murder” of Armenians and an investigation was conducted in Malta by the Britain’s highest legal prosecution authority, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in London[5]. Despite the efforts of the UK to try and convict the Turkish detainees in Malta, the investigation conducted by the CPS concluded with a verdict of “lack of grounds for legal action – no prosecution” without any charges being brought, on the grounds that “it was unlikely that such charges could be proven in a British court of law[6].” This issue, which contains evidence that the 1915 Events were not “genocide,” is another aspect that needs to be examined.
When considering “Aurora’s Sunrise” separately from its inaccurate content, it is possible to say that it is a technically very labor-intensive production, lacking consistency as a documentary, but remarkable when evaluated as an animation. It received 16 awards and 5 nominations.
We understand the pain and sentimentality of Armenians who were subjected to the Relocation and Resettlement Law. However, turning this circumstance into hate speech and making a movie out of the hate does not lead to the sharing of pain, but to a reaction against such projects. While sentimentality and suffering are understandable, it is neither understandable nor tolerable to distort and exaggerate historical documents and create hate speech out of the inaccuracy and feed off of it. This is how this movie is generally evaluated by Turkish audiences. However, this movie is essentially a production planned by the Armenian lobby in the US. Today, it is understandable that it is supported by organizations such as ANCA, etc. that feed off of anti-Turkish hatred. What is not understandable is this: This film was funded by the US State Department and EurImages (European Cinema Support Fund) of the Council of Europe, of which Türkiye is a member. In addition, Armenia, Lithuania, Germany and France also provided financial support.
It is even more difficult for a Turkish viewer to understand why the West, especially the US and the EU, which today applies censorship and double standards even to the just cause of Palestine, would support a film that does not correspond to the facts, distorts history, even contradicts itself in many points, and may stir up feelings of hatred against Turks.
[1] Jeremy Salt, "History, Journalism and Propaganda: Robert Fisk and The 'Armenian Question'", History Studies, 13/2, April 2021, p. 341 - 370, https://www.historystudies.net/dergi/history-journalism-and-propaganda-robert-fisk-and-the-armenian-question2021037b22f80.pdf.
[2] Robert Fisk, "Nearly a century after the Armenian genocide, these people are still being slaughtered in Syria," The Independent, December 1, 2013, https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/nearly-a-century-after-the-armenian-genocide-these-people-are-still-being-slaughtered-in-syria-8975976.html.
[3] Salt, p. 357.
[4] Salt, p. 358.
[5] Uluç Gürkan, “Malta Tribunals,” Review of Armenian Studies, no:31, 2015, p. 181, https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/777543.
[6] Uluç Gürkan, "Malta: Sürgün mü, Yargılama mı?", Türk - Ermeni Uyuşmazlığı Üzerine Ömer Engin Lütem Konferansları 2020, Terazi Yayıncılık: Ankara, 2021, p. 13. https://avim.org.tr/tr/Kitap/10/pdf.
© 2009-2021 Center for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) All Rights Reserved
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Please Update/Correct Any Of The
3700+ Posts by Leaving Your Comments Here
- - - YOUR OPINION Matters To Us - - -
We Promise To Publish Them Even If We May Not Share The Same View
Mind You,
You Would Not Be Allowed Such Freedom In Most Of The Other Sites At All.
You understand that the site content express the author's views, not necessarily those of the site. You also agree that you will not post any material which is false, hateful, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy, or in violation of any law.
- Please READ the POST FIRST then enter YOUR comment in English by referring to the SPECIFIC POINTS in the post and DO preview your comment for proper grammar /spelling.
-Need to correct the one you have already sent?
please enter a -New Comment- We'll keep the latest version
- Spammers: Your comment will appear here only in your dreams
More . . :
http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2007/05/Submit-Your-Article.html
All the best