TURKISH CIVIL SOCIETY SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND ASSISTED TO ACCEPT IT: EUROPE AND THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA HAVE A CRITICAL ROLE IN MAKING THIS HAPPEN

Said Taner Akçam

01/06/2010

On 6 January 2010 at 18:00 hrs, the Armenian Church University Association (ACUSA) organized an evening to meet the dissident historian, Taner Akçam. A large number of youth representing youth organizations and educational institutions came to listen to the historian at the Gulbenkian Hall of the Cilicia Museum. Ms. Gacia Kouyoumdjian welcomed the audience on behalf of the ACUSA committee.

In his lecture, Prof. Akçam said that for a long time it was forbidden to mention the Armenian Genocide in Turkey and that Article 301 of the Penal Code (which makes it illegal to insult Turkey, the Turkish ethnicity or Turkish government institutions) was a consequence of this policy. However, this topic is no longer taboo thanks to Turkish journalists, writers and activists. The independence of Armenia, the publication of “AGOS”, the possibility of networking and communication and the question of Turkey’s admission to the European Union have broken the silence. As a result, the public is informed of the issue. In 2000, the Turkish authorities reacted to this situation by publishing new textbooks, which stated that ‘Armenians massacred the Turks’. The textbooks were promoted through special seminars, public quiz events and competitions. Hrant Dink was a major figure among those who spoke for the rights of minorities in Turkey. In conclusion, Taner Akçam said that Turkish Popular Movements, the authorities in Armenia, the European Union and the Armenian Diaspora should work together to pressure Turkey to recognize the Genocide. He concluded that the time had come for the two peoples to dialogue.

The floor was then open to ask questions to the speaker.