Turkish-Armenian Conflict Stirs Debate

As a Turkish American who has been living in Southern California for more than 10 years, I found “Southland Armenians to Mark Painful Anniversary” [April 22] disturbing and against journalistic principles of impartiality, fairness and thorough research of facts.

The article is unfortunately filled with distortion of facts and clearly indicates that the journalist has listened to only one side of the story. The main distortion is the assertion that Armenians were systematically killed between 1915 and 1923 under Turkish government and that many historians consider this to be a genocide. I am personally saddened by the chaotic events that took place during the years of the first World War and do not wish to minimize the scope of Armenian suffering. However, this cannot be separated from the suffering experienced by the Muslim inhabitants of the region.

In fact, the evidence uncovered so far depicts inter-communal warfare complicated by disease, famine and suffering. Inasmuch as many Armenian families had to leave their homes, so did many Turkish families escaping from the onslaught of irregular Armenian gangs. My own grandparents and their parents had to desert their village near Giresun in Northern Anatolia and emigrate miles away inland to Sivas to avoid being victims at the hands of these irregulars.

The events of the days are far from being established as historic facts and more research is needed to uncover the precise sequence. Again, UCLA history professor Richard Hovannisian’s point of view presents only one side of the story.

KURSAD KIZILOGLU

Los Angeles

*

Congratulations for a well-written, historically true, unbiased and insightful article concerning the Southland Armenian business community’s determination to remember the victims of Turkish crimes against humanity during the 1915 genocide of 1.5 million Armenians.

By closing their businesses last Monday, Southland Armenians reminded us that this beastly event occurred while the world stood by and, to this day, fails to hold Turkey accountable. In fact, there are many people in this community and around the world who assist the government of Turkey in its 85-year-old shameless denial campaign.

ALEXANDER KALOGNOMOS

Sunland

*

Reporter Lee Romney repeats the same old Armenian allegations as if they are the only truth and nothing but the truth. By ignoring the other side of the story, she not only insults the silent memory of millions of Turks and other Muslims ruthlessly murdered at the hands of Armenian separatists, but also shortchanges her unsuspecting readers by robbing them of responsible opposing views.

No one talks about the Turkish suffering. Turks don’t discuss these, partly because they are too painful, and partly because it goes against the grain of Turkish culture to cry, beg, or seek sympathy after losing a war.

Western journalists do not talk, because they are biased against Turks who happen to be Muslims. This kind of bias and bigotry in the press, rearing its ugly head every April, disguised as impartial judges of the past, is nothing less than a new form of ethnic and/or religious discrimination.

ERGUN KIRLIKOVALI

Santa Ana