Aravot.am informed that it takes in the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and EU financial supported program “Support to Armenia – Turkey normalization process”, under which the Armenian and Turkish journalists are holding a two-week bus tour to Turkey and Armenia. The group of journalists are already in Armenia, and on the first day, they visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and also the Genocide Memorial. The Turkish journalists were told that currently there are repair works going on in the Museum-Institute, also preparation work ahead to the Genocide Centennial, therefore, the whole collection of the museum is not displayed. Nevertheless, a small part of the collection was presented to the participants, which was describing the period of genocide execution by Turks.
The journalists also met with Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. In the conversation with him, one of the Turkish journalist was interested to know whether the archives are available to outside researchers. Hayk Demoyan replied, “We have nothing to hide.” He said that many people come here to study the theme for the Museum is also a place to study the history of others. In the future, the equipped and supplemented Museum-Institute, according to Mr. Demoyan, will also try showing the feelings of the people who have passed through the genocide, some of them survived and others did not.
One of the Turkish journalists was interested to know whether people in Armenia would also like the Turkish archives to be opened for studying the historical facts. Mr. Demoyan replied that we would like to have access to some ratification documents or their copies, but Turkey does not allow even the researchers of Turkey to be acquainted with them. The fear of the Turkish journalist that perhaps they are destroyed, Mr. Demoyan replied that if they are destroyed, then it is pity, because the loss for studying the history of the two nations would be irreversible. However, according to Mr. Demoyan, if Turkey does not want to open the archives and make them available, it means that it hides something.
Speaking about the Armenian Genocide, Hayk Demoyan mentioned, “Recognition of the Genocide is an important prerequisite for having genuine reconciliation between the two countries.” According to Mr. Demoyan, Turkey does not recognize the Armenian Genocide, because it fears of the psychological collapse, changing the history provided over the years, and as a result, the psychological complexes occurred in people. “It is necessary to overcome this psychological complex,” said Mr. Demoyan, adding that we should try to find the historical truth, and not to deny or hide it.
Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN
Photo by Sona ADAMYAN
in due time Turkey will recognize the facts of the 1915 events as Genocide not because the pressure from outside but because of its new educated leadership who want to be part of the modern free thinking society .and make this world a better place by fighting prejudice,hate and ignorance.