Istanbul-based Armenian journalist, a member of the Turkish Union of Human Rights, Hrant Gasparian, opens the “brackets”
After the adoption of the Bundestag Resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople Aram Ateshian sent a letter to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, this year in June, in which he had mentioned, “The decision that Bundestag made about the events happened during the tragic times of World War I caused regret in our nation.”
In an interview with “Aravot”, the Istanbul-based Armenian journalist, a member of the Turkish Union of Human Rights, Hrant Gasparian, noted that the Istanbul Armenian community does not “share” the view of Archbishop Aram. In his words, the behavior of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople under the control of Archbishop Aram Ateshian is shocking, and the letter – infamous. Hrant Gasparian was in Yerevan in those days but as he says, was following the agenda and knew the types of concerns over the letter. Istanbul-based Armenian journalist has translated all the views and feedbacks available in the Armenian press into Turkish and has published it in the form of analytical articles in the Turkish press.
In particular, newspaper “Taraf” Daily published the speech of RA MP Aragats Akhoyan. The reporter says, “There was a tremor in Istanbul, we heard that after the article appeared in the “Agos” weekly and later in the Turkish “Taraf” newspaper, the posture of the Istanbul Patriarchate is a little different from the posture of Patriarchate, and some circles began to express their anxiety. And so, we have a Board of Trustees for the structures belonging to the Istanbul Armenian community, which is called Vadip. Vadip convened a meeting and wanted to issue a new statement that they are not in favor of the infamous letter addressed to Erdoğan. Then, the religious council convened a meeting and they also told that this infamous letter was written only by Vicar Patriarch Aram Ateshian and represents only his personal views.”
Hrant Gasparian added that an attempt was made to mitigate the statement of secular circles but in any case, the Armenians have responded harshly to the Patriarchate move, which was promoted by the reaction from Yerevan, the media and the presentation of all this in the Turkish language. To our observation that opinions are voiced that the General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople if wanted could not act otherwise for obvious reasons because the Patriarchate of Constantinople has a peculiarity, and in the case of Turkey, it is not easy to contrast the nationality and origin, Hrant Gasparian replied, “The Armenian nation is one, the reality of the Armenian Genocide is one, no matter in the Diaspora or anywhere in the world, any Armenian institution cannot solely express an opinion diverting from the truth related to historic reality and slightly mitigating it for solving its own problems and strengthening its position.
We also had such spiritual leaders in the Ottoman Empire but we also had such Patriarchs even until the years following the Armenian genocide who were signing at the end of all their official letters a sorrowing Patriarch. For example, Shnorhk Patriarchs… In other words, we had courageous patriarchs on this matter, I am not saying that they were shouting in defense of this truth but they were patriarchs who at least were preserving their positions, therefore, I do not share this view. And if there are such persons that will bypass the historical realities must soon be dismissed.”
To the question of whether stereotypes are broken in Turkey and the mindset is changed. Our interlocutor told that especially after the assassination of the “Agos” editor-in-chief Hrant Dink, people were able to more freely express their thoughts, and organize street protests in the central squares of Istanbul, also in the cities of Izmir and Ankara. To the question of whether there are advanced university circles who are ready to confront the past, Hrant Gasparian replied that the free atmosphere available some 5-6 years ago has backed off, it is not possible to speak about the freedom of university students as today there are academics in custody in Turkey, the circle of freedom of different organizations and media is compressed, everything is under control.
To our question about his attitude on the existence of a museum in Istanbul dedicated to journalists, the ethnic Armenian journalist replied that hardly it will exhibit that the first newspaper in the period of the Ottoman empire was published by Armenians but after 2010, Hrant Dink’s photograph is placed next to photos of other deceased journalists.
Gohar HAKOBYAN
Istanbul-Yerevan,
“Aravot” daily
