I want to start with the traditional “first of all,” because I want to clarify and avoid the usual flat arguments in advance, things like, “So what do you suggest, are we going to stay eternally enemies?” and “in politics there are no eternal friends and enemies; there are only interests.”
I am a supporter of the leftist Social Democrat Hunchak Party. In 2014, a leftist Turkish journalist met with the party leaders a few years ago. When things developed, our party leaders visited Istanbul, and then one of our reporters also visited at around the same time or a year earlier, as far as I remember. Then, the Turkish leftist activist visited Beirut, and he gave a joint press conference with one of the leaders of the party, comrade Alex Keushkerian. I could feel that when Alex spoke, he was more cautious than usual. He spoke very slowly and counted every word he said. When the conference ended, I told the comrade, “I felt your situation. It is an extremely delicate matter, and you were extra cautious and careful when you spoke.” He told me that I was right Therefore, the fact that I was at the press conference automatically means that I belong to a political mentality that does not refuse dialogue with the Turks, and has no absolute or principled refusal for such a relationship, provided it is beneficial and on just grounds and terms for Armenia. So the question is, on what terms?
But my article is not all about this. This is a very sophisticated, complicated, and delicate issue for me to allow myself to analyze any further what is beyond my knowledge. I am a simple blogger and not a state leader to engage in such a crucial analysis. When both politicians ended the conference and the party reporters had a speech, he also visited Turkey, and started to talk positively about how the taxi driver was kind and polite, especially when the driver found out that he was Armenian. Now, all this is normal and acceptable in my book, but suddenly his enthusiasm grew, and he said: “Every Armenian should visit Turkey at least once.”
Now starts my debate. When I argue that this is a big mistake, the “modern minds” start to offer some “wise and political maneuvers”: “We should always visit our lands- occupied Armenia, Western Armenia. Let them know we always are attached to our lands and will one day return as rightful owners.” First of all, when you visit Turkey, you go and ask the Turkish authorities for an entrance visa. You ASK FOR PERMISSION. When you go and ask permission to enter your own house, you automatically, legally, and logically are authorizing the occupier to grant you permission. You are acknowledging their ownership, you are knocking their door. You are not knocking your own door. You should be able to enter your own house without permission, so the legal, logical, and sane thing to do is wait until you have the ability to enter your own house without permission.
Secondly, when you are visiting Turkey, you are financing the Turkish economy at every single step, from the plane tickets to accommodations, and this economy is the backbone of the military machine that supported the Azeri aggression that cost the Republic of Armenia 5,000 martyrs only 2 years ago. So congratulations “modern new age enlightened ones.”
Third, people ask me lately about what my problem is. Wake up, feel the new era, the Turks are welcoming Armenian tourists with flowers and roses. In my entire life, I have never heard this level of naivety. If I owe someone $200, and if he agrees to forgive my debt if I buy him a bouquet of flowers, I will gladly buy two, instantly, without delay, because it is such a good opportunity.
Meanwhile, Turkey owes us the lands of Great Armenia, the Wilsonian Armenia, and compensation for the 1.5 martyrs of the genocide. But why be surprised in an age and era of anti-nationalism where surrender is “wisdom, practical, pragmatic,” giving up our rights is an “age of civilized harmony, peace, and love,” demanding national rights is “old fashioned, extreme, and ignorant”? This is the new age, the age of neoliberalism, globalism, out-of-control capitalism, and opportunism, where the preservation of cultural and national values is a sign and indication of backwardness.
Bedros Manukian
Lebanese-Armenian blogger
