Let’s Correct This Historic Mistake

However, my purpose was not to say “genocide” at all costs in the midst of the uproar caused by the discussion on the amendments. In fact, I have said “genocide” or “Armenian Genocide” in the parliament for many times. There was no trouble before. This time again, I called what happened to my people “genocide” just like I always do.

However, something different happen; insults and crisis… I said, “Well then, you name it,” to the ones who objected me. That night, MHP threatened AKP with not supporting the proposed amendments, if I am not punished. Thus, I was banned from the parliament with the votes of AKP, MHP and CHP. I was subjected to the lynching campaign of the nationalist front.

However, I didn’t intend to cause a polemic; my purpose was to make people learn from the past and prevent them from making the same mistakes. I wanted to talk about how the process of writing constitution at the end of the Ottoman period led a pluralist society to a mentality of homogeneity, the abuses and disasters caused by one-man-regimes and what all of these mean to us who are trying to write a constitution in 2017.

I know very well that what happened to my grandfather and the great disasters took place in Anatolia were caused by the mistakes that politicians like us made. A system that abolishes the parliament would create the dreadful atmosphere that was created by Talat and Enver who abolished the same parliament. The proposed constitution makes the government and will dependent on one person; it imposes ideology of homogeneity. This is nothing but the repetition of the disasters that took place back then.

I am aware of it and not talking about it would make me feel like I am betraying this country, these lands and the people that I live together.

I am worried. The parliament that took action for “writing the constitution of the Turkish nation”, imprisoned Kurdish deputies with great enthusiasm before taking action and doesn’t have enough confidence to let its members vote secretly is giving all the authority to one person; no good can come of this.

Think about it, Christian and Jewish peoples, who constituted 40 percent in the past, are just one out of thousand now because of a mentality seeking for homogeneity. We suffered gravely. However, it is not only us; every one is missing something. Everyone is tainted because of the mistakes of a couple of men.

For me, the problem is not only about violation of my freedom of expression in the parliament, disrespect to the elected will or whether I cannot use “that word”. These are important of course, but what really matters is this: Turkey is determined to take the path about which its own history warns and heading at full speed towards intolerance that became a matter of national consensus and to an authoritarian regime that lacks a mechanism of balance and control.

The ones who will be ignored by the new period will either lapse into silence or revolt, or they will just leave the country. Just like 100 years ago… The country will be damaged and impaired. We might live in a period during which we all lose.

However, we can win together.

On these agonized lands, in which we buried Hrant Dink 10 years ago, every one lives in the restlessness of a dove. This restlessness is not groundless. We, Armenians, know it only too well. That is why I am addressing you, the majority.

Let’s correct this historic mistake before it’s too late.

(Garo Paylan commentary appeared in Agos on February 2.)