• am
  • ru
  • en
print version
28.09.2007

THE TURKISH HISTORIC ABOUT APOSTATE ARMENIANS

   

Ruben Melkonyan

image (medium) Some “ideas” about apostate Armenians expressed by the Chairman of the “Historical society of Turkey,” the “courtier” historian Yusuf Halachoghlu at the symposium held on August 18 of the current year in Kesaria, immediately caused wide resonance in the Turkish press, among political, scientific circles and intellectuals. At the symposium mentioned Halachoghlu announced that the majority of Kurds in reality were of Turkish origin, and Alevi-Kurds were apostate Armenians, who had outwardly adopted Islam and changed their names to avoid “emigration” in 1915: “today a number of people, who are known as Alevi-Kurds, Unfortunately turn out to be apostate Armenians. Many members of terrorist organizations of PKK and TIKKO1 aspiring at dividing Turkey into parts are suchlike Armenians. That’s to say, just as we thought, in reality PKK and TIKKO are not Kurdish movements.”

These words immediately caused both positive and negative response. Thus, a number of Alevian organizations, intellectuals and historians appeared against Halachoghlu, characterizing him as a racist, a “scientist” with biased and not-grounded ideas. For example, “Hyurriyet” newspaper journalist asked him why those Armenians had to change their names and pass themselves off as Muslims? And the well known writer and journalist Murat Belge mentioned that the very step of 100 thousand Armenians, rescuing themselves by means of adopting Islam, gave an idea of what had happened with the ones who hadn’t done it. A suit against Halachoghlu was brought and many began claiming his dismissal. All these “made” Halachoghlu call a press-conference and appear with commentaries. In particular he mentioned that he didn’t insist on the fact that all the Kurds were of Turkmen origin, or all the Alevies –Armenian, however, he had some evidence proving that during the “emigration” in 1915 many Armenians pretended to have adopted Islam, to be rescued from the exile, and the number of these people was very big, especially among Alevi-Kurds. Halachoghlu also added that he had the list of apostate Armenians with detailed data about them. “In my disposal I have data about 100 thousand suchlike Armenians: their former Armenian names, Turkish names, place of residence, etc.”, announced the scientist, at that mentioning that it shouldn’t be perceived as a threat. Besides, according to Halachoghlu, he and the Turkish historical company he heads is “a castle resisting the assertions of the Armenian Genocide,” and at present in his works he tries to answer the question where are the 1 500 000 Armenians who used to live in this territory in 1915. “Where are these Armenians in reality? Don’t I have to study it as a scientist?” – announced the falsifier of history. Halachoghlu thinks that his “scientific work” is the answer of this very question and pointing at the Armenians who had adopted Islam not to be assassinated, says: “Here are the “disappeared” Armenians: they were not massacred, so, the Armenian part have been telling the lie up till now. What I have told completely apposes the assertions of the Armenian Diaspora.”

Let’s also mention that a number of different structures, organizations and politicians appeared in support of the “oppressed” Halachoghlu and against the “Lynch law” carried out against him. Information was circled in the press that the “Lynch law” was maybe inspired by the very cripto Armenians. Halachoghlu didn’t deny this version as well.

At that period in Turkey many touched upon the subject of the Armenians’ apostasy while supporting the standpoint of Halachoghlu. For example, the Turkish historian Abdurrahman Kutyuk, not denaying the facts of apostasy also added: “Cases of apostasy in Kilikia were fixed in 1909 and 1915.” Only the mere facts mentioned have come to prove that the process of apostasy is directly connected with the pogroms of Kilikian Armenians in 1909 and the Armenian Genocide in 1915. And, at last, it is common knowledge that some Armenians indeed adopted Islam to avoid massacre, however, Halachoghlu’s assertion that in that way all the Armenians were rescued from the massacre, and there was no genocide at all is not only far from being scientifically true but also is beyond any logic, that’s way there is even no sense to comment them.

As for the issue of the existence of apostate Armenians among Alevis and Zazas, let’s mention that these facts have been proved to be true, and during the Genocide in 1915 many Armenians in reality found their shelter with Dersim Alevis. The Turkish sources have even mentioned that the number of Armenians sheltered there makes for about 50 thousand. The choice of Dersim was conditioned by the fact that the Ottoman Armey could not properly control that territory being engaged in the War and the locals were able give refuge to the Armenians. As a result of our personal contacts with Dersim Alivis we have found out that, for example, up till now a phraseological expression is spread amidst them – “Armenians of our house,” which may be perceived as direct evidence and memory that one day they gave the Armenians refuge in their houses.

As a number of facts have come to prove, the problem of cripto Armenians has always been in the center of attention of the Turkish government being the subject of periodic examination. It is known that in his time Taliat also paid attention to the problem of converting religion in the period of the Armenian Genocide, making an attempt to somehow regulate it. The very Halachoghlu represents the research results carried out by the government in 1936-37, where information is given about the residence of apostate Armenians, their former Armenian and present Turkish names. According to us, the government had a clear-cut objective while gathering information about apostate Armenians (especially inhabited in Dersim vilayet). It is known that in 1938 the Turkish government organized pogroms in Dersim and while telling about them many of our interlocutors from Dersim Alevis based on the stories of the aged witnesses of the pogroms according to which the main target of the Turkish army used to be Armenians, who found a shelter there after 1915. As was mention by an elderly man, “the unfinished in 1915 was continued in 1938 and by that time were massacred a big number of apostate Armenians.” Summering all this up one may come to a conclusion that as a matter of fact gathering detailed information about the apostate Armenians in 1936-37, in 1938 the Turkish government perpetrated the massacre of the part of them in Dersim.

Halachoghlu also represented a list of open and cripto Armenians who lived in some regions of Tunjeli (Dersim) province, at that mentioning that it was only the little part of information he disposed.

vilayet Armenian population Apostate Armenians
Chemishgezek 35 137
Nazmiye 2 23
Pulumur 1 1
Ovadjek 16 --
Mazgirt 68 44
Khozat 353 17
Pertek 32 102
Sum total 507 324

After all, what is the clamor risen after the announcement of Halachoghlu connected with and whether it is directed by the Authorities or nor? According to Halachoghlu, his research work is not connected with the authorities and has clear scientific orientation. However, he also adds that if needed he is ready to present all this information to them2. Being the “courtier” historian, Halachoghlu is known for his scandalous not-scientific announcements, which, as a rule, find a wide response, and in its turn, is directly connected with the position he holds3 as well as is often directed and generated artificially. The last announcement can’t be called sensational by itself, as, as a matter of fact nothing new was said by Halachoghlu. The existence of Islamized Armenians in Turkey has long been a well known fact, and the second part of announcement, that it is a irrefragable answer to the Armenian party, is not perceived seriously even by the Turks, and as one of the Turkish journalists has fairly noticed, “poor Turkey, if in the issue of the Armenian question it is really guided by Halachoghlu’s advice.” Halachoghlu’s announcements about the presence of Armenians in different extremist structures are not new as well. The Turkish press, a number of high ranking officials and politicians have been talking about it arrogating Armenian origin to different people (as well as to Abdulah Ojalan) and mentioning that many assassinated Kurdish terrorists turned up not to have performed a circumcision, etc.

The role of the press to give unnaturally big response to Halachoghlu’s announcement was not little, and almost all the Turkish newspapers and TV companies turned to this question as a very important one. Whereas, another Turkish historian, Professor Salim Jyohjen, once and again have been touching upon this issue and made tougher announcements on the matter being better engaged in the issue of cripto and Islamized Armenians; however his announcement didn’t find such a big response.

It is important to mention that the announcement of Halachoghlu and the clamor over it coincided with the first and second tours of the presidential elections. By that time the society’s attention was directed to the religious image of Abdullah Gule – the present president and the former candidate: more specifically, to the problem of his wife’s kerchief. Woman’s kerchief is the symbol of political Islam, and became the subject number one for the press and politicians. So, Halachoghlu’s announcement considerably lessened the attention of the society to the subject of kerchief. The Armenian question, the subject so purposefully chosen to reach this objective, will always give the desirable results. At that, at present the state carries out propaganda as if the Turks have to struggle not only against open, but also cripto Armenians living among Turks and cooperating with the Kurds with the aim to divide the country into parts.

Halachoghlu’s announcement and the wide resonance to it have come to prove that the subject of apostate and Islamized Armenians is in the center of attention of different Turkish circles which have begun making use of and speculating it. At the same time it is not excluded that the above mentioned announcement of the “courtier” historian could be directed to lessen the concentrated attention of the society to political processes of those days.

1 PKK – Kurdish Labor Part, TIKKO, TIKKO – Worker Peasant Liberation Army of Turkey (left-radical organization).

2Here one should mention that at present the Turkish Government or some “independent” analytical centers and specialists carry out intensive work on the problems of apostate and cripto Armenians. The publications of continually updated data about the number of Islamized Armenians have come to prove it.

3Let's mention that the «Historical Society of Turkey” is a state structure. It is headed by the country’s Prime Minister with the term of office of one year; expedience of prolongation of the agreement is annually reconsidered. Yusuf Halachoghlu has been heading this structure since October 21, 1993 up till now.


Return
Another materials of author