We’d like to thank Niyazi Onur Bakir for his article about “So called Armenian Genocide” in response to Chris Guzelian’s article appeared on April 25th, Battalion. The article has appeared on April 28th ‘s on the school newspaper. You can reach the original page from

http://www.thebatt.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/04/28/3eacc471ea9e0

So called Armenian Genocide

April 28, 2003

In response to an April 25 U-Wire column:

I would like to highlight several facts that are unfortunately not mentioned in Chris Guzelian's article. Turks recognize the Armenian tragedy. However, the events that happened between 1915-1923 cannot be termed as genocide. In the First World War, a front was opened in the east where most Ottoman Armenians lived. Some Ottoman Armenians were focusing on carving up an independent state with Russian help.

The Armenian terrorist groups attacked the Turkish villages and killed many innocent people, mainly children and women because the men in the villages were fighting on different fronts as a part of the Ottoman Army, leaving their families behind.

In one recent documentary, a Turkish lady who witnessed these mass killings said everybody in her village including pregnant women, children and animals was killed. Our Armenian friends always quote the tragedy their grandparents endured, but don't acknowledge the terrorist attacks by the Armenian militia in Turkish and Kurdish villages. The Ottoman government decided to transport the Armenian population in different parts of the empire until the war ended. Many Armenians unfortunately died.

The number of deaths is also controversial. The documentary proofs don't support any claim more than 300,000 Armenian casualties. I believe the Ottoman action against the Armenians cannot be termed as "genocide" because first, most of the Armenians who lived in other parts of the empire were not deported (i.e. in Istanbul). This proves that deportation was local and didn't aim at massacring people.

Second, genocide is used for one-sided acts. Armenians also caused local atrocities and many Turks and Kurds suffered.

Finally, there is no indication of anti-Armenian sentiment in Ottoman documents before these incidents. No clear proof of a "genocide order" has been found.
I believe the Armenian and Turkish people should remember the tragic incidents and give credit to their recollection of events and make research based on the documents. History shouldn't be merely written by the memories of our grandfathers and grandmothers.

Niyazi Onur Bakir
Ph. D. Student