President Of Turkish Science Company Halacoglu Opposed By His Own Comp

[DeLaLa]

http://www.bianet.org/english/kategori/eng...fuses-to-resign

 

Historian Halacoglu Refuses to ResignIn a press briefing following his controversial comments on Kurds, Alevis and Armenians in Anatolia, historian Yusuf Halacoglu has refused to heed calls for his resignation. He argues that his comments were misunderstood.

 

bıa news centre

 

22 Ağustos 2007, Çarşamba

 

Historian Yusuf Halacoglu, who is president of the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), has arranged a press briefing in order to defend his controversial comments on the ethnic make-up of Turkey.

 

Refuses to resign

 

Rejecting calls for his resignation, Halacoglu said, "I, Halacoglu, did not do this research because I am president of the TTK. I am a historian. I have not had a phone call from the government."

 

He emphasised that his comments had been misinterpreted: "I did not reject [the existence of] Kurds, I said the following: 'Some who believe themselves to be Kurds are shown as Turkmens in 16th century records. Is that saying there are no Kurds? I [also] did not say that Kurdish Alevis are Armenians. There are Armenians who pretended to be Kurdish Alevis in order to escape the forced emigration. Being is different, pretending to be is different."

 

2,287 Kurdish tribes registered

 

Halacoglu said that as a scientist he based his claims on documents and said that he had done research on the roots of the Anatolian peoples for years. He rejected accusations of racism, saying that he has the names of Kurdish tribes on his computer: "Look, there are 2,287 Kurdish tribes here. If I am racist, why did I write them down? Alright, if I had said there were no Kurds, there are [only] Turkmen, that would be different."

 

"Armenian Patriarch is my friend"

 

The historian recounted that he was being asked where the 1.5 million Armenians who used to live in Anatolia were today. He described it as the duty of scientists to research where they were:

 

"I researched this. I did not research according to Armenians, Kurds, Turks. It was I who found the Armenians who were said to be dead. The Armenian Patriarch Mesrob is my friend."

 

Halacoglu had also referred to a famous Turkish actress and singer, Hülya Avsar, who has talked about her Kurdish roots. The historian had denied her claim, saying that she was really of Turkmen origin. In his press briefing, he referred to Hülya Avsar's mother's insistence that they were Kurdish by saying: "She says they are Avsar. That is the biggest lineage of the 24 Oguz. But let her say what she wants." (AB/GG)

 

 

http://www.azg.am/?lang=EN&num=2007082203

 

Scandal in Turkey

 

PRESIDENT OF TURKISH SCIENCE COMPANY HALACOGLU OPPOSED BY HIS OWN COMPATRIOTES

 

Halacoglu’s Dismissal Demanded by "Justice and Prosperity" party

 

President of the Turkish Science Company professor Yusuf Halacoglu has officially stated on an international conference in Kesaria, Turkey, that the ethnos of Kurds have Turkmen origin and the ethnos known as "Kurd-Alavis" are of Armenian origin.

 

This statement roused irritation among scientific and political circles of Turkey. Halacoglu was condemned by the leaders of the Kurdish "Democratic Society" organization, who in result of parliamentary elections of July 22 were admitted to the Parliament of Turkey. Alavi organizations were also quick to express their protest.

 

Deliberations about the statement still go on, and irritation it roused is escalating. It is remarkable that Prime Minister Erdogan’s party also condemns Halacoglu, accusing him for racism. In the meanwhile Turkish press reminds how in 2005 Halacoglu defamed Nobel Prize laureate Orhan Pamuk for his statements about massacres of Armenians and Kurds, how in 2006, after France adopted a low about the Armenian Genocide, he made a show about the genocide in Algeria and how he conealed the letters of Latife Khanum, the wife of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

 

Of all the publications on this issue in the Turkish press the article by "Hurriret" is the most remarkable. On August 21 "Hurriet" wrote that Halacoglu is not a plain person but he is the head of the Turkish Science Company, specializing in studies about "the alleged Armenian Genocide" and that Turkish authorities rely on his researches when defending their position on the Genocide. "In case Halacoglu’s last statement is estimated scientifically, Turkey’s situation will be miserable. It seems that we shall have go on in this struggle (against Armenian ‘allegations’ - Azg)" on the lowest scientific level, which surely shall lead us to defeat," adds "Hurriet".

 

According to "Gundem" newspaper, sociologist Ismail Besikci in connection with Halacoglu’s statements said, "People like Halacoglu think that 2x2 equals 5. His conclusions are anti-scientific and therefore are worth of no attention". Turkish Armenian writer Mkrtich Markosian said that Halacoglu is an obvious nationalist therefore his statements are worthless. According to "Radikal" professor Aktar thinks that Halacoglu, telling about Armenians turned to Islam because of deportation, de-facto confessed that the mass deportations took place indeed. And professor Oran said about Halacoglu, "Soon he will declare Adam and Eve Turkish, too".

 

"Democratic Society" representatives, who demanded dismissal of Halacoglu and and submitted a corresponding petition to the Parliament, now are joined by a great number of "Justice and prosperity" members. One of them said that Halacoglu’s statement about the origis of Kurds is pure racism and the Prosecutor’s Office shouldstart and investigation.

 

By the way, Halacoglu was appointed on his office in 1993, September 21. The candidatures to the post of the Science Company’s director are suggested by the Prime Minister and approved by the Education Council and the Government for one-year term. The Prime Minister is authorized to prolong this term each year. Possibly this year Prime Minister Erdogan will make a decision not to prolong Halacoglu’s term once more.

 

://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=81411

 

Historian Halaçoğlu accused of racism

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

 

 

Turkey History Institution chairman Halaçoğlu claims Kurds are converted Turkmen and Kurdish Alevis are converted Armenians. Alevi institutions, politicians demand his resignation and accuse him of racism

 

ISTANBUL-Turkish Daily News

 

 

There is no such thing as a Kurdish Alevi claimed Turkish History Institution chairman, Yusuf Halaçoğlu, whose comment prompted a demand for his resignation by the Alevi-Bektaşi institutions and the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP).

 

At a symposium titled “Avşars in Turkish History and Culture” Halaçoğlu argued that Kurds are Sunni and Alevis are Turkmen: “Kurds who live in Turkey are originally descendents of Turkmens, and Kurdish Alevis are originally Armenian,” he said. “Some of the ones in the eastern Anatolian cities of Tunceli and Sivas, who define themselves as Kurdish Alevis, are originally Armenian. Halaçoğlu also claimed that many members of the outlawed Turkish Workers and Peasants Liberation Army (TİKKO) and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) are converted Armenian Kurds.

 

“Some Armenians settled in some areas and defined themselves as Kurdish Alevis during the forced emigration in 1915,” Halaçoğlu said. “Many of them, who converted from Armenian origins to Kurdish Alevism, are not really sincere. It is known that they are trying to open a church. For example when some PKK members are arrested it becomes apparent that they are not circumcised. We have to be careful about where the terror comes from.”

 

 

 

Alevis, politicians demand Halaçoğlu be put on trial

 

Etyen Mahcupyan, editor in chief of bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, drew attention to the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural blend in Anatolia. “These cannot be accepted as a way to analyze the complexity. His explanations are not scientific and I do not care about them or take them seriously,” said Mahcupyan, stating that Anatolians have interacted and shared cultures and religions. “In this perspective, who are Turks?”

 

Alevi Bektaşi Federations president Selahattin Özel also agreed with Mahcupyan. “Nobody should take them seriously. This declaration has certain political purposes and it's racist,” he said adding that Alevism has no race or ethnic roots.

 

The DTP's deputy Akın Birdal, however, thinks racism should not be underestimated and a complaint should be filed against Halaçoğlu. “No conscious historian would do that. It is a political declaration with hidden purposes. It is against human rights.”

 

The DTP's president Ahmet Türk criticized Halaçoğlu at a press conference yesterday demanding that the government act against his racist and separatist declarations and remove him from office. “Halaçoğlu is unaware of history. Armenians had not been subjected to any suppression until 1914. After that they needed to hide their identities. Yet the roots of Kurdish or Turkish Alevism date back to the 1570s,” Türk said.

 

Like other Alevi institutions and politicians, the chairman of the Pir Sultan Abdal Association, Kazım Genç, evaluated Halaçoğlu's statements as racist and demanded his resignation. “Such a scientific and academic post has great responsibilities. One is to make scientific descriptions and research in accordance with his institution's goals. The institution's work, however, is far from being scientific ever since the coup d'etat took place on September 12, 1980.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Arpa]

Is it true that Halacoglu and Foxman are getting married?

A perfect match as it seems, as "scholarly historians" they are, they are both masters of speaking from their lower "mouths".

Edited August 22, 2007 by Arpa

[Stormig]

"Turkish Science Company"? I am at a loss for words. After Pan-Armenian, Azg needs to do some serious quality control with its translations.