Western "deportation."

[DominO123]

It is claimed by denialists that not all the Armenians have been deported, and that only those in the Eastern zone, those in the "war" front have been deported, and that the deportation was done because of security measures.

 

This is interesting, since from Djemal own memoirs, one find an indication that soon after the deportation order issued, the Armenian more on the west have been ordered to be deported as well.

 

Djemal writes:

 

When, after the deportation of the Armenians of Anatolia, the civil athorities received the command to deport all the Armenians from Adana to Aleppo, I repeatedly opposed this measure. I wrote a detailed report on this subject to Constantinople, explaining that I could see no necessity for such a measure, and that in my opinion, such action was bound to have the worst possible influence on the economy, and especially on the agricultural situation in the territory of the 4th Army.

 

Memoirs of a Turkish Statesman, 1913-1919 Djemal *****, George Doran Co., New York, 1922, p.278

 

 

Djemal even say that he has seen no reason that could justify such decision. It is clear that security claims for such a measure could not hold whatever, given that even Djemal one of the head of the CUP was not aware of any things that could justify this deportation.

 

Taner Akçam gives more examples and evidences in his work on the decision of evacuation of the Armenians from the Western zone, far far away from the military zone.

[DominO123]

Those deportations refered in Djemal memoirs, were not necessarly from his point of view(the point of view of one of the 3 individual controling the Ottoman government).

 

So, they were not taken as military measure, and second, those deportations would affect the region economy seriously. There should have been a serious reason why those Armenians were deported. This reason from what he say was not military.

 

So what was this reason? I mean, what could motivate a such a drastic decision that would affect very seriously the region, what could be that reason if it was not because of fear of Armenian rebellion?

 

Any denialist should start questing this before engaging in any other pseudo-analysis.

[bellthecat]

It is claimed by denialists that not all the Armenians have been deported, and that only those in the Eastern zone, those in the "war" front have been deported, and that the deportation was done because of security measures.

And it might also be worthwile thinking about why this fact is not given greater emphasis in literature about the Armenian genocide. Why Turks have not made more of it is obvious, but why the silence form Armenians? Surely it must be because Armenians have been making just as much propaganda out of the Armenian genocide as Turkey has. But for Armenians, since 1918 it has been all about getting back (or making a moral claim to) territory in eastern Turkey. So it is irrelevant for them that most of the Armenians killed or deported during the genocide did not live in eastern Turkey.

[Nakharar]

The military reason is just a pretext to conceal their real motives for the deportation. There was probably no better period to eliminate the Armenian population than during the First World War, where the likely benefactors of the Armenians were in the opposing camp facing the Ottoman Empire and Germany. Given the precarious situation of Armenians as being brandmarked for treachery and with no hope of external support the CUP seized the chance that it got. The pretenses and legal jingoisms that they have been using are very intelligent and are still effective to this day muddling the minds of third parties. The civil war hypothesis and the war zone explanation for example.

 

Those memoirs by Djemal and Talaat *****'s were written not as testimonies but as accounts to clear them of any guilt whatsoever and curry the favours of the Western powers. Especially Djemal ***** given his political clout is in no position to claim innocence and evade responsibility. The extreme measures he took in surpressing the Maronite revolt in Lebanon and the massacre of civilians there is evident.

 

The reasons for recognition varies from person to person. I agree with you that few Armenians are interested in recognition as a moral restitution but want to get something in return (material gains, territory, who knows?). I find this self-destructive for our own psyche. A simple and sincere apology from the Turkish side will suffice for me. That is from anyone who wants to make an apology on behalf of their ancestors. They don't have to and I can understand if they don't want to use that highly charged word. As long as they or anyone else accepts that it is morally wrong to kill innocent people for whatever justification.

Edited November 25, 2003 by Nakharar

[DominO123]

Interesting observation Steve, one of Taner Akçam central points is about questioning why Armenians far far away the Eastern front were deported, and at the time that the armenian literature about the genocide started, the motive was clear, it was to return in the encestral land that is situated in Eastern Turkey, there was no reason for them to devloppe about the "Western" Armenians. The Turks have used this silence in their own adventages, when this is one of the strongest arguments that there was more a lot more than a military measure for the deportation.

 

Nakharar, you seem knowledgeable about this topic, yes! Djemal has a part in the responsabilities, it is not because he was the less worst comparing him with the rest of the government official that it makes him innocent.