ArmInfo. Gallipoli pilgrimage should be suspended, world known musician Serj Tankian stated in his article addressed to world community and published in Newshub edition.
To recall, the battle for the Turkish peninsula Gallipoli in 1915 was one of the local battles of the First World War and pursued the goal for the Entente to knock out the German allies of the Turks from the Dardanelles, withdraw it from the war and open the sea route to Russia. British and French troops fought on the side of the Entente, as well as military units of Australia and New Zealand (ANZAC), Senegalese, Indian units and even the Jewish Legion. But the battlefield remained for the Turks. Turkey has erected this victory to the rank of a great battle and convenes annually in memory of the fallen heads of various states and governments.
As Tankian stresses this week Alabama became the 49th US state (out of 50) to formally recognise the Armenian genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey in 1915. In Tankian`s opinion the government of Turkey, headed by its President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has spent millions of dollars annually in Washington and other capitals around the world lobbying against the recognition of the genocide, marring the memory of 1.5 million victims of this horrible tragedy during WWI. As an Armenian-American-Kiwi whose grandparents witnessed the atrocities first-hand, I've always seen Anzac tourist trips to Gallipoli simply as Turkish propaganda. I do respect families paying homage to their fallen heroes, but do not trust the intentions of modern-day Turkey's leaders. This week, in New Zealand, we experienced one of the most horrid episodes of our modern history with the shooting of innocent worshippers at the two mosques in Christchurch by a lone gunman with Australian citizenship (I also refuse to use his name). In the aftermath of the shooting we became aware that Erdogan has been repeatedly playing an edited version of the shooter's video at local election rallies and blatantly threatening New Zealanders and Australians with statements like, "Your grandparents came, some of them returned in coffins. If you come as well like your grandfathers, be sure that you will be gone like your grandfathers." Tankian appealed to decision makers around the world with a question: What is it going to take for you to realise that the appeasement of a corrupt despot who imprisons journalists, opposition leaders and minorities (mostly Kurds), has allowed ISIS access to hospitals and cafes in Istanbul, has blatantly killed ethnic Kurds within Turkey and in Syria, has denigrated women, been investigated for embezzlement and corruption, fired more than 100,000 teachers, police, professors, and vehemently denies the genocide of Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks, and on and on, will only lead to further devastation within his country and destabilisation within the whole region and the world?Seriously, what are you waiting for? Another genocide perhaps?, Tankian questions.
Successive US administrations along with the UK have allowed this maniac appeasement in return for supposed geopolitical advantage while Erdogan plays Putin, Trump and everyone else against each other. He's called European leaders Nazis for not allowing him and his cabinet members to give speeches to minority Turks in Europe while doing away with free speech in Turkey altogether.
In this light Tankian recalled that Hitler was appeased until he invaded Poland, and by some even thereafter, as we all know from our not-so- ancient history. When is it time to say enough? That we're not going to appease a tyrant for trade, perceived geopolitical advantage, sale of military Apache helicopters (in the case of the US), or whatever?, Tankian questions.
The USA in Tankian`s opinion has a proud history of independence, rational policies and need to take the higher moral road. So if the Erdogan government tries to appease our Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, with Orwellian double-speak(policy of double standards-ed.note), or tries to bribe us by offering to buy more goods or services, etc, we should simply say no!