Sunday, March 24 2019 20:10

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!