This is, without a doubt, a vital part of the process of reconciliation with the past, setting the record straight, thereby giving future generations perspectives cleansed of irrational enmities and hatred for other ethnicities and nations.
Some small steps have been encouraging. The news that the Ministry of Education will issue new directives on deleting expressions such as "so-called Armenian genocide," "Armenian cruelties," etc., in favor of the "events of 1915" type of relatively neutral terms must be welcomed and endorsed.
But, famously, Turkey has been zigzagging on the sensitive issue. In the past two weeks, the vulnerable Armenian minority, mainly based in greater İstanbul, has felt the frustration of a communiqué issued by the same ministry about a DVD called "Sarı Gelin" (referring to an old Armenian song "Sari Gyalin", later adopted into Turkish), which directs all elementary schools to show it to pupils and report back to the ministry that they have done so by the end of February.
The documentary is a highly controversial one, giving the official Turkish version of the tragic events around 1915, filled with a fierce anti-Armenian rhetoric and extremely disturbing images of violence. The European edition of Time magazine, which had distributed the DVD to its readers in a campaign sponsored by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO), apologized afterwards for doing so.
Many Turkish families felt irritated that their kids would be shown the material because of the risk of traumatizing them. But the real problem was within the Armenian community, whose children are also taught the same curriculum and have to see the controversial material.
Last week, an open letter signed by 500 people, mainly Turkish-Armenians, was sent to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It said the following:
"Given the way in which the said documentary brings up the issue, it would definitely fuel hatred and animosity and thereby raise the already existing anti-Armenian sentiments in society, by instigating violent and discriminatory rhetoric instead of providing an insight into historical facts. As you know, the appellation Armenian has long denoted evil and the origin of malice in Turkey … Under such circumstances, showing the said documentary to minors still at primary school age would serve for nothing save bequeathing new generations erroneous value judgments.
"We cannot understand what objectives of the General Staff or the Education Ministry would be served by fueling hatred and animosity against Armenians and by instilling anti-Armenian sentiments in our children's minds through DVDs prepared by the General Staff and manifestly intended to prove that Armenians are to be blamed for 1915 incidents. If this work is destined to convince world states and nations, said DVDs should be shown abroad and not in Turkey. If this initiative is a step undertaken before April 24 against the Armenian administration or the Armenian diaspora, it is clearly set to be detrimental but not beneficial. On the contrary, if the objective is to oppress and intimidate Turkish Armenians, this would not befit the Republic of Turkey or comply with the principle of state government by the rule of law. We have been inhabitants of this land for ages; we are the citizens of the Republic of Turkey and not refugees or protégés -- as claimed by some circles.
"Mr. Prime Minister, this practice will cause the greatest harm to Armenian students who pursue their education together with their Turkish friends at state schools or private primary education institutions. One without first-hand experience would not know what permanent injury and damage would be incurred by the psychology of a child who is so accused and on whom all looks are riveted in a crowded classroom. We expect you to show humane compassion towards the problems of the children who are your fellow citizens in the same manner you have done towards the pains of the children of other countries. In the same manner, it is evident that showing this documentary in the primary schools of the Armenian minority, where all pupils are Armenian, would inflict a feeling of low esteem, culpability and exclusion on the students. Obliging children at the age of primary education to watch a documentary that defines their ancestors as traitors, and their agnates as libelists, is not only in violation of contemporary human and minority rights, but also of children's rights."
The letter had an impact. The ministry issued a statement, late on Wednesday, that the DVDs were meant to be sent to "history teachers," for their use as complementary material, not to be shown to the pupils. It said that the ministry had stopped distribution last year because "abuse" had been detected.
It is hard to be fully satisfied with this response. The implementation must be monitored further by the press, and the question must be asked regarding why on earth such controversial propaganda material would be of use to the teachers themselves.
