The Russian Empire forced the local people to migrate to the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of the annexation of Crimea in 1783 when the Crimean state collapsed. Russia also seized the North Caucasus on May 21, 1864 and subsequently subjected the local people to a campaign of genocide and forced deportation. The Adiges, Wubihs, Abkhazs and Karaçay-Balkars lost 95 percent of their populations during the war and subsequent developments as well as the forced migration to the Ottoman state. The 93 War, which actually took place in 1877-78, disrupted the overall situation in the Ottoman Empire despite lasting for less than a year. The 93 War, which was fought both on the Danube and Caucasian fronts, is considered one of the incidents that initiated the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. In the aftermath of the war, more than 1 million people had to migrate from the South Caucasus and the Balkans to Anatolia.
There were continuous forced migrations from Crimea, the Balkans and the North and South Caucasus to Anatolian territories after the annexation of Crimea in 1783, the Caucasus-Russian War in 1864, the 93 War, the Balkan War (1912-13), World War I (1914-18) and during the republican era. These forced migrations have shaped Turkey's demographic structure, economy, history and cultural situation. The Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Middle East and Central Asia are geographically close to Turkey. If these areas get the flu, Turkey becomes sick. Those who were subjected to deportation and genocide have found peace and relief in Turkey.
Turkish society, which is unaware of the events of 1783, 1864, the 93 War and 1913, knows those of 1915 because of the Armenian genocide claims. Why is Turkey always defensive vis-à-vis these allegations? Why is Turkey afraid of its history? Turkey should never fear its past because more than half of the Turkish population are actually sons and grandsons of people who were subjected to ethnic cleansing, genocide and deportation.
Nations and groups that were subjected to such merciless campaigns and subsequently had to migrate to Turkey in the last 150 years include Adiges, Wubihs, Karaçay-Balkars and Kosaks, Abkhazs from the northwest Caucasus; Chechens, Dagestanis and Ossets from the northeast Caucasus; Karabaghs, Azeris, Ahıskans, Terekemes, Kalpaks, Acaras and Georgians from the South Caucasus; Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians and Belorussians from north of the Black Sea; Balkan Turks, Albanians, Bosnians, Pomaks, Ulahs, Torbeşs and Macedonians from the Balkans, Arabs and Jews from Spain; Turks from Crete, Rhodes and other Aegean islands; Cypriot Turks from Cyprus; Turks, Palestinians and Kurds from the Middle East; Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs and Tajiks from Central Asia and Uyghurs from the Far East.
In fact, Anatolia has been the homeland of those migrants subjected to injustice and deportation in their native lands. So why does Turkey fail to address these facts? Why does it fail to erect a monument in remembrance of those who were murdered in these vicious events? Why does it not make any attempt to do this? Who are we waiting for?
Armenians constitute the only item on Turkey's agenda. Some Turkish intellectuals have adopted a pro-Armenian tragedy discourse. What about the tragedy of the people constituting more than half of the people of Turkey, those who were forced to migrate to the country? Turkish intellectuals should emphasize the pains of Turkey's neighbors, but they should also be interested in the tragedy of their fellow brothers. It should be stressed that Armenians were relocated rather than deported because they were displaced within the Ottoman territories out of necessity. Because of the conditions of World War I, they were forced to move from Anatolia to the Middle East. They were not deported; however, the Turk and Muslim migrants were deported.
On Aug. 7, 1982, two terrorists from the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA) carried out an attack at Esenboğa Airport. The Esenboğa attack was the first act by ASALA in Turkey. Attacks carried out by Armenian terrorists against Turkish diplomats started in 1973. During the period between 1973 and 1994, bodies of Turkish diplomats arrived in coffins covered by Turkish flags from 13 countries and 17 cities (Rome, Marseilles, Lisbon, Burgas, Belgrade, Brussels, Athens, Lyon, Paris, Sydney, Copenhagen, Geneva, Los Angeles, Ottawa, Boston, Vienna and Tehran). What did we do to commemorate the memory of the martyrs killed by Armenian terrorists at Esenboğa Airport on Aug. 7, 1982? Nothing. Not even a plaque was installed anywhere in the airport for this purpose. We have not dedicated a corner to them. We have not placed any photo of them anywhere at the airport. Not even a single small statute was erected. No Aug. 7 sirens were sounded to mark a moment of silence for their memories.
A special day should be set aside in Turkey to commemorate our ancestors. Even though public memory is weak, the state and the intellectuals should have a strong and sharp memory. Intellectuals apologizing to the Armenians should also be aware of the pains their ancestors suffered from. Armenians are close neighbors of Turkey. They are like part of a family suffering from temporary disagreements. For this reason, the acts of terror organizations and radicals cannot be attributed to the Armenian people. However, we should remember that not only Armenians but also Turks have suffered in the last century.
