Turkish genealogy database fascinates, frightens Turks

 Fehim Tastekin

During the days when Turkey still hoped to join the European Union, its people were becoming willing to question their ethnic and religious ancestry. Since then, the country has reverted to a time when people were disgraced and denigrated, with the government’s blessings, as “crypto-Armenians."

Hrant Dink was the editor of the Armenian-language newspaper Agos in 2004 when he wrote that Sabiha Gokcen, the first female military pilot of the Turkish Republic, was of Armenian parentage. Because of this and other articles he penned, Dink found himself the subject of investigation by the Justice Ministry. He was assassinated in 2007 for reasons thought to be related to his strong support for Armenian causes.

Armenian animosity rekindled through PKK terror

Pinar Tremblay

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu gave a searing speech Feb. 27 on the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in the eastern province of Bingol. In his speech he accused the Kurds of taking advantage of the situation in the southeastern border towns of Sur and Silopi. "They are collaborating with Russia like the Armenian gangs used to do. They are opening a diplomatic mission in Moscow," he said.

Erdoğan Under Fire for "Anti-Armenian Slur"

Turkish Prime Minister — and presidential hopeful — Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sparked an outcry on Wednesday, August 6, 2014 after using what critics said was a racist slur against Armenians in a television interview.

During a live interview on the private NTV channel late Tuesday, Erdoğan  complained that the opposition was carrying out a smear campaign against him by claiming that he was from another ethnic origin.

“They called me a Georgian. Pardon me for saying this, but they said even uglier things: They called me an Armenian!” Erdoğan  said.

“As far as I have learned from my father and grandfather, I am a Turk,” he added.