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33ANTI-ARMENIAN ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY "ARMENOLOGICAL" DEPARTMENTS AND ANALYTICAL CENTRES IN TURKEY1
Arestakes Simavoryan
In foreign countries Armenian Studies in general have a number of important functions for Armeniancy, but in some cases they are distorted and made to serve anti-Armenian and anti-Armenological purposes. Today there are such "Armenological" centers abroad activities of which are different from others and have an adverse context. They can be described as anti-Armenological or pseudo-Armenological centers since they are engaged in anti-Armenian, anti-scientific and antipropaganda activities. Such institutions have been founded and operate in Turkey, Azerbaijan, and with their initiation and sponsorship, also in some other countries. The main purpose of these centers is to serve their political anti-Armenian interest in the information area. Thus, anti-Armenian centers disguised under the name of "Armenological" have a strategic meaning for Turkey.
Establishing "Armenological" university departments in the Republic of Turkey was brought forward in 1984 at the conference on the Armenian Question in Ataturk University of Erzurum (old Armenian city Karin that was subjected to the Genocide in Western Armenia)2.
During the last decade "Armenological" institutions were established in the faculties of humanities of several universities by the decision of the Government of Turkey at the suggestion of the superior body of institutions of higher education3. As a result of the decision several specialized institutional departments were created. The establishment of such centers was prompted by Turkey's denial policy against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by different countries in 1990-
1 This article was first published in issue II 2015, "Fundamental Armenology". * Head of the Centre for Armenian Studies, Noravank Foundation.
2 Ermeni Dili Bolumu ilk mezunlanni veriyor, Sabah, 31.05.2014.
3 ¿mjhphhp np^hu ommp ihqnt, http://www.aravot.am/2011/05/18/341858/
2000. As mentioned by the vice-rector of Erciyes University, prof. Metin Hulagu "... the purpose of opening an Armenian department is to prepare specialists able to work in the Armenian archives and to fight against the Armenian theses"1. Presently, such departments operate in the following universities:
• Department of "Armenian language and culture" of Ankara University (Ankara Üniversitesi Ermeni Dili ve Kültürü Anabilim Dal),
• Department of "Armenian language and literature" of Nevshehir University (Nev§ehir Üniversitesi Ermeni Dili ve Edebiyati Bölümü),
• Department of "Armenian language and literature" of Trakia University (Trakya Üniversitesi Ermeni Dili ve Edebiyati bölümü),
• Department of "Armenian language and literature" of Erciyes University (Erciyes Üniversitesi Ermeni Dili ve Edebiyati Bölümü):
The above-mentioned departments operate within the framework of educational programs and courses developed for the purposes of anti-Armenological strategy (research and translations are also carried out).
In 2001 the first "Armenological" department was established in Ankara University. Within the same year several other "Armenological" centers were founded that perform research, rather than educational functions. These were affiliate institutions to universities and research centers (e.g. "Research center of Turkish-Armenian relations" of Sakarya University, "Institute of Armenian Studies", etc.). The department of "Armenian language and culture" of Ankara University prepared researchers who were involved in the propaganda work within the framework of the "studies" carried out by the above-mentioned centers targeted at the denial of the Armenian Genocide. At the same time, in some universities research centers were established whose real purpose was the denial of the Armenian Genocide. Such centers are:
• Research center of "Turkish-Armenian relations" at Sakarya University (Sakarya Üniversitesi Türk-Ermeni Îli^kileri Araçtirma Merkezi),
• Research center of "Turkish-Armenian relations" at Ataturk University (Atatürk Üniversitesi Türk-ErmeniÎli^kileriAraçtirma Merkezi).
1 ^rnpm.^ m<iti_ t hmjtpth un^npt^ gmh^mgnq ^Unpqhtp^ pmhm^£, http://akunq.net/am/?p=13194:
2 http://www.dtcf.ankara.edu.tr/akademik_birim.php?ermeni-dili-ve-kulturu-anabilim-dali&bid=74&icerik =bolum_hakkinda&lang=tr#breadcrumb
One of the strategic goals of these two centers, involved in falsification, was to develop and spread abroad the thesis of "genocide" as if carried out against the Turks by the Armenians. It is no coincidence that the above-mentioned center of Ataturk University, which is in the city of Karin-Erzurum, occupied as a result of the Genocide and now considered the hotbed of Turkish nationalism, has established "museums of genocide" for that purpose in several villages1. These two centers have once cooperated with the "Armenian Institute" of Ankara and now they have closer ties with the department of "Armenology" of "Eurasian research center (Avrasya incelemeleri Merkezi, AViM).
It should be mentioned that the anti-Armenological activities in Turkey and Azerbaijan are not only used for the purpose of anti-Armenian propaganda, but also prepare personnel for different fields, including special services. Not only the "Armenological" centers of Turkey serve this purpose, but also certain specialists are sent to Armenological centers abroad for training. For example in 1999 a number of Turkish specialists were sent to Saint Petersburg University to study the Armenian language in order to open the chair of "Armenian language and literature" in Ankara University to prepare Armenologists [1, tg 170]. Behind these steps "one can clearly see Turkey's certain political and long-term intelligence goals and tasks directed at training of present and future employees and agents of Turkish special services in linguistic and area studies for the purpose of carrying out effective intelligence activities against Armenia" [1, tg 170].
As a probable place of employment also the Turkish Historical Society and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey are mentioned, which have a demand of personnel with command of Armenian language2. To provide the departments Turkish universities with lecturers, specialists of Armenian language and literature are invited from abroad, particularly from Georgia and Azerbaijan3.
When in 2011 at the initiative of MFA of Turkey, Kadir Has University (financed also by the USA German Marshall Fund in the US - $32,500) faced the problem of preparing diplomats knowing Armenian4, the efforts of staffing it with
1 There is such a museum in the village Yeshilyayla (old Armenian name - Artsati).
2 Ermeni Dili Bolumu ilk mezunlarini veriyor, Sabah, 31.05.2014.
3 Ibid.
4 Kadir Has'ta ucretsiz Ermenice kurslari ba§liyor sirada Kurt^e var» (18.05.2011), http://www.haberturk.com/ yazarlar/pervin-kaplan/631678-kadir-hasta-ucretsiz-ermenice-kurslari-basliyor-sirada-kurtce-var.
lecturers had been in vain as a result of which the opening of the department of "Armenology" was temporarily suspended1. Now it does not work as an "Armenolo-gical" department, but instead offers courses of Armenian language2. Compared to state institutions of higher education the analytical institutions carry out another kind of work. In the past, the research work of the most of numerous analytical centers, including the "close analytic" groups, was mainly focused on gathering information about the developments in the Armenian Diaspora and mostly the activity of ASALA3. This information was processed for anti-Armenian purposes. Presently political and strategic problems concerning the Armenian-Turkish relations, the Armenian Genocide, the Diaspora and in general Armenia and Armeniancy have become the subject matter of anti-Armenian research of Turkish analytical institutions as well.
The "intellectual products" (articles, books, reports) full of falsification, published by around 10 research centers4 in the course of the last five years can be divided in two parts "historical" and modern. In the so-called "historical" studies and investigations of modern problems, the problems of the history of Armenia are being distorted from the positions of Pan-Turkism and neo-Osmanism5 in order to deny the Armenian Genocide and information warfare is carried out against the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.
1 ¿mjhphhp np^hu ommp ib^nt, http://www.aravot.am/2011/05/18/341858/
2 http://www.khas.edu.tr/egitim/yasam-boyu-egitim-merkezi/komsu-diller-akademisi/ermenice-dil-kursu.html
3 Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia.
4 Fund of social and strategic research" («KÖK Sosyal ve Stratejik Ara§tirmalar Vakfi-KÖKSAV»-founded in 1991), "New Turkey strategic research center" (Yeni Türkiye Stratejik Ara§tirma Merkezi»-founded in 1994), "Turkish center of international relations and strategic analyses" («Türkiye Uluslararasi Ili§kiler Ve Stratejik Analizler Merkezi-TURKSAM»-founded in 2004), "Eurasian research center" (Avrasya incele-meleri Merkezi, AViM»-founded in 2009), "Turkish-Asian strategic research center" (Türk Asya Stratejik Ara§tirmalar Merkezi-TASAM»-founded in 2004), "Political social strategic research fund of the Turkish Academy" («Türk Akademisi Siyasi Sosyal Stratejik Ara§tirmalar Vakfi-TASAV»-founded in 2012), "21st century Turkish Institute" («21 Yüzyil Türkiye Enstitüsü»-founded in 2005), "Strategic research center of Erciyes University" (Erciyes üniversitesi Stratejik Ara§tirmalar Merkezi-ERUSAM»-founded in 2011), "Research center of Turkish-Armenian relations" of the University of Ataturk (Atatürk Üniversitesi«Türk-Ermeni ili§kileri Ara§tirma Merkezi»-founded in 2001), "Eurasian economic relations association" («Avrasya Ekonomik Ili§kiler Dernegi»-founded in 2006).
5 Taking into consideration the denial of the Armenian Genocide in Turkish historiography it has been mentioned that "presently the question of the Armenian Genocide is problem number 1 of Turkish historiography towards which it implements a systematic policy".(ß-ntpphpp pntpphp^ Umu^h, hmmnp hppnpq: ^rnqUnq U JuJpmq^p ft. Utipnhjmh, bpUmh, 2011, t2 3):
"Historical" "research" is carried out either in the affiliate research-analytical centers at universities (e.g. in the research centers of "Turkish-Armenian relations" in Sakarya and Ataturk universities), or in the think tanks specialized in anti-Armenological questions.
Among Turkish think tanks the largest "Armenological" center engaged in the problems of "historical" and modern periods was the Institute for Armenian Studies, founded in Ankara and operated in 1999-2009 in cooperation with Turkey's "Eurasian Center for Strategic Studies" (ASAM). As noted by Haykaram Nahapet-yan: "Although the structure is called Institute for Armenian Studies, however, its functions do not completely fit its name. One can not even speak about objective research on the subjects of Armenian civilization, culture and history. The structure is mainly engaged in carrying out works to deny the Armenian Genocide and conducting research to reveal propagandistic, social-political activities and economic capabilities of the Armenian Diaspora"1.
The activities of "Institute for Armenian Studies" were terminated in 2009 and it was incorporated into the Centre for Eurasian Studies (AVIM) (established the same year by the Turkmeneli Cooperation and Cultural Foundation in Ankara). AVIM is also involved in the publication of two journals, which were established by "Institute for Armenian Studies" ["Journal of Armenian studies" (in Turkish, first publication in 2001) and "Review of Armenian Studies" (in English, first publication in 2002)]2. Publications in these journals are prevailingly about the denial of the Armenian Genocide, evidencing the fact that they still continue to work by the principles adopted by the "Institute of Armenian Studies" of Ankara. Besides the Turkish authors, Azerbaijani and several western authors also publish their articles, some of whom are also included in the advisory boards to lend "international" character to the periodicals. The anti-Armenian propagandistic publications are not limited to these periodicals. The center also prepares similar works as a daily bulletin. It can be seen that together with the Turkish falsifiers several foreign "specialists" are consolidated around these journals (e.g. Jean-Luis Mattei [2, pp. 6592], Derk Jan van der Linde [3, pp. 123-151], Jeremy Salt [4, pp. 65-75], Maxime
1 See the details in: Haykaram Nahapetyan, Institute for Armenian Studies in Ankara, http://www.noravank.am/eng/articles/security/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=3486
2 http://www.esiweb.org/index.php?lang=en&id=322&debate_ID=4&slide_ID=15
Gauin [5, pp. 127-145], et al.), who in their effort to propagate the Turkish misinformation, invented falsified theses serving the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide, neglecting the fact that Western Armenia is the largest part of the Armenian Homeland and the genocide was committed against Armenians in their Homeland.
The founder of the former "Institute of Armenian Studies" affiliate to "21st century Turkish Institute" and ASAM, member of the party "National Movement", Umit Ozdagh who was engaged in anti-Armenian topics for years, considering that the work carried out for the effective distribution of the Turkish "theses" abroad was so far unsatisfactory, suggests training foreign young "scientists" for protecting the interests of Turkey and involving famous "historians" choosing them from target countries (particularly from the USA, Great Britain, France, Spain, Latin America, Lithuania, Germany, China and Japan). Ozdagh is convinced that with Turkey's sponsorship and support they will have an opportunity to publish pro-Turkish works in dozens of languages and contribute to the establishment of Turkish research institutes in the above-mentioned countries1.
Together with the activity of the anti-Armenological centers the following private analytical centers with other research fields, also appear in the range of the anti-Armenian propaganda:
• Foundation for social and strategic research (KÖK Sosyal ve Stratejik Aragtir-malar Vakfi KÖKSAV-established in 1991)
• New Turkey strategic research center (Yeni Türkiye Stratejik Aragtirma Merkezi-founded in 1994)
• Turkish-Asian strategic research center (Türk Asya Stratejik Aragtirmalar Merkezi-TASAM-founded in 2003)
• Turkish center of international relations and strategic analyses (Türkiye Ulus-lararasi Iligkiler Ve Stratejik Analizler Merkezi-TURKSAM- founded in 2004)
• Political social strategic research fund of the Turkish Academy (Türk Akade-misi Siyasi Sosyal Stratejik Aragtirmalar Vakfi-TASAV-founded in 2012)
• Strategic research center (Birlik Stratejik Aragtirmalar Merkezi BiRSAM-founded in 2014)
1 Ümit Özdag, Dig igleri Bakanina A5ik Mektup veya 2015'e Dogru Yeni Bir Büyük Strateji Önerisi,
http://www.21yyte.Grg/arastirma/milli-guvenlik-ve-dis-politika-arastirmalari-merkezi/2013/04/29/6972/dis
-isleri-bakanina-acik-mektup-veya-2015e-dogru-yeni-bir-buyuk-strateji-
What is general for such analytical centers is that the research concerning the Republic of Armenia and Armenians are mainly periodic, in other cases - casual or situational. Most of it is carried out by the subdivisions called "Caucasian", "regional", etc. Thus, in the area of anti-Armenian research, think tanks have a great role, offering a supplementary potential.
From the perspective of institutional ties the level of cooperation between the Turkish institutions engaged in Armenian studies or educational activity (whether they are university departments or analytical centers) is high. They work with the principle of complementarity which gives an opportunity to perform several key functions in the field of anti-Armenian policy: training of personnel, planning and accomplishment of strategic goals, implementation of joint programs, conferences, etc.
The above-mentioned anti-Armenological Turkish centers carry out a large-scale propaganda activity both in Turkey and abroad, serving the anti-Armenian policy of the Turkish government in information warfare.
Taking into account this fact, it should be mentioned that the real Ar-menological centers have great significance in conditions of current information warfare for unmasking and confronting the Turkish-Azerbaijani encroachments against Armenian history, culture and other fields of Armenology, which is one of the important problems of modern Armenology [6, tg 29; 7, tg 102]. It concerns not only the protection of interests of Armenia and the Diaspora in the international arena, but also the informational safety of Armenians. Thus, the "achievements of Armenian Studies should become a reliable stronghold for the further strengthening of Armenian statehood and against anti-Armenian pseudoscience and propaganda" [8, tg 91].
It has to be also mentioned that in the Republic of Armenia scholars of Armenian Studies and the specialists and experts of information safety [9; 10, pp. 78-101; 11, pp.105-131; 12, tg 84-86; 13, tg 24-35, 14; 15, pp.121-124; 16, etc] discover and unmask the Turkish falsifications, the methods and mechanisms of their implementation.
February, 2016
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