Taner Akcam, a Turkish historian and critic of Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide, gave a lecture titled ‘The Armenian Genocide as Part of a Demographic Policy’, The Armenian Weekly reports.

Lebanese parliament MPs, ARF Dashnaktsutyun representatives, academicians, professors as well as Armenian community leaders attended the lecture.

In his speech Akcam underlined “Turkey’s demographic policy was not solely directed at its Armenian population, began Akcam, since alongside the Armenians were other Christian peoples, non-Turkic Muslims, and Kurds, stalling Turkish plans. He noted that the demographic policy's main goal was to create a homogeneous Turkish society, prompting the ruling party to apply various policies, examples of which are the displacements and deportations. Within one week, the homes of the deportees were repopulated by Muslims, while Armenian-owned lands and properties were either nationalized or sold (to create a wealthy class), and the financial resources were used to sponsor the war effort. These policies were not reactions to the war. They were carefully drafted plans, clearly mapped out, and with a pan-Islamic focus. The rulers of the Ottoman Empire were careful not to directly involve themselves in these policies; that way, masking the truth or blaming others would be an easier task.”

Akcam also added that Armenia-Turkey dialogue “would not be solved through financial reparations alone. If reparations were given and Turkey continued to ignore the rights of its minorities, then essentially nothing will have changed”, the source reads.

Akcam is an author of 11 books and articles about Genocide, crimes in Ottoman Empire and nationalistic policy of present Turkey.

A.G.