Turkey should apologize before Armenians: Hasan Cemal

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS: It is necessary that Turkey understands the pain felt by the Armenians, survived the year of 1915, shares it and presents to the society ahead of the forthcoming year of 2015. Armenpress reports that the Turkish journalist and publicist Hasan Cemal wrote about it in an article published in the Turkish T24, touching upon the 100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the Turkey’s position on the issue.

“Armenians are people from Anatolia. Their roots and the motherland are from Anatolia. Armenians, like the Kurdish people, had lived in Anatolia before the Turkish appeared there. The truth is that Turkey has not yet accepted the fact that the Armenians were cut off their roots and the motherland in 1915”, - writes Hasan Cemal.

“The border between Armenia and Turkey should be opened. Diplomatic relations should be established between the two countries. These two steps should be made without any preconditions. Turkey, as a state, should apologize before the Armenians”, - states Cemal.

Hasan Cemalis a Turkish journalist, writer and grandson ofCemal Pasha.He was the editor ofCumhuriyetfrom 1981 to 1992, and ofSabahfrom 1992 to 1998. In 2013 he resigned from theMilliyetnewspaper after Prime MinisterRecep Tayyip Erdoğanhad criticized his article supportingMilliyets publication of minutes of a parliamentary visit to Öcalan, andMilliyetsuspended him and refused to publish his returning column.

He is best known for acknowledging and apologizing for theArmenian Genocide, a crime which was perpetrated by Pasha. His 2012 book on the subject (written in response to the 2007 assassination of his friendHrant Dink) is titled1915: Ermeni Soykırımı(English:1915: Armenian Genocide).

Hasan Cemal was born in 1944 inIstanbul, Turkey.In 1965, Cemal graduated fromAnkara Universitywith a Political Science Degree.

Hasan Cemal always believed in the official Turkish governmental narrative that the genocide did not occur.However, after Hassan Cemal traveled to Armenia and visited the Armenian Genocide memorial, he published a book entitled“1915: The Armenian Genocide”. The book would go on to be a bestseller in Turkey.Cemal remarked in his book, “To deny the Genocide would mean to be an accomplice in this crime against humanity.”

The book highlights Cemal's "personal transformation" and his experiences in Armenia.While Cemal was in Armenia, he had an opportunity to meet and have lunch with Armen Gevorkyan, the grandson of the man who assassinated his grandfatherCemal Pashain 1922.

Cemal would eventually apologize to all Armenians for the Armenian Genocide.Cemal also has insisted that the Turkish government should also apologize to the Armenians for the Armenian Genocide as well.