Silencing the Turkish Spin

In the past two to three decades we have seen an avalanche of books by historians, genocide documentarians, jurors, journalists and human rights activists, in addition to eye witness testimonies, memoirs, poems, plays and movies about the mass killing and deportation of Ottoman Empire’s Armenians from 1915 to 1923.

Now comes a new Canadian book—“The Armenian Genocide Denied”–whose uniqueness is underlined by its subtitle, “a response to Turkey’s 13 propaganda spins.”
 

In the past two to three decades we have seen an avalanche of books by historians, genocide documentarians, jurors, journalists and human rights activists, in addition to eye witness testimonies, memoirs, poems, plays and movies about the mass killing and deportation of Ottoman Empire’s Armenians from 1915 to 1923.

Now comes a new Canadian book—“The Armenian Genocide Denied”–whose uniqueness is underlined by its subtitle, “a response to Turkey’s 13 propaganda spins.”
 

Anyone who has followed the Armenian national struggle to earn international recognition of the Genocide of Armenians is familiar with the Ankara propaganda machine’s boilerplate denials. Ms. Hajinian’s book, in addition to documenting the Genocide, lists thirteen of the most notorious distortions deployed by the Turkish side and then proceeds to demolish them, exposing them as patent falsehoods. Thus the litany of Turkish propaganda spins such as “historians dispute the veracity of the Genocide of Armenians,” “it’s up to historians to decide what happened,” “the UN didn’t acknowledge the Armenian Genocide,” “the Armenian Genocide was not state planned,” “the Turkish archives are open; Armenian archives are not,” “Armenian deaths were a result of communal violence” and “Armenians collaborated with Turkey’s enemies” are dissected and tossed into the rubbish heap through solid research and a deft touch.
 

The book should be a manual for Armenian lobbyists around the globe. It also belongs in every Armenian public, community, church, school and family library. Next time you hear or read any of the standard-issue Turkish lies in the media or elsewhere, open Ms. Hajinian’s book and quote its unchallengeable facts. It should help silence the Turkish state and its agents, including the half-dozen or so hired North American “historians” and hacks who shamelessly repeat Turkish fabrications.

In addition to eliminating the Turkish distortions, the book—a compilation of research, journalistic reportage and editorials—cites legal opinion by experts such as international jurist Alfred de Zayas and British judge Geoffrey Robinson QC, think pieces by leading Turkish journalists and columnists such as Orhan Kemel Cengiz, Ahmet Altan, Taner Akcam, and Umit Kardas. Other prominent writers whose writings are featured in the book are Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Oren in the “New York Review of Books,” Julia Pascal in “The Guardian,” Marilyn Henry in “The Jerusalem Post” and Robert Fisk in “The Independent.”

The book also includes Genocide-affirming editorials from the “New York Times,” The “Los Angeles Times,” the “Toronto Sun,” the “London Daily News,” “The Australian” and the “Sydney Morning Herald.”

A bonus for Canadians is the 25-page Canadian perspective which includes the incredible story of the Georgetown Boys, statements by federal, provincial, municipal declarations acknowledging the Genocide, and genocide coverage by leading Canadian media.

The 300-page book, published by the Armenian National Committee of Canada, is illustrated with 100 photos, many new to most general readers.

Price: $25 plus shipping ($10 in Canada, $15 in the US).
To order, write to: Armenian Community Centre, 45 Hallcrown Crescent, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Y4 Canada