Sukru Server Aya is an amazing researcher with a ton of wit, wisdom and style. His research into Turkish-Armenian History resulted the monumental book titled 'The Genocide Of Truth'. Currently he writes regularly at this Website (Armenians-1915.blogspot.com), and has a new book coming up soon. Sukru bey is the kindest soul I have ever met, and his talent has been beyond inspirational to so many of us at this Website.
I happened to have met him at a Conference in Istanbul many years ago although we hadn't known each other then, in relation to his articles at this website. So, neither him nor I actually knew that one day in the future he'd be the major content contributor at a website where I'd be also doing some voluntary work.
What struck me most was (and still is) his determination to get to unearth the truth, and it is no such coincidence that the truthfulness is also represented in the title of his exceptional book.
We have exchanged hundreds of emails, and this website has consulted him on many occasions over the years. He has always helped us and commented in the posts when needed, even when he was on overseas trips, he has kept himself available for us to contact him and clarify many sticky points we couldn't get any answers otherwise.
I must admit that he has more energy and determination than myself and any of the editors here.
Before I present you with this exclusive interview, I do have a confession to make:
The following interview questions are not being prepared by the editorial team here. We've just wanted the questions to come from our dedicated readers in order to be unique.
Thank you Sukru bey, for sharing your thoughts with us and continually contributing content to this Website, which simply couldn't be as worthy and as informative without your part.
Lara Kaplan, Editor (NSW, Australia)
Sukru bey, how would you describe the Armenian question, to our readers please?
The Armenian question is a product of European (French Liberty) inspirations, exploited by Imperial Powers such as Russia-Britain-France for their own hidden objectives. The founders of Hunchak, ARF, Ramgavar etc. were idealists but they were risking the lives of “mostly satisfied Turkish Armenians, who were the top class”. In every deal of “freedom” there is the heavy role of CASH. The true unanswered question is: "Did the Revolutionists employ ruthless methods of “money collection” for their “sacred cause”?…." Or it was “that they needed a sacred excuse to collect CASH unquestionably and use as they alone, see fit” and “profitable for those in the management”.
How did you decide to work and write on the subject?
I was a globetrotter because of my importer-distributor business and had an amateur interest in WWI and WWII history. My selection and reprints of articles in the National Geographic about Armenia-Turkey Relations goes back to 1990.(some 2000 pages).I started reading more after the Paris Orly Trial in 1985, but of course I heard about it in 1973 with the first act of terror in L.A. , and the March 2004 article in the National Geographic on Armenia and distortion of Geography with Politics was when my fuse blew off, seeing the unbelievable ignorance and "Who Cares" in the Turkish community, which still persists! Soccer player XYZ has a thousand times more interest in the media and public interest!
I only wrote business letters, operation manuals, no short stories or literature. I still do not want to classify myself as a writer, I am no writer, I am a good reader, get mad at the mistakes and sloppy researches of some reputed names or scholars, and I only compile and share it with readers like me, to show that we are no dupes, (as the Reno Evening Gazette Nov.14,1915 correspondent had rightly warned)!
How would define your approach to Turkish-Armenian History?
We only had (and have) wonderful friendly relations with Armenians and I was not even aware of these matters until very lately, starting in 1973 with the first act of terror. "Truth" is a "Relative Finding" depending from where you approach, what are your sources, do you really want to uncover the TRUTH as much as you can, or simply search for some writings to support your prejudice. In that sense I think that I Am The Only Turk that has depended on either neutral or anti-Turkish (mostly Armenian-American) sources, disregarding the monumental researches of neutral scholars which were later tagged as "Denialist" and scorned "For Not Having Supported" the "Genocide Fanfare".!What are the most illuminating primary sources and historians’ analysis on this issue?
Although there are several excellent historians (Justin McCarthy, Stanford Shaw, Selahi Sonyel, Jeremy Salt, Heath Lowry, Guenter Lewy, Turkaya Ataov, Samuel Weems, Kamuran Gurun and many to enlist - see bibliography of my book) I have preferred to depend on the "Official Documents, Memorandums, Conference Notes, Declarations, Correspondence etc." minimizing the "General Opinions Or Remarks Of Scholars Which Are Heavily Based On Rumors And Not Evidences". They do not know me, because I am no scholar, but I know and read most of them. I enjoy it very much to catch their mistakes, and sometimes distortions and even lies.! You will soon have two books proving what I mean. As I said, "I do not lecture, I do not insist on anything but Share The Knowledge" because what we believe to be "True Today" can become "Wrong When Other Stronger Evidences Surface"...And thanks to you, they keep on coming and floating like lotus flowers on murky history waters. I Sometimes read on forums that these people whose ancestors had been massacred by Armenians or who had heard stories about these untold past of the Armenians. Have you got any such stories? Do you have ancestors were the victims of this violence?
I have too many dependable stories of many friends whose ancestors have been massacred or they barely escaped. However many Armenians have similar stories, and many of them can be true, while others may be fabricated or exaggerated for the purpose. It is wrong to treat this matter “Racially”. People of the same regions have similar habits and reactions; race and faith can only become an excuse or brainstorm. My family did not live in those parts. My uncle died at Gallipoli, my father was saved being a seaman and posted on the famous battleship “Goeben”, as a shoe repairer.I remember that during early 1940’s we hosted an Armenian mother and son for almost a year from Iran, until they could go to USA. However, after they went, they never dropped us a note despite our warm and long hospitality. We knew nothing on such matters in our childhood, and most of the Turks still know nothing!
I’ve read some of your articles. (Armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2006/06/sukru-server-ayas-collection.html )
Your approach in this matter is often different from others, because you bring new material to the surface or show a refreshing look. Where do you get the energy and inspiration for this all?
Throughout my life I had, and still have friends (and relations) of different races or faiths, Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Pakistanis, Americans, Germans etc! What counts is the personal character, ethics and reciprocal respect of the human! I do not remember a single negative incident with any Armenians or other nationalities and I am against this pure blood nonsense. I am openly against racial or religious discrimination and I get angry at “Diaspora’s Continuous Boiling This Kettle Or Hatred Instead Of Love And Compassion”! .Of course, they have a “Good Benefit In It”. My inspiration, is “ The Fear To Defend The Wrong Or Untrue” and to be cautious and check with many sources, before arriving to temporary conclusions which will change when new evidence surfaces.What has been your drive to expose the distorted Armenian history and their supporters?
I am just sharing my knowledge or compilation, with the rest of the decent world. I am sure you can find alike distortions almost in all histories. My conclusions heavily depend on Armenian, neutral and official documentation, disregarding the thousands of Turkish archival documents or works of neutral scholars who have observed the “Armenian network of planned” distortions and propaganda by all means.Which book (or article, video, film) has impressed you the most? Are there any specific books you would recommend to the readers of Armenians-1915.blogspot?
I highly credit the books in your E-library ( http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/search/label/Free%20E-Books%20And%20Docs ), but my favorite writers are Akaby Nassibiam, Jeremy Salt, James Grabill, A.A. Lalaian, Garekin Pastermadjian, Selahi Sonyel, Cyrus Hamlin, Hratch Dasnabedian, Erich Feigl, Samuel Weems, Phlip Mansel, Justin McCarthy, Stanford Shaw and many others!Firstly, all readers should admit that while Ottomans were at war on three fronts, the Revolutionist Armenians and their volunteers etc, were in full rebel and at war with the Ottomans from 1914 to 1920. Since they were not strong enough and depended on outside support thinking that British-Russians-French-Americans will come and die for them, they performed refined/cruel atrocities and of course, some of which has been retaliated, mostly by Kurdish, Circassian or Army deserter gangs and like bandits. There is no evidence that the CUP government arranged or supported any massacres! Yet there is no doubt about their incapacity and lack of everything! Didn’t they lose almost 50.000 soldiers on the Russian front in a matter of ten days because of logistic shortages, bad management and weather? Were they too much improve for Armenian deportations? Yet, there are several excellent examples of goodwill and affection, next to indifference and saturation to misery and death!. Let us not forget that over forty Turkish Gendarmes died trying to defend their columns, while others sold everything for a few piaster or saw that the looters were stronger and surrendered to all their wishes, including robbing, kidnapping etc.
Reading above books plus some in your E library is enough!
In writing The Genocide of Truth, then the Turkish version, Who was your target audience?
The Turkish (condensed) version of The Genocide of Truth, did not earn " Expected Interest And Sales" because I have no newspaper-TV media or anyone serious who would READ and STAND UP TO DEFEND THE TRUTH. Rarely I receive very flattering any eye wetting letters from decent persons like you and me, and one or two of them have become my pusher and morale booster (but, so far no generous payer, no NGO etc). Most of them "have no time to read and learn" and easily jump into conclusions based on a short conversation. To me they are not much different than "Lynching Mobs", they do not need or want to learn and convince their own logic and values! Turkey has 70 millions, and I doubt if there are some 70 persons who took serious interest to learn what is all about it. VERY FEW PERSONS take it for serious!What did please/displease you the most in your research?
I am very pleased that despite scarcity there are still very few people who understand my humane approach and support my lonely efforts. Your Website stands on the very top, and I am glad that some Armenians mostly abroad who are constantly brainwashed and are unaware of their own historians, started to question and look on the back side of the coin. As seen, I respect serious Armenian writers and I have great pleasure in reading Ara Baliozian's ironic approaches, and he does not mind if I rarely disagree with some, and give different sources.What are the main points you recommend to defend the Turkish/critical point of view against an opponent in a Turkish-Armenian History Discussion ?
All Armenian and Other Official Documents (Paris Memorandum) confirm that ARF and alike were at WAR and did not care for the consequences they bring to their own people, despite the fact that they were strongly warned by CUP Government in March 1914 but they took it as a bluff and depended on the landing at Gallipoli. Some of the Revolutionists died during fight at Bardiz, Karakilisa, etc. fronts (Kerri, Murat)! But the big ones (Antranik, Dro-Drastamat, Armen Garo) fled to Europe in late 1918, when they lost the war for the second time! Let us not forget that ARF and their humpabets terrorized and punished Armenians first, when they disobeyed their orders. Read “potorig” in Dasnabedian’s book!The Armenian Question is a maze of a lot of info and sources. If someone for the first time gets involved in this matter, what would be your advice? Where should (s)he start first?
Reading Holdwater’s “Tallarmeniantale” or your Website is more than enough. But they will not realize that if they start today, they need at least 5-6 years to read all your serious postings on the subject which I estimate to be not less than 60.000 pages. I think, I read 60-70% of it, and I found everything very serious, and balanced. The question again is: will they have the patience and ambition to count all these words or hairs on so many sheepskins to learn or find the truths?My 2-volume compilation may end close to 1500 pages in total, which means that it will be the residue of some 30.000 or more scanned pages. I am one of the rare stubborn species that does not want to defend the wrong side by trusting this or that scholar, whom I find many to be sloppy and biased or even sold out!.
The western scientific approach is often praised and highly regarded in the world because of its serious and critical attitude. The last thing we then would expect is that these universities and scientific centers in the western world embrace the Armenian accusations. Because we see a lot of fraud, distortion of facts, etcetera when the Armenians and followers propagate their story.
Usually such falsifiers are immediately punished but we see scientists who propagate the Armenian stories become professors, get salaries from these universities and such. How does it happen? Which mechanism plays a role in this collective infatuation of the scientific world in the west?
Diaspora Armenian Organizations are extremely capable, intelligent and know how to skin and ride on top, without hurting any of their own people. Regretfully, the scholastic institutions have lost their idealism or surrendered to outside forces. The biggest falsifications happened at UCLA and respected professors had their names on the posters. And when this was unfolded none was ashamed or apologized! The “ethics” of the West lay in “words only”, we the Easterners play tricks for tiny interests, but in the West they play it BIG and cover their crimes with palavers of “democracy, human rights etc.” Your book ‘The Genocide of Truth’ could be Downloaded Here ( Armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2008/04/2429-new-e-book-genocide-of-truth-based.html ).
How can the readers purchase the printed version of your book?
Readers can order directly or through you! I have only about 30 books left, but hope to come up with a set of 2 volumes before the end of this year. Above Volume 1, is available only from me, cost is $ 50 plus postage. When Volume 2 (The Genocide of Truth…Continues) will be finished and reprinted with Volume 1 as one set of two books, the price shall be $ 100/set plus postage. Advance orders (no down payment needed) are welcome. I do not have and don’t expect any support from any Turkish organization. They are “Sterile And Not Interested” to learn the reason of this “migraine” which looks it will last many years to come, but it will be impossible for me to see that my work is finally respected!.How were your relations with Armenians before this research and how are they now?
There has been no negative change at all in my relations with Armenian friends abroad and in Turkey. However, I see that many "Lazy Turkish Turncoats" get so easily carried out by ANCA etc propaganda freely circulating in Turkey with their excellent profitable connections and support of outside endowment (German, Swedish, American) funds and it is again that the outside intervention with flag bearers like Taner Akcam or Orhan Pamuk, who are rewarded for playing the records of "His Master's Voice" (these have increased to hundreds of apologist scholars who do not have the courage to face any discussion and write books without even reading not only Turkish but also dependable Armenian works). So far, I have not heard any comment about my Turkish and English books from any scholar in Turkey. My books are available in the library of all Turkish universities, but I cannot force anyone to "read and learn before opening big mouths".What is your current work about and when will it be published?
Let be known that so far I have not been offered, given any support of any type, morally, financially, commercially, scholarly, intellectually or any form by any Turkish or other endowment, organization or person. Those "Who Should Be Supporting" such project, are totally indifferent and if you give them a signed book, you have to mail it to them, and not even one in a hundred would send you a cordial "Thank you note!" The English Version Of The Book was printed and published by Istanbul Commerce University, it was not sold, it was distributed and I received only a few hundred copies instead of the editorial fee. I thank the old Rector Mr. Vuran, who had my work double checked and had it published and distributed. I have told the same University and Istanbul Chamber of Commerce that I am preparing Volume 2 of the same book or "The Genocide of Truth...Continues" and asked them if they would like to place some orders, since Volume 1 is also extinct and we shall have a 2-volume gift pack ready by October-November if I receive orders and voluntaries that are prepared to pay for the cost. The Turkish book was financed and sold by me, and I still have a few hundred copies waiting for readers, but it is already forgotten.... Sorry, if things were to be differently managed by Turkey in the past forty years ANCA would have never covered so much distance in "no men - no care land".What are your expectations for the future? Will the world finally open its eyes against the corrupted version of the history Armenians and their advocates try to sell? Or will Turkey finally surrender for these massive propaganda?
Unfortunately Turkey now for forty years, has not grasped the size and consequences of this huge fabrication, which has become the living and supporting source for so many for Armenian Diaspora. Turkey has never done her homework and this stands true for today as well. They cannot see that this lie is so much spread around and made belief that “people do not feel the necessity” to check the truth in it. No one cares if the lie has no valid evidence! All I personally can hope, is that (like most criminals) they will do some error at some place and this “masquerade mask” will fall off!. Why should the DIASPORA Armenians (and many thousands receiving salaries, benefits) including many politicians want this matter settled peacefully and lose their control over Armenian communities which may lead them to assimilation and out of control!. Will they ever break the hatred monuments or convert the genocide museums into art museums to collect petty cash? ARF does not care a bit about the sufferings of people in Armenians feeding themselves with hate (and dream of compensations) instead of bread, nor the Armenians of Turkey or tens of thousands of destitute trying to make an earning here. ARF did not care in 1914-1918-1919 and they will not care now, either, or lose this “Money pump” feeding so many with patriotic palaver only!What kind of solution(s) do you see to fix the “Turkish-Armenian Imbroglio”, and in particular, what do you think of Turkish-Armenian diplomatic attempts rapprochement since 2008?
The issue is an Economic Matter Which Has Become Political. I do not think that the Turkish or Armenian diplomats have read even 1% of the knowledge posted here. They are "just smart genius who can find the short cuts" that these ordinary people like us would first read and learn what's behind it. This is "A Fabricated Tale" of "Sorrowful Past In Which Turkish Armenians Were Forced Into Adventures" and they were hit as a consequence. Nothing comes back, what has passed is past, and we have to live the "Present And Tomorrow". The "present fact is that" the Armenian communities outside of Armenia keep this "Genocide Soup Kettle Boiling" because many benefit from this "Hot Kettle" be it in museums, monuments, campaign donations and "Buying Image".The Armenian Government is given a few cups of the soup, but the soup does nor reach the poor people who feed themselves on grudge and propaganda only and no bread. The Turkish side has not even understood what the cause is, and of course they produced "Miraculous Solutions" which was doomed to collapse, because it was written on sand and not LOGIC bilateral PROFIT and everlasting COMPASSIONATE NEIGHBOURLY relations.
Diaspora Armenians and their extensions in Armenia, will some day realize how much damage they have done to their home country who are educated and industrious people, by wasting their years on impossible tales, instead of productive cooperation with neighbors and “sharing bilateral success instead of grabbing land etc.” thus, repeats past dramas! I find everything logically STUPID for sure!
This interview is also an open invitation to all parties to "disagree with my views and prove the contrary to be true!"
There can be no genuine serious problems with the Gregorian Armenians of Turkey; if there was some mistakes we apologize and embrace each other and we are back to our Rakı and Topik and entrusting each other more than brothers...But the status is different with the Catholic clergy out of Lebanon and France and Protestant clergy and the REVOLUTIONIST (opportunist) mentality that dominate all institutions! Some day, people will understand that there is "No Hell, No Paradise, No Martyrdom, No Genocide" but there has been and there will be savagery of humans, worse than wild animals, who kill only to feed themselves and no more...
Sukru bey, I'd like to thank you for sharing your thoughts with us as well as the monumental contribution you have made for the Cause. Please do keep us posted about your further research and I wish you the best.
I compliment your Website and wish success on the ethical values, diffusing TRUTH! I may not see the days when "Logic And Compassion" will prevail over "Grudge And Hatred".
At least I have tried in my lifetime..
Above questions are kindly prepared by Ben Folk, Carlo Giovannoni and few others (will added here upon their consent).
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