The Netherlands likes genocide

One of the countries putting forward the Armenian issue as an obstacle on Turkey's EU journey is the Netherlands. At the final general assembly meeting evaluating its EU presidency in the second half of 2004, a motion stating "In negotiations to be held with Turkey regarding the EU accession process from now on, the government is requested to constantly and persistently bring up Turkey's recognition of the Armenian genocide" was accepted in the Dutch Parliament, and state policy was set accordingly. Most recently, in the November elections, we witnessed Turkish-origin candidates who did not accept the Armenian genocide being prevented from running for their own parties.

Turkey's history regarding the Armenians is of course not very bright. However, this topic is one about which it is impossible to reveal definitive information due to the extraordinary atmosphere created by World War I conditions, the ambiguity of historical records of that period, and the forever lost opportunity for on-site verification. Therefore, there is nothing to do other than to hope that historians are left alone with their consciences to form their free opinions on this matter, which is no small thing.

Undoubtedly, most historians will continue to be heavily influenced by the political positions they adopt on this issue. However, although nothing is more natural than a historian producing their own subjective view, promoting this view to the finality of a court ruling is nothing other than historical despotism.

Yet, the recent pasts of both France and the Netherlands, who assume humanitarian roles regarding the Armenian genocide, present a complete picture of shame, not even that far back. If a court were established, there are numerous disgraceful genocide cases in their past whose first-degree victims, witnesses, and consequences could be immediately laid bare. While France's record in Algeria, Rwanda, and Uganda stands out without stirring any sense of justice, its meddling in the Armenian issue shows how shamelessly political or economic benefits can be extracted from the pain of nations when necessary.

As for the Netherlands, just 11 years ago, it failed to account for its role in the Srebrenica massacre, the largest massacre in Europe after World War II. In July 1995, Dutch soldiers turned over more than ten thousand Bosniaks in Srebrenica, whom they were obligated to protect on behalf of the UN, to fanatical Serb Chetniks, turning a blind eye to their brutal massacre. The Bosniaks of Srebrenica, who normally could have easily protected themselves, were forcibly disarmed after the UN declared a "safe area". In this state, the Dutch soldiers who delivered them to armed Serbs wanting to interrogate them knew that every group of Bosniaks loaded onto trucks was being killed a short distance away. That is, they did not just remain bystanders to this massacre; they also collaborated with the Serbs. Later, a photograph was published showing Dutch Commander Tom Karremans, responsible for protecting the Bosniaks, clinking glasses with Serb Commander Ratko Mladić while the massacre was ongoing.

This is not an event like Turkey's Armenian issue that happened 90 years ago, whose witnesses and conditions are very difficult to determine. This is a genocide whose "smoke is still rising." The Serbs' intention to destroy the Bosniak people through racist approaches has been registered by court decisions. All witnesses and victims of this event are as clear as day; as is, of course, the Netherlands' share in this event...

Yet, the Netherlands, which should live with a heavy sense of guilt toward all humanity even if only for its share in this event, has quickly forgotten its own state and is playing the justice hunter in the darkness of other nations' histories.

And now, the Netherlands is putting its signature to a new shame.

The soldiers who stood by during the Srebrenica massacre will be awarded gold medals. Dutch Defense Minister Henk Kamp announced that a ceremony would be held on December 4 for soldiers "who fulfilled their duties under difficult conditions."

Such audacity is truly breathtaking... This is the official proof that even an event like genocide, which shatters people's sense of justice, is transformed into an element of political-economic gain.

Note: Sensitive segments of the Dutch public themselves reacted with great indignation to this decision, announcing that if medals are presented on December 4, "Justice Campaigners for Srebrenica" will hold a protest demonstration in front of the embassy in Ankara on Tuesday, December 5.