Erdogan becoming the modern Ataturk?

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave an official apology for the massacre in Dersim, describing it as "one of the most tragic events of our recent history."

Anush Hovhannisyan, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies, says Erdoğan was not sincere in his speech.

"It is a mere hypocrisy. While Erdoğan was apologizing for the Dersim Massacre, the Turkish army was realizing punitive actions in the same area, trying to find the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters," she said.

A total of 15 000 people were killed in operations carried out against the Kurdish people of Dersim between 1936 and 1939. It was the outcome of a Turkish military campaign against Dersim Rebellion by local ethnic minority groups against Turkey's Resettlement Law of 1934.

Thousands of Alevi Zazas died and many others were internally displaced due to the conflict. The killings have been defended by some as a legitimate military act and condemned by others as a massacre or genocide.

Anush Hovhannisyan says that there were disguised Armenians among the victims and adds that the Turkish Government is attempting to "kill a few birds with one stone."

"First, the step aims to degrade the main rival of Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) -the Kemalist CHP (Republican People's Party)," she said.

Second, the AKP is trying to drive a wedge between Alevis of Dersim and Kurds living in other parts of Turkey.

"After the tragic events of 1936-39, a large number of Dersim Alevis were involved in anti-government actions organized by the Kurdistan Workers' Party and with his apology Erdoğan hopes to separate them from the Kurds and talk them out of the struggle," said the Turkologist.

She reminded that before Erdoğan's official apology, a group of human rights organizations announced their intention to apply to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

"Erdoğan also sent a message to the international community trying to persuade them that democratic reforms are underway in Turkey," she said.

Anush Hovhannisyan does not believe that Turkey will demonstrate a political will to address the dark chapters of its history and recognize the Armenian Genocide.

"The Turkish people are not ready to accept the historic fact today. They need time to get familiarized with the issue and give an adequate estimation," she concluded.