Armenians were the most dangerous factor for the Ottoman Empire, as stated by the Belgian newspaper “La Revue Nouvelle” in an article devoted to the works of French historian of Armenian origin Mikael Nishanyan. The article notes:
“Mikael Nishanyan’s works describe the entire historical picture of that time, including the threats to the future of the Ottoman Empire and the Ottomans’ attitudes towards Christian communities which were considered the “fifth column” of the Western powers and Russia. The attention and financial opportunities of the Christian communities which controlled a significant part of the Ottoman economy were attracting attention as well.
The Ottoman Empire saw that the reduction of its territory was largely due to the fact that the Christian powers of the West and the East supported the wars of independence in the Balkans and Transcaucasia. The Ottoman Empire faced a double challenge: to modernize the army and suppress the independence movement of non-Turkish peoples, mostly Christians.
Among them, the Armenians were the most dangerous. Those Armenians who escaped persecution in the Caucasus were victims of the massacres of 1918. Back then, the Turkish army invaded the Caucasus after the signature of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
Although the Turkish tribunal sentenced the leaders of the Young Turks to death, the genocide has been denied ever since Ataturk came to power. And the crime of silence is the continuation of this crime.”
Original publication: La Revue Nouvelle
