Proceedings of the 23rd International Academic Conference, Venice

RETRACING THE KURDISH AND THE ARMENIAN ISSUES IN THE JOURNAL OF ALBAYRAK IN PERIOD OF NATIONAL STRUGGLE IN TUR

CEMILE BURCU KARTAL, EZGI OREN

Abstract:

World War I became a milestone in the decay of empires and in the transition to the form of nation-state all over the world. Also, the national identities had been emerged and shaped in this period, before and after of the War. Contemporaneously, the years in between 1912 and 1922, constructing Turkish identitiy and nationalim provided the important components to the founding of the Republic in Turkey. Especially, 1919-1922 period was important in terms of this arising national movement, because of the era which was beginnig the transition from the empire to the nation-state with the accession of the whole society in a national struggle. Therewith, Treaty of Sevres and Mondros Armistice Agreement were considerable factors in acceleration of the struggle in Anatolia. Besides, local press had a curicial role in the occupied territories throughout the stage. And the Journal Of Albayrak which came out in Erzurum was one of the foremost media vehicle in the period of national struggle in the east of country. So, Albayrak had been published during two terms: 1913-1915 and 1919-1921. Why the journal resumed; firstly, allies’ occupation began along the Anatolia territories after the signing of Mondros Armistice Agreement and there was a prevalent apprehension about giving up the east provinces to the Armenians. This fears derived from the 24th article of the Agreement which intitled occupation to allies anywhere of the six east province (Vilayet-i Sitte) those were named as Erzurum, Bitlis, Van, Diyarbakır, Sivas and Elazığ (Ma’muretil’aziz) in any disordering situation. Herewith, Albayrak stated that it would be make contribution to the point of informing the community and raising consciousness about the reasons of Armenian problem and its forthcoming dangers. This journal, also, gave information and news concerning Kurdish issue that arised in this period. In this respect, this paper analyses that how a journal which was one of the most important example of the local press in the region was utilized as an important propaganda material and what kind of rethoric it generated about both Kurdish and Armenian issues. Herewith, an additional purpose is to examine a media source which was not handled before by the means of Kurdish and Armenian questions and in this way to try to make any contribution to the related discussions today.

Keywords: Ethnic Conflict, Media, National Identity, Nationalism, War

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2016.023.044

PDF: Download