to many news agencies. Last year the Prime Minister of Turkey spoke of the “shared

pain” between the two countries, and expressed his condolences towards those affected by

Turkish violence. This was considered the most conciliatory remark towards Armenia to

date. So what is at the heart of the tension between Turkey and Armenia? Do they hate each

other? And could there ever be reconciliation?

Well, Turkey and Armenia have been long-time enemies. Back in the days of the Ottoman Empire,

before World War I, Sultan Abdul Hamid the second infamously oppressed the Armenian people.

Armenians were often singled out for being Christian, while most of Turkey was Muslim.

In the late 1800s, tens of thousands of Armenians were put to death under suspicions that they

would side with Turkey’s enemy at the time, Russia, during the Russo-Turkish War. Then,

during World War I, rising tensions and historical persecutions led to the massacre of about

1.5 million Armenians. It’s controversially known as the “Armenian Genocide”.

Although more than 20 nations officially acknowledge the genocide, the Turkish government has instead

implied that the Armenians were simply casualties of war. In fact, article 301 in the Turkish

penal code prosecutes journalists who “denigrate the Turkish nation” by implying the Armenian

genocide is real. The press in Turkey has harsh restrictions on freedom of speech, although

hate speech against Armenians is common. This refusal to acknowledge the genocide lies at

the heart of the tension between Turkey and Armenia.

The subject of Armenian genocide remains a sensitive subject for Armenian and Turkish

politicians, as well as other international officials. To avoid alienating Turkey, a powerful

NATO ally with the United States, President Obama has consistently refused to use the

word “genocide” in his speeches on the subject. Obama and many other nations continue

to tread lightly while encouraging Turkish “acknowledgement and reckoning” of the

past.

This year will mark the 100th anniversary of the genocide, and many Armenians are hoping

for an official government apology. Last year, the Armenian president declared that it was

the “utter denial” of the crime which was keeping the issue alive between the nations.

It’s clear that until they both can come to an agreement on what exactly happened,

reconciliation is unlikely.

As you may know, our brand new channel Seeker is underway, and I really recommend this awesome

show called This Happened Here. We’ve been examining some of the most beautiful photos

from around the internet, and hearing the stories behind them… Like this one of some

amazing hanging coffins in the Philippines. Thanks for watching TestTube, please subscribe.