February 19, 2009 - 16:10 AMT
Turkish academics protest anti-Armenian documentary screening in Turkish schools
Academics and Armenian citizens in Turkey are angered at the Ministry of Education's decision to screen an anti-Armenian documentary in Turkish schools.

Sari Galin documentary was criticized by academics for reflecting the official ideology of the Turkish Republic about Armenian Genocide. It is mostly criticized as unscientific and weak in its claims because it exaggerated the deaths of Turks.

"The students were forced to watch that documentary, which indeed had no scientific background. That would only increase hatred and discrimination against the Armenians," the History Foundation of Turkey said in a written statement on Tuesday.

For academics, involving children in a conflicting situation is wrong, according to Ali Bayramoglu, a columnist at daily Yenisafak, "this is to make the official ideology and the public opinion exactly the same."

"This is similar to the practices of a totalitarian state," Bayramoglu said, adding that it is undemocratic that Armenian schools and Armenian students attending the same classes with Turks were told to watch the documentary. "Imagine if Turks living in Bulgaria were forced to watch a documentary saying that 'Turks have been cruel toward Bulgarians in history.' Would you accept that?" Bayramoglu said.

Mensur Akgun, an academic from Istanbul Kultur University, said although he did not watch the documentary, he guessed it was a type of propaganda. "In a period when relations between Armenia and Turkey are improving, it is wrong to distribute propaganda materials, especially to children," said Akgun, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

500 Armenians and intellectuals have sent an open letter to the Turkish Prime Minister to protest the Education Ministry's decision.