The Turkish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk is living in exile in the United States and is believed to be in fear for his life.Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Amid a climate of intimidation that has seen the prosecution and even murder of dissident intellectuals throwing into doubt Turkey's aspiration to the join the European Union, Mr Pamuk, 54, who is living in New York, is said to have told friends he has set no deadline for his return. Instead, according to the prominent Istanbul columnist Fatih Altayli, the writer has quietly gone into exile.
Turkish novelist flees to US 'in fear for life' by Damien McElroy
Mark Alexander
1 comment:
I read the entire article. As I suspected, Pamuk is leaving because of what happened to Hrant Dink, a journalist who enraged Turkish nationalists by acknowledging that under the Ottoman empire Turks had triggered the genocide of one million Armenians nearly a century ago. Notice the avoidance of the word "Muslim"; the word "nationalist" has been substituted.
There is also this in the article:
Such is the sensitivity of Mr Pamuk's position, his agent and others close to the novelist have declined invitations to comment publicly on Mr Altayli's allegation.
Again, another euphemism--"sensitivity." Pamuk's life is in danger. Mustn't say that, though, because saying so is not pc.
I'm damned tired of the euphemisms in the press!
BTW, last year, an American ambassador found himself in some hot water when he referred to "the Armenian genocide." The story got hushed up in the press, precisely because of Turkey's bid to enter the EU. Turkey has consistently denied the Amenian genocide. IMO, this denial is akin to denial of the Holocaust.
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