The problems come out by the misapplication of the rules, or the application of the "de facto" rules. Especially, after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk died in 1938, the pressure over the minorities increased. From then on, the governments took many unfair decisions to assimilate or to reduce the non-muslim comunities. First of all, "Varlik Vergisi"(Prosperity Tax) was applied in 1942. According to the tax law, the citizens were divided into three parts: (a)Muslims (b)Non-Muslims (c)Donmeler(muslims, formerly Christian or Jew). Each fraction was made to pay different amount of taxes. Of course, the Non-Muslim fraction was forced to pay incredibly high amounts of money, while the muslims pay reasonable amounts. Those, who couldn't pay the money were captured in the working camps of the deserted Southeastern Parts of Turkey. Many fled away from Turkey. Nearly half of the non-muslim population of the country emigrated to other countries. These people made their destination countries richer with their hardworking and intelligence. Republic of Turkey lost many things after this emigration, but it was just the thing the "Inonu" government wanted:"to nationalize the capital" they began to succeed. Many Turkish bankers, businessmen, factory owners became very rich.

Following years, Menderes was elected to the government in the first multi-parties election. Menderes and his team was conservative and nationalist, some of them were even fundemental muslims. After the rule of Menderes, Republic of Turkey started to shift to the right wing and islamic world.

Menderes started a campaign against the non-muslim communities : "vatandas, Turkce konus!", which means "citizen, speak Turkish". This campaign led many conflict between nationalist Turks and the minority members. Slowly and slowly, by these kinds of campaigns, the Menderes government succeeded to establish hatred between Turks and other groups.

The most horrible event occured on 6th and 7th of September 1955. After a false news reporting that the house of Ataturk at Thessaloniki was bombed by Greeks, large crowds of people brainwashed by the campaigns of the government filled the streets. They were shouting with anger, blaming the non-muslims. They broke the shop windows, broke the cars, burnt down the houses, raped young girls, plundered and stole. Only the non-muslims were the targets. Noone harmed from the muslims, only those who wanted to protect their Christian or Jewish neighbour. After the events, the Istiklal Street was totally full of broken glass, reminding the Cyristal Night of Nazi Germany. Those, who took leading role in the events were taken to the court, but they are freed after ridicilous punishment. This was a proof that the events were guided by the Menderes government.

The main aim were the Greeks. They were the ones most harmed by the events. Nearly two third of the Greeks emmigrated to Greece just after 1955. Also many Armenian shops were stoned, many houses were burned, many girls were raped. Also, after 1955, many Armenians were left without money, no home and no job. Thousands went to United States, Germany, Canada or even Australia. There were not as lucky as the Greeks, because they didn't have a country to be easily accepted.

The 70s passed with the terrorist activities of ASALA against Turkish ambassies. Every attack caused hatred in Turkey for the Armenian race. Also the press and the television helped to grow this hatred. During nearly 15 years, the Armenian community passed their one of the hardest times in Istanbul. They confronted insults and accusations. Armenians were isolated from social life. Many Turks regarded their old Armenian friends as potential terrorists. The reports, given regularily by the Armenian Patriarchate condemning all kinds of terrorist acts didn't make any difference. There were even Armenian Ministers in Turkish government once, but then no Armenians were accepted even for the simplest state jobs. The pressure to the Armenian schools, churches and press was increased. Thir accounts were frequently checked. Frequently, you could read a news about an Armenian blamed for helping ASALA. At those years, an Armenian youngman burnt himself at Taksim Square to protest the pressure on them.

Years passed, and little has changed. Nationalism in Turkey is growing fast, like all in the world. When the conflict at Nogorno Karabag started, the Turkish Goverment immidiately took side with the Azarbaijani Turks. Nearly %100 of Turkish people believes that Azarbaijani side is the one whose rights are taken off, and the Armenians are those who are attacking to innocent Azarbaijan. Noone knows what is exactly going on, and the reason for the fight, but they believe that Azerbaijanees are right. So once again, the Armenian community is under suspect. Many Armenians in Istanbul even do not know where Karabag is, but they are accused of giving aid to Armenia. I see many things written on the walls at Kurtulush, Shishli and other places where the Armenians live densely, many bad words against Armenian which I'm ashamed of writing here.

When something happens bad to the Turks living outside of Turkey, the government stresses the pressure to the ethnic minorities. For example, when there were severe Armenian attacks to Karabag, the government banned the Armenian Schools to give education in Armenian. It was a clear violation of International and Turkish Laws. They closed up some Armenian schools, churches and newspapers. The ban for Armenian Language was pulled back thanks to the international human right institutions and some Turkish intellectuals.

The conflict at Karabagh seems calmed down, but the prejudice for the Armenian community still goes on. The government and the media tries to put hatred between Turks and Armenians. Today there's nearly no Greek community living in Istanbul(only 3.000, maybe less). So, being the largest non-muslim community in Turkey, generally Armenians are regarded as targets for the nationalists. Each time when there's a crisis in Turkey, government puts forward a nationalist subject to discuss. Unfortunately, it works.

The media and the government succeeded to link the Kurdish problem to the Armenians. The head of PKK, Abdullah Ocalan was accused to be an Armenian so as to be hated by the Turks. There is a common belief that PKK is leaded by the Armenians.

Also, the growth of fundamentalism is another threat for the Armenians. When I was completing my postpone process at the military office in Istanbul, I saw a young man(Christian, most probabily Armenian) talking to four Turkish men. They realized that he is a Christian and they were trying to convert him to Islam. Fortunately, by talking. The thing is, that boy was not enjoying the situation.

Last year, there was a heavy discussion of a list, passed by fax machines. The list was composed of the non-muslim shops and businessmen. On the fax message transmitted by many unknown fax terminals, there were nearly a hundred shops owned by Armenians, Greeks and Jews and at the bottom of the page, there was a warning: "please do not get any contact with these shops, because they are not Muslim". This act was not approved by most of the Turkish citizens, and many people sended fax messages listing the fundamental islamic establishments that should be careful.