The Assassination of Hrant Dink

[Joseph]

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=114654

Hrant's dream

Saturday, September 6, 2008



Cengiz ÇANDAR

Since he was gunned down and laid down on the pavement covered in blood, Turkey has never stopped remembering him. If archives were scanned from from Jan. 19, 2007, from that Friday to yesterday, it would be seen that there was not a single day that we did not remember Hrant Dink, the slain Armenian-Turkish journalist.

If years from now we look back, the day on which Hrant was shot to be killed, will be regarded as a turning point for so many things in Turkey. Hrant was a man of emotion whom could be recognized for that easily by others and was full of joy. He was extremely loyal to this land.

And his biggest mission was the establishment of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Armenia, opening the border gate; in short, normalization in relations. This was his purpose of life; adding more meaning into his life.

Gül in Yerevan:

So President Abdullah Gül will pay a visit to Armenia Saturday and meet his counterpart Serzh Sarkisian to watch the Turkey-Armenia football match for the World Cup qualifiers. This was exactly Hrant's dream. Even if for nothing else, we, as his friends and his fans, wholeheartedly supported Gül's visit to Armenia. It was our voice of conscience.

Three years ago, in Nov. 2005, Hrant completed his book titled “Two Close Nations Two Distant Neighbors”. This is the only book Hrant wrote and I requested Gül to read this book in my article the other day. His book was published in June by the International Hrant Dink Foundation, since its publication was delayed by others who were supposed to publish it. Now we have a guidebook on how to approach Turkey-Armenia relations.

Aside from his ardent and sentimental personality you will realize how important a man of thought he was, when you read the book.“Two Close Nations Two Close Neighbors” is one that can only be written by a veteran political scientist or political sociologist.

The author of this book views the Armenian world in three parts: “The State of Armenia and its people is on one side, the Diaspora around the world is on the other and of course the presence of the Armenians living in Turkey although they have very limited role as an actor.”

The Turkish Armenians, he mentions in the book, created the most significant persona of the Armenian world. He was Hrant who was killed; his body was laid down in blood on the pavement Jan. 19, 2007. His modesty most certainly wouldn't have allowed us to present him as we did here. But we all know that it is so.

But how was he, Hrant, describing himself? Let's look at a few lines in the first paragraph of his book:

“I have two personalities. I am aware of both. First, I am from Turkey, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey… Second I am an Armenian. Although I am part of the Armenian community in Turkey I am, at the same time, a moral part of the Armenian Diaspora scattered around the world and I have kinship with them.

For all these reasons, if some people want progress in the Turkish-Armenian relations for some reason, I do have more reasons than what they have, at least twice as much. No matter which personality of mine is of interest to you, it doesn't make any difference. I, with my both personalities, see the progress in Turkey-Armenia relations and their normalization as my indispensible duty.”

Biggest historic truce?:

Today, Sept. 6 is the anniversary of one of the most shameful pages of the near-past history of Turkey; Sept. 6-7, 1955. On the other side, today will perhaps be remembered as the anniversary of the “new page” in solution to the Armenian conflict, of the “biggest historic truce”.

In the epilogue, Hrant asks, “The real question is this: How will Turkey resolve the Armenian conflict?” And his short answer is as follows:

“There is only one way to solve this problem which is exploited by the West against Turkey. And that is finding a way to have direct dialogue with Armenians. Channels of this dialogue should be opened from three separate points. The first is improvement of state-to-state or society-society relations. The second is the solution of problems Turkish Armenians having, without needing any external imposition or warning. The third is to gain the Diaspora Armenians who are Anatolian descents.”

We are heading to the Armenian capital Yerevan with “Hrant's dream”. Every single moment we spend there will be a moment of silence for Hrant Dink.

[Joseph]

WTF!?!?!?! Now this is totally demented

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/10659398.asp?scr=1

TRT blames producer on screening scandal

ANKARA - Turkey’s national public broadcaster caused a scandal when it screened a documentary in which murdered Armenian Turkish journalist Hrant Dink was portrayed as the provocateur of the deadly Maraş incidents of 1978.

In response to the strong public reactions to the documentary, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or, TRT, blamed the producer of the documentary, the daily Hurriyet reported yesterday.

The 13-part documentary, "The Labyrinth of the Shahs," featured controversial images in its episode, shown Dec. 24, on the Maraş Massacre in which more than 100 people, most of Alevi origin, died. The program showcased the statements of Ökkeş Kenger, who later became Ökkeş Şendiller, the number one suspect of the massacre and one of the founders of the Grand Unity Party.

In the documentary he said, "What happened in Maraş at the time was not a conflict between the Alevis and Sunnis. Hrant Dink and his friends caused the events. Moreover, among the corpses there were six or seven uncircumcised bodies."

After Şendiller’s statements, Dink’s photographs were featured in the program. TRT officials, meanwhile, said what was said in the program was not TRT’s opinion and TRT had purchased the documentary from external sources. "They are not TRT’s views. The target of the program was not Hrant Dink. It deals with many political topics from that period and one of them was the Maraş events. There are many people interviewed in the documentary and Şendiller is among them," said TRT officials. "He says a few sentences. It is an allegation and the documentary was made in a particular journalistic style. If Dink’s family or lawyer said something, they would have been broadcast too," he said.

[Alexandros]

Two-year- sentences requested for Colonel Öz and seven other soldiers


Due to neglect in the murder of Hrant Dink, the Trabzon Gendarmerie Commander at the time, Colonel Öz and seven other soldiers will be taken to court.

As a result of an investigation initiated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it was determined that there was neglect present in the assassination of Agos Newspaper's Editor-in Chief Hrant Dink. The investigation, started five months ago, permitted by Trabzon's Governor Nuri Okutan, into Trabzon's District Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Albay Ali Öz and seven ranked soldiers has been completed. An investigation into the incident resulted in the Trabzon Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions' ruling that Colonel Ali Öz and Captain Metin Yıldız, despite having received information regarding the assassination months prior, they did not inform those concerned and then tried to hide this fact following the murder of Hrant Dink by arranging fake documents. Therefore, officers Hüseyin Yılmaz, Gazi Günay and Okan Şimşek, and specialist sergeants Hacı Ömer Ünalır, Veysel Şahin and Önder Aras will be charged for "neglect of duty" according to item TCK 257-2. A case will be opened against the officers, requesting they serve from six months to two years in prison. The prosecution indictment, and statements, which resulted in the opening of the case, has been sent to the Trabzon 2nd Criminal Court of Peace, where the petty officer Okan Şimşek and specialist sergeant Veysel Şahin case, also regarding the Hrant Dink muirder, are being heard.

Link

[veritas]

I didn't all the threads but I hope you saw Hrant's funeral. Anarchists, communists, humanists, alevis, kurds, turks, ten thousand people were there. Hrant became a symbol of "brothership of folks". look those

http://www.alevileriz.biz/showthread.php?t=16316

http://www.sendika.org/yazi.php?yazi_no=9409

you can find many photos like these. But must remember, after assasination many fascists began wear white bruises (the killer wore).

Now, You!, I mean to whom balmed hrant saying "I am a turk, too". I think you couldn't understand being "other" in an extreme nationalist society. Hrant had no alternative, otherwise he would be assasined many years before, Today if turks (at least some of them) are disputing, thinking about armenian jenocide, this is due to largely hrant

[Alexandros]

I didn't all the threads but I hope you saw Hrant's funeral. Anarchists, communists, humanists, alevis, kurds, turks, ten thousand people were there. Hrant became a symbol of "brothership of folks". look those

http://www.alevileriz.biz/showthread.php?t=16316

http://www.sendika.org/yazi.php?yazi_no=9409

you can find many photos like these. But must remember, after assasination many fascists began wear white bruises (the killer wore).

Now, You!, I mean to whom balmed hrant saying "I am a turk, too". I think you couldn't understand being "other" in an extreme nationalist society. Hrant had no alternative, otherwise he would be assasined many years before, Today if turks (at least some of them) are disputing, thinking about armenian jenocide, this is due to largely hrant

Tesekkur ederim veritas for posting these links.

[Alexandros]

Apology Demanded From The State Television For Pinning Maraş Massacre On Dink


Haber-Sen Union demands an apology from Şahin, Director for the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), for letting Şendiller, a former suspect of the Maraş Massacre, to pin the responsibility of the massacre on murdered Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and his friends.

Bia news center - Ankara

30-12-2008

Media, Communications and the Postal Employers Union (Haber-Sen) is waiting for an apology from İbrahim Şahin, Director for the Turkish Radio and Television (TRT), for letting Ökkeş Şendiller, a former suspect of the Maraş Massacre, to pin the responsibility of the massacre on murdered Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and his friends.

Şendiller had said in a TV program aired on the night of December 24 that there was no conflict between the Alevis and Sunnis, but it was the leftist organizations founded by Dink and his friends who did the massacre; after all there were 6-7 uncircumcised corpses.


“Şahin should apologize to Dink’s family and all those who were harmed”

Haber-Türk criticized the fact that the massacre was told by its number one suspect.

It also reminded that the case against Şendiller, whose real name was Ökkeş Kenger, was dropped, when the Anti Terror Law went into effect in 1991. He later changed his last name to Şendiller and entered the Parliament as part of the alliance between the Welfare Party and the Nationalist Labor Party, joining the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) later. He eventually founded the Greater Union Party (BBP) with Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, present leader of this party. Yazıcıoğlu had appeared in the photographs with those who are accused of murdering Hrant Dink.

Haber-Sen claims that Hakkı Öznur, BBP’s Vice President, Zülfü Canpolat, founder of the Nizam-ı Alem Ocakları (World Order Hearths), and Sadi Somuncuoğlu were in this, too. It also holds the TRT’s top management and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies who voted for the TRT law.

“İbrahim Şahin, TRT’s Director, must apologize to Hrant Dink and his family and all those who suffered immensely because of this massacre thirty years ago and had to leave the city, the viewers and the whole society. This shows what Şahin had done with the TRT.” (EÖ/TB)

Link

[No Pasaran]

Re: The Assassination of Hrant Dink

I left my room in Turkey nearly five mouths ago. Before i left the room i took back all posters from wall but i couldn't take Hrant's picture on my wall and sign i hold in the demonstrations.

there is one video on youtube about hrant you can see hrant's records with his family every time i watch it is still hard stop my tears ( i am a little cold hearth person i am emotional but i can't cry). i am proud of these lands for growing up real man like Hrant in same time i hate these lands for holding too much pain and unnecessary people. when i see him on dinner table my only wish just be near him see him, speak with him i am feeling pain as he is my father when i look at him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYqxzBCfcmk&feature=related

and this one of his shortest speech it is short and enough for understand him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ualde25hhd0&feature=related

[Eddo211]

Re: The Assassination of Hrant Dink

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/still-justice-murdered-turkish-journalist-hrant-dink-20090119

Still no justice for murdered journalist Hrant Dink

Hrant Dink, the journalist and human rights defender, murdered in 2007


19 January 2009

On the second anniversary of the murder of journalist and human rights defender Hrant Dink, the Turkish authorities are still nowhere near bringing to justice those responsible.

Hrant Dink, a Turkish citizen of Armenian decent, was killed on 19 January 2007. The editor of the Agos newspaper and contributor to the influential daily Zaman, he was shot outside the Agos offices in Istanbul.

He was best known for his willingness to debate openly and critically issues of Armenian identity and official versions of history in Turkey relating to the massacres of Armenians in 1915. A passionate defender of human rights, he appeared on different platforms with activists, journalists and intellectuals across the political spectrum. Prior to his death, he was repeatedly prosecuted for expressing his non-violent opinions.

"Hrant Dink was murdered for the expression of his non-violent opinions, apparently with the tacit agreement of elements within the Turkish law enforcement agencies," said Nicola Duckworth, Europe and Central Asia Programme Director at Amnesty International.

Twenty suspects accused of planning and carrying out the murder have been brought to trial. One of those on trial in connection with his death had also acted as a police informer and had repeatedly told police of the plan to assassinate Hrant Dink in the months leading up to his death.

In a separate investigation, eight members of the Gendarmerie face charges of "dereliction of duty" after failing to act on warnings that Hrant Dink was being targeted for assassination.

One of the eight, Trabzon District Gendarmerie Commander, Ali Öz, is accused of failing to pass on information of the plot against Hrant Dink and of preventing evidence being revealed after the murder. Hrant Dink had been receiving death threats for several months prior to his death. However, no police officers have yet been prosecuted.

Reporting in July 2008, the Turkish Parliamentary Human Rights Commission found that there was negligence and lack of coordination on the part of the security services in failing to prevent the murder.

Leaked details of the Inspectorate of the Prime Ministry’s report into the role of the security forces in the murder of Hrant Dink is reportedly to have revealed that police officers at both the Trabzon and Istanbul Security Directorates failed in their duty to protect Hrant Dink although they had information about the planned murder.

"The authorities should make public the report by the Inspectorate of the Prime Ministry," Nicola Duckworth said.

"There is now a wealth of evidence upon which the judicial authorities must act. An investigation should be re-opened so that all implicated members of the police forces and gendarmerie are brought to justice."