DINK’S MURDER BECOMES POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE FOR INNER AND FOREIGN POLICY OF
TURKEY, ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS BELIEVE

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hrant Dink’s
murder is logical continuation of Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal
Code which became a political earthquake for Turkey’s inner and
foreign policy. Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute stated about it at the Armenian Intellectuals’
gathering taken place on January 20 at the "Hayeli" club, on the
occasion of the murder of Hrant Dink, a prominent intellectual
and politician of the Armenian origin from Istanbul. In his words,
Dink’s tragic murder will have deep influence on both foreign and
inner policy of Turkey. "This murder first of all shook the Turkish
society the evidence of what are the publications in the Turkish
press, responses of TV companies and demonstrations of many thousands
organized just by the Turk society," Hayk Demoyan is sure. He assured
that Hrant Dink’s murder will become a unique watershed to change the
Turkish society’s position on the Armenian Genocide issue. "There
were few such people in all the times who did not make compromises
for their ideas and principles. Dink’s death is a great loss for
the Armenian people’s idea and pen," Azat Yeghiazarian, the Director
of the NAS Literature Institute is sure. In his words, in reality,
Dink’s murder is not a deed of two fanatic young people, but is
a consequence of the policy carried out by the Turkish state for
dozens of years. "Yesterday Erdogan did not even hide in his speech
of condolence on the occasion of the murder his repulsive position
saying "the so called Armenian Genocide" speaking about the Armenian
Genocide," Azat Yeghiazarian mentioned. This is a classic example of
intolerance and denial which is characteristic only for the Turkish
policy. Mr.Yeghiazarian led parallels between the murders of Dink and
Gurgen Margarian, an officer of Armenian origin died in Budapest,
mentioning that it is an affirmed Turkish handwriting. "I am sure
that the Turkish society is ill but I’ll suppose that it must be
treated." This was Hrant Dink’s struggle guideline.

According to the estimation of Ashot Melkonian, the NAS History
Institute Director, Hrant Dink was one of those rare intellectuals who
never hated and was not been an enemy for the Turkish people. "He was
an optimist in that issue, but was mistaken. He was mistaken as the
present Turkish authorities and the Kemal policy carried out by them
brought to the yesterday murder, proved that they are their successors
in the Armenian Genocide issue," A.Melkonian believes. A.Melkonian
is sure that those responsible for the Turkish Government can
express condolence but it does not decrease their sin: this murder
is a terrorist act committed at the state level. The murder put a
full stop on the frame of mind that the Turkish society is getting
better. The Turkish soul and nature is not changeable ever. "Hrant
Dink was my friend. He was brave and of principle. He stayed many
times in front of the Turkish Court for his free expression and
brave ideas. His every day could become the last one. He functioned
and struggle just in this reality paying with his life for memory of
his people’s innocent victims and Turkish people’s healthy future,"
A.Melkonian emphasized. In words of Arsen Avagian, the Advisor of the
Foreign Ministry’s Political Programmming Department, Hrant was one
of those unique intellectuals who believed in the Turkish people’s
becoming better, and saw the solution of the Armenian Genocide
issue just with the help of that people. Hrant was sure that outer
pressures would not give anything but additional straining. "Dink
was exceptional both with his ideas and his life. Hrant Dink became
one of the most important pages of the Turkish history," A.Avagian
emphasized. Hrant Dink dreamed of founding in Yerevan a Center on
Turkish Studies and already sent enough literature for the library of
the future center. "I think that we are obliged to found that center
in Yerevan for his memory," he said.

Participants of the gathering were sure that Dink’s murder will
have great influence on the foreign and inner policy of Turkey,
particularly in the sense of that state’s entering the European Union
as well as in the sense of the world community’s attitude towards the
Turkish state. They also mentioned that the murder can be a result
of Turkey’s inner political mess, can be an application of violent
force towards the freedom of expression and display of intolerance
towards dissidence. But, in his words, in all the cases this murder
in the 21st century is the Turkish society’ shame. Those present
spoke against those rumours that Dink’s body must be moved to Armenia
and burried here. They found that Hrant was born in Turkey and is a
citizen of that country, so it will be right that his grave is placed
in the Istanbul Armenian graveyard, near Armenian great people.