Turkish Daily News
Jan 24 2007
What others say
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
Don’t make us laugh: Fehmi Koru, Yeni Şafak So that is it,
"There is no political side to the Hrant Dink murder and there are no
political groups behind it." This was the initial official statement
following the murderer’s interrogation. Well, this being the case,
they can shelve this murder case. Just like they did in the murders
of Priest Santoro and the State Council shooting. They didn’t find
any connections to "political groups" in those two cases. When the
young hit men are sentenced by courts, we will have nothing left to
talk about concerning these three murders. Of course, until the next
assassination. Nobody wants to see the "witches’ cauldron" of the
past but it is hard to accept being treated as a "fool." Really, a
17 year old from Trabzon managing to know what Dink looks like, find
the office of the Agos daily and not to get caught after a murder
committed in broad day light really seems to be a "political" and
"organized" crime. Dink was a journalist and his position in front
of the public was that of a person with a "political identity." This
is why any attack against him is automatically a political attack.
Trying to simplify a political assassination which greatly shook the
inner and outer balances of Turkey and which will be heavily felt
for many years to a murder committed incidentally at the time of a
"street brawl" is pathetic. However, we are too exhausted to laugh
in these days of crying.
Time to make ourselves heard:İsmet Berkan, RadikalOn Friday,
I couldn’t really work and I couldn’t hold back my tears because
Hrant was killed. It was at that time when my phone rang. The voice on
the line said, "A bodyguard was assigned to you, he will be arriving
soon." I could hardly make out what was being said. I said, "Okay,
let him come." I have been living with a police bodyguard since
Friday night. I don’t know how long this will last but, trust me,
having a bodyguard from the police is enough to make one uneasy.
I’ve been asking them for days if they had any particular piece of
information regarding this. They said, "No, we have assigned him as
a precaution."I asked people experienced in personal protection; they
said: "If an organization is going to kill you, they will. However, a
bodyguard on duty can protect you from thugs such as Ogun Samast."Yes,
but, what is it that I am doing?
What was my dear friend Hrant doing?What did Hrant do to get shot,
or what did I do to have an officer with me at all times to protect
my life? Trust me, it really feels strange. Why didn’t Hrant leave?
I’ve heard others telling him to leave many times. I always thought
"nothing will happen," but look, something did happen. Something
really bad happened and Hrant is no longer alive. Hrant’s killing,
before anything else, is a racist murder. However, the killers of
Hrant being racists is no reason for them not to kill someone who is
not an Armenian.
For, somehow, all opinion discussions in Turkey in the last analysis
boil down to a simple argument of loyalty vs. treachery.
Anybody declared a state enemy by some or announced to have "insulted
Turkishness" could easily become a target for the same racists. Then
I ask myself, "Is it rational to continue what you are doing with
the possibility of getting killed in the end?" It seems to be a
very personal question, but it is not. Considering that the cost of
defending freedom and the European Union perspective might be one’s
life, in other words, considering I’m defending a cause I believe to
be for the good of the society, it is no longer personal. I don’t know
whether I’m afraid, but I am uneasy. Leaving the country? Isn’t that
what that lumpen nationalist "Valley of the Wolves" crowd wants?What
is the cost of staying? Walking around with a police officer at
all times, always being frightened. Part of me says, "Leave," and
become an arts or sports commentator. While another side of me says:
"This is what they want. You will be frightened, the others will
be frightened and no one to speak out will be left in the end."If
I didn’t have confidence in the future of my country, if I didn’t
belief that we will establish a more democratic and livable country
that respects human rights, perhaps I would be thinking differently.I
am staying. This is my country. I love this country as much as they
do. I also know that I’m not alone. We, the ones who want a better
Turkey, are actually a majority. Only, we are silent.
Now is not the time to be frightened and run. We need to make
ourselves heard against those who want to isolate Turkey from the
rest of the world.
Mesut the Watchman! Ergun BABAHAN, SabahThe university is a place
where different, radical and opposing ideas can be freely expressed.
If that wasn’t the case, if all universities in the world were
administered like Istanbul University, scientific development couldn’t
have been possible. Istanbul University Rector Mesut Parlak in a
recent interview with Balcicek Pamir said that he saw himself not as
a university rector, but as a commander of a military squad.
The only thing he lacks is the swastika on his arm. He is proud of
continuous camera monitoring on campus. In addition, he says Orhan
Pamuk or Yaşar Kemal would never be allowed to instruct at
his university.
Who do you think you are mister? Well, never mind instructing at your
university, they would never even accept being under the same roof
as you. Who are you? It is hard to say you are man of science.
You are a public servant of the state. You were assigned to the
Istanbul University as a watchman. Your name will never be on the list
of scientists. It will only be mentioned on the payment checks of the
Retirement Fund. The university you administer reacts to everything
but is silent when a journalist is killed. For the likes of you are
not even democrats. You don’t think about anything but preserving
the power you have in your hands and your villa with a view of the
Bosporus. You are an embarrassment for science. You are only a rector,
not a man of science. This is why when people think of "Turkey,"
they think of Orhan Pamuk and Yaşar Kemal and not of you. You
are a public servant.You are a Sezer-approved professor with a "clean"
record. Nobody will remember you when you die. They on the other hand
will be commemorated in every line they have written like Balzac,
Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy. For they are for the brotherhood of nations
and democracy. You are on the side of pressure and forbiddance. You
are scared of this country’s history, beliefs and youth and that is why
you serve to raise young people full of fear, anger and hatred.Anybody
can become a rector; being human is the difficult bit.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
