Brunei Times, Brunei Darussalam
Jan 26 2007
Armenians mourn slain journalist
YEREVAN
26-Jan-07
A HUNDRED thousand people marched through the Armenian capital on
Wednesday to pay their respects to murdered journalist Hrant Dink.
The fatal shooting of Dink, a Turkish-Armenian editor who wrote
articles referring to a "genocide" of Armenians, has provoked an
outpouring of grief in Armenia.
The marchers progressed through the centre of Yerevan and laid
wreaths and carnations at a memorial to some 1.5 million Armenians
who died between 1915 and 1923.
Armenia says they were slaughtered by Ottoman Turks, but Turkey
denies accusations of genocide.
"Turks of our generation are not to blame… their forefathers are,"
said Anahit Arustamyan, a 15-year-old girl who turned out for the
march. "I was surprised that so many Turks turned out yesterday for
the funeral."
Police closed streets in central Yerevan and said 100,000 people
turned out for the march, about the same number who took to the
streets in Istanbul to mark the journalist’s funeral.
Some marchers carried photographs of Dink. Others held placards
reading "The world is surprised we are not" and blaming the Turkish
government.
A 17-year-old youth, Ogun Samast, has confessed to killing Dink in
Istanbul for "insulting" Turks.
Dink, 52, had been prosecuted for his views on the massacres of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915.
He was among intellectuals, including Nobel Literature Laureate Orhan
Pamuk, who have been charged under a controversial law that make it a
crime to insult Turkey’s identity, state institutions and security
forces.
Turkey denies accusations by Armenia and other countries that 1.5
million Armenians died in a systematic genocide at Turkish hands.
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossyan, in Istanbul for
Dink’s funeral, said Armenia remained committed to working with
Turkey.
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