DINK REMEMBERED AT SPOT OF ASSASSINATION

Hurriyet
Jan 20 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Red carnations and a small sculpture of a brown pigeon
were lying on the ground in Istanbul’s central district of Å~^iÅ~_li
yesterday just where Hrant Dink, the prominent Turkish-Armenian
journalist, was shot to death two years ago.

Candles were lit in front of the multilingual weekly Agos, where Dink
was the editor in chief. Banners reading "For Hrant. For Justice,"
were also on the ground marking the place of his death. Thousands of
people with one voice were chanting, "Just to spite fascism, you are
my brother Hrant," as they gathered to commemorate Dink on the second
anniversary of his murder.

Groups calling themselves anarcho-communists, other small leftist
groups, some members of the opposition Republican People’s Party,
or CHP, or just ordinary people without any links to political groups
were there to commemorate Dink, along with many journalists.

"I am still so sad. My heart is burning," said 52-year-old Jale,
who declined to give her surname. Jale is a retired mechanics artist,
who said she has no connection with any political group. "I live in
Å~^iÅ~_li. I just came here as soon as I heard on TV that Dink was
murdered," she said. Jale was wearing a poÅ~_u, a type of scarf that
symbolizes the Palestinians, and held in her hands small photographs
of Dink and a handful of needles to attach the photographs. Members
of the crowd carried banners in Kurdish, Armenian and Turkish.

A famous song called "Yigidim Aslanım Burda Yatıyor" (My Brave Man
Is Lying Here) that used to be a symbol for murdered journalist Ugur
Mumcu was also played. Police took safety measures around the area,
while traffic stopped during the commemoration ceremony. Dink’s family
was also at the site. Famous actor, Halil Ergun, addressed the mass
as a representative of Dink’s friends and said he apologizes from
Dink and the Armenian community for what happened to Dink. "The fire
burns the place it falls," said Sona AÅ~_cı, 84, who said that Dink
was her mother’s cousin.

The crowd gathered for Dink was somehow a relief for AÅ~_cı,
who said she was not hopeful that the murder would be solved in the
ongoing Dink case. Meanwhile near Harbiye Officer’s Club, a group had a
conflict with the police after the crowd in front of the Agos building
dispersed. Some members of the group wanted to march to Taksim and
throw stones at the police. A police officer fired a gun into the air
to stop the group. Police also used tear gas and water. Group members
fled to nearby streets, while the conflict went on in Taksim Square.

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