THE ARMENIAN INITIATIVE AND THE HRANT DINK MURDER CASE

Hurriyet Daily News
Friday, October 16, 2009

The agenda is full again. Following the signature ceremony of the
protocols, the hawks in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey, as well as
from the Armenian diaspora, have increased their criticism of the
protocols to an obnoxious level, or at least to an ill-intended level.

On Monday, the 11th trial of the murderers of the Armenian-Turkish
journalist Hrant Dink began. On Wednesday, we had a soccer game with
Armenia. On the very same day, the European Commission released its
12th Progress Report on Turkey. Not all developments are noted in the
report, as it is not easy to keep up with the crazy events in Turkey.

Regardless of the end result, the protocols are a harbinger of
a brand-new period. New foundations are being laid down not only
between Turkey and Armenia, but also in the larger Caucasus, including
Azerbaijan, Georgia and even Iran and Russia. On the other side,
this historic signing will most likely affect relations with the
Armenian world and with the Armenian diaspora in particular. Owing to
the protocols, differences have surfaced within the diaspora – clear
evidence that it never was a monolithic entity. Within the diaspora,
there are a limited number of people who are making a lot of noise.

They do not care about the future of the Armenian Republic, make
unrealistic demands and claim that it sold out the diaspora. They are
not necessarily members of the historic Anatolian Armenian parties
such as the Dashnaktsutyun, or Armenian Revolutionary Federation,
the Hinchak, or the Sound of the Bell, and the Ramgavar, or the
Democratic Liberal Party of Armenia. Some are unfortunately former
Armenian state officials and politicians, such as former Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, who had supported dialog during his time
in office. On the other hand, there is a silent majority that is calm
and sober enough to grasp the importance of the protocols.

The best example of this silent majority is the Armenian General
Benevolent Union, or AGBU, which has been in existence since
1906 and has branches around the world. On Sept. 14, 2009, the
Central Board of Directors of the AGBU released a statement at
in support of the
protocols, but this went unnoticed. In the statement, the AGBU
said "[The protocols] mark a significant moment in the history of
relations between the Armenian and Turkish peoples. It presents major
ramifications for both the government of the newly independent Republic
of Armenia and the Armenian nation worldwide."

On this matter, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan should
be better advised to note the nuances in the diaspora, as he has
insistently presented the diaspora as a monolithic group.

Last holdout the Hrant Dink Case?

In addition to all these developments, "Hrant’s friends" gathered in
front of the Barbaros Monument in BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_ on Monday, announcing
the following in a statement to the press: "Today, we could have taken
major steps toward justice. We could have shed a light on who directed,
protected this flock of murderers and what was the motive of the state
officials in question who helped them. We could have taken at least a
bit of comfort. If we weren’t able to, it’s because we were prevented
from achieving justice. Apparently, it is not the right time for a
"Hrant Dink Opening."

They are right indeed! Despite the fact that the court has been more
receptive to the demands of Hrant’s lawyers in comparison to the
previous ten sittings, we should acknowledge that the state has been
reluctant and unfair during the Hrant Dink murder case. Especially now,
when, irrespective of its consequences, the initiative toward Armenia
looks to be taking an historic turn; especially now, when there has
been progress on the issue of non-Muslim foundations, including
those of the Armenians; when civilian initiatives are coming one
after the other; when Turkey has started to recall its lost "Armenian
memory;" and when we are at the point of no return. However, the last
nationalist holdout still standing is the murder case of Hrant Dink,
a person who contributed in one way or another to making all these
positive developments happen.