STREET NAMED AFTER HRANT DINK AFTER COMMEMORATION
Hurriyet Daily News
et-named-after-hrant-dink-after-the-commemoration- 2010-01-19
Jan 19 2010
Turkey
A couple of people climbed the pole at the corner of the Pangaltı
crossway in Istanbul’s central Å~^iÅ~_li district Tuesday and removed
the "Ergenekon Street" sign. They replaced it with another sign:
"Hrant Dink Street."
This was just after a couple thousand people gathered in Å~^iÅ~_li
to commemorate Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was shot
to death in front of his newspaper Agos’ building in Å~^iÅ~_li three
years ago.
Ergenekon is also the name of an alleged gang that is accused of aiming
to topple the government by creating turmoil in society and that is
alleged to be connected to the "deep state." Dink’s assassination is
also linked to the "deep state," according to allegations.
A group called Art for Peace organized changing the street signs. The
group requested a meeting with Å~^iÅ~_li Mayor Mustafa Sarıgul to
officially change the name of the street, but the meeting will be
possible only after Jan. 19, the group said in a leaflet it distributed
to the crowd in Å~^iÅ~_li.
Without waiting for the appointment, the group members changed the
name of the street themselves.
Rage against judicial process
This year’s slogan during the commemoration was "We know the killer,
we want justice." Despite the cold and the snow and heavy rain, many
people participated in the commemoration. Rage was arguably the main
emotion of the crowd.
"I am eminently enraged," retired teacher Semra Tugcu said as she
stood in the crowd.
She said she was not hopeful about Dink’s murder case. "I am a Turk,
but this does not mean that I am not a minority in this country,"
she said. "I feel like a minority, too."
Hrant Dink’s wife, Rakel Dink, and their son and daughter were also
at the Agos newspaper office.
Arat Dink, Hrant Dink’s son, spoke to the crowd. "Were those kids
[those suspected of murdering Dink] alone while they were making fun
of us in the court? … I do not trust justice in this country. But
being here for the last three years with you makes me hopeful,"
Arat Dink said.
Dink’s speech was frequently cut by slogans from the crowd such as,
"Murderer state will give account," "Despite fascism, you are my
brother Hrant," and "Either all together, or none of us, there is no
salvation alone."