Author: Boshkezenian Garik

Fresno Bee, CA
Jan 22 2007

Valley Armenians mourn slain Turkish newsman

Editor Hrant Dink spoke out about the Armenian genocide.
By Vanessa Colon / The Fresno Bee01/22/07 05:01:24

Fresno’s tight-knit Armenian community on Sunday mourned the death
of a newspaper editor in Turkey and prayed the killing would draw
world attention to the Armenian genocide.

Dozens who gathered for Sunday morning services inside the Holy
Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in downtown Fresno remembered the
slain newsman. Others named him their new hero or "the latest martyr
of the Armenian genocide."

Hrant Dink, a Turk of Armenian descent who was gunned down Friday
outside his office in Istanbul, had received many threats because he
wrote about the Armenian genocide.

Between 1915 to 1923, 1.5 million Armenians died at the hands of the
Ottoman Turkish Empire. Turkey does not acknowledge that the genocide
happened but says many Armenians died in the civil unrest during the
fall of the empire.

"The truth will eventually come out. I think the good people of Turkey
will start speaking up," said Angie Ohannessian of Fresno.

Dink’s murder appalled many of the Valley’s Armenian-Americans,
who also are frustrated that the U.S. government doesn’t acknowledge
the genocide.

Dink was convicted of insulting Turkishness on Oct. 7, 2005, for his
public comments on the genocide.

Some Armenians said Dink’s killing is a reminder that hatred toward
Armenians in Turkey still exists.

The Rev. Vahan Gosdanian, speaking to the congregation at Holy Trinity
Armenian Apostolic Church, said Dink’s murder shows that the killings
of Armenians by Turks are not over. He called Dink "the latest martyr"
of the genocide.

Sarkis Sahatdjian said he hates what was done to Armenians but doesn’t
hate Turks because some Turks did help Armenians.

Sahatdjian, however, can’t understand how the United States, which
prides itself on ideals of freedom of speech and expression as well
as being a beacon of democracy, won’t acknowledge the genocide. Many
Armenians say they believe it’s because the United States is an ally
of Turkey.

"Most of the European Union knows what it [the Ottoman Turkish Empire]
did to the Armenians, so does the United States. So why is it [the
U.S.] playing coy," said 87-year-old Sahatdjian.

Sunday afternoon, Carla Garapedian, director of the genocide
documentary "Screamers," told dozens in the audience at California
State University, Fresno, that the United States tends to take a
neutral stance toward genocide.

Garapedian said the Clinton administration knew about the Rwandan
genocide, for example, but didn’t take action. Garapedian said Clinton
later apologized for the administration’s inaction.

Garapedian was a stand-in for Taner Akcam, a University of Minnesota
associate professor and one of very few Turkish historians to
acknowledge the genocide. Akcam was scheduled to speak at the Fresno
State event, but flew to Turkey instead to attend Dink’s funeral.

"Screamers," which features the history of the Armenian genocide and
other genocides, has prompted the Turkish government to redouble its
efforts to deny any role in the deaths, she said.

But some Armenian-Americans still hope that Turkey eventually will
acknowledge the genocide.

"Even the Turkish people are out there protesting," Ohannessian said.

Turkey Urged to Tackle Nationalism After Dink Murder (Update1)
By Ben Holland

Bloomberg
Jan 22 2007

Jan. 22 (Bloomberg) — Human-rights groups and European politicians
urged Turkey’s government and media to stop stoking chauvinist
feelings, as police blamed the Jan. 19 killing of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink on nationalists.

A teenager detained the next day confessed to killing Dink, saying
he was provoked by the journalist’s writings, according to the
newspaper Hurriyet. Istanbul police chief Celalettin Cerrah said
the crime was motivated by "nationalist feelings." Dink, along with
Nobel prizewinner Orhan Pamuk and other Turkish writers, questioned
Turkey’s denial of what Armenians say was genocide carried out by
Turks during World War I.

Turkey frequently prosecutes those like Dink and Pamuk who question
state policies on such issues, and they’re often labeled as traitors
by lawmakers and the media. Last week’s murder may show Turkish
politicians the danger of excessive flag-waving as they court the
patriotic vote in an election year, says Yusuf Alatas, head of Turkey’s
Human Rights Association.

"We’ve allowed a lynch culture to develop, an aggressive, threatening
nationalism," Alatas said in a phone interview from Ankara today. "The
government is worried about losing votes, so it joins in the chorus. I
just hope that after this, politicians will watch their tongues."

Pre-Election Rhetoric

Turkey is due to hold parliamentary elections by November. Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was criticized yesterday by a senior
member of his Justice and Development Party for using increasingly
nationalist rhetoric in the run-up to the polls, Milliyet newspaper
reported today.

Dink was given a suspended jail sentence in July for an article
about the Armenian massacres, and at the time of his death was being
prosecuted again for calling them genocide. Pamuk, the Turkish novelist
who won the 2006 Nobel literature prize, was charged with insulting
Turkish identity by referring to the mass killings, in a case later
abandoned by the court.

Dink "was killed because of his ideas, ideas that aren’t acceptable
to the state," Pamuk told reporters last night outside the office of
Dink’s Argos newspaper.

Armenians say that at least 1.5 million of their people were
slaughtered in a planned genocide from 1915. Turkey says that number
is inflated and that both Turks and Armenians were killed during
ethnic clashes.

EU Criticism

The European Union, which started membership talks with Turkey in
October 2005, has criticized the government for failing to defend
freedom of expression or repeal laws used to prosecute Dink, Pamuk
and other supporters of Armenian genocide claims.

France’s lower house of parliament last year passed a law making
denial of the Armenian genocide a criminal offense. Members of the
U.S. House of Representatives have said they may submit legislation
representing the killings as genocide as early as April.

Instead of changing laws to meet EU criteria, ministers have joined
in the criticism of dissidents. Justice Minister Cemil Cicek said
the organizers of an Istanbul conference in 2005 on the massacres of
Armenians were "stabbing the Turkish nation in the back."

Such attitudes are part of a nationalism that’s deeply rooted in
Turkey’s culture, said Cem Ozdemir, a German of Turkish origin who’s
a member of the European Parliament.

`No Coincidence’

"If you grow up with the saying that neighbors are enemies, and
the Turk’s only friend is a Turk, then this kind of hostility to
minorities is no coincidence," Ozdemir said in a telephone interview
before flying to Istanbul for Dink’s funeral tomorrow.

Turkey’s media have also helped create a climate in which "you’re
either with us or against us," Ozdemir said.

Hurriyet, the country’s most-read daily, reported Pamuk’s Nobel
victory last year with the headline "The Nobel Goes to a Turk." The
headline deliberately avoided mention of Pamuk’s name because his
comments had offended Turkish feelings, an editorial explained.

Alatas of the Human Rights Association cited the murder of a
Catholic priest and a high court judge last year and attempts to
lynch Kurdish rights activists, as further examples of a "rising tide
of nationalism."

"These kind of attacks are carried out by organized groups," Alatas
said. "And the more politicians use nationalist rhetoric, the easier
it is for such groups to recruit."

Turkish Daily News
Jan 22 2007

Armenia calls for improvement in Turkey ties
Monday, January 22, 2007

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News

Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan has repeated calls to the
Turkish government for improvement in Turkish-Armenian relations,
reported the private NTV news channel on Saturday. "We must establish
ties with Turkey with no preconditions," he said.

EU presidency condemns the murder

The German presidency of the European Union said on Saturday it was
shocked and "appalled" by the "abominable killing" of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink. "He always strove to present a balanced
picture and avoided provoking confrontations. He staunchly supported
the democratic reforms in Turkey," the EU presidency statement said
adding, "as a result, Hrant Dink was held in high esteem in various
sections of Turkish society, as well as in Europe."

17-Year-Old Ogun Samast Pleaded Guilty to Dink Killing

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.01.2007 13:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The suspect in the assassination of Agos daily
editor Hrant Dink was caught in Samsun 32 hours after the shooting,
when his father reported him to the police. On Saturday evening,
January 20, the lead suspect for Hrant Dink’s assassination, Ogun
Samast, was captured by gendarmarie with the murder weapon on him,
while traveling from Istanbul to Hopa. Ahmet Samast, who works as a
cleaner at the Pelitli municipality, went to the police after seeing
his son’s image on TV, and reported him. The police took Ogun under
custody, as well as his close friend Yasin Hayal and six others. In
2004 Hayal was tried for setting a bomb at a McDonald’s in Trabzon. As
a part of a detailed investigation, police are checking 32 computers at
the internet cafe the suspect used to visit. In the first interrogation
session, Samast confessed to the assassination, reports Zaman.

–Boundary_(ID_LNhUBQ2xAB0oqWudXKgqNg)–

DINK’S MURDER BECOMES POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE FOR INNER AND FOREIGN POLICY OF
TURKEY, ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS BELIEVE

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hrant Dink’s
murder is logical continuation of Article 301 of the Turkish Criminal
Code which became a political earthquake for Turkey’s inner and
foreign policy. Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute stated about it at the Armenian Intellectuals’
gathering taken place on January 20 at the "Hayeli" club, on the
occasion of the murder of Hrant Dink, a prominent intellectual
and politician of the Armenian origin from Istanbul. In his words,
Dink’s tragic murder will have deep influence on both foreign and
inner policy of Turkey. "This murder first of all shook the Turkish
society the evidence of what are the publications in the Turkish
press, responses of TV companies and demonstrations of many thousands
organized just by the Turk society," Hayk Demoyan is sure. He assured
that Hrant Dink’s murder will become a unique watershed to change the
Turkish society’s position on the Armenian Genocide issue. "There
were few such people in all the times who did not make compromises
for their ideas and principles. Dink’s death is a great loss for
the Armenian people’s idea and pen," Azat Yeghiazarian, the Director
of the NAS Literature Institute is sure. In his words, in reality,
Dink’s murder is not a deed of two fanatic young people, but is
a consequence of the policy carried out by the Turkish state for
dozens of years. "Yesterday Erdogan did not even hide in his speech
of condolence on the occasion of the murder his repulsive position
saying "the so called Armenian Genocide" speaking about the Armenian
Genocide," Azat Yeghiazarian mentioned. This is a classic example of
intolerance and denial which is characteristic only for the Turkish
policy. Mr.Yeghiazarian led parallels between the murders of Dink and
Gurgen Margarian, an officer of Armenian origin died in Budapest,
mentioning that it is an affirmed Turkish handwriting. "I am sure
that the Turkish society is ill but I’ll suppose that it must be
treated." This was Hrant Dink’s struggle guideline.

According to the estimation of Ashot Melkonian, the NAS History
Institute Director, Hrant Dink was one of those rare intellectuals who
never hated and was not been an enemy for the Turkish people. "He was
an optimist in that issue, but was mistaken. He was mistaken as the
present Turkish authorities and the Kemal policy carried out by them
brought to the yesterday murder, proved that they are their successors
in the Armenian Genocide issue," A.Melkonian believes. A.Melkonian
is sure that those responsible for the Turkish Government can
express condolence but it does not decrease their sin: this murder
is a terrorist act committed at the state level. The murder put a
full stop on the frame of mind that the Turkish society is getting
better. The Turkish soul and nature is not changeable ever. "Hrant
Dink was my friend. He was brave and of principle. He stayed many
times in front of the Turkish Court for his free expression and
brave ideas. His every day could become the last one. He functioned
and struggle just in this reality paying with his life for memory of
his people’s innocent victims and Turkish people’s healthy future,"
A.Melkonian emphasized. In words of Arsen Avagian, the Advisor of the
Foreign Ministry’s Political Programmming Department, Hrant was one
of those unique intellectuals who believed in the Turkish people’s
becoming better, and saw the solution of the Armenian Genocide
issue just with the help of that people. Hrant was sure that outer
pressures would not give anything but additional straining. "Dink
was exceptional both with his ideas and his life. Hrant Dink became
one of the most important pages of the Turkish history," A.Avagian
emphasized. Hrant Dink dreamed of founding in Yerevan a Center on
Turkish Studies and already sent enough literature for the library of
the future center. "I think that we are obliged to found that center
in Yerevan for his memory," he said.

Participants of the gathering were sure that Dink’s murder will
have great influence on the foreign and inner policy of Turkey,
particularly in the sense of that state’s entering the European Union
as well as in the sense of the world community’s attitude towards the
Turkish state. They also mentioned that the murder can be a result
of Turkey’s inner political mess, can be an application of violent
force towards the freedom of expression and display of intolerance
towards dissidence. But, in his words, in all the cases this murder
in the 21st century is the Turkish society’ shame. Those present
spoke against those rumours that Dink’s body must be moved to Armenia
and burried here. They found that Hrant was born in Turkey and is a
citizen of that country, so it will be right that his grave is placed
in the Istanbul Armenian graveyard, near Armenian great people.

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

Yerevan, January 22. ArmInfo. An international economic forum will
be held in the resort city of Tsaghkadzor, Armenia, on February 16-19.

The forum will be financed by the Center of International Integration
Support, the Armenian Ministry of Trade and Economic Development and
the Central Bank of Armenia. The forum is aimed at consolidation of
existing ties and conclusion of new contracts. Over the past few
years, economic growth has been observed in Armenia, as a result,
it starts attracting investments in various spheres.

The participants of round tables will be representatives of official
structures, heads of companies and organizations from all over
the world. The forum is to cover the economic integration under
globalization conditions, competitiveness of companies and commodities
in the world markets, banking and insurance companies, IT economy, etc.

Euronews.net, France
Jan 21 2007

Hrant Dink murder suspect confesses

The suspected killer of the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink
has confessed to the murder. Ogun Samast, 17 years of age, told
police he had read on the Internet that Dink had said Turkish blood
was dirty so had decided to kill him.

He said he did not regret the killing. Samast was identified after
his father informed authorities that the suspect shown on television
was his son.

The police investigation is continuing – six other people are also
being held. Prime Minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan said he was pleased
the suspect had been brought into police custody in such a short
time.

The killing has shocked people across the country.

One man in Ankara said: "I feel happy the murderer has been captured
as much as I feel sad at Hrant Dink’s death".

A member of Istanbul’s small Turkish-Armenian community said: "Our
pain is so great because Hrant meant something to us. We Turkish
Armenians living here are really scared by the assassination and we
don’t know how this fear will go away."

Flowers and candles now adorn the street in Istanbul where Dink, the
editor of a Turkish-Armenian weekly, was gunned down on Friday.

ABHaber, Belgium
Turkey-EU News Network
Jan 20 2007

Presidency statement on the assassination of the Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink

The Presidency was shocked to learn of the assassination of the
respected Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in Istanbul.

Hrant Dink was a courageous man whose journalism was marked by his
strong commitment to democracy and freedom of expression and who was
prepared to take great personal risks for his work. He always strove
to present a balanced picture and avoided provoking confrontations.
He staunchly supported the democratic reforms in Turkey.

As a result, Hrant Dink was held in high esteem in various sections
of Turkish society, as well as in Europe.

The Presidency is appalled by this abominable killing and would like
to express its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family and friends.
The Presidency is convinced that the Turkish authorities will solve
this case as quickly as possible and has no doubt that Turkey will
steadfastly continue along the path towards fully realizing freedom
of expression.

MediaFax, Romania
Jan 20 2007

Turkey Probes Journalist”s Murder Amid Huge Public Outcry

ISTANBUL, Jan 20

Turkish police have released images of a man suspected of killing
journalist Hrant Dink, one of Turkey”s most prominent ethnic
Armenians, as the government came under fire for failing to protect
him despite nationalist threats, AFP reported.

The footage, reportedly taken from the security cameras of shops in
the street where the 53-year-old Dink was shot dead Friday, showed a
lean, young man clad in a denim jacket and jeans and wearing a white
beret.

The suspect, whose identity remained unknown, was holding an object,
which officials said was a gun, under his jacket.

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Jan 20 2007

Killing Of Hrant Dink – First Reaction From The United States

WASHINGTON – An executive of U.S. Secretary of State said Friday that
they strongly condemn this villainous murder, as a first reaction
from the United States over assassination of Hrant Dink,
editor-in-chief of bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.

"This is a villainous murder. We have deep sorrow. We send our
condolences to Dink’s family," the U.S. executive told A.A.

Dink was shot in front of his office building in Sisli district of
Istanbul today, and died instantly at the scene.