ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)–Thousands gathered Tues., Jan. 19 at the site where Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was murdered three years ago in Istanbul.
The crowd, numbering around 2,000 to 3,000 according to police, braved snowfall to gather outside the offices of the Agos newspaper where Dink was editor-in-chief, chanting “The murderer state has to account for this!”, “We know the murderers, we want justice!”
“As long as light is not shed on this murder, we will be here, we will not give up,” said one of the many people who addressed the crowd from the window of the Agos office, which showed a picture of the slain journalist.
Several people left carnations and candles at the place where then 52-year-old Dink was killed on Jan. 19, 2007.
During this year’s commemoration, the slogan was: “We know the killer, we want justice.”
“I am eminently enraged,” saod retired teacher Semra Tugcu as she stood in the crowd. Tugcu 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.
His speech was frequently interrupted by chanting from the crowd: “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.”
The gunman, an unemployed nationalist who was 17 at the time, was captured shortly after the killing. He went on trial along with 19 suspected accomplices in 2007. The investigation, however, has yet to reveal the masterminds behind the killing.
I wonder how many dashnaks were in the crowd? But much more importantly, after Dink’s death, many thousands of Turkish mourners gathered to pay their respects in Istanbul. Now, there are still thousands who came out on the anniversary of his death. They also renamed a street after him. My question then is simply this…How many Armenians in Yerevan, Armenia come out to mourn the deaths of the innocent Turkish diplomats, their families, and the innocent civillians murdered world-wide by Armenian terrorist groups, on the anniversary of their murders? I’ve been watching the world news daily and have yet to see a single Armenian come out and pay their respects…NOT A ONE!! Why do you all think that is? Gee, could there really be a DOUBLE STANDARD at work here? A Turk’s life, or the life of any Muslim, simply has no value or meaning. Is this what all of you folks are thinking (we already know that many of you say it openly)? This is why I’m asking, because I really would like to know the answer. I don’t know myself. I await a response from any of you who might be able to help me find the answer. Thank you.
Robert(Mehmet, Kemal or whatever your real name is) READ, YOUR ANSWER LIES HERE!!!
Here, once again you tried to humiliate one particular Armenian party, the only one who really is fighting for the Genocide recognition. The Dashnak party was our “Worthy” adversaries in the 1900s. They did not stab us on the back, the way kemal did. They fought face to face..unlike your kemal, who came in the middle of the night arrested 1000s of men and executed them. It does not really matter how many times you humiliate the Dashnaks, I’ll tell you one thing: They all were/are honorable people. Not one of their fighters abused our women or children, unlike your murderous kemalists.
Did they pull your post? No.
And don’t go into the “Muslim” trick here. We know how pious Turks are. Unfortunately the whole world is seeing your colors. When it fits you, you use religion..and all the while we too are Sunni Muslims. So, that did not win you any Muslim friends here.
Just get out of occupied lands and accept your grandfathers complicity in the murders of 2 million innocent Armenians.
Armenia Weekly: Do not fall for kemals tricks. We learned their tricks long time ago. Nothing informative he wrote here in his post. Quite possibly a Turkish intelligence officer trying to belittle and humiliate the whole Armenian nation. And if you read his other posts, he keeps throwing the word “Dashnak” quite often. Their aim is simple, and they will win, if you fall in their trap. What I learned recently from a Kurdish friend living in Ankara, is that: Turks will try their best to form a distance between the Dashnak party and the rest, that way they can weaken Armenia.
The reason why Armenians in Yerevan didn’t come out to mourn the deaths of Turkish diplomats is because they didn’t know about it. Yerevan was subject to Soviet media censorship and thus all talk about genocide were censored. That is the technical answer to your question. If you’re looking for something more, here it is…
The Armenians of Istanbul came to mourn those Turks murdered in the 70s and 80s. That would be a more appropriate analogy than the ignorant one you tried to make. If an Azeri or Turk was murdered in Yerevan for…let’s say national reasons…I no doubt believe Armenians would come out to mourn for him.
In fact I remember there was an Azeri living in my town in the early 90s when war broke out — a mob gathered outside of his apartment, asked him to come down, pack his things, and leave. I’m pretty sure the Armenians of Baku and Sumgait weren’t given that option. Or better yet, I’m pretty sure the Armenians in Istanbul of the 60s weren’t given that option. Why didn’t Turks come out to mourn them? Or better yet — why didn’t Turks just simply not murder and rape these people so that none of us had to do any “mourning.” Armenians live in fear in Turkey, the same way people did under Saddam Hussein. They’ll say everything is nice and fine because to do otherwise would be to upset what one Turkish-Armenian friend called the “delicate balance of peace” in Turkey.
“A Turk’s life, or the life of any Muslim, simply has no value or meaning.” Anybody concerned with the “value of life” in Turkey should be doing his utmost to make their government change its views on the Armenian genocide. To focus on petty and random acts of murder and revenge killings in the midst of such an overwhelming atrocity is insincere and pathetic.
Anyway, this is a bogus issue. The few Turks in Istanbul (and Istanbul as a whole) are quite unrepresentative of the rest of the Turkish population. At worst they are called traitors, at best they are used by people like you to shift the focus from a massive campaign of MURDER and GENOCIDE to random acts of violence in the 60, 70s and 80s (which are still no match for the random acts of violence against Armenians in the same time period).
And if you’re wondering how many “Dashnaks” were in the crowd — I doubt that many. The ARF barely registers any activity in Istanbul.
I think we should try to change that — in the same way there were secret Dashnaks (or sympathizers) in Armenia during the Soviet Union, I think they’ll be people willing to listen in Istanbul. Yalla!
I really don’t understand why the Armenians are so obsessed with calling anyone opposing their views as Turks or Turkish government employees, as Ferhat does when he questions Robert’s identity. Why is it so hard to accept the POSSIBILITY that Robert is indeed Robert?
The article missed the most important quotation from Arat Dink’s speech: “100 years ago, we were the preys, now we have become baits.” He was referring to the plans of the Ergenekon terror organization to attack the Armenians, put the blame on the Islamist AK Party government and cause its downfall.
The strengthening of democracy and civil society in Turkey is the best hope for all the peoples of the Middle East.
Well, you’re right — it is a weird thing to do. But I think it’s a few people on the internet who are like that, the majority of the community isn’t. And I don’t think Fehrat is even Armenian…??
Mehmet and Henry,
I agree. Mehmet brings up a good point. Henry, I don’t know if you had a chance to read one of my other posts, but I echoed your sentiments, especially that we are in agreement about Fehrat. You see, I don’t use any vulgarity or anything like that. I have an opinion just like everyone else, as well as questions which I pose to the site because I truly want to know. However, sometimes it’s true that the editorial board chooses to delete some of my posts. If I were on an editorial board, I wouldn’t delete anyone’s post (unless they were spewing nothing but vulgar insults and swearing repeatedly…no one needs to be exposed to that). Anyway, that’s just my two cents. And no, I’m not a paid agent, as I’ve been accused of wrongly so many times in the past. I’m just a regular person, no more and no less.
Robert,
There was an Istanbul Armenian who had set himself on fire to protest the assassinations.
You’re playing games here. Why don’t you look at how Turkish nationalism and superiority has treated Kurds and other minorities. Dersim and other massacres? Banning a language? And then criticizing Israel and China?
Note: I’m not defending Isreal or China in their treatment of various groups.
Another phony “kind and generous” sounding turk. Just like talat pasha, who ordered the murder of Armenian writer Zohrab, the same Zohrab, who mind you saved talats life. Little kemal, prove to me that there is/was vulgarity in my posts…
Little kemal, your attack on the Dashnaks is/was unprovoked. Your government just assasinated Hrant Dink, and you’ve got the guts accusing Dashnaks?
Henry, do Not fall in the trap of this turk, who calls himself “robert.”
If you believe his sincerity, you might as well pack your bags and move to Turkey and become one of them.
Remember, Tutkey has up(ped) its anti-Armenian rhetoric, the same erdogan whose pictures are on the web smiling and “graciously” sitting on the floor, infront of Afghan Islamist terrorist hekmetyar, it is the same terrorist symphatizer, who mind you came unashamedly on Charlie Rose’s TV show, and without shame screamed in front of all TV cameras that the Armenian Genocide was a “LIE, CONCOCTED BY ARMENIANS, AND THAT THE GENOCIDE WAS A MYTH.”
Never pay homage to the turk, never.
Read the posts of little kemal(robert) and mehmet. In one, they are arrogant and accuse the Dashnak party, the only party which has not succumbed under monumental turkish pressure. And then, they have a 180 degrees change of heart and attitude…suddenly they are conciliatory and friendly.
These are the same turks, who for the last 95 years and through brutal force, are succeeding to assimilate Kurds, they won’t even allow our language to be thought in our schools.
Henry wake up, Random Armenian swiftly and quickly recognized this guys true intentions. This same little kemal(robert) WILL NOT HESITATE TO DRAW HIS SWORD AND SLAY YOU, if you give him the chance.
Living seperate from Turks have made some Armenians “gullible.” DON’T. Listen from a Kurd who lived almost all his life with these Genocidal people.
If calling Turks Genocidal amounts to vulgarity, then accept your complicity in the wholesale murder of a whole Armenian nation. Then, I will apologize to the 60 million Turks.
If calling erdogan a terrorist symphatizer is called “vulgarity,” why is that the US, Israeli and british intelligence had erdogan under their respective “terror list?” Surprised? Don’t, the truth will hound every turk to the end of your lives.
Bravo, Ferhat. But don’t worry, we know the Turks well. One day they WILL be held accountable for their crimes against humanity. Let them make no mistake!
Armenian Masis, some Armenians, unfortunately are fast to bite the bait.
That same turk(robert) who was talking in a kind and conciliatory manner, here on this forum, showed his true colors today on Asbarez online today. You see how turks change their colors? Just yesterday he was proclaiming to the whole Armenian nation that he is here “to learn…” and then he goes on Asbarez online and lashes out at the Dashnak party in a virulent way.
I have always said, and I’ll never change my promise that, I NEVER BELIEVE ONE WORD COMING OUT OF THE MOUTH OF A TURK, period.
I also mentioned in my numerous posts that turks are conducting espionage activities in Armenia, and that they have between 700-2000 low to mid level agents hiring Armenian traitors etc etc…and no onelistened, until a day ago, a traitor who goes by the name hartunyan was arrested alongside his turkish boss. I know, I live in turkey, and hear things here and there. But no matter what, Armenians are still sleeping.
The newest fervor here amongst the turks is the supposed “return of Artsakh” as a autonomous region of azerbaijan….Here is my warning to all Armenians:
DO NOT CEDE 1 INCH OF ARTSAKH, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE THE END OF ARMENIA FOREVER.
Listen ALL ARMENIANS, Artsakh will be sold to the highest bidder. according to turks, they will, once and for all, eliminate All Armenians from Artsakh, destroy any and all Armenian churches and monuments, the way they did in occupied Armenian territory of Nakhichevan.
My words will come to haunt all Armenians. Everything I wrote here, came to be true. Why? Because turks are arrogant and talk too much and too loud.
I will continue my pleading with the Armenian people. I will beg, plead, cry if need be, go on hunger strike, until all Armenians unite and with one big loud voice tell the Genocidal turk that” ARTSAKH IS NOT FOR SALE.
I did and will continue to do my job here warning Armenians about the coming defeats if they become complacent. I owe the Armenian people a lot.
Please please listen from a Kurd who knows the turk inside and out. Everything they say and prmise is a LIE, LIE, LIE, LIE.
God bless and protect small friendless Armenia.
Ferhat
Ferhat — Unlike most of my Armenian brethren who are quick to embrace the Kurd as a friend, I am a little more hesitant. The Kurds seem to have become a more “enlightened” people, not because of any fundamental changes in their society, but because it suits their geopolitical interests to be nice to the Armenians.
You’re hatred and ferociousness against the Turk is not going to convince me that you are the friend of the Armenian. You’re telling me the Turks are still a genocidal people — and what evidence have we found to suggest the Kurds have changed?
If the Kurds were to rise as a military power in the region, I doubt they would be willing to give back Western Armenia. The Armenians have no friends, and never will.
Robert,
If you have been watching world news daily you would have also seen Turkish PM Turgut Ozal threaten to remind the Armenians of the “lessons of 1915” in 1993 if they didn’t lay down to Azerbaijian. You would have also seen PM Erdogan in 2010 threaten to deport all Armenians living in Turkey. You would have also noticed the fact that out of 2000 Armenian churches in Turkey before 1915, only 45 remain standing today. You would have also seen how Turkey has been blockading Armenia for 16 years. You would have also seen how Turkish primary schools give prizes to the schoolchild who writes the best anti-Armenian essay.
Please don’t act like Turkey is the victim in this relationship. And if you were so concerned about all lives being equal, you would be WAY more concerned about the genocide committed by Muslims against Christians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
I also challenge you to find me ONE STATEMENT by an official Armenian statesmen which condones the terrorist attacks. By contrast, did the Turkish state take any action to protect Hrant Dink despite the fact that he had been getting death threats for years? Or did they prosecute him for “insulting Turkishness”? In the past 3.5 years have they made any headway on his murder case? Or did police, shortly after the murder, take a photo with his assassin, as if he were a national hero?
Answer those questions will you, and stop acting like an innocent victim. Stop using the open-mindedness of a fraction of the Turkish population in Istanbul as a propaganda tool. You’re disingenuousness makes me sick.