Canadian-Armenians
Condemn the Assassination
of Armenian journalist in Turkey
Ottawa—Outspoken
and well-known Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated in
front of his weekly newspaper office today. He was a shot four times by a
young man. Dink's body could be seen covered with a white sheet at the
entrance of the newspaper building.
Hrant
Dink, publisher and editor of Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, faced number
of legal cases for openly speaking about the Genocide of Armenians in
1915. Dink was given a six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after
writing about the Armenian Genocide. He was one of the most prominent
voices of Turkey's dwindling Armenian community.
Dink,
53, a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent, had received threats from
nationalists who viewed him as a traitor, the Associated Press news agency
reported.
In
a recent interview with The Associated Press, Dink wept as he talked about
some of his fellow countrymen's hatred for him, saying he could not stay
in a country where he was unwanted.
Workers at the newspaper, including Dink's brother, who has also been put
on trial in Turkey, were in tears as they consoled each other near
Dink’s body.
Can Dundar, Dink's friend and fellow journalist, said he wished Dink had
left the country as he had once promised.
“The
assassinated journalist had complained in a letter that he had received no
response from authorities after he had told them about threats of violence
made against him,” the Turkish TV network NTV reported.
A colleague at Dink's newspaper, Aydin Engin, said Dink had attributed the
threats to elements in the "deep state," a Turkish term that
implies shadowy, deeply nationalist and powerful elements in the
government.
Upon
hearing of Dink’s assassination, Fatma Muge Gocek, a Turkish author,
historian, and a friend of Dink, said: “ [we] have lost such a warm,
compassionate friend with a great zest for life who believed so fervently
in the goodness of humankind. Dink spent his unfortunately short life to
get Turkey to reconcile with its past and paid for his efforts with his
life. The dark forces in Turkey took him out but what he has instilled in
all of us will not be quenched: we all will keep him alive.”
Reporters Without Borders said it was deeply
shocked by the murder of Hrant Dink “This murder will distress and
disturb all those who defend the freedom of thought and expression in
Turkey and elsewhere,” the press freedom organisation said.
Aris Babikian, the executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of Canada, held the Turkish Government responsible for the politically
motivated assassination. “Successive Turkish Governments’ Armenian
Genocide denial policy and the rewriting of history fanned flames of
hatred against Armenians,” Babikian said.
“In a country where the educational system and the political culture mould the minds of the people with hatred towards ethnically non-Turkish citizens and where racist and extreme right-wing organizations occupy a place of power, this is a sad reminder that things haven’t changed much in Turkey since 1915. This vile murder proves once again that racism has deep roots in Turkey,” added ANCC’s executive director.
“Silencing Hrant Dink proves once again that the genocidal mentality in
Turkey still prevails and the Turkish Government is not interested in
reconciling with the Armenian people and in atoning for its crimes against
Armenians. The Turkish Government should come clean and once and for all
recognize the Armenian Genocide and put an end to the cycle of hatred,”
concluded the Executive Director.
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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
