WHO ASSASSINATED HRANT DINK?
Support A1+!An open letter to civilized society
I believe the question, “Who assassinated Hrant Dink?” concerns many readers. Each individual is attempting to find answers, but in my opinion to answer this question, one does not need to be a politician, a journalist, an analyst nor a scholar etc. Hrant Dink became the victim of the Turkish government’s denial political policy. However, if we happen to go deeper and speak openly, I would conclude that Hrant Dink became the victim of a universal low, undignified, unjust and unilateral game. He belonged to those who never suffer from the complexity of racism; he was free to express his views publicly and labeling things by their real names. He was struggling against the Turkish government presenting the Armenian Genocide to the world in an unjust manner. The Turkish government was unable to digest the Hrantian “Armenian Genocide” version, which was simple, plain and without any complications. (Hrant Dink represented his people who lived in their homeland for the last 4000 years, and if you embark these people on a golden airplane and transfer them to another place, that in itself would still be considered a genocide, the reason being that the Armenians were uprooted from their homeland, besides the fact that 1.5 million innocent people were ruthlessly massacred.
This version is crystal clear and needs no research to be done. It has stood like a piece of bone in the Turkish government’s throat; however, this was not pleasing enough for the Turkish government. With Article 301, the Damoclean sword was not only threatening Hrant Dink’s head, but even those of the Turkish writers, namely Orhan Pamuk, Elif Shafak, the historian Taner Akçam, the American scholar Hahm Chamooki , and tens of other publishers, journalists, and writers. These were individuals who were courageous enough to challenge the Turkish government, individuals who liked to voice their noble conscious concerns, those who definitely wanted to see Turkey lay down its burden of the past and start a fresh, clean page to establish a democratic, civilized and popular state.
Perhaps these are the real Turkish people who advocate change for free press; they are the true torch bearers and following their path, Hrant Dink was martyred. According to Hrant Dink’s lawyer, Fethiye Cetin “ Hrant Dink used to be Turkey’s peace dove and they mercilessly killed that dove ”Those responsible for Dink’s assassination are presumed not to be, so to say, some minors, rather they were the Turkish authorities themselves. This well staged funeral procession cannot change our minds that the whole world has been brain washed about the reality of the Armenian Genocide by the Turkish media; it is not that easy to close our eyes by “imprisoning” a number of minors. The British “Morning Star” paper just recently published an article in its January 26, 2007 issue, stating, “Let us accept the fact that the Turkish media is based on its denial of the Armenian Genocide. Even the Turkish boundaries are based on its denial of the genocide.”
Encouraged by its fanaticism through Article 301 and starting from its school curriculum and bohemian institutions, through its TV and the media Turkey has made every attempt in its denial, negativity, hate slogans, which raises the question as to where is it leading its people politically? Is it leading them towards democratic values and self-determination or toward, God forbid, Europe?
Fanaticism and hate have become a way of life in Turkey.The fanatics, backed by the government, have created all kinds of lies to detract public opinion by presenting false antifactual documents; they penetrate into authorities who are attempting to look into the Armenian Genocide issue for cover up. They attempt all kinds of means to look for authorities in high ranking American circles and Jewish lobbyists in order to tie up our just cause; however, notwithstanding all these attempts, the Armenian winning factual documents are by far stronger than the Turkish sword.
By some magic, having been saved from the Turkish fires and swords, the diasporan Armenians together with those Nansenian passports that allowed the Armenian refugees to establish themselves in foreign lands with their hearts filled with longings for the waters and soil of the fatherland. The Armenians in the diaspora have never been able to submit to the idea of forgetting the memories of the one and a half million Armenian martyrs whose bones are still lying under the open skies of Der Zor deserts, and where from they are still raising their voices demanding just judgment by breaking the cruel silence.
The ice is now broken and many parliaments around the world are steadily accepting the reality of the Armenian Genocide despite all the Turkish bluffs to “Leave history to the historians” theories and conclusions of the horrid reality for about 30 years between 1893 – 1923 the Armenian people lived through hell. In fact, on the night of April 24, 1915, the Turkish government gathered 700 of the elite Armenian intellectuals in Constantinople and savagely killed them all. This is the reason why on April 24 of every year, Armenians all over the world commemorate the Armenian Genocide, the day when Armenians were deprived of their intellectuals. The devilish plan of the Ottoman Empire to have “Armenia without Armenians” was finally fulfilled. This human indifference created conditions undermining the bloodshed and violence happening around us. This very indifference led Adolf Hitler to declare his famous quote in connection with the Jewish massacre, “Today, who remembers the Armenian massacre?”
I can never forget my father’s recollections as to how the Turks had put his three brothers, along with their wives, children and hundreds of other farmers in haylofts and burned them to death! Have you ever inhaled the burning smells of human flesh, fat and bones? Positively not! Otherwise you would have definitely felt the agony and the torture the Armenians went through! At a time when the Armenian children were helplessly being burned and when the Armenian villages and towns were smoking and the skies were covered by human dark smoke, on the other hand you are forced to hide in shelters while inhaling the smells of the burning flesh of your children and loved ones!!! It is unimaginable, but that is the truth verified by hundreds and thousands of well known scholars, namely, Franz Werfel in his “Forty Days of Musa Dagh” and the British journalist Robert Fisk in his “The First Holocaust”. There are numerous evidences to that effect, and it is worthy to present herewith a great human being and a friend of the Armenians, the 28th President of the United States of America, a noble prize winner, Woodrow Wilson’s continued support and attempts in connection with the Armenian issues and its boundaries between the years 1913 – 1921.
On April 25 – 26 of 1920 the Supreme Council of Allied and Associated Powers, President Wilson, along with 18 other states, revisited Article 81 outlining the Armenian and Turkish boundaries. On November 22, 1920 Woodrow Wilson’s just proclamation was signed off whereby it acknowledged the rights and boundaries of the Armenian Republic covering 103,599 sq km. This is still in force up to this day as it used to be at its inception.
Until when will the Armenian Genocide be undermined and hidden behind false and artificial theories? Even today right in front of the eyes of the civilized world a cultural genocide is taking place! Our historic artifacts and our Armenian churches are being threatened of being wiped out, while the few that do exist are being converted into mosques! Azerbeijan, Turkey’s younger brotherly state, is following the footsteps of its elder brother, Turkey.
Nakhichevan and the mountainous regions of Karabagh having been inhabited by Armenians for thousands of years, were forcibly annexed to Azerbeijan by the past Soviet Union! Immediately before the fall of the Soviets, the Armenians were forced to desert Nakhichevan, while on the other hand the people of Karabagh, fearing to have the same destiny, declared their independence before Azerbeijan doing so. At the same time other former Soviet states also followed suit. This forced the newly independent Karabagh to be dragged into an unwanted and unbalanced war with Azerbeijan and eventually declare victory. What is the use of passing non-binding resolutions that sound good on paper only? When will fraud and deception be lifted from the world? In the end we were able to win over our second enemy who attempted to resemble his elder brother, Turkey and on occasions even surpass him. On February 19, 2004, the whole civilized world came face to face with a brutal reality. Lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan who was studying English in Budapest, was mercilessly beheaded by an Azerbeijani lieutenant, Ramil Safarov, who was ironically declared a “hero” by Azerbeijan. The whole world was as silent as a cold stone.
Then in 2005, thousands of our artifacts in Nakhichevan and the stone crosses from the New Julfa cemeteries were destroyed and vandalized. I’m writing all this with utmost pain. They all became victims of the cold and blind world. Today, when the world is witnessing us burying one-and-a-half million plus one martyrs, UN on the other hand is standing behind those who deny the Armenian Genocide, the first genocide of the 20th century, during which time one a half million of my own people were robbed of their lands which spread from sea to sea. It has been rightly said, “He who has a master is taken care of by his master, and he who doesn’t, is taken over by wolves.” Today profit making has become the dominant factor and the world has turned into a jungle, where the powerful beasts are devouring those who are weak.
I am raising my voice not only against the Turkish government, but also against all those world powers, who in order to safeguard the interests of their investors are rejoicing with Turkey and its younger brother, Azerbeijan, as they continue to crush and surround all the Armenian boundaries, so that it will eventually be destroyed economically. I am calling upon the civilized world and especially upon Turkey’s ally and sponsor, the United States of America, the leading power of the world claiming democratic values, how come that it is ruling the world with double standards?
Every year on April 24th , which is the Armenian Genocide commemoration day, the entire Armenian population anxiously wait for the United States President to once and for all clearly pronounce with his own lips the word “Genocide” instead of simply piling up words of sympathy.
During those long lasting presidential campaigns, not only the word “Genocide” was not used, but even the American ambassador to Armenia, John Evans was recalled because he had the courage to rightly call the “Armenian Genocide” a genocide indeed. I can fairly even state that the US government intentionally nominated Hoagland to replace Evans, whose denial attitude of the genocide is no less than that of the Turkish government’s.
Is this how President Bush respecting the memory of our martyrs? Although the Armenian people have been hit hard by the walls of injustice, they have never for once lost their faith in the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Now that the Democrats have taken control of the House and the Senate, we, the Armenians, have full hope that they will make every attempt to regain the American lost dignity and prestige by pursuing the basic human values of freedom of speech, fair and impartial judgment, and popularity in the democratic areas. Additionally, they will be able to state clearly their say to combat all bloodshed, and injustices done throughout the world by reinstalling freedom of speech among nations. In order to reach these goals the world must confront the massacres happening throughout the world, and at the forefront of which is, the first genocide of the 20th century, that is the Armenian Genocide, followed by the Jewish Holocaust. Anything to the contrary will be insulting to all those nations who have experienced massacres.
The memories of our holy martyrs are still fresh in our minds. The idea of the return of our historic lands continue to give us strength and determination to continue our struggle for reclaiming whatever damage was done to our nation through just and noble means being pursued by Hrant Dink. Perhaps it may be proper for all politicians to research the United Nations 1948 resolution regarding genocide and to adapt the “Hrantian” simple and noble version of the Armenian Genocide. A great Armenian and a great humanitarian, Hrant Dink, was despised by the Turkish government. He was being followed for his challenging position against Article 301 through his “AGOS” journal published in three languages, namely Armenian, English and Turkish. He was combating discrimination and hate against all minorities. He was attempting to promote free speech among the common people by shedding light on equal opportunity, free speech and democratic and self-determination principles. He used his paper as a stage giving high hopes for such changes demanded by Europe from Turkey to open its borders and begin bilateral talks between Armenia and Turkey to enable the two countries get involved in negotiations. He was expressing these ideas everywhere in all of his discussions and authoritative articles.
This has been my brief response in my attempts to shed light on the genocidal assassination of a talented writer, public speaker, academically acclaimed journalist, chief editor of AGOS, a great human being and a noble and brave man, Hrant Dink.
We, the Armenians, are very well aware of similar past coordinated events! We have passed through these bloody roads before! About hundred years have passed and the Turk is still the same, unchanged! The responsibility of this genocidal assassination should not be borne by the participation of those few staged minors, but indeed by the deception and lies of the Turkish government, who, wrapped by their shameful ancestral past, are attempting to present themselves as being a civilized and popular government! But alas!!!
Sona Arshunetsy, Brussels
