As the murder of Hrant Dink in Istanbul will continue to dominate the blogosphere in the next few days, I think it’s particularly important to look at what Turkish bloggers have to say on the matter. As I mentioned in my first post, and as implied by the condemnations issued by international media and writers’ organizations, this was a crime not only against an Armenian, but also against the media and Turkish society itself.

To begin with, Erkan’s Field Diary makes no secret of the regret felt at the loss of a member of the Istanbul Armenian community. This was also the murder of a prominent citizen of the Republic of Turkey.

I just wanna express my sorrow now. Mr. Dink was such a nice, peaceful, modest human being that his murder makes it even a bigger crime. I heard the news in campus, Galip hoca told me and in a few minutes most of us were really sad with the news. I had remembered the time when Uğur Mumcu was assassinated years ago. News come abruptly, making us sad. All professional looking murders with no investigative conclusions. Sabah’s chief editor, Fatih Altaylı said “the suspect is supposed to be a 18-19 year old young, he might be captured and sentenced but this looks like too timely, too professional, too orderly to be done by such a young loser loner. However, he will probably the only one to be sentenced.” Let’s wish there will be more this time. And all those who prepared the political environment for this murder are certainly guilty. Now they will shed fake tears but the truth is so obvious…

Meanwhile, Turkish Torque writes from the perspective of both a journalist and a Turk. Indeed, the words use indicate that it is understood that this was not simply a crime against Armenians — it was a crime against Turkish journalists as well.

I am shocked and truly saddened to hear that Hrant Dink, the publisher and editor in chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly AGOS has been assasinated in Istanbul by perpetrators still unknown.

I did not know Mr. Dink, nor did I read his paper but, as a former journalist who once used to work for the Turkish media, I am very disturbed to hear that one more Turkish journalist has been killed God knows by whom and for what kind of nefarious reasons.

But, having lived in the United States for over 30 years I’m sure of one thing: this murder will hurt Turkey big time from a human rights and freedom of expression point of view as well as in terms of the future of the Turkish-Armenian and Turkish-American relations in a year when a lot of observers expect the Democrat-controlled U.S. Congress to adopt an “Armenian Genocide Resolution.”

May he rest in peace and God help Turkey.

Two other Turkish blogs also carry more reasoned commentary on Dink’s death. There’s no doubt in my mind that the murder has deeply affected many Turks as well as Armenians. The Infidel, for example, blames Dink’s assassination on ultra-nationalists in Turkey.

Hrant Dink was murdered in a heinous and cowardly way, most likely, by some brainless and lost ultra-nationalist Turkish young man, who I hope will be brought to justice as soon as possible. I am deeply saddened by Hrant’s death because I believe that he had good intentions for Turkey and the Turkish people. Although I don’t agree with everything he said and wrote, it is clear that he was a peaceful activist voicing his norm-opposing views to raise awareness, which is the bread and butter of any democracy. No human being should be persecuted for his/her opinions in any country, but especially in Turkey.

HrantaskerNow more than ever, Turks need to show solidarity and condemn this attack as an act of senseless violence against one of our own. Hrant was a Turkish citizen, a man who has contributed greatly to Turkish society and furthermore even served proudly in the Turkish Armed Forces when his time came (standing second from right). He did not shy away from criticism or threats and even is said to have refused protection showing fearlessness and dedication to his principles.

Turks cannot and should not under any circumstances ignore Hrant’s or any other journalist’s assassinations. This is a shameful act in light of our country’s image and will only be held against us as a whole if the assailant is not pursued and brought to justice adequately.

I hope moderate Armenian voices follow Hrant Dink’s example of living and working alongside moderate Turks. While the Turkish lobby might seek to limit the damage, and nationalists in the Diaspora attempt to paint every Turk as a potential killer, there are moderate voices in Turkey. Dink wasn’t the first journalist to spoke of peace and reconciliation to be killed, and he won’t be the last.

Talk Turkey says it’s time for every Turk to wake up and act.

I am sick and tired of the ‘business as usual’ attitude shown by Turks and the Turkish government up to now and extending even beyond this latest assassination to silence the voices of reason. Wake up Turks in Turkey and abroad! And prepare to not only ‘debate’ this issue (but act on it as well,) of Turkey’s greatest taboo, unilaterally if need be. But settle this once and for all.

I challenge you to be brave and standing tall amid your own discoveries of self-realization at the expense of the indefensible, and of the good, the bad, and the ugly, or I condemn you to become prisoners of fear for which you will forever be sentenced to without any chances for redemption and revaluation.

However, Turkish Digest posts an announcement from the Turkish-American community which clearly shows that they while they understand the seriousness of this killing, they are more concerned with how it will affect Turkey in its attempts to join the European Union and fight moves to recognize the Armenian Genocide in the United States.

We learned with sadness (from the NTV satellite broadcast via www.dfhnet.com ) that Hrant Dink, editor of Agos newspaper published in Istanbul and a prominent member of the Turkish-Armenian community, has been killed. The assassination took place as Dink was leaving the Agos building (apparently temporarily as he had left his hat and coat in his office.) According to eyewitnesses, an 18-19 year old man wearing a white hat and blue jeans fired four bullets at Dink in close range. Three of those bullets hit Dink in his head and neck killing him on the spot. The killer then ran away, not neglecting to shout “Don’t Speak!” (to the police), in an apparent attempt to scare the eyewitnesses into silence. According to police, a suspect fitting this description was caught in Taksim, a district only a mile or two down the road from Sisli, the crime scene.

[…]

Because of this murder, the U.S. Congress, for the first time ever in its history, might be tempted to accept as fact those baseless Armenian allegations of genocide (I hope this doesn’t happen, otherwise the Turkish-American relations would be seriously and permanently damaged. Turkish pride and honor can never be fodder to America’s arrogant and ignorant local politics.)

The French government may be pressured into rethink its position no to send that comical law banning freedom of speech on Turkish-Armenian conflict, the infamous denial law, to the Senate which is expected to approve it (Again, I hope this doesn’t happen, because Turkish-French relations will be seriously and permanently damaged. France still owes an apology to Turks for invading Anatolia during WWI, raining death and destruction on Turks, and destroying thousand year of peaceful-cohabitation of Turks and Armenians in Anatolia by using neighbor-against-neighbor approach. With this law, French politicians would be adding insult to the historic pain and suffering they inflicted on Turks.)

A pity the letter attempts to propagandize against the fallout that Turkey will now suffer from, but anyway. How could there not be any? This killing is inexcusable — under any circumstances and no matter who carried out what is undoubtedly the premeditated assassination of a journalist.

Anyway, given the fact that Dink was a member of one of Turkey’s embattled minorities, it’s also interesting to read the harsher words coming from Mizgin, a Kurdish blogger, at Rastî. As she’ll tell you herself, the Kurds in Turkey feel an affinity with Armenians both inside the republic as well as abroad because of a shared history of persecution and oppression.

She specifically reacts to the Turkish Prime Minister’s words condemning the murder.

Bullshit, you dirty little errand boy, Erdogan. You’ll find and punish your “dark hands” in this murder just like you did for the Semdinli bombing. Remember how you were swore to get to the bottom of that one? Or how about the Council of State attack? There’s another one that your filthy regime pulled off and about which we’ll never hear the truth.

[…]

Turkey is making no effort to “come to terms with its past.” It is still a fascist regime and it has no intention of changing. Even the EU knows this and not only goes along with Turkey, but enables it at every opportunity, and why not? Europe is the native home of fascism. The US encourages Turkish fascism because the only thing the Americans love is money, and fascism keeps their war industry and politicians rolling in their blood money.

On IHT, Erdogan is braying about how this murder was not the murder of an individual, but an attack against Turkey’s “unity.”

I have news for you, there has never been any unity in Turkey and, at the rate things are going, there isn’t going to be any unity for a very long time.

I am too angry and disgusted with everything and everyone to continue with this, and what does it matter what I say anyway? Nothing will ever change.

Ax! Şev xoş, heval.

More as of when. This crime is not going to go away anytime soon and will haunt Turkey in the international arena for many years to come. No doubt the momentum towards American recognition of the Armenian Genocide is now unprecedented. Whenever that happens, Hrant Dink will rightfully go down in history as a hero and martyr for Armenian and Turk alike.