We had a strong group attending the Vigil in NYC on Tuesday…. According to Anna Kushner of PEN, who was there with us, only 20 attended the vigil for Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya a couple of months ago. In contrast, there were close to a thousand at the one honoring Hrant Dink.

You’re doing a great job. Keep up the good work,

Lola

Not sure what you mean with “pay tribute” but the ANC did recognize and appreciate Hrant’s work/message. He was, as a matter of fact, a guest of honor at the Bay Area ANC’s annual “Hai Tad” evening last year. (For details, see “Hrant Dink & Ragip Zarakolu Visit the Bay Area” at http://www.ancsf.org/pressreleases/2006/03142006.htm)

Although there may not have been complete agreement with Hrant on all his views, from my understanding the ANCA had considerable respect for Hrant and his message. Also, as I understand it, some steps were being take to coordinate more closely with him, if not, at least, to get his perspective on the efforts we in the Diaspora should take.

All that is lost now of course, but please, although being critical of ourselves is important, let’s keep the focus on the true “problem” here. The problem is the continuation of the Armenian Genocide through the continued denial and demonization of the Armenian people. Hrant was simply the 1,500,001st victim of the Armenian Genocide, a genocide that has persisted since 1915 due to the Turkish authorities’ unwillingness to accept responsibility and the apathy of the Turkish people.

I appreciated the crowds in Istanbul, but “little too late” if you ask me. Where were these folks when Hrant and 60-some others were being persecuted by the state for insulting “Turkishness”? The radicals were out there protesting Hrant, Ragip Zarakolu, Orphan Pamuk,, etc. but the folks who took the streets a few days ago stayed home. Now that the very same atmosphere they tolerated lead to the death of Hrant, they call themselves Armenians?

I don’t want to be cynical, but I’m just not in a cheery mood these days. Let’s see what time has in store for us. All I ask of my fellow Armenians is that we all get active, more than before. Getting into discussion in Blogs and pointing out the problems within our communities is all good and has its place, it’s even necessary, but at some point we just have to start working towards the solution, in practical ways.

As much strange it may sound I didn’t see here much people concerned with this crime. I was attending news on TV these days. The first 2 days all the channels and news crews tried to give as much information as possible, some of them broadcast archives of the interviews with Dink, it was the main issue on all the channels. My mum was following all the news, she was concerned as well as some other relatives of her age with who I talked later and who had learnt the tragic news. They would denounce, argue, lament, but all of them had a point to talk over.

Before attending the vigil in front of Moscow cinema I had to meet my course and not strange it seemed to me right after greeting them to know their opinion about the outrage of the previous day. But more outrageous was the reaction – “What has happened?”, “Who is Hrant Dink?”, “Uh, yes, I’ve learnt about it, but who was he?”. I did an effort to get over the shock for a moment and as we would walk on I tried to explain them what had happened, who he was, what he did. I thought they really were interested, but soon I was deafened in unrelated conversations and laughter.

I was walking silently. Guess the previous days they were too busy at the moles, shopping, doing manicure, choosing what to wear for this day and now downloading music from each others’ phones and so on. And I had no choice but to keep up with them. In the end of the day I told them about the vigil hoping that someone would go with me, but no, again I was alone, they had “more important things” to do. So I left alone.

And even at the vigil most of the people were diasporans, NGO members and young activists, and of course journalists. Although some passer-bys would stop for a moment and inquire what was going on and later stay for a while.That was hopeful, and I still preserve the hope that not everyone is apathetic here. Other young people who I met later displayed not more interest than my coursemates did and what I got was the ignorance mainly among the youth. Why? Whether they were busy with their studies, although it’s holidays, or they really don’t care a dime absorbed in their personal ambitions, which is sad, very sad…

I really wish people were more concerned by things happening not only around them but in the world in general, part of which they are by themselves…

There is a real need to collect the major writings and statements of Mr. Dink , either on-line or in print, so that his thoughts and viewpoints are disseminated to as many Armenians as possible. His perspectives on a host of issues were quite creative and did indeed challenge many accepted norms in the dispersion. Hrant once commented, rather sarcastically, that while he and other Armenians living in Turkey dealt with the Turks of today, many if not most Armenians in other parts of the dispersion still viewed Turkey with an Ottoman state of mind.

Today, the Armenian National Committee has organized a vigil outside the United Nations for Hrant. Funny, but I can’t recall if the ANC or the Armenian Assembly ever saw fit to pay tribute to Hrant Dink during his lifetime. Sadly, as is the case with most influential people, Hrant will be given his due in death

Anyway, I spoke to Zarchka about this the other day, and she said that this is pretty much what she noticed too. That is, middle aged people were following developments in Turkey while her fellow students didn’t show much interest, if any at all. Actually, this is pretty common for almost every event in Armenia. Even the other day, the Dashnak student group only managed to assemble a few dozen outside the EU office.

Don’t get me wrong, there were young people there today, but the vast majority were pretty much from that older segment of the population regardless of what A1 Plus is reporting. Incidently, Liberty Square couldn’t be described as “overcrowded” either. I’d go for PanArmenian.net figures and put the crowd at about 5-6,000. Actually, Liberty Square was about half full, I’d say, but even so it was an event that I’m glad to see was staged.

And, although I had my fears, it was organized better than most.

However, even though you would have thought that more would have turned out, especially as reports indicate that 100,000 attended Dink’s funeral in Istanbul, it’s pretty much par for the course in Armenia. Really, apathy prevails in almost every walk of life. Interestingly, a group of Prosperous Armenia supporters turned up hoping to capitalize on the gathering with their five flags, but they stayed only five minutes before walking off.

YEREVAN FAREWELLS DINK

A1 Plus, 23 January, 2007

On January 23 the funeral of Hrant Dink was held in Turkey, which united not only Armenians but also all people condemning the heinous murder. Today a rally was held in Azatutyun Square, Yerevan to commemorate Hrant Dink.

“Dink left us only physically. He will henceforth light as a candle in the hearths of Armenians spread all over the world”, said the rally participants.

Yesterday evening an Armenian student took a handful of earth and a flag of Armenia to Turkey via Armenia-Istanbul flight to put on Dink’s body today.

The participants of the march put candles in front of Dink’s picture, then honoured his memory with a moment of silence. The overcrowded square bent for a moment; men took their hats off, women wept bitterly; one could see silent rebellion on the participants’ faces and readiness to continue Hrant Dink’s deeds. Then a prayer was said for the afterlife rest of Hrant Dink and the clergymen incensed.

Dink’s freinds and acquaintances made speeches, farewelled the great journalist and cited fragments from his last articles. Zori Balayan, renowned Armenian writer, announced that on January 24, at 1:30 p.m., all people who respect Dink’s memory and think highly of his deeds should assemble in Shahumyan Square and march to the Tsitsernakaberd in silence as they do annually on April 24.

People from all strata of society participated in the rally; politicians, public figures, students, elderly people, deputies.

Thousands of Turks Attended Hrant Dink’s Funeral
23.01.2007 17:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ More than 100 000 Turks attended Hrant Dink’s funeral, slain ‘Agos’ weekly editor in Istanbul. Under Armenian music, which was being spread through speakerphones, the procession walks from ‘Agos’ editorial office to the Armenian Church and then to the Armenian cemetery, where Dink will be buried. Earlier his family had asked the participants of the march not to turn the funeral into protest. The majority of the funeral procession carries banners reading “We all are Hrants, we all are Armenians.”

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian, General Secretary of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Foundation, Karen Mirzoyan and Patriarch Hajak Barsamian, the Orthodox leader of Armenians living on the East Coast of the US, attended the funeral. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin and Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu represented the Turkish authorities.