Month: February 2012

ARMENIAN SINGERS CALL TO BOYCOTT EUROVISION IN BAKU

Russia Today

Feb 24 2012

Over 20 Armenian singers are asking the country’s public television
to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest due to take place in the
Azerbaijani capital Baku later this year.

The statement comes shortly after a 20-year-old Armenian soldier
was shot dead by an Azerbaijani sniper on the border between the
two countries.

The performers say that anti-Armenian sentiment persists in Azerbaijan
due to the long-lasting Karabakh conflict. As a result they state
that they would agree to take part only if the contest is held in
another country.

The head of Armenia’s delegation to Eurovision has also claimed her
country had not received any safety guarantees for its members.

Azerbaijan won the right to hold the event after its duo Ell & Nikki
won the contest in 2011.

`DEPORTED’
by Richard Duckett

TELEGRAM & GAZETTE
February 23, 2012 Thursday

Joyce Van Dyke will discuss her play, “Deported,” which deals with
the experience of the Armenian genocide, at a dinner meeting hosted
by the Arshavir Lodge of the Knights of Vartan at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 in
the Church Hall of the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 87 Salisbury
St., Worcester. Van Dyke’s plays have been produced at New Repertory
Theatre, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Boston Theatre Marathon, and
the San Diego Actors Festival, among other venues. Her Armenian
grandparents survived the genocide of 1915. “Deported” will be
produced by the Boston Playwrights’ Theatre at The Modern Theater
at Suffolk University beginning March 8. A chicken kebab dinner will
be served before the speaking program. Donation is $10. Reservations
are required. Call (774) 261-1808.

CANADIAN COACH LOOKS FORWARD TO PLAYING ARMENIA, AFTER PIECING ROSTER TOGETHER

Hamilton Spectator

Feb 24 2012

TORONTO To paraphrase Trooper, the Canadian men’s soccer team will be
in Cyprus next week for a good time, not a long time.

With the FIFA calendar showing just one international date, clubs only
have to release their players 48 hours in advance. And some of them
didn’t even want to do that.

So coach Stephen Hart, facing a Feb. 29 friendly with Armenia in
Limassol, is making do with a 17-man roster.

Hart reckons he will have “probably a session and a half” with his
players before the game. Some clubs, he said, wanted to know exactly
when Canada was playing so they could calculate when to release the
player 48 hours beforehand.

“Putting this team together was extremely difficult,” Hart told a
media conference call.

Injuries and players still in MLS pre-season – Hart elected to look to
Europe for his squad – were other reasons why assembling the squad was
challenging.

In Europe, some teams are fighting for survival as their season winds
down. There is pressure on coaches to maintain position and for
players to earn playing time and possible new contracts.

“It’s a difficult time at the moment,”Hart said. “But I’m glad to have
the game. There’s certain players playing together that I’m happy that
they’re available.

“So all in all, I’m looking forward to it.”

With Serbia also playing a game in Cyprus in the same window, Hart
said he looked into a game with them but was told “absolutely not” by
players’ clubs.

The Canadian roster contains 15 European-based players. The exceptions
are Toronto FC midfielder Julian de Guzman and defender Nana Attakora,
who is out of contract and had been training in Scotland.

Hart noted Armenia seemingly has not had problems getting its talent
released. It is bringing 31 players to its Cyprus camp.

Canada is ranked 71st in the world, compared to No. 41 for Armenia.

The Armenians finished third with a 5-3-2 record in their UEFA 2012
qualifying group between Russia and Ireland. But they led the group in
scoring with 22 goals.

“I watched two of their games. I was very impressed,” Hart said.

“A very attacking team, love to come forward, will put you under a lot
of pressure. … It’s a game that’s going to test how well we defend
as a team and also how we are able to attack a team that is putting us
under pressure. So I thought it was a good game.”

Hart has taken the opportunity to call up 17-year-old midfielder
Samuel Piette, who represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in
Mexico last year.

Piette plays in the FC Metz system in France.

“He had a very good camp (with the under-20 team), showed very good
qualities,” said Hart. “At the time, I said to myself if I do get the
opportunity, I’d like to bring him in with the senior players and see
how he settles into the midfield.

“This seems to be a good opportunity to bring him in, see how he does
in training. It’s only a couple of days, I know that, but it will give
me a good gauge for him.”

Unlike some other clubs, PSC Eindhoven was happy to have midfielder
Atiba Hutchinson called up. Hart said the Dutch side recognized that
Huthchinson, returning from injury, needed some games.

“They were very supportive,” said Hart.

Midfielder Marcel de Jong (FC Augsburg, German) was unavailable
through injury, as was forward Olivier Occean (SpVgg Greuther Fuerth,
Germany) who has been hampered with a foot injury.

The Canadian Press

From: Baghdasarian

CANADIAN COACH CLAMBERS TOGETHER ROSTER FOR ARMENIA FRIENDLY

CBC

Feb 24 2012
Canada

Stephen Hart names 17 players for Feb. 29 match in Cyprus

By Signa Butler CBC Sports Posted: Feb 23, 2012 3:18 PM ET

With limited player availability due to injuries, club commitments and
MLS training camps, Canadian men’s soccer coach Stephen Hart said it
was tricky to put together a roster for next week’s friendly against
Armenia in Cyprus.

Hart named 17 mostly European-based players for the Feb. 29 match,
including star midfielder and former Canadian player of the year
Atiba Hutchinson and veteran fullback Kevin McKenna.

“Putting this team together was extremely difficult,” Hart told
reporters during a Thursday conference call. “Injuries are one thing
and having to deal with some clubs, because they are involved in
promotion fight — it’s been very difficult.”

Still, Hart said he was glad to have the match, especially when
there are few opportunities to get his team together ahead of the
next stage of World Cup qualifying in June.

“There’s certain players playing together that I’m happy that they’re
available,” he said. “So all in all, I’m looking forward to it.”

Hutchinson back in the mix Hutchinson, who plies his trade with PSV
Eindhoven, recently returned to full fitness after aggravating a knee
injury during World Cup qualifying against St. Lucia last September.

While Hutchinson is back in the fold, two other players Hart hoped
to have for the Armenia friendly are sidelined with injuries.

Striker Olivier Occean, whose club team SpVgg Greuther Furth is
challenging for Bundesliga promotion, is hobbled by a minor foot
injury, while FC Augsburg midfielder Marcel de Jonge will require
surgery after rupturing ankle ligaments in a recent game against
Nurnberg. A timetable for his return isn’t known.

Hart was hoping to only use European players given that MLS players
are in pre-season and it’s a short timeframe for travel (the team
will only have “a [training] session and a half” while in Cyprus),
but Toronto FC midfielder Julian de Guzman was called into the mix
because of all the injuries and absences.

Former San Jose Earthquakes defender Nana Attakora, who is currently
out of contract but has been training with Scottish club Hibernian,
was also named to the team.

Armenia ranked No. 41 in world Samuel Piette is the one new face on
the roster. The 17-year old midfielder, who plays his professional
soccer with FC Metz in France, was a member of Canada’s squad at the
2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

“He had a very good camp [with the under-20 team], showed very good
qualities,” said Hart. “At the time, I said to myself if I do get
the opportunity, I’d like to bring him in with the senior players
and see how he settles into the midfield.

“This seems to be a good opportunity to bring him in, see how he
does in training. It’s only a couple of days, I know that, but it
will give me a good gauge for him.”

Canada is ranked 71st in the world, compared to No. 41 Armenia. The
match is set for Feb. 29 in Limmassol.

Here is the 17-man roster:

GOALKEEPERS: Milan Borjan (Sivasspor), Kenny Stamatopoulos (AIK Fotbol)

FULLBACKS: Nik Ledgerwood (SV Wehen Wiesbaden), Mike Klukowski
(Manisaspor), Kevin McKenna (FC Köln), Adam Straith (FC Energie
Cottbus), Nana Attakora (Unattached), David Edgar (Burnley FC)

MIDFIELDERS: Julian de Guzman (Toronto FC), Pedro Pacheco (CD Santa
Clara), Tosaint Ricketts (FC Politehnica TimiÅ~_oara), Josh Simpson
(Berner Sport Club Young Boys), Atiba Hutchinson (PSV Eindhoven),
Samuel Piette (FC Metz)

FORWARDS: Iain Hume (Preston North End FC), Simeon Jackson (Norwich
City FC), Marcus Haber (St. Johnstone FC)

DE GUZMAN NAMED TO CANADIAN ROSTER

Sportsnet.ca

Feb 24 2012

Spare a thought for Stephen Hart.

The Canadian national men’s team coach was forced to scramble to
put together his roster for next Wednesday’s international friendly
against Armenia in Limassol, Cyprus.

The game takes place on Feb. 29, the first FIFA International Date
of the 2012 calendar year. The neutral site match will be the first
meeting between the two nations.

Hart announced his 17-man roster Thursday, a squad that features 15
European-based players and one from Major League Soccer: Toronto FC
midfielder Julian de Guzman.

Ideally, Hart would not have picked de Guzman, as he previously stated
he was trying to avoid selecting MLS players because they are in
the middle of their pre-season training camps. But Hart’s hand was
forced due to injuries and because several European clubs refused
to allow their players to play in the exhibition match. By contrast,
Armenia has 31 players in camp ahead of the game against Canada.

“Putting this team together was extremely difficult. Injuries are one
thing and having to deal with some clubs, because they are involved
in promotion fight — it’s been very difficult,” Hart told reporters
during a Thursday conference call.

“There were one or two players that received a lot of pressure from
their club and it made it very difficult for them.”

Hart received so much resistance that the European teams badgered
him to find out the exact time of the Canada-Armenia match — FIFA
rules stipulate that clubs are required to release their players for
international duty 48 hours before the match kicks off.

With forward Olivier Occean (foot) and defender Marcel de Jong (ankle)
sidelined with serious injuries, combined with the hard time he was
getting from European teams, Hart had to get a little creative in
building his squad for the Armenia game.

Hardly a surprise then that he selected de Guzman, and defender
Nana Attakora, who is currently out of contract with the San Jose
Earthquakes and who recently trained with Scottish club Hibs.

“It’s a situation where I needed somebody that can play centre back
or right back. Nana was in Scotland training on a daily basis and
from all reports was doing quite well. So it was a situation where
I felt I could bring him in and once again give him the opportunity
to show himself,” Hart said.

Like Attakora, Samuel Piette also benefitted from the current player
shortage.

The 17-year-old midfielder, who plays for FC Metz in France’s second
division, received his first call-up to the national team after
previously playing for Canada’s under-17 team, including at last
summer’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico.

Hart was impressed with Piette’s work when he recently participated
in a training camp with Canada’s under-20 side.

“At the time I said to myself if I do get the opportunity I’d like to
bring him in with the senior players and see how he settles into the
midfield. This seems to be a good opportunity to bring him in. … It
will give me a good gauge for him,” Hart explained.

On a positive note, returning to the national team fold is star
midfielder Atiba Hutchinson, widely regarded as Canada’s best player.

Hutchinson hasn’t played for Canada since aggravating a knee injury
during a World Cup qualifier against St. Lucia last September. He had
surgery on the knee and underwent a demanding physical rehabilitation
regime before recently returning to action for his pro club, Dutch
outfit PSV Eindhoven.

Hart said that PSV did not put up any kind of resistance with regards
to allowing Hutchinson to make the trip to Cyprus. On the contrary.

“The club was actually pleased that I decided to bring him in because
he needs some games. Of course, we’re going to monitor how well he
does and be sensible about this, but (PSV was) very supportive,”
Hart stated.

Although it failed to earn a tournament berth, Armenia posted an
impressive 5-2-3 record in Euro 2012 qualifying, finishing third in
its group behind Russia and Ireland. Armenia currently sits 41st in
the FIFA world rankings, compared to 71st-place Canada

Armenia plays Serbia, ranked 25th in the world, the day before its
encounter with Canada in Cyprus. Serbia also plays Cyprus on Feb 29.

With Serbia already in the country for a pair of games, the Canadian
Soccer Association looked into the possibility of setting up a friendly
for Canada against the Serbs. But Hart said that idea was quickly
put to rest when European teams denied his request to release their
players a bit earlier.

“There was no way we were going to get the players for an extra day
or two,” Hart admitted.

CANADA’S ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Milan Borjan, keny Stamatopoulos

Defenders: Nana Attakora, David Edgar, Mike Klukowski, Nik Ledgerwood,
Kevin McKenna, Adam Straith

Midfielders: Julian de Guzman, Atiba Hutchinson, Pedro Pacheco,
Samuel Piette, Josh Simpson

Forwards: Marcus Haber, Iain Hume, Simeon Jackson, Tosaint Ricketts

From: A. Papazian

WAR AND PEACE
by Prince Frederick

The Hindu

Feb 24 2012
India

Having survived a string of harrowing misfortunes as a boy, John D.
Balian drew upon his own experiences to create the inspirational
protagonist of his first novel, Gray Wolves and White Doves. The
desire to tell his life story under the guise of a novel was certainly
compelling, but the 49-year-old author also sensed a need to throw
fresh light on certain events that lie forgotten in the dingy, back
chambers of history. Pursuit of these twin goals has resulted in
an engrossing coming-of-age tale that is interwoven with threads of
Middle-East politics, culture and conflict.

The novel particularly paints a picture of the internal conflicts in
Turkey for the simple reason that Balian has had a ringside view of
them. But he offers only thin-cut slices of history, Turkish or any
other. “There are many historical references, but they are offered
in calculated measures – a line here and a line there – so that the
reader is not distracted from following the central thread of the
story,” says Balian, who is touring India to promote the book.

Through his characters, Balian presents the 1915 Armenian genocide in
the Ottoman Empire – the forerunner of Turkey – and also describes
events in the 1960s and 1970s that show the Turkish establishment’s
ambition to “mould the non-Turkish citizens of Turkey in the image
of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the beliefs he personified.”

Responses from readers, mostly in the United States, have convinced
Balian that he has succeeded in the effort to entertain and educate
people through this work. “Many readers have written to say they were
unaware of the Armenian genocide,” says Balian, an Armenian himself.

“The Jewish Holocaust in Nazi Germany is a well-known fact of history.

Not so the Armenian genocide.” (Around 20 countries and many scholars
accept the Armenian massacres of 1915 as genocidal, the Republic of
Turkey, however, denies it was genocide).

The central characters in the novel live under a cloud of uncertainty.

They either nurse wounds that refuse to heal or they live in
anticipation of danger.

The title of the book is aimed at capturing this tension. “It’s
meant to bring out the idea of predators and preys,” explains
Balian. “Grey Wolves is a secret group in Turkey.” The Idealist Youth –
a ultra-nationalist group – is unofficially called ‘Grey Wolves’.

Such references are bound to make the novel appealing to students of
world events. In one episode, protagonist Jonah Ibelinian is swept
into a pervasive panic at the Tel Aviv airport. In response to an
explosion, waiting passengers fall to the floor. Jonah – who is caught
in a flashback of his childhood – is slow to respond to the emergency
and a policeman pulls the boy down to safety.

The terrified passengers soon learn a balloon had caused that explosive
noise, but nobody is embarrassed.

Balian writes people lived in a climate of fear and they expected
the worst, all the time. In this context, an oblique reference is
made to the sensational hijacking of an El Al plane in 1968.

Considering he is a medical doctor working in a senior position for
a big corporation, Balian’s wide knowledge of history is impressive.

“I have always been interested in history and keep following world
events. When I write, I just have to verify the facts.”

Given that he has also lived in parts of Europe and has put down roots
in the U.S., Balian can be expected to deliver more historical novels
that are spiked with autobiographical elements.

“Readers of this book have asked me to bring out a sequel,” says
Balian. “For now, I want to focus on marketing this book.” His plans
for Gray Wolves and White Doves include finding an Indian publisher
and also trying to have a film made on it.

CITY’S ARMENIAN HERITAGE ATTRACTS AMERICAN AUTHOR

Times of India

Feb 24 2012

CHENNAI: Feedback from his youngest and oldest readers is what
first-time author John D Balian values the most.

His youngest fan is his son John, who now wants to be called Jonah
after the central character in his book ‘Gray Wolves and White Doves’,
while the oldest is an 80-year-old man from Bengaluru who wrote him
a letter of appreciation. “I didn’t expect my story to have such
resonance,” he said.

The Armenian-American doctor was in Chennai on Thursday to launch
his book based on the persecution of Armenians in Turkey during the
1960s and ’70s. “All the events in the book are real, based on my own
experiences or those of my family, though it is a work of fiction. I
have moved the events around to make the story flow better,” said
Balian, who was born in a remote village in eastern Turkey. He fled
persecution from neo-fascists and migrated to the US when he was 16.

The book, set in Turkey, Armenia, Syria and Jerusalem, talks of how
Armenians were persecuted 50 years after the genocide of 1915 to 1919
when 1.5 million Armenians were massacred by the Ottoman Turks.

“Many books have been set during the genocide, which Turkey still
does not acknowledge. My book is different in that it goes 50 years
later to show how attitudes have still not changed. Even today,
that sentiment exists among neo-fascists,” he said, referring to the
example of Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk getting into trouble over
using the word ‘genocide’ to refer to the killings.

Balian, who is looking for a distributor in India, said he chose
Chennai for the India launch because he has visited the city many times
while working for an healthcare corporate, and is familiar with its
strong Armenian heritage. “At the St Thomas Mount church, there are
inscriptions in Armenian and Portuguese. There is an Armenian Church
and street here and the world’s first Armenian journal was published
here 300 years ago,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

US APPEALS COURT DROPS ARMENIAN PAYMENTS LAW

Feb 24 2012
Turkey

This verdict is important for Turkey, even if not directly, as it
can affect other cases regarding incidents of 1915 and be showed as
an example.

The U.S. Federal Court of Appeals has ruled that the descendants
of Armenians who died during 1915 incidents could not file lawsuits
against insurance companies to receive compensation.

The San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law adopted in the
State of California 11 years ago that authorized descendants of the
mentioned Armenians to file lawsuits against insurance companies.

The court delegation unanimously reached the verdict, and dropped the
case filed by Armenians against German insurance company Munich Re AG.

In its reasoned verdict, the court said only the federal government
had the right to bring foreign institutions before U.S. courts.

The law adopted in 2000 granted the right to descendants of Armenians,
who died in the incidents of 1915 after taking out a life insurance,
to file lawsuits against insurance companies to get the insurance.

San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law in 2009, but in
December 2010 it again ruled that the descendants could file lawsuits.

Last November, the court decided to re-handle this provision.

This recent decision of the Court of Appeals is its third decision
on the same case.

American media says that unless the High Tribunal refuses to handle
this issue, this decision of the Court of Appeals can be the last stage
regarding this matter and most probably, descendants of Armenians who
died in the incidents of 1915 can end their efforts to force German
insurance companies to pay them compensation.

This verdict is important for Turkey, even if not directly, as it
can affect other cases regarding incidents of 1915 and be showed as
an example.

‘NO ORGANIZATION BEHIND MURDER’

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 24 2012
Turkey

An Istanbul court issues its detailed ruling in Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink’s murder case and says although there are
doubts there was no evidence on the existence of an organization
behind the crime

An Istanbul court has issued its detailed ruling in the case of
Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin murdered in
2007, arguing there was no evidence indicating the existence of an
organization behind the crime, despite lingering doubts.

“If a [terrorist] organization does exist [behind the crime],
then it has not been ascertained when and for which purpose it was
established. It has not been ascertained on which principles and crimes
the organization’s founders established their mutual wills. If there
is a structure that presents continuity, then no information could
be obtained as to what kinds of actions they have undertaken since
Jan. 19, 2007,” read the court’s ruling made public yesterday.

The 216 page ruling also said no organization leaders or members could
be identified, and that no evidence could be found to demonstrate
the organization was in possession of the necessary means to commit
the crimes in question either.

“There is only the fact that a murder leading to so many political
consequences was committed by the suspects without an organization
[standing behind them], and that this constitutes a situation that
runs counter to the natural flow of life,” said the ruling.

While this situation establishes doubt, criminal law holds that doubt
should be interpreted in the suspect’s favor, the verdict went on.

“It was thus necessary to acquit the suspects due to lack of evidence,
as the suspects’ crimes of establishing, leading, abetting and
being members of an [illegal] organization could not be proven beyond
reasonable doubt with clear and precise facts and evidence that leaves
no room for hesitation,” said the ruling.

It seems illogical that the murder was planned and premeditated by
juveniles without an organization behind them, but those who planned
the murder left no evidence that would establish either a de jure
or a de facto connection between the triggermen and themselves,
the ruling continued.

“The conclusion could be logically drawn that the evidence could
have been more accessible if there was no terrorist organization
[behind the triggermen] of a magnitude bigger than previously thought.”

Dink was the chief editor for weekly Agos, a newspaper published in
Turkish and Armenian. He was shot dead in front of his office on Jan.

19, 2007 in Istanbul. Triggerman Ogun Samast was sentenced to 22
years in prison for the murder last year.

Instigator Yasin Hayal was sentenced on Jan. 19 to aggravated life
imprisonment, while former police informant and suspect Erhan Tuncel
was released, leading to a public outcry.

WHO KILLED DINK ACCORDING TO DDK? THE DEEP STATE, OR…

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 24 2012
Turkey

One of the most interesting aspects of the State Supervisory Council
(DDK) report on the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant
Dink was that it entered the ongoing public debate on the feature of
the incident.

There are two main views in the media and public opinion about the
Dink murder. One of them is based on the opinion that the murder could
just well be an isolated incident carried out by a group of fanatical
nationalist youth on their own. In sentencing Yasin Hayal last month,
an Istanbul court’s verdict statement that there was no presence of an
organization found in the murder strengthens this opinion. However,
this verdict of the 14th Specially Authorized Court drew reaction
from a significant segment of the public.

The second opinion is based on the acceptance that the murder was
an operation directly organized by the “deep state.” There are many
opinion leaders who attribute absolute precision to this thesis.

Government spokespeople, on the other hand, say it was them who were
targeted in this murder.

This debate emerges in the DDK report.

‘Clumsiness in this murder’

At the end of the “conclusion,” the part of the report which was
publicized, DDK head Cemal Boyalı and the other four members of the
board said they found it necessary to “express some points on the
nature and manner of the incident.”

The DDK said, after this entry, that “at a first glance, it can be
concluded that the incident is an act as defined at the trial court,”
referring to the first opinion and the verdict of the Istanbul court
announced Jan. 17.

There are three factors supporting this view, according to the DDK:
The first of these is the “long time slot that passed between the
moment the first intelligence was received and the time the murder
was committed.” It is true that the date was Feb. 17, 2006, when
Trabzon police informed Istanbul and Ankara that a murder targeting
Dink was being planned. The gendarmerie intelligence learned about the
preparation in July 2006. The murder was committed much later on Jan.
19, 2007.

The second factor is that “the perpetrators were demonstrating clumsy
behavior during the time leading to the murder.” When court documents
are reviewed, it can be seen that Yasin Hayal did not hide it from his
circle of friends in Pelitli in Trabzon that he was making preparations
to kill Hrant Dink.

In the third factor, the DDK points out the difficulties the
perpetrators went through while obtaining the weapon.

This is not cited openly but all of this emphasizes the sense that
“this is an amateur job.”

Turkey’s plentiful experience

Let’s move onto the second thesis. After the DDK conveys the first
opinion, right after that it says “However…” and turns the spotlight
on the other side of the coin; in other words, the thesis arguing
that the murder was the product of a structure formed inside the state.

Within this framework, the DDK emphasizes that “Our country’s plentiful
[beyond measure] experience in incidents similar to the Hrant Dink
murder, as well as both the responsibility in the inability to
protect Dink’s right to life and mistakes in practice, wrongdoings
and deficiencies” should also be taken into consideration.

The board sheds light on what it means by “plentiful experience”
with this listing:

“The Malatya Zirve Publishing House and Priest Santoro murders, the
‘Kafes’ [Cage] Action Plan, Ergenekon, Revolutionary Headquarters,
OdaTV, ‘Balyoz’ [Sledgehammer], the Action Plan to Fight
Fundamentalism, Å~^emdinli, the Murder at the Council of State and
cases on unresolved murders…”

According to the DDK, it is not only the existence of these cases,
but also the “actions attributed to public employees in these cases
and, in some cases, the aims, types of actions and methods [used],
as well as signs related to the connection of some defendants with
the process and actions leading to Hrant Dink’s murder” should be
taken into account.

In this context, we may give the example that Ergenekon defendants
such as Veli Kucuk and Kemal Kerincsiz appear in campaigns led against
Hrant Dink.

Well, which one is right?

After drawing this framework, the report emphasizes “The murder should
be examined by integrating it with the period starting with making
Hrant Dink a target by otherizing him and the period he was being
threatened.” It goes on: “It is a must that negligence and the other
actions of suspected public employees be investigated and [that they
be] tried directly or within the context of the main murder case.”

To sum up, the DDK gives the message that “At first sight it looks like
an isolated incident but it is also a high probability that it is an
illegal structure inside the state. In order to reveal this, the main
case and the cases of the faulty public employees should be joined.”

We need to wait for the Dink case to be reopened for the truth to
come to light with all its dimensions.

Sedat Ergin is a columnist for daily Hurriyet in which this piece
appeared Feb 23. It was translated into English by the Daily News
staff.