Armenian National Committee
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
617-926-1918
[email protected]
For Immediate Release
January 30, 2007
Boston Area Community Remembers Hrant Dink
— Armenian Americans, human rights activists gather to condemn the killing
of Outspoken Journalist
Watertown, MA — Almost 1000 Armenian Americans, human rights activists, and
those outraged by the killing in Turkey last week of journalist Hrant Dink
gathered inside and outside the St. James Armenian Church in Watertown on
Friday, January 26, for a remembrance and candlelight vigil.
Following the bearing of the Armenian and American flags by the Armenian
General Athletic Union Scouts, students from the Armenian Sisters Academy
and the St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School accompanied by their
teachers and principals led the program with the singing of Mer Hayrenik.
A solemn requiem service was then jointly performed by the clergy of the
Watertown area Armenian churches as well as the priest from the St. Gregory
Armenian Church of North Andover.
Khatchig Mouradian, editor of the Armenian Weekly, spoke on behalf of the
three area Armenian political parties: the Armenian Democratic Liberal
Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Social Democratic
Hnchak Party.
Mouradian talked about his personal encounters with Dink saying that in
spite of the increased threats against his life, Dink remained defiant
saying that `nothing can move me away from the land of my ancestors.’
While he was concerned about his security, Dink reiterated those words in
his final editorial saying, `We were going to stay [in Turkey] and we were
going to resist.’
In that same editorial, Dink also wrote, `If we were forced to leave one
day, however… We were going to set out just as in 1915… Like our
ancestors… Without knowing where we were going… Walking the roads they
walked through… Feeling the ordeal, experiencing the pain.’
`Let us not be fooled by the chanting. `We are all Hrant,” said Mouradian.
`Hrant Dink was alone on the pavement when he died, and he was alone before
that, because most of the people who are now chanting `we are all Hrant’
criticized him for his views when he was alive.’
Mouradian reminded those present that Hrant Dink did, in fact, die like his
ancestors. `Hrant Dink in so many ways is yet another one of the victims of
the Armenian Genocide. He now joins all of the intellectuals who were killed
92 years ago.’
Mouradian also urged those present not to focus on who actually pulled the
trigger. `Let’s not look for murderers in the streets,’ he said. `The real
murderer is the Turkish state … the state that denies the Armenian Genocide
and persecutes those who speak out about it.’
Also addressing the remembrance was State Representative Rachel Kaprielian,
who spoke emotionally about a man she wished she had had the opportunity to
meet.
`These few days have been very moving,’ said Kaprielian. `Non Armenians have
come to me randomly expressing their deepest sorrow.’
`It is true that what Hrant Dink was doing was deeply courageous,’ added
Kaprielian. `What he did was for us, for truth, for Armenians all over the
world.’
State Representative Peter Koutoujian spoke next.
`The murder of Hrant Dink represents a pivotal moment for Turkey and for
Armenians world wide,’ he said. `Now is a time for reflection.’
`Turkey must face this tragedy… as the Germans did with the Nuremberg
trials,’ added Koutoujian, who also noted that the saying `Those who do not
remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’ could only be more
appropriate today if it was, `those who do not acknowledge the past are
condemned to repeat it.’
Koutoujian also reminded those present that `Hrant Dink was the 19th
journalist that was killed in Turkey, making it the 8th deadliest country
for Journalists.’
`Each one of us must emulate Hrant Dink’s ability to speak the truth to
power so that no one befalls his fate again,’ concluded Koutoujian.
Very Reverend Father Krikor Maksoudian of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
(Eastern) then began by saying that it was impossible at this time not to
remember the words of Mikayel Nalbandyan (from the Armenian National
Anthem), `Everywhere death is the same. Man will only die once. But lucky is
the one who sacrifices himself for his nation.’
`The Armenian Genocide has not ended,’ said Maksoudian. `It continues today,
still, culturally, politically. The very intent of the Genocide continues.
How many more victims will there be?’
`We can only have respect for Dink and those like him,’ added Maksoudian.
`The message in Hrant Dink’s death to us all is to continue the struggle for
our rights by not forgetting what happened to our people beginning in 1915.’
`And there is an even stronger message,’ he added. `These last few days as I
was reading all of the press it became apparent. Dink did even more for the
Armenian community in Turkey. Now the Turkish-speaking world has no choice
but to be familiar via the press with the history of the Armenians in
Turkey.’
Maksoudian concluded with a forceful call. `And, there is now a message to
us all, to the youth, and to all of us. We are a people with a deep history.
We have a legacy to preserve. We must take ownership of our history.’
The Lord’s Prayer was then sung in unison before participants followed the
clergy and scouts outside in sub-zero weather to lay flowers at the Cross
Stone in Hrant Dink’s memory. Flowers were donated by Mr. Zadig Osgan, who
was a classmate of Hrant Dink in Turkey.
Hrant Dink was killed in front of his offices on January 19. He was editor
of the Armenian/Turkish bi-lingual newspaper, AGOS, and a prominent
journalist in Turkey who championed freedom of expression. Persecuted for
his outspoken references to the Armenian Genocide of the early 20th century,
Dink was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence against for `insulting
Turkishness’. Several other prominent voices of dissent against the Turkish
Government’s official policy of genocide denial have been similarly charged
under Article 301 of the Turkish penal code. The code, a continuation of
previous penal codes outlawing discussion of the Armenian Genocide,
continues to draw sharp criticism from the European Union, which Turkey
hopes to join. Recently featured in the anti-genocide movie, SCREAMERS, Dink
spoke openly about the Armenian Genocide and the pressures on those in
Turkey trying to come to terms with that bloody part of their history.
The following Boston area organizations (listed alphabetically), including
each of the Watertown-area Armenian churches sponsored the event: Armenian
Church of the Holy Translators- Framingham, First Armenian Church of
Belmont, Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church, Holy Trinity Armenian Church,
Armenian Memorial Church, St. James Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Gregory
Armenian Church of North Andover, Mass., St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic
Church, Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church, Chelmsford , Armenian Democratic
Liberal Organization, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Social Democratic
Hnchak Party, ABAKA, Armenian School for the Performing Arts, Armenia Tree
Project, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian Cultural and Educational
Center, Armenian General Athletic Union, Armenian General Benevolent Union,
Armenian Independent Broadcasting of Boston, Armenian International Women’s
Association, Armenian Library and Museum of America, Armenian National
Committee, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Sisters Academy, Armenian Youth
Federation, ART without Borders, Essayan-Getronagan Alumni Association of
Boston, Inc., Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Society, National
Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), New England Poetry
Club, Project SAVE Armenian Photograph Archives, Sayat Nova Dance Company of
Boston, St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School, Tekeyan Cultural
Association, Zoryan Institute for Contemporary Armenian Research and
Documentation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress