Dink Genocide

How many times can you kill a man?

How many times can you dishonor an honorable family? How many times can you deny what was his right by birth? How many times can you dehumanize a humanitarian?

I will not go into details of who Hrant Dink was and what the lawsuit in European Human Rights Dink family started against Turkish Republic in this article. You may read it in detail here. But rather, I will concentrate on the defense of the T.R. in the same court case.

Hrant Dink was killed by a desperado in front of his newspaper in Istanbul. He was warned beforehand in the town canter, in presence of the governor by two dark personalities. He has received countless death threats all his professional life. And the trial of his murderer became a quick farce. After the prosecutor started a case against him, he personally turned to European Human Rights Court against that case. After his death, his family reapplied to the same court against the negligence of Turkish authorities in the events that lead to his murder.

In the official defense statement that the government sent to European Human Rights Court, Turkey claims that Mr. Dink cannot be harmed by the lawsuits against him in Turkey, basically, because he is dead now. They forget the fact that these very lawsuits and the media fanfare around them might be the very reason of his death. Or one might also claim that these lawsuits and the propaganda that came along them were deliberate to ignite the events that lead to the murder of Hrant Dink.

On a humanitarian front though, claiming a person can no longer be harmed of any wrongdoing because the wrongdoings were successful and caused him his life is a pure hypocrisy, and shows the judiciary approach and its fallacies in Turkey in general.

Secondly Turkey claims his writings were endangering social harmony and were dangerous for the community as were the National Socialist propaganda in Europe. We are talking about a person who, in each article he wrote, wrote about the importance of peace and harmony among ethnic groups in Turkey. We are talking about a person who never hurt anyone or in his rare rants, never broke a heart. Comparing his thoughts (because all his actions were basically thoughts and articles) with the ones of Nazis only show the kind of people governing the Turkish state: the same as the ones governing this unfortunate country since 1880's.

One, but only one results could be derived from the events of post-Dink murder era: Turkish Republic is committing the same crime over and over again and should be stopped.

Every time their actions are disturbing the memory and humanity of Hrant Dink and Dink Family, they are killing Hrant over and over again. Every time they defend and sympathize with his murderer and the mentality behind him, every time the judges of so-called Turkish justice system puts down the prosecution of his murderers, every time his name is scorned upon to degrade his people, they are killing him again. They have created a new type of genocide through one person.

As they have destroyed the whole Christian population of Asia Minor during the first half of the last century, they are trying to get rid of other minorities of the area ever since. But one fact eludes these fools: there is no end to minorities in this geography since it is composed of immigrants from all over Middle East, Asia and Balkans; and one day they might end up without a people that they could call citizens.

I don't think that would matter though. What's important is the state. Even if it has no people to live in it.

Remembering Msg. Luigi Padovese

The head of Catholic church for the lands east of Ankara in Turkey was assassinated on June 3rd, 2010. Msg. Luigi Padovese was a hard-worker in the first place. He lived in Iskenderun, close to holy places like Tarsus or Antakya in southern Turkey. He fought hard to establish an understanding between the Catholic church and Turkish islam. He tried to build bridges between Christians of different faiths in the area.

I'm not a catholic. In many aspects of life I do nor sympathize with Catholic administration of things. That being said I believe in the sacred characteristics of Asia Minor lands. From Antioch (Antakya) to Nicea (Iznik) this land is full of places and history that is dear to all Christians worldwide. It is a human legacy that must be preserved and nourished for the sake of the generations to come. And the job to to provide for this legacy today fells into hands of a few dedicated clergyman who work the area. An area where human rights and freedom of speech rights violations are common on a daily basis. It's a place where minorities are herded like cattle. 
When he was slain, Msg. Padovese was getting ready to go to Cyprus to meet the Pope in his visit to this troubled island. He was at an Assyrian Church mass the day before. His sermon included themes of tolerance and fraternity. His assassin whose family was with the church for more than 25 years should not have listened. Details are not known yet but apparently something happened in Msg. Padovese's house and his driver started stabbing him with a knife. Padovese was able to get out of the hose but the man followed him to the garden and finished him off by cutting his throat. 
Early police reports argue that the assassin, his driver was mentally ill. And they claim that this was a one man job. Of course questions like why Msg. Padovese kept close ties with a deranged person for such a long time and did not take precautions are yet to be answered.
In Turkey, if you are a minority, goodness breeds hatred. Humility causes abomination. In the last 5 years only many Christians including clergy were killed by people or groups whose real motives were never unearthed officially. Long and tiresome court cases go on for several years with minor convictions without deep investigations. The officials see killings of Christians in the country a "further clean-up" of unwanted elements. 
Days are ripe with the ideas of martyrdom and humanity because of the Flotilla attack by Israel. The so-called martyrs of the Flotilla, they were at least confronting a defense force of a legitimate country. Msg. Padovese is the genuine martyr. He was a peaceful bishop whose sole goal was to propagate love and love only. And he became the last of long line of martyrs defending love in Asia Minor.  
May God bless his soul.


ADDENDUM: On Saturday, June 5th, the author spoke with the family of the assailant. They confirm that they are muslim. Turkish media purported that all the family including the suspect were Christians. Msg. Franceschini of Smyrnian Catholic Church urges the authorities to follow up the case with due diligence and prevent from closing the case without a decent investigation as it happened on the previous acts of violence against Christians in Turkey.

What A Day!

We say here that Turkey is a heaven for writers. Today is another day like that. Just going though the headlines I was in between going crazy of laughter and crying my eyes out. Here's why:

Turkey wants changes on European Human Rights Court(EHRC) structure

Turkey's European Commission representative, of all people, Mr. Daryal Batibay criticized EHRC for costing tremendous amount of money to Turkish Republic by legislating against its defenses in too many cases. He even asks EHRC to request huge fees from applicants to deter suits. Isn't it funny? The law according to defender's needs. Mr. Batibay is confusing the law in EU with Turkey's legislature I guess, where the verdict is determined not by rules of law but who the defender or the victim happens to be! In Turkey if you are a public servant the courts must ask permission from your superior to press a case against you. That in practice means if you are protected by the government, you are above the law. Mr. Batibay now requests Turkey to be above the law of Europe. And Turkey is in a negotiation stage to become a EU member! And Turkey wants to legalize her own double standards in Europe now. One must show these Turkish officers their place immediately. That's the only education they'd respond to.

The Brazen

Mr. Zahid Akman is the head of radio and TV censorship committee in Turkey. He's a man of government. In Germany, he was accused by the attorney general for embezzling the money donated by Turkish workers in Germany into Turkey. These money were allegedly used to finance party operations instead of helping the poor, the reason they were collected for in the first place. Although all related people in Germany are already in jail, Turkey still hesitates to open a lawsuit against the alleged people in Turkey. He is the main figure among these. The second in command of the ruling party, Mr. Bulent Arinc said he asked him to resign on the onset of the case. Today he denies such a request being made, and he openly adds that the Prime Minister would protect him if necessary and he still has his support. A European counterpart would have resigned months ago. A Japanese would have committed suicide. Such brazen and shameful people are in administration in this country. And one cannot swallow it so easily. There should be something that can be done...

The Story of a Murder

A young girl gets murdered. A routine story in every country. But what makes this particular story unique is how it happened and what happened following the murder.

Her head was found in a garbage bin around a very rich neighborhood in Istanbul. Her body parts were found in several different spots around the city. She was allegedly argued with her rich boyfriend just before her death. And after her death, the boyfriend disappears.

The cops question the family of the boyfriend and let them go immediately. They do nothing else for months. The media goes nuts. They finally publish an International blue bulletin for his arrest on sight. And nothing happens once more.

Simple questions for the imbeciles who think they are cops:

1. Who can dismember a body without leaving any traces and getting any help?

2. Where was his family while he was doing these inhuman acts?

3. How did he leave the country and was he able to hide without the help of his family and their resources?

4. Why his parents are still free?

5. Can the rich kill anyone the way they want in Turkey?

Simple answers are needed.