Massis Weekly 3 Hrant Dink and Armenians in Turkey

MARCH 10, 2007 Massis Weekly 3

On 18 October 1994 a press con- The ‘one nation - one church’ rule, ference called by the then Patriarch of Hrant Dink and Armenians in Turkey which has been repeated almost every- the Armenian Church, Karekin Kazanjian, By Hratch Tchilingirian where during these last years, is nothing was held at the Armenian patriarchate in but a slogan void of content” (see “Spiri- The assassination of the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink on 19 Kumkapi, Istanbul. It was organised to tual Chess”, Agos, 1 June 2004 - trans- January 2007 and its aftermath highlighted both change and resistance to correct what the church saw as misin- lated from Turkish by Anahit Dagci). change in Turkish society. To understand how far Turkey has travelled in the formation amounting to a slander cam- At the same time, many found his past generation, Hratch Tchilingirian examines the role of Hrant Dink himself paign against the Armenian church in passion, genuine concern and sincerity in the context of the Armenian community of which he was voice, critic, and particular and the Armenian community disarming. Most people in the Armenian emblem. in Turkey in general. The “highlight” of community saw Agos as a courageous this campaign was an attempt by the Marmara [Istanbul], 19 October 1994). that these people make.” He said this in publication where issues related to Ar- patriarchate to voice protest against false, This was the moment Hrant Dink the presence of the minority school menian identity and community were even lethal, accusations in Turkish me- fully entered public life. The occasion, principals, with total disregard for their discussed with refreshing openness, rea- dia and political circles that Armenian the pressure, the times themselves were dignity and common courtesy. son and a genuine desire to build bridges clergymen were supporting Kurdish such that he chose - publicly, confi- “... And what was I fantasising all across large divides - whether within Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists in their dently and courageously - to address the these years ... With my 45-year-old Turkey, with Armenia or with the secessionist struggle against the Turkish “discomforts” and “burdens” put upon brain, I was thinking: ‘would, one day, a diaspora. state. his community by the state and a highly minister of national education start the In the course of this work, Hrant A photograph allegedly depicting politicised media. It was the moment ceremony for the new school year in a came to a profound realisation: that the an Armenian priest in the company of Hrant Dink openly began to deal with the minority school?’ Sweet thoughts ... My resolution of the problems of the Arme- PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, widely dilemma of being simultaneously a citi- naïveté ... Sorry ...” (see “Kinkel ve nian community in Turkey was inti- distributed on posters, was a key instru- zen of one country, Turkey, while being Valilik”, Agos, 21 August 1998 - trans- mately related to the progress of toler- ment of these accusations. Indeed, part of another nation, Armenia. lated excerpts posted on ). ance, democracy and freedom in Tur- shouted slogans such as Apo, Ermeni key. pici (“Apo [Öcalan’s nickname], Arme- A time of silence A voice of dignity nian bastard”) were at the time com- It was never going to be easy, for Hrant Dink and his colleagues were Armenians, here and there monly heard during nationalist demon- the challenge was at once institutional, symbols as well as agents of change in Dogu Ergil observed after Hrant’s strations and street protests. legal, and political. relation to the Armenian community in death that he had “aimed to promote the The patriarchate’s communiqué The Armenian community, like that Turkey. They were determined to ex- idea that there are other ethnic-cultural on the matter categorically denied the of other minorities in Turkey, experi- press the indignation and resentment groups in Turkey than Turks and Mus- existence of any ties between the Arme- enced shame, humiliation, harassment they experienced as citizens of the Re- lims, and (that) they can very well blend nian community in Turkey and any ter- and intimidation across the long decades public of Turkey. If society and the into the nation cleansed of stereotypes rorist organisation, and explained that from the 1950s to the 1990s without political system did not allow them to and biases”. Hrant wanted, said Ergil, to the priest in the relevant photo was not a being able to speak up in its defence - and voice their fears, concerns, and hopes “defend Armenians against majority fa- cleric of the Armenian church. The in a very different atmosphere to later for their community and for Turkey, the naticism in Turkey and to defend Turks/ document went on to condemn such controversies over Article 301 and even silence surrounding them - they believed Turkey against the fanaticism and hy- anti-Armenian insinuations in both print minimal debate about the genocide of - must be made audible. pocrisy of foreigners and diaspora Ar- and broadcast media, expressing the 1915. The Armenian community in Tur- It was to a large extent this combi- menians” (see “”, EU Turkey Civic Com- serious concern that such false rumours, key in this period was characterised by nation - of the hunger to speak and the mission, 25 January 2007). assumptions and misrepresentations its reclusive existence and collective desire to address the “existential” prob- In recent years, the “Armenian were endangering the Armenian com- silence. lems surrounding the Armenian church issue” - as the problem of the genocide munity in Turkey and making the lives of The defining institutions of the and educational establishments - that is referred to in Turkey - had indeed individual Armenians difficult. Armenian community in Turkey were sparked the creation of the bilingual become a central theme in Hrant’s public The press conference - attended and are the church and the school. Both weekly newspaper Agos in April 1996. discourse. The centrality of the “Arme- by some seventy Turkish and foreign faced (and face) perennial problems that The five colleagues who founded nian issue”, in fact, has come to cast a journalists - was a tense affair. Several kept Hrant Dink and his colleagues awake Agos were: Diran Bakar, a lawyer; Luiz shadow over the other problems of the journalists harassed the patriarch with at night. The interference and heavy- Bakar, also a lawyer and (since 1994) the Armenian community in Turkey: own- presumptuous questions laced with in- handedness of the Turkish government spokesperson of the patriarchate; ership of property, community founda- nuendo about contentious issues, in- in the Armenian community’s process Harutiun Sesetian, a businessman; Anna tions, education of clergy, school ad- cluding the PKK and the Armenian Se- of electing a patriarch (in 1990, and Turay, a public-relations professional; ministration, and church elections among cret Army for the Liberation of Armenia again in 1998) were among the arduous and Hrant Dink, who at the time owned them. (Why, for example, should the (Asala) - a small, Lebanon-based terror- legal problems enmeshing this key Ar- a bookshop. affairs of minorities in Turkey still be ist group that had killed thirty-four Turks menian body. On the second occasion The founding members - as is the “administered” by Turkey’s council of (mainly diplomats) between 1975 and Hrant wrote: case with any equivalent innovative ministers, interior ministry, the security 1983, mainly in western Europe. (Asala “We are sad ... The (Armenian) project - were to have their differences and intelligence agencies, and the for- had no presence, links or any type of community is deeply hurt by the uncer- in subsequent years. But at its heart, eign ministry?). backing among Armenians in Turkey, tainty created by the escalation of the Agos (and Hrant in particular) remained If the central, heated question of and minimal support even among diaspora senseless crisis about the election of an consistent in the effort to open channels genocide came to dominate discussion Armenians). acting patriarch. These are trying days of communication and dialogue between of Armenians and Turkey, it is one that As the interrogators became in- ... We are observing with shame” (see the reclusive - and at times isolated - Hrant Dink and a considerable segment creasingly belligerent, a tall figure forced “Uzgunuz”, Agos, 21 August 1998). Armenian community and Turkish soci- of the Armenian diaspora could not agree himself into the heart of the journalistic The situation with the Armenian ety. on. On the eve of the 24 April com- melèe. “As a member of the schools was (and is) no better. Hrant Hrant defined one of the memorations in 2002, for example, he patriarchate’s press office, I would like wrote many columns about the state of newspaper’s purposes as “(trying) to addressed members of the Armenian to answer that question”, Hrant Dink Armenian schools in Turkey, and took identify and explain our problems to the diaspora in France in an interview with announced. He continued: special interest in their administration. government and to Turkish society”, L’Express newspaper. “Respectable representatives of the While criticising his own community for while acknowledging that “because of “Do not seek Armenian identity press, we are trying to shake off from its shortcomings, he also berated the this, we sometimes have problems” (Ar- among the 1915 graves”, he advised. “I our shoulders a discomfort which causes Turkish government for imposing nu- menian International Magazine, 11/3, am ready to discuss all issues with you pressure. It is for this reason that we are merous administrative restrictions on March 2000). His core belief was that ... I am proud to be a Turkish Armenian. trying to voice our protest against a false minority (and not only Armenian) prejudices could be overcome by educa- I want to represent, with my newspaper, claim. Apart from that, all your ques- schools. tion and dialogue. the rebirth of this society. Armenia will tions have been answered many times Hrant passionately recorded the The target of this education and never be safe unless Turkey achieves before. The Armenians of Turkey are constant indignities experienced by Ar- dialogue was not just misunderstanding democratisation. I believe Turkey may not terrorists and they have never pro- menian educators. In August 1998 he and prejudice in Turkish society, but the be a chance for that young state which vided aid to terrorism, from whichever wrote: Armenian community itself. Hrant’s criti- is on the brink of drowning. Tomorrow, direction that may come. From now on “If I am not mistaken, it was three cal discourse about the Armenian com- thanks to Turkey, Armenia will get the too, this is the way it is going to be. years ago ... One of the vice-directors of munity, and especially the Armenian chance to become neighbors with the Armenians will never support terrorism. the ministry of national education’s patriarchate, was unpopular, costing him European Union. Turkey is Armenia’s As citizens of this country, we would Istanbul office - who was later con- supporters and even friends. only chance” (Turkish Daily News, 23 like to live in peace and tranquility. This victed of corruption and bribe-taking - In June 2001, for example, on the April 2002). is the message of this press conference. said the following to the “vice-princi- occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of More than the semantics of the ... The Armenians, all Armenians in the pals” he appointed (whom the minority Armenian Christianity, he wrote: “The issue, Hrant’s approach to the issue of world, especially Armenians in Turkey, schools call “Turkish vice-principals”): Armenian church has suffered divisions 1915 and Turkey-Armenia relations fo- at this moment have only one preoccu- “You are our eyes and ears ... You are to throughout history and it is evident that pation: peace, peace, and peace” (see inform us of even the minutest mistakes it has not learned from its own history. Continued on page 4 4 Massis Weekly MARCH 10, 2007 Glendale HOMENMEN Chapter Ladies Auxiliary Dr. Lawrence Baron to Speak on Open House “Genres of Genocide” at Fresno State GLENDALE -- The Armenian past to make Homenmen not only a FRESNO -- Dr. Lawrence Baron, Ararat, and Assignment Berlin will illus- Athletic Association “Homenmen” successful athletic organization, but Nasatir Chair in Modern Jewish History trate the lecture. women’s auxiliary Glendale chapter also a learning step for youth to par- at San Diego State University, will give a Dr. Baron received his Ph.D. in organized an open house for take in professionalism. He stated that lecture on “Genres of Genocide: Depict- Modern European Intellectual History Homenmen athletes and their parents Homenmen creates a platform for dis- ing the Armenian, Jewish, and Rwandan from the University of Wisconsin-Madi- on Sunday March 4 at the Glendale cussion in activity giving youth the Genocides in Feature Films,” at 7:30 PM son, in 1974. Since 1988 he has been central library auditorium. The event necessary skills to become well-in- on Tuesday, March 20, 2007. The lec- Nasatir Chair in Modern Jewish History, was was attended by young athletes formed, active members and leaders ture, part of the Spring 2007 Lecture at San Diego State University. He is has and parents who wanted to learn more of their community. Series of the Armenian Studies Pro- also been Director of the Lipinsky Insti- about the organization and its direc- Armenian Athletic Association gram, will be held in the Alice Peters tute for Judaic Studies, San Diego State tion. “Homenmen” women’s auxiliary Glen- Auditorium, Room 191, in the University University, from 1988-present. Seta Khodanian, master of cer- dale chapter chairwomen Rozin Business Center on the Fresno State He has published Projecting the emonies, briefly discussed the 86 year DerTavitian addressed the audience on campus. Holocaust into the Present: The Chang- old history of Homenmen in general the meaning of being a Homenmen This lecture examines how feature ing Focus of Contemporary Holocaust and more specifically talked about member, and following its credo films draw on iconic documentary im- Cinema (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Homenmen’s activities in the greater “Sound Body, and a Sound Mind.” She ages to convey the uniqueness of the Littlefield, 2005). southern California area and in par- added that those who have participated Armenian and Jewish experiences while The lecture is fee and open to the ticular the city of Glendale. She also in Homenmen throughout their youth simultaneously employing similar cin- public. Relaxed parking is available in addressed some of the short and long and into their adulthood have achieved ematic strategies to dramatize their sto- Lot J, after 7:00PM. range plans of the organization. a higher level of success and happi- ries. Clips from such films as Ravished For informations contact the Ar- Homenmen Glendale chairman ness in both their personal and profes- Armenia, Schindler’s List, Mayrig, menian Studies Program at 559-278-2669 Vartan Kojababian addressed the hard- sional lives. Everyone was encouraged ship that parents, community leaders to proactively recruit their friends and Free Vote ‘Key to EU-Armenia Ties’ and the youth have gone through in the family into the organization. Continued from page 1 tees, but I have a very strong sense that the authorities are aware of the Hrant Dink and Armenians in Turkey for Armenia’s democratization and importance of the elections,” Semneby European integration. Markarian was told RFE/RL after the talks. He stressed Continued from page 3 “Where fear is dominant, it pro- reported to assure him that his govern- the fact that it will be the first major duces symptoms of resistance to change ment has “the desire and the will” to ballot since Armenia’s and neighbor- cused on the substance of reconcilia- at all levels of society. The more some hold a first-ever Armenian election ing Azerbaijan’s and Georgia’s inclu- tion. “I know what happened to my people yearn and work for openness and recognized as democratic by the West. sion in the EU’s European Neighbor- grandparents”, he told AFP. “It does not enlightenment, the more others who are “I haven’t gotten any guaran- hood Policy (ENP) framework. matter what you called it: genocide, afraid of such changes struggle to keep massacres or deportation” (Agence society closed. In Turkey, the legal cases France Presse, 8 October 2000). Hrant against Hrant Dink, Orhan Pamuk, Ragip strongly believed - to the dismay of Zarakolu or Murat Belge are examples of many in the diaspora - that the more how the breaking of every taboo causes essential thing was to influence Turkish panic in the end. This is especially true of public opinion. “The winning of the the Armenian issue: the greatest of all empathy and compassion of the Turkish taboos in Turkey, one that was present population is far more important than the at the creation of the state and which adoption of Armenian resolutions in hun- represents the principal “other” of Turk- dreds of parliaments elsewhere”. ish national identity” (“”, 13 December Hrant spent considerable time and 2005). energy in seeking to persuade the diaspora Hrant Dink “was Turkey in its that there is a new dynamic and a new complexity”, wrote Dogu Ergil. “He was openness in Turkey, involving an un- a Turk against Armenian extremism and precedented interest in and discussion of an Armenian against Turkish extrem- Armenian issues. He said that “this pro- ism.” cess has been developing very slowly, The day of Hrant Dink’s funeral just like the democratisation of Turkey”, was the evidence of how far Turkey had in a way that encouraged him to believe travelled since that press conference at that “the taboo (of 1915) too will be Istanbul’s Patriarchate in 1994. More broken”. than twelve years on, the Ermeni pic Yet anyone who is familiar with epithet hurled by nationalists was over- “breaking taboos” in Turkey knows the taken by the cries of Hepimiz Ermeniz extreme dangers involved in such a pro- (“We are all Armenians!”) in the throats cess. Hrant himself was well aware of of tens of thousands of Turks. Hrant the possible consequences: “We never himself, in his life as much as his death, deny our own history. But Armenians (in had played an enormous role in bringing Turkey) are unable to discuss it for fear about that change. He opened the door to it will harm the community’s existence” a future that Armenians and Turks must (see Ayla Jean Yackley, “Turks con- find together. front dark chapter of Armenian massa- openDemocracy.net cres”, Reuters, 26 April 2005). In his response to this predica- Hratch Tchilingirian is associate ment, Hrant displayed one of his largest director of the Eurasia Research virtues: courage. As he wrote in Programme at the Judge Business openDemocracy in 2005: School, Cambridge University