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Hrant Dink Park Opens in Mersin
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2011/05/14/hrant-dink-park-opens-in-mersin/
Posted on May 14, 2011 by Editor
Rakel Dink and others at the opening of the Hrant Dink Park
MERSIN, Turkey (Firant news agency) - BDP's Mersin Akdeniz
Municipality has named a park and built a monument, both in honor of
Hrant Dink. Dink, chief editor of the bilingual newspaper Agos, was
murdered on January 19, 2007.
Hundreds of Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, Christians and Alevis came
together in Mersin for the opening of Hrant Dink Park and monument
which were made by the Akdeniz Municipality.
Following a dance performance by primary school students, the opening
ceremony was made with the participation of prominent figures, such as
Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block's Mersin Independent Candidate
Ertugrul Kürkcü; Dink's wife, Rakel, and daughter, Delal Dink; BDP
Provincial Chair Cihan Yilmaz; Akdeniz Municipality Mayor M. Fazil
Türk; Agos Editor Rober Koptas; Armenian writer Vartak Estukyan;
representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Mersin;
journalists Ali Bayramoglu and Celal Baslangic and several other
artists and poets.
Making the opening speech of the ceremony, which drew much interest
from the public and media, Türk started off by expressing his pleasure
of giving one of the most honorable and meaningful services during his
presidency. Türk said: `We are giving this park the name of Hrant who
was murdered with an unacceptable malicious attack. We will give a
fight for the values peace, democracy and equality that he died for.
We will not be afraid of those different us and we will keep take the
differences as our richness. Everybody is equal in this country and
deserves equal treatment. I once more condemn the dark hands that
shadow this brotherhood. Dark focuses will not be able to prevent the
breeding ground of the seeds of peace and freedom in our country.
Names like Hrant Dink are the cornerstones on this way. We bow
respectfully before the memory of our peace dove. We will not forget
the name Hrant Dink.'
Emphasizing that Dink is a companion who sacrificed his life for the
peoples' liberty and for the great action of Deniz Gezmis and his
companions, Kürkcü said: `While entrusting himself to the conservation
of the Turkish people, Hrant wanted to believe in something that was
yet not proved. We, however, saw that this vessel head was not that
much protective. The peoples cannot exist alone. They lapse into a
political statement. And, unfortunately, the state, our political
statement, is not on very good terms with its people, other peoples,
families and religions. The murder of Hrant Dink is bitter realization
of this bitter truth. We now owe an apology to the Armenian people and
to our brother Hrant Dink. And what a bitter fate is it that this
apology is paid by a Kurdish local official, not by a dominant element
of the state. In other words, the Kurdish people, on behalf of
Turkey's peoples, have begun to apologize for the cruelty toward the
Armenian people. We need to take this as an example. Turkey cannot put
the blame of all happenings on minorities, others and the expelled.
Turkey needs to face with its truth and its history.'
Kürkcü who called referred to Dink as `our companion,' was followed by
Dink's widow, who emphasized that this name recalls of cruelty created
by discrimination, racism and fascism and said: `My husband gave a
fight for truths along his life. He tried to address the unfairness
suffered by all peoples but he was responded with death. But the only
thing to console us is that his thoughts have expanded and born new
people thinking like him. And I can see this picture here today. This
idea is just a point to face the past. Our history is full of lots of
pains.'
The speeches were followed by concerts from the MKM (Mesopotamian
Culture Center) group and Kardes Türküler who showed their support
through their songs about freedom, equality and peace. The program
ended with the opening of the Hrant Dink Park and monument.
http://www.mirrorspectator.com/2011/05/14/hrant-dink-park-opens-in-mersin/
Posted on May 14, 2011 by Editor
Rakel Dink and others at the opening of the Hrant Dink Park
MERSIN, Turkey (Firant news agency) - BDP's Mersin Akdeniz
Municipality has named a park and built a monument, both in honor of
Hrant Dink. Dink, chief editor of the bilingual newspaper Agos, was
murdered on January 19, 2007.
Hundreds of Turks, Kurds, Arabs, Armenians, Christians and Alevis came
together in Mersin for the opening of Hrant Dink Park and monument
which were made by the Akdeniz Municipality.
Following a dance performance by primary school students, the opening
ceremony was made with the participation of prominent figures, such as
Labor, Democracy and Freedom Block's Mersin Independent Candidate
Ertugrul Kürkcü; Dink's wife, Rakel, and daughter, Delal Dink; BDP
Provincial Chair Cihan Yilmaz; Akdeniz Municipality Mayor M. Fazil
Türk; Agos Editor Rober Koptas; Armenian writer Vartak Estukyan;
representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Mersin;
journalists Ali Bayramoglu and Celal Baslangic and several other
artists and poets.
Making the opening speech of the ceremony, which drew much interest
from the public and media, Türk started off by expressing his pleasure
of giving one of the most honorable and meaningful services during his
presidency. Türk said: `We are giving this park the name of Hrant who
was murdered with an unacceptable malicious attack. We will give a
fight for the values peace, democracy and equality that he died for.
We will not be afraid of those different us and we will keep take the
differences as our richness. Everybody is equal in this country and
deserves equal treatment. I once more condemn the dark hands that
shadow this brotherhood. Dark focuses will not be able to prevent the
breeding ground of the seeds of peace and freedom in our country.
Names like Hrant Dink are the cornerstones on this way. We bow
respectfully before the memory of our peace dove. We will not forget
the name Hrant Dink.'
Emphasizing that Dink is a companion who sacrificed his life for the
peoples' liberty and for the great action of Deniz Gezmis and his
companions, Kürkcü said: `While entrusting himself to the conservation
of the Turkish people, Hrant wanted to believe in something that was
yet not proved. We, however, saw that this vessel head was not that
much protective. The peoples cannot exist alone. They lapse into a
political statement. And, unfortunately, the state, our political
statement, is not on very good terms with its people, other peoples,
families and religions. The murder of Hrant Dink is bitter realization
of this bitter truth. We now owe an apology to the Armenian people and
to our brother Hrant Dink. And what a bitter fate is it that this
apology is paid by a Kurdish local official, not by a dominant element
of the state. In other words, the Kurdish people, on behalf of
Turkey's peoples, have begun to apologize for the cruelty toward the
Armenian people. We need to take this as an example. Turkey cannot put
the blame of all happenings on minorities, others and the expelled.
Turkey needs to face with its truth and its history.'
Kürkcü who called referred to Dink as `our companion,' was followed by
Dink's widow, who emphasized that this name recalls of cruelty created
by discrimination, racism and fascism and said: `My husband gave a
fight for truths along his life. He tried to address the unfairness
suffered by all peoples but he was responded with death. But the only
thing to console us is that his thoughts have expanded and born new
people thinking like him. And I can see this picture here today. This
idea is just a point to face the past. Our history is full of lots of
pains.'
The speeches were followed by concerts from the MKM (Mesopotamian
Culture Center) group and Kardes Türküler who showed their support
through their songs about freedom, equality and peace. The program
ended with the opening of the Hrant Dink Park and monument.