We recalled chanting “We are human beings first.” We remembered the power of love. We remembered that we have actually forgotten to be more possessive of “the pigeons” that we were supposed to protect. We remembered our compassion and lamentations from anguish together. Not all of us are mature enough to do that; but if only we are able to tell, we could convince our people that our most prominent force against hatred, extremism and separatism is an understanding based on love, tolerance and respect.Certain circles are trying to marginalize this society and make it inclined to hatred and enmity, and expending efforts to inject a benign “ultranationalist” view that envisions the replacement of real Turkish patriotism with a hostility-based and flawed nationalism. Holders of this defective view are so appalled by the nation’s tribute to Dink’s funeral, which was marked by the attendance of tens of thousands, that they have been hardly able to act and speak consistently as observed in their oral and written comments and statements that have appeared in some TV shows and newspapers. Certain circles have abused the previous political murders in an effort to create artificial social segments and polarize the society. For the first time, the murder of a prominent Turkish citizen created a completely opposite outcome to what they wanted. This time, they were unable to blame the so-called reactionary movements.
This time, they were unable to manipulate public opinion by asserting, “The murderer shouted ‘Allah’ at time of the shooting.” For the first time, the huge crowd walking alongside Hrant’s coffin gave us hope that we could render the plot of the instigators. For the first time, the remarks of his spouse who underlined the need to question the “darkness” that turns innocent babes into killers reminded of the value of sharing pain and tears. Hrant Dink has always been supportive of dialogue attempts. He was a regular participant at the Abant gatherings. At the latest Abant conference in Paris, it was Dink who gave a sharp and decisive response to the French participants who made offensive remarks about Turkey. Mithat Melen congratulated him for this response. A statement of his was unfairly distorted; subsequently he was accused of treason and prosecuted for allegedly insulting Turkishness. The allegations accusing him of treason were publicized through the tireless efforts of the ultranationalist instigators, and they did it despite the reports of expert witnesses who concluded that the remarks he was prosecuted for did not breach the law which criminalized insulting Turkishness.
We had a moral debt to him. He was always with us, so too should we have been with him on his last journey. Harun Tokak, Cemal Uşşak, and Salih Yaylacı and I, from the Journalists and Writers Foundation, attended the religious ceremony held at Santa Maria Church. Cüneyt Ülsever, Eser Karakaş and Oral Çalışlar were also there. Patriarch Mutafian gave an eloquent speech where he emphasized the need for unity. He urged everyone listening not to politicize the murder; he also said that the criticisms directed at our country in relation to the assassination had caused additional wounds in hearts. He further added they had long been living together with the Turkish nation on these lands and asked for a comprehensive campaign to eradicate the elements that instigate hostility and hatred towards Turkish Armenians. Dink’s body is not with us anymore, but he left us so many reminders, so that from now on we cannot run away from our obligations of being a human being.
