Preparations for Commemorating Hrant Dink

Turkey and international activist communities are getting ready to commemorate Hrant Dink’s anniversary. To remember Dink’s unfortunate murder just in front of his newspaper Office at the heart of Istanbul city, thousands of people have already started to mobilise masses to call for this event.
To this end, Leman, a noted comic put Hrant Dink’s picture on its cover page and wrote “We are all Armenian” below it.
On Sunday (19 January) there will be a march from Taksim to Osmanbey to protest the murder of Hrant Dink and controversial judicial process since his death.

Armenians Harassed by Ultra-nationalist Turks

For the last three days, a Facebook group called “Uyan Türk” (i.e., Wake Up Turk!) has harassed the Armenian citizens in Turkey. The group’s motto was “Türk Irkı Sağolsun” (trans. May Turkish Race Be Strong Forever) on its banner. Just before the commemoration of Hrant Dink’s anniversary, the group released a number of shares full of hate speech, mainly against the Armenians.

The cyber group targeted “Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da Ermeniler Vardı, Hala Var” (trans. Once upon a time, there were Armenians. Still there are.), which is another Facebook group moderated by Armenian citizens. After showing this group as a target on its Wall, the number of Uyan Turk group increased dramatically and began to harass the Armenian and Turkish members. It increased up to almost 9,700. Both groups and supporters called for reporting the case to the FB auhtorities.

Today, an official application has been made to close the nationalist group. As a result of this application, the group harassing the Armenians was removed.

Öcalan Is The Leader of Kurds

Beşir Atalay, one of the Vice-Premiers, evaluated the peace process in Turkey in a conference specifically held for the Ambassadors. In the meeting, Mr Atalay said that there might be stagnation in this process. He told that the peace process would continue. In spite of stagnations, it will go on, says Atalay.

In the meeting held in Ankara, Mr Atalay also said that “Whether you like it, or not, Abdullah Öcalan is the leader of Kurdish people.”

In his address, he noted that they created a mechanism and Turkish Intelligence Service is in contact with Öcalan. He added that they negotiate with BDP Parliamentarians, who are reportedly in contact with Kandil.

International Hrant Dink Award Ceremony Live on Internet

The International Hrant Dink Award Ceremony, which will be presented for the fifth time on Hrant Dink’s birthday, September 15, will be broadcasted live in English on http://www.hrantdink.org and http://www.hrantdinkaward.org.

The details of the night will also be available on Facebook pages ‘Uluslararası Hrant Dink Ödülü / International Hrant Dink Award’ and ‘Hrant Dink Vakfı / Hrant Dink Foundation / Հրանդ Տինք Հիմնարկ’ and ‘@HrantDinkVakfi’ ve ‘@HrantDinkAward’ accounts on Twitter in 3 languages, being Turkish, English and Armenian.

The award ceremony will take place on September 15th, 2013 between the hours 20.00-22.00 (between UTC/GMT 2 hours and UTC/GMT 4 hours) at Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Convention & Exhibition Centre. At the ceremony, Hayko Cepkin and Bogazici Jazz Choir will take to the stage, and the awardees of 2013 will be announced. The ceremony will be presented by Olgun Simsek.

The Jury of the International Hrant Dink Award 2013 consists of Tim Garton Ash, İsmail Beşikçi, Rakel Dink, Costa Gavras, Nilüfer Göle, Alexander Iskendaryan, Etyen Mahçupyan and International MEMORIAL Society.

Every year, the award is presented to two people, groups or institutions from inside and outside Turkey, who work for a world free of discrimination, racism, and violence, take personal risks for their ideals, use the language of peace, and by doing so, inspire and encourage others.

With this award, the Foundation aims to remind to all those who struggle for these ideals that their voices are heard, their work is visible and that they are not alone, and also to encourage everyone to fight for their ideals.

Alper Görmüş, Amira Hass, the Conscientious Objection Movement of Turkey, Baltasar Garzón, Ahmet Altan, Lydia Cacho, İsmail Beşikçi and International MEMORIAL Society are the former laureates of the International Hrant Dink Award.

Armenians in HDP React

After the co-president of KCK (Group of Communities in Kurdistan) made a statement about non-Muslim communities’ lobbies in Turkey, the Armenians in HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) have reacted and they have stated their concerns. The Armenians are not happy with Bese Hozat’s statements claiming that Israeli lobby, nationalist Armenian and Greek lobbies are parallel states and they hinder the democratisation process in Turkey.

This argument has caused an unrest among the Armenians in HDP Party and they, as a result, call for not making such statements any more. They note that such statement can only betray the trust of ethnic groups, so KCK should avoid showing ethnic groups as a target.

Now, the Armenians in HDP wait for a correction from Bese Hozat about her statements.

Non-Muslims Shown As A Target Again

Yusuf Halaçoğlu, a Turkish Parliamentarian from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and the former President of Turkish History Society, made an interesting statement that targets the non-Muslim communities in Turkey. Halaçoğlu tried to criticise the current Government, but while doing it, he targeted the non-Muslim as well.

He openly said that “I had a look at the composition of Turkish Government, and there are only two Turkish Ministers in the AKP (the ruling party) Government. There are even Jews among them. I handed in these documents to the President. However, the President said ‘If these documents are made public, everything will turn upside down!'”

Greek, Armenian and Jewish Lobbies Accused of Being Parallel States

Koma Civakên Kurdistan (KCK) (Group of Communities in Kurdistan) made a statement about the Israeli, Greek and Armenian lobbies in Turkey. Bese Hozat, the Co-President of KCK Executive Board, said that “Israli lobby, nationalist Armenian and Greek lobbies are parallel states”. Democratisation according to Hozat, democratistion process in Turkey is hindered by these lobbies. Therefore, they are believed to harm Turkey’s democracy. This statement targeting the Greek, Armenian and Jewish communities in Turkey has created an unrest among the non-Muslims.

Co-presidents of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) noted that the Greeks and Armenians should not be associated with the parallel state arguments.

Kids on Hunger Strike in Turkish Prisons

12 children were arrested in Hakkari and Mardin (cities in the southestern part of Turkey) and they were sent to Sincan Prison in Ankara. No punishment has been given to the children in prison, but they are kept in jail without any explanation.

After battering and pounding up, authorities sent four of them from Sincan Prison to Istanbul Maltepe Prison and three of them to Izmir Şakran Prison. The other four remained in Ankara. Later on, one of them was released.

The children kept in Istanbul Maltepe Prison have started a hunger strike as a reaction. However, Ceza İnfaz Sisteminde Sivil Toplum Derneği (Non-governmental Organisation in Criminal Execution System) believe that the other children in Ankara and Izmir will also go on hunger strike. The lawyers reported that the children are determined to go an strike to protest illegality.

Women Liberated from Their Husbands’ Surnames

As per the Turkish Laws, it was compulsory for women to use their husbands’ surnames. For only a decade, they have been allowed to use their maiden names as a new middle name, just before their husbands’ surnames.

However, with a recent amendment, women are now allowed to make a choice between their maiden names and their husbands’ surnames. From now on, a woman can use her maiden name and she will not be forced to replace it with her husband’s last name.

The Turkish Constitutional Court has approved of the decision and it is published in the Official Gazette. This move is believed to be a radical change.

Armenian Christmas Celebrated

The Armenian Orthodox Church celebrated the Christmas yesterday on the 6th of January. Different from the other sects and denominations, the Armenian Orthodox Church does it in January.

Sahag Maşalyan, a Bishop from the Armenian Apostolic Church of Constantinople, says that this is one of the oldest traditions in Christianity. Reportedly, they celebrate the baptism and birth of Jesus as the Egyptian Christians used to do in the second century. In the early Christian history, Egyptian Christians celebrated the Asdvadza-Haydnutyun (Divine Unfolding, Theofany) between 6 and 10 January. Maşalyan notes that this tradition was changed later at the time of Roman Empire. However, despite that, Armenian Orthodox Church keeps this ancient tradition, says Maşalyan.

The Minority Post wishes a Merry Christmas to all members of Armenian Orthodox Church.