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To a fallen brother and screamer! |
Posted by ZAk on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 - 08:40 AM
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| Serj and Hrant Dink at the AFI fesitcal. |
To a fallen brother and screamer!
My colleague and friend, Hrant Dink, was murdered yesterday because he
believed in the truth- the need for Turkey to be open about its past, and
recognize the Armenian genocide. I know because he told me this and more in my
feature documentary "Screamers," which is opening in theatres in New York and
Washington, DC on January 26th.
"Dink has long been a voice for tolerance and understanding, and it is
inconceivable that this message was not heard by the criminal who took his life
away. When I interviewed him for the film he told me his life had been
threatened many times, and he had to always be careful and look over his
shoulder." Dink also spoke about his friend ,Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk,
who has also faced daily threats after saying a million Armenians were killed by
the Ottoman Turks.
Dink was the editor of the Agos newspaper and was shot to death on the street
in front of his office Friday in Istanbul. Carla Garapedian interviewed
Dink in Instanbul for the film to discuss the pressures being faced by people
who want to speak freely about the Armenian genocide - notably himself, Nobel
Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and publisher Ragip Zaracolou. In the film, he
explains that many people in Turkey cannot comprehend that their predecessors
would be perpetrators of genocide. "Because they're against genocide and
wouldn't commit it themselves, they can't believe their ancestors would have
done such things either."
"Dink knew very well the danger of speaking freely for what he believed in.
Like his friend Orhan Pamuk, he was under prosecution, under Article 301, for
'insulting the Turkish state.'" "There has to be a process for a people to
have the right to know the truth," he told Garapedian in Turkey. "The
progressive elements of Turkey are working in this direction and those outside
should help us in this direction."
Dink lost his fight for peace and democracy in Turkey. He knew his life was
under threat, says Garapedian. "They are always making threats by phone or
email. I cannot be as free as normal people, I have to be careful, looking over
my shoulder."
After "Screamers" was completed, Garapedian asked the Turkish government for
a response. It came two weeks later when the government issued a statement
saying that the Turkish government would redouble its efforts to combat the
"lies" being disseminated by the Armenian diaspora. Today, they condemned the
killing of Hrant Dink. "Whatever they said today, I can only think they sent a
green light to those forces of extremism in Turkey that are only too ready to
rely on the gun," said Garapedian.
This week, "Screamers," which examines genocide denial in the last
century, from the Armenian Genocide, to the Holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda and
Darfur, was shown at the Library of Congress, to a standing-room only crowd of
over 200 people. Attendees included 7 members of Congress and numerous young
staffers all among the over 100 million fans of the band, System of a Down, who
are featured in the film. The event was sponsored by Congressman Adam Schiff,
Save Darfur and the ANCA, and Dink's words from the film, and his words were
heard by members of Congress and echoed in halls of the Kibrary of Congress.
As he told Garapedian, "for those who live in a democracy, they may not be able
to comprehend why someone can not accept their past. What they may not realize
is that the person they are talking to is not as open-minded as they are."
"The last time I saw him was in November for our AFI premiere in Los Anegels.
smiling as usual," said Garapedian. "A true democrat with a big heart, and the
courage to move forward, no matter the danger. Dink, in his own way, was a
Screamer. I feel very honored to have known him."
- 01/19/07 Carla Garapedian director of SCREAMERS on the recent cold blooded
murder of a fellow screamer Hrant Dink. (Original official statement title is
"To a fallen brother and screamer!")
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Comments
pigsonthewing
24.01.07, 11:16
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That is truly horrible! I remember reading that Turkey was actually trying to press charges against an American author for writing about the genocide. Has anyone else heard about that, is it true? I just recently finished writing a short story which is about the Armenian genocide and have been searching for a publisher. I hope the literary journals won't shy away from publishing it for fear of controversy!
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moonhanger
24.01.07, 11:36
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It not only enrages me, but also saddens me that humans can have such darkness in their hearts & souls. Too many good men & woman have fallen in the fight for truth & justice. Why is it that everytime a voice speaks up, it has to be drowned out by people spitting out candy coated lies & twisted stories dubbed "fact & truth". Who are these people to think that they have the right to "control" the mindset of the general public, what we know & what we don't. Give me one country that doesn't have some form of a dark past. It has happened, but now it is over. Learn from previous crimes, it is the only way to grow. No one blames the present Turkish Government of what happened early in the 20th century, most of the people in power now were probably not even born yet. All that is being asked, is recognition for the senseless murders, the pain & heartache that is still being felt by armenians today. lt's the same with present day genocides. It's easier to take a person or a race's dignity, pride, their life, hell it can be done in the blink of an eye, but it is a monumental mission to just admit a mistake or to apologise, to try to make it right, or to stop the same or worse from happening. I'm a south african, with german ancestry ... that does not make me responsible for what Hitler did or how the past South African regime treated many of my country's people. But it makes me aware of the atrocities that we are capable of & l refuse to follow in the footsteps of these people. It may be easy to drown out one voice, but l'd like to see them try the same with thousands of "screaming" voices. The fight is not over.
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Dorotea
24.01.07, 16:34
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Have SOAD officially commented yet? My heart has been breaking over this, and I can't stand it. It's like I said at MetChicks, they don't understand the word "Genocide" because they've never been a recessive race. The Armenians, Celts, Jews, and other ethnic groups who have been time and time again persecuted know this word all too well and will NOT stand for it. Fuck Turkey and their government. Give Ararat back to the Armenians and leave them the fuck alone!!!
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Yumatira
24.01.07, 17:11
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I think it is horrible in Turkey, you don't have freedom of speech... But, if you think of it.. you never have freedom of speech.. Here in Holland (this is a few years/months ago) some moviemaker said something in his movie about the Islam... He's death now.. Some muslim shot him... Than you think: "Where is our freedom of speech?" In Turkey they are so nationalistic that they don't want to admit their fault.. We learn from faults... Turkish people are born with this.. Their parents didn't told them: "We killed many Armeniens.. it was our fault.. we comitted Genocide.." So if you now tell a Turkish male or female: You guys killed many Armeniens.. they would say: You asshole.. how could you say that? If you don't like us.. why don't you just say it.. To bad they are so dumb to not admit their faults..
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alma
24.01.07, 17:29
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Something cruel and something unforgiveable. I wonder when it all will stop, when will there finally be peace and freedom in this world? Didn't we have enough?
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alma
24.01.07, 19:04
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I am Bosnian and Genocide was committed on my country's people as well and it makes me rage when people do not want to look the injustice in the eyes. Armenians, I am with you all and let's scream until we are heard. to put it in the words of moonhanger: "The fight is not over!"
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tiffanyevett
24.01.07, 19:34
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R.I.P for Hrant Dink, i feel for that guy, what happen to freedom of speech these days, he did not dissreve that, i agree with alm, i wond if it well ever end, but it won't ever end these days at all, thsi world has gone mad, this wrould is madder then u think, i hate to say it though, it's true, there thinks out there like people hateing people for no reason that all, we did nothing to disever this, that is what sucks like shit, oh yeah
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chopsuey292
24.01.07, 20:34
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absolute bullshit. when will people learn that violence is not the answer.. what is this going to solve? even if you don't agree with someone you don't have to murder them... rest in peace Hrant Dink... ps. is anyone else afraid for soad?
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AK
24.01.07, 22:10
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its 1915 all over again
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soulieLA
24.01.07, 22:50
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This needs to end!! Everyday the human race finds new ways to hurt one and other, ENOUGH. We are all in this together! When you see planet earth from space you would be hard pressed to see one race, one religion, one person. Time to start behaving like one, what happens to one of us will eventually happen to all of us if we don't start making better choices, as one!!
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Moonette
24.01.07, 23:17
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Aww, the poor dear! T-T God bless him and may he rest in peace!
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mineisbigger
24.01.07, 23:19
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Man this has to stop
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v_shadows409
25.01.07, 00:03
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r.i.p. to Hrant Dink. omg, you don't think that any band members are in this kind of danger? dude, if they touch or even think about doing anything to anyone in soad, ill fucking kill'em myself. and i know there are many others who will do the same. but the last thing we need right now is more killings. god bless.
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blini_soad
25.01.07, 00:10
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this is so wrong.what turkey is doing is just repeting the genocide not making something right in their fuckin history.it's all about religion.armenia is the first country to accept christianism as a offical state religion and turkish people are fanatic muslims.i used to live there,i'm muslim(and i hate that)and still muslims,they can't stand if someone says anythink againts them,like in holland that director,like Hrant Dink and many reporters,workers and others who get cidnaped in Iraq or Afganistan.ottoman emperor,14..-1920 i guess i'm not sure and they were the strongest emperor in europe,they invaded my country too(albania)and they forced us to be muslims,they killed us,they didn't let us open any school,none,they killed all the intelectuals and what we got from them,only damn mosques,poor peole and death.open your eyes
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livinglifeslie
25.01.07, 02:25
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That's horrible news... How can they do this and continue to deny it? They're obviously covering up something... It's so stupid... What does killing ever solve? But it worries me, because I'm sitting here thinking; does this mean that any of the band members are in danger? I mean, especially Serj. I hope he's got some extra security for a while. I'm sure he's not on their "like" list. :/
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musbos
25.01.07, 03:43
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A couple of weeks ago i read Blue Book... have you ever heard about it? Then i made some research regarding my thesis about it and i find out Blue Book was a winding prepared by English inteligence. I was very surprised to come up with this. During my research i read many articles of Hrant Dink with referencing to Blue Book. Do any of you know if he was killed because of telling something referencing to Blue Book again ?. I want to have this in my thesis.
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alma
25.01.07, 09:20
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blini_soad, my country was in the ottoman empire as well. I am muslim too and I agree with you that Turkey is guilty and that they have committed horrible crimes. However, I do not think that it is just to blame it all on religion. I am a Muslim too and it makes me exactly as angry as you because I know that this all has nothing to do with my belief. This is just them who take religion to justify what they do. It's the easiest way. People always blame religion. You know that it's one of the biggest sins in Islam to force somebody to believe something they do not want thus all of them, in my opinion, have nothing to do with Islam. They are criminals, murderes, but for sure not muslims. For sure not!
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justice_529
25.01.07, 13:18
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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/52/Dinkfuneral2.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/186/367467001_5cd5ee45af_b.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/152/367887445_7c69da0c78_b.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/174/367887448_d3c6a7e668_b.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/103/367887446_34b00d020b_b.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/367887450_959ff5b4ed_b.jpg more of 100.000 people R.I.P HRANT DINK
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