SITREP 3. HRANT DINK MEMORIAL AND FUNERAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L ISTANBUL 000044

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2017
TAGS: PGOV TU
SUBJECT: SITREP 3. HRANT DINK MEMORIAL AND FUNERAL

REF: ISTANBUL 042 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Political Counselor Janice G. Weiner for reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d).


1. (U) Memorial activities for slain Turkish human rights
activist Hrant Dink began promptly at 11 a.m. local time in
front of the Agos newspaper editorial offices where Dink had
been editor-in-chief. A sea of humanity packed the wide
boulevard from side to side for a total of perhaps one-half
mile in either direction from the office. The crowd numbered
in the tens of thousands. Formal funeral ceremonies at the
Armenian patriarchate begin at 2 p.m. local time.


2. (U) Prepared signs with black backgrounds and lettering
in white held by perhaps every third person proclaimed, "We
are all Dink," and "We are all Armenians." A handful read,
"301 is the killer." The throng was peaceful and somber.
Small groups occasionally broke into applause and threw red
carnations into the air. Not boisterous, the applause was
likened to soft rain falling on a roof.


3. (U) At 11 a.m., Dink's widow Rakel, surrounded by her
three children and a daughter-in-law, mounted a sound truck
and with some emotion, read a prepared statement. She
focused on a life cut short and her love for her husband, but
she had some powerful messages for the crowd:

&We are carrying out this procession without any disrespect,
without slogans, without placards. Today a loud voice
emanates from our silence. ( They say (of Dink),&He was a
great man.8 I ask you, &was he born that size? No, he was
born like us. ( The work he did, his manner, his heart,s
love made him great. He became great because he thought big
and talked about great things. You are great for having come
here. But don,t be satisfied with that! ( There can be no
great future with hate, insults, by preferring one bloodline
over the other. You can only rise up if you respect your
fellow man. (

&What darkness can make us forget what you said and
did, my love? Fear? Life? Persecution? The joys of life?
Or death, my love? ( You parted from your loved ones,
from your children, your grandchildren, from us, from my
bosom, but you did not leave your country, my love.8


4. (U) Mrs. Dink and her children then hand-released white
doves. As the hearse pulled forward toward Taksim and on to
the Armenian Patriarchate in the ancient walled city some 4
miles from the Agos office, those on foot passing the Agos
office applauded as a sign of respect to Mr. Dink.


5. (C) Attendees included several Armenian officials, who
arrived quietly, with the tacit approval of the Turkish
government. In the end, the GOT delegation was led by Deputy
PM Sahin and Interior Minister Aksu. According to MFA
spokesman Levent Bilman (please protect),the GOT had worked
closely with the Armenian Patriarch, who had suggested names
in the Armenian Diaspora and elsewhere, and facilitated
guests' presence.


6. (U) Press commentary continues to be introspective,
looking at what lessons can be drawn from Dink's death and
what opportunities lie ahead.
JONES