[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 29, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING HRANT DINK

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 29, 2008

  Mr. BACA. Madam Speaker, this month we remember the one-year 
anniversary of the tragic death of Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish-
Armenian intellectual and human rights advocate. Dink fought tirelessly 
to engage the Turkish community in open discussions of the many 
injustices suffered by Armenians, beginning with the Genocide of 1915. 
As a mentor and a hero, his tragic death shook the lives of many around 
the world.
  Dink's tireless efforts and strong conviction to educate the citizens 
of Turkey, and his writings of the Armenian Genocide led to a 6-month 
jail sentence in October 2005. He advocated for justice, and wrote with 
a conscience, all despite daily threats to his life. Hrant Dink was 
killed because he was a courageous journalist and continued to write 
his columns in hopes of getting rid of the ignorance that exists in 
Turkey. On the one-year anniversary of his death we remember Dink's 
message of liberty, civility, truth and bridge-building. In Dink's 
memory, I have joined my House colleagues in recognizing the Armenian 
Genocide of 1915.
  It is my hope that Turkey will repeal the arbitrary statute, which 
makes it a crime to ``insult Turkishness.'' Turkey claims to be a 
secular state with free elections, yet it clearly lacks the chief 
principle of a democratic nation: freedom of the press. The death of 
Hrant Dink is a tragedy that was fueled by injustice, and I strongly 
urge Turkey to abolish this capricious and dated statute.
  I express my condolences to the family and colleagues of Hrant Dink. 
As we recall him in life, and mourn his tragic death, we renew our 
commitment to work towards advancing the ideals and values, for which 
he so passionately stood.

                          ____________________