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  • The Canadian Government, the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship

    Armenian National Committee of Canada
    130 Albert St., Suite 1007
    Ottawa, ON
    KIP 5G4
    Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
    E-mail:[email protected]

    ww w.anccanada.org


    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    January 23, 2007

    Contact: Kevork Manguelian

    Tel. (613) 235-2622

    The Canadian Government, the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group
    and the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada Condemn the Murder
    of Journalist Hrant Dink



    Ottawa- The Canadian Government and the Chair of Canada-Armenia
    Parliamentary Friendship Group have condemned the murder of the
    Armenian-Turkish Journalist Hrant Dink in Turkey last week.

    The Hon. Jason Kenney, Secretary of State, Multiculturalism and Canadian
    Identity, in a statement issued today extended his "heartfelt sympathy" to
    the Dink family and to "believers in freedom and democracy."

    The Secretary of State called Dink's assassination a "barbaric hate crime,"
    and said he hoped justice would be eventually served. Mr. Kenney described
    Dink as a courageous and principled journalist particularly "in his writings
    regarding the Armenian Genocide."


    On behalf of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group (CAPFG), Gary
    Goodyear (MP-Cambridge) issued a statement expressing his "shock and deep
    sadness for the tragic murder of Turkish journalist Hrant Dink." He
    described Dink's murder as "an act which assaults the basic principles of
    free expression and democracy."

    According to the CAPFG president, Dink was silenced because "his offence was
    to seek dialogue and reconciliation between Turks and Armenians by
    recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915."

    To mourn the assassination of Dink, the National Ethnic Press and Media
    Council of Canada (NEPMCC) also issued a statement condemning the murder and
    expressed "the horror of its members for the barbaric murder of journalist
    Hrant Dink." The president of the council, Thomas Saras called on the
    "United Nations to investigate the circumstances of Dink's murder," and
    asked "the European Union and all the nations of the world to disassociate
    themselves from the fascist establishment in Ankara."

    Jean Meguerditchian, President of the Armenian National Committee of Canada
    (ANCC), expressed "The Canadian-Armenian community's appreciation to the
    Hon. Jason Kenney, Mr. Gary Goodyear and Mr. Saras for their solidarity and
    compassion during these difficult and somber times for the Dink family, the
    Armenian people and Dink's righteous Turkish colleagues."



    Aris Babikian, Executive Director of the ANCC called "on the Turkish
    Government to uphold Mr. Dink legacy and to reconcile with the Armenian
    people by recognizing the Armenian Genocide and eliminate Article 301 from
    its penal code, and reform its school system to teach Turkish pupils the
    historical fact of the Armenian Genocide"



    -30-

    Texts of the Statements

    CANADA

    Hon. Jason Kenney, PC, MP

    Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)



    For Immediate Release

    January 23, 2007



    Statement by the Hon. Jason Kenney, PC, MP.



    I would like to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the Dink family and
    believers in freedom and democracy as we grieve the loss of Armenian
    journalist, Hrant Dink.



    I condemn this barbaric hate crime and hope justice will be served for those
    who are responsible for Mr. Dink's assassination.



    Mr. Dink was a well known voice around the world on Armenian affairs as a
    courageous and principled journalist, particularly in his writings regarding
    the Armenian genocide. Mr. Dink's work to promote tolerance has benefited
    countless lives. I fully support the Armenian people as they continue the
    work Hrant accomplished throughout his life.



    Freedom of speech and respect for diversity must be adhered to so that we
    can all live in peace and harmony.



    May God bless his Soul

    "Asdvadz Hokin Loosavore"



    -30-



    Office of Jason Kenney, PC, MP

    Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity)



    ------------------------------------- -----------------------------------



    For Immediate Release
    January 24, 2007



    Statement by Gary Goodyear, Chair

    Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group



    On behalf of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, I would like
    to express my shock and deep sadness for the tragic murder of Turkish
    journalist Hrant Dink.



    This murder is an act which assaults the basic principles of free expression
    and democracy.



    Mr. Dink was a prominent voice for the Armenian population in Turkey. He
    was editor of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian Agos newspaper and his offence
    was to seek dialogue and reconciliation between Turks and Armenians by
    recognizing the Armenian Genocide of 1915.



    Mr. Dink spent his life trying to rid his country and his two peoples of the
    denial dividing them. It is our hope that justice will be served and that
    we can draw a lesson from this unimaginable event in order to heal pains of
    past actions and pave the way for a peaceful future through truth and
    reconciliation.



    -30-



    ------------------- -------------------------------------------------- ----





    NATIONAL ETHNIC PRESS AND MEDIA COUNCIL OF CANADA

    Conseil national de la presse et des medias ethniques du Canada

    Canada's Other Voices

    Office of the President


    The killing of Hrant Dink another act of barbarism in Turkey



    The murder of the journalist underscores that the country has

    no common values with the European societies.



    Toronto--The National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC)
    expresses the horror of its members for the barbaric murder of journalist
    Hrant Dink, editor-in-chief of Agos, the Istanbul-based Turkish-Armenian
    weekly. The council cites the murder is an example of Turkey's barbaric
    mentality and culture, and its resistance to the principles of free
    expression and the rights of the minorities living under Turkish
    administration.



    The NPEMCC condemns, in the strongest terms, the assassination of one of
    Turkey's few free voices and asks the United Nations to investigate the
    circumstances of Dink's murder. It also urges the European Union and all the
    nations of the world to disassociate themselves from the fascist
    establishment in Ankara. It further recommends that EU terminate
    negotiations with Turkey aimed at the membership of Turkey into the European
    family of states until the rights of all citizens of Turkey are respected
    and the voice of political dissidents is respected.



    Thomas S. Saras

    President, NEPMCC

    -30-

    -------------------------------------------- -----------------------------

    The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
    grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
    offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
    organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
    the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.



    Regional Chapters

    Montréal - Laval - Ottawa - Toronto - Hamilton - Cambridge - St.
    Catharines - Windsor - Vancouver

    --Boundary_(ID_XwgAsYwwuo5wTgKRkwNJpg)- -

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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