Armenians, Turks and Kurds for the first time together held a demonstration against Hrant Dink’s assassination in The Hague and passed a statement to the Turkish Embassy. The PanARMENIAN.Net journalist was told in FAON (Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands) that approximately 1000 persons gathered at the square Het Plein near the building of the House of Representatives. The demonstration started at 1 p.m. Approximately at the time of the burial of Dink in Istanbul. Armenians coming from all parts of the country met on the square with Turks, Kurds, Arameans, Assyrians and Dutch to emphasis their outrage for the assassination of Dink, the ‘Agos’ weekly editor-in-chief. After a two-minutes’ silence Members of Dutch Parliament from CDA (Christian Democrat), GroenLinks (Greens) and Socialist Party factions came to the stage to express their indignation at murder of Dink.
In FAON Press Officer Inge Drost’s words, in the new form of dialogue and cooperation between the different ethnic groups – in the spirit of Dink – hope was raised for a better future for all in Turkey and abroad. In the House of Representatives a delegation submitted a declaration to the chairman of the Permanent Commission on Foreign Affairs Mr. Hans van Baalen. It is remarkable that two Members of Parliament of Turkish origin also were present. Then in a silent march the participants marched to the Turkish embassy carrying a large portrait of Dink followed by a banner with the text “Armenian Genocide, when will it stop?” National and regional TV, radio and other media were present and covered the event positively, Inge Drost underscored.
