Artin Penik

Infobox Person
name = Artin Penik


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = 1921
birth_place =
death_date = 15 August 1982
death_place = Istanbul, Turkey
occupation = Tailor
spouse =
parents =
children =

Artin Penik (1921 – August 15 1982) was a Turkish-Armenian who set himself on fire in protest of the terrorist attacks in Esenboğa International Airport by the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (ASALA, also known as Third October) on August 10 1982.cite web
last = Oran
first = Baskın
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Reconstruction of Armenian Identity in Turkey and the Weekly Agos (Interview with Hrant Dink)
work =
publisher = Nouvelles d'Armenie
date = 2006-12-17
url = http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article=27696
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-02-21 ] cite web| title=Armenian Issue, Allegations-Facts, Chronology | publisher=Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Republic of Turkey | url=http://goturkey.kulturturizm.gov.tr/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313A781CAA92714FCE0A3216081A23BEF0D | accessdate=2007-02-21] cite web|title=He was an Armenian: Artin Penik|publisher=Turkish Journal|url=http://www.turkishjournal.com/i.php?newsid=361|accessdate=2007-02-21]

Penik, a 61-year-old, self-employed tailor, set himself on fire in Taksim plaza, the main square of Istanbul, Turkey, after leaving a suicide note in which he wrote "I can no longer bear the grief over slayings of innocent people."cite news| title = Armenian Dies from Self-Inflicted Burns | publisher =Associated Press | date = 1982-08-15 | accessdate = 2007-02-21 ]

In the attack which led to Penik's suicide protest, ASALA directly targeted civilians for the first time, opening fire in a crowded passenger waiting room at the Ankara airport. While in hospital, he was visited by the Armenian Patriarch Shnork Kaloustian who described him "a symbol of Armenian discontent with these brutal murders."

Penik was interviewed for television in the hospital two days before his death, during which he called for all world governments to unite against terrorism, declaring that those countries which tolerated terror would one day find themselves facing it directed towards them and wished that God give patience to the Turkish people.cite video
people = Artin Penik
title = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh2f2qsc5Yg (Graphic) TV interview with Artin Penik in hospital (Turkish with English subtitles)]
medium = TV interview
publisher =
location = Istanbul, Turkey
date = 1982-08-13 ] He further stated that his original plan had been to commit suicide in front of the French general consulate, but he changed his mind at the last moment, and decided to die in the "presence of Atatürk" in Taksim.

Penik died in the emergency ward of the Istanbul Cerrahpaşa Hospital five days after his attempted suicide. His funeral, held at the Surp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Church was attended by Armenians and Turks as well as by government officials and the funeral procession filled the streets of the Kumkapı district.cite news
last =Özuzun
first =Yervant
title =Ulusal Ötekilerden Küresel Ötekilere
publisher =Hye-Tert
date =2001-10-11
url =http://www.hyetert.com/yazi3.asp?s=0&AltYazi=Makaleler%20%3E%20Genel&Id=64&DilId=1
accessdate = 2007-02-21 tr icon]

References

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh2f2qsc5Yg TV interview with Artin Penik in hospital (Turkish with English subtitles)] (Graphic)

Persondata
NAME=Penik, Artin
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Turkish-Armenian who burned himself in protest of ASALA terrorist attacks on Turks
DATE OF BIRTH=1921
DATE OF DEATH=1982-08-15
PLACE OF DEATH=Istanbul