HDN columnist Ümit Enginsoy laid to rest in Ankara

ANKARA

Prominent journalists attend a funeral for HDN columnist Ümit Enginsoy. DAILY NEWS photo

Veteran journalist and columnist for the Hürriyet Daily News, Ümit Enginsoy, was laid to rest Jan. 2 in Ankara after he passed away on Dec. 31 at the age of 52 due to an accident in his home.

Enginsoy’s family members, friends and colleagues, as well as diplomats and representatives from political parties, took part in his funeral ceremony held at Ankara’s Kocatepe Mosque. His brothers Haluk Enginsoy, Zafer Enginsoy and sister Sevil Enginsoy Ekinci received condolences at the ceremony.

In a condolence message sent to Daily News’ Editor-in-Chief Murat Yetkin, Parliament Speaker Çiçek expressed his sadness yesterday and underlined that Enginsoy “was one of the names who made a difference in media with his articles.”

Among the attendees of the funeral ceremony was the deputy parliamentary group leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Akif Hamzaçebi; Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Muş deputy Sırrı Sakık; the head of the Press Bulletin Authority (BİK), Mehmet Atalay; the former secretary-general of the National Security Council, Tuncer Kılınç; Turkey’s former ambassador to Washington, Baki İlkin; former diplomat Mehmet Ali Bayar; diplomats from the Greek Embassy and U.S. Embassy; the editor-in chief of the Daily News, Murat Yetkin; and Enginsoy’s colleagues from the media outlets he served at during his nearly 30 years in professional journalism.

CHP Istanbul Melda Onur also expressed her sorrow over Emginsoy’s death.

Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay sent a letter of condolence to both Enginsoy’s family and to Daily News editor-in-chief.

“I have learned with sorrow the death of a valuable columnist, Ümit Enginsoy, of the Turkish press,” Günay said, and offered his condolences to his colleagues.

Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel also sent a message of condolences over the loss of Enginsoy through the military’s spokesperson and head of Communication Department Br. Gen. Ertuğrulgazi Özkürkçü.

The U.S. Embassy to Ankara also sent their condolences to Enginsoy’s family.

“I worked five years with him in the U.S. He was a very good person and first-class journalist with a very analytical mind. We are very sorry to lose him,” said Ahmet Yeşiltepe, private broadcaster NTV’s former representative in New York while Enginsoy was working for the channel in Washington.

“I met him in Washington,” said İlkin. “He followed Turkish-American relations very closely and made very good evaluations on them.”

Daily Hürriyet Ankara representative Metehan Demir, who knew Enginsoy for years, said the late journalist told him about his plans to finalize a book he was working on. “I hope his draft book can be found and we can let his memory live with us.”

After the ceremony, Enginsoy was laid to rest in Ankara’s Karşıyaka Cemetery.