Turkish provocations continue‏

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TURKISH NAVAL BOAT HARASSING OIL & GAS EXPLORING SHIP ON EASTERN CYPRUS SEAS

Gibrahayer e-magazine - Nicosia January 10, 2009 - A Turkish naval vessel interfered in oil exploration efforts of a Cyprus commissioned Norwegian-flagged exploration vessel off the island's east coast on Friday. In a similar incident two months ago, formal protests were lodged with United Nations and the European Commission over the incident said to have occurred in Cyprus's economic exclusion zone. Such moves by Turkey are illegal according to international law and violate the very principles of international law. Sigma TV reported that the "confrontation" took place when a Turkish naval ship stopped a Norwegian exploration vessel, commissioned by the Cyprus government, in open waters off the coast of Famagusta. Cyprus has received applications for oil exploration permits for a 70,000-square-kilometre (27,000-square-mile) area in the Mediterranean south and southwest of the island. Officials say provisional data indicate there are substantial oil and gas deposits in a sea area separating the island from Egypt and Lebanon. Cyprus has signed gas and oil exploration and exploitation deals with Egypt and Lebanon, prompting protests from Turkey. It plans to eventually open 11 blocks for hydrocarbon exploration, although a contract has yet to be awarded. Last year, Turkey reacted angrily to Cyprus tendering licences for exploration. Nicosia said it would not be intimidated into scrapping bids for oil drilling off its shores, adding that it was exercising its sovereign rights within the framework of international law.

MARIOS GAROYIAN RETURNS NEW YEAR'S PRESENT BACK TO TALAT

Gibrahayer - Nicosia - A political feud has broken out over the decision by House President and DIKO leader Marios Garoyian to send back a basket of presents sent to him by occupation leader Mehmet Ali Talat for the New Year. His action was criticised by the Turkish Cypriot press which called it an insult. Diko said that the reason he did so was because it wrote "President Mehmet Ali Talat" and "TRNC" on the card. Disy leader Nicos Anastasiades responded by saying that accepting a present does not mean recognition. The Government Spokesman refused to get involved.

ARRIVAL OF ARMS WORTH 800 MILLION DOLLARS DENIED

Asbarez.com - Armenia's Defense Ministry on Monday denied a report from Baku alleging that Russian arms had been handed over to Yerevan. Azerbaijani media reported on Friday that arms shipments worth a total of $800 million had been transferred to Armenia from a Russian military base in the country. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev has renewed his public threats to win back Nagorno-Karabakh by force, telling his compatriots to be ready to restart an all-out war with the Armenians "at any moment." Aliyev's Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan, spent the New Year's Eve inspecting Armenian front-line positions and celebrating the holiday with soldiers stationed there.

ERGENEKON RELATED EXPLOSIVES FOUND NEAR ANKARA

Combined sources from Turkish media for Gibrahayer e-magazine - Large amount of explosives, weapons and ammunition buried close to an abandoned house near Ankara were found on Monday, in the ongoing investigation into Ergenekon - a shady group accused of plotting to overthrow the Turkish government. Authorities were not available for comment. A Turkish court formally arrested 16 more suspects, including military and police officials as well as intellectuals, over the weekend, bringing the total of people suspected in the case to more than 100.

2ND PILGRIMAGE TO TURKISH-OCCUPIED MAGARAVANK TO TAKE PLACE ON MAY 10

Gibrahayer – Nicosia January 7, 2009 – The Office of The Armenian Representative in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian announced today that the 2nd pilgrimage to the historic Armenian monastery of Sourp Magar situated in the Turkish-occupied Kyrenia mountain range will take place on Sunday May 10, 2009. It is expected that more than 200 Armenian Cypriots will participate in the pilgrimage - which before the Turkish invasion 34 years ago - was an event on the calendar, usually accompanied by the traditional Herissa. It was the Representative’s Office two years ago that had organised the first pilgrimage 32 years after the Turkish invasion, that was attended by over 200 community members. The same event returns on the community calendar in 2009. It is destined to provide a bouquet of emotions to all those who will attend and is destined to be a date that will be referred to by many in years to come. Hopefully the current negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus problem will provide the circumstances that will enable members of our community to freely and with no restrictions travel to Magaravank, have the opportunity to work for its restoration and to be able to pray and sing the Armenian sharagans, once again.

ARMENIANS IN PAPHOS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Gibrahayer e-magazine Nicosia - The Armenian community of Paphos celebrated Christmas Liturgy at Ayios Yeoryios Church in Paphos on January 11. After the religious ceremony an Armenian kef was followed at a local restaurant with the participation of 100 members of the newly organised community, joined by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, Der Mashdots, Varchagan Chairman Dr. Antranik Ashdjian and Temagan members Onnig Yenovkian and Hagop Bohdjelian.

MP VARTKES MAHDESSIAN VISITS KALAYDJIAN REST HOME

Gibrahayer – Nicosia January 7, 2009 – Like every year The Armenian Representative in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian and his wife Maggie, accompanied by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian, visited The Kalaydjian Rest Home in Nicosia. During their visit after Christmas Holy Liturgy, they had the opportunity to listen and talk to the community’s elderly, to wish them well, give them presents and slice the vasilopitta.

Περί Vishap στο Αρτσάχ - Ν. Λυγερός

lygeros.org - Στο Αρτσάχ, υπάρχουν ίχνη αδιάψευστα. Υπάρχουν, βέβαια, και στην Αρμενία, μόνο που στο Αρτσάχ είναι πιο έντονα. Μάλλον ο χρόνος είναι υπεύθυνος γι’ αυτό, εκτός κι αν είναι η ανθρωπότητα. Πρέπει να πούμε ότι το έγκλημα δεν διαπράχτηκε σε αυτό εδώ το μέρος. Λες κι ο ήλιος των βουνών είχε περισώσει το μαύρο δάσος. Αυτή η γη δεν πλημμύρισε από το αίμα των θυμάτων του παρελθόντος. Η παρουσία του Vishap έγινε αισθητή πολύ αργότερα, όταν αυτό ήταν αναγκαίο για να απελευθερωθεί η γη των προγόνων. Διότι η αρμενοσύνη δεν μπορούσε να αντέξει και δεύτερο έγκλημα κατά της ανθρωπότητας. Έτσι το πνεύμα του Vishap έγινε αισθητό και η ουσία του έγινε δύναμη. Αρχικά, προετοίμασε την αντίσταση. Διότι ήξερε ότι η καλύτερη άμυνα ήταν η επίθεση, αλλά επίσης ότι η καλύτερη επίθεση ήταν η αντεπίθεση. Η επιχείρηση έπρεπε να διεξαχθεί τη νύχτα, έστω και αν οι άνθρωποι δεν ήταν έτοιμοι ακόμα. Έπρεπε να τους εκπαιδεύσει να δαμάσουν την πέτρα με γυμνά χέρια παρά το κρύο και το θάνατο. Έπρεπε να αναρριχηθούν στο ύψωμα εδώ όπου ο εχθρός το θεωρούσε αδύνατον. Έπρεπε να τον νικήσουν εδώ όπου ήταν αήττητος. Ο δράκος εκπαίδευε καθημερινά τους ανθρώπους του για να τους προετοιμάσει για την τελική έφοδο. Αυτή η μάχη δεν έπρεπε να ήταν μόνο συμβολική, αλλά και αποτελεσματική. Μετά από αυτήν, οι άνθρωποι του δράκου θα μπορούσαν να απελευθερώσουν όλα τα κατεχόμενα εδάφη. Πριν από αυτό, έπρεπε να εξασκήσουν το πνεύμα τους, διότι αλλιώς δεν θα ήταν προφυλαγμένοι. Οι ελεύθεροι πολιορκημένοι έπρεπε να αιφνιδιάσουν τον εχθρό εκ των όπισθεν. Ο Vishap άρχισε με τη διήγηση της φρίκης του παρελθόντος και μέσω των αναμνήσεων του δράκου, οι άνθρωποι μεταμορφώθηκαν σε μαχητές της ειρήνης. Από τώρα και στο εξής, ήξεραν την έννοια της αρμενοσύνης. Ακόμα και ένας εναντίον δέκα, θα αγωνίζονταν για να ανακουφίσουν το λαό τους από το αίσχος του ζυγού της σκλαβιάς. Δεν υπήρχε πια τίποτα που να μην μπορούν ν’ αντέξουν στη συνείδησή τους. Ένιωθαν μέσα τους τη δύναμη του Vishap. Θα ήταν μαζί τους μέχρι τέλους χωρίς επιστροφή. Είχε φθάσει η στιγμή να προχωρήσουν προς τα εμπρός. Ο χρόνος ήταν μαζί τους και η νύχτα μαύρη όπως την κατοχή. Έπρεπε να ενεργήσουν γρήγορα για να πετύχουν έναν τελειωτικό αιφνιδιασμό. Ο Vishap είχε μεταφέρει τη δύναμη της φωτιάς από την άλλη πλευρά του βουνού. Oι άνθρωποι, πλασμένοι από ατσάλι, ανέβηκαν με γυμνά χέρια στην ιστορία της πέτρας που είχε αντέξει για τόσες δεκαετίες, την παρουσία του εχθρού. Ο τελευταίος δεν ανησυχούσε για τίποτα διότι στηριζόταν στην επάρκεια των όπλων του. Αυτός που είχε σπείρει το θάνατο σ’ όλη την επικράτεια, θα τον γνώριζε τελικά και ο ίδιος. Διότι το ύψωμα δεν αποτελούσε πλέον εμπόδιο για τους ανθρώπους του Vishap. Μέσα στη νύχτα, ο τριγμός των όπλων κάλυψε τις παραλυμένες κραυγές των εχθρών. Δεν απέμεινε πια τίποτα μετά το πέρασμα της ελευθερίας. Και στη συνέχεια ήρθε η δύναμη της φωτιάς για να σφραγίσει την τύχη των κατακτητών. Ανίκανοι να αντισταθούν, συνηθισμένοι να γονατίζουν μπροστά στο φόβο μιας πύλης που ήταν υψηλή μόνο μέσω του τρόμου που προκαλούσε, δεν κατάφεραν να κρατήσουν μια θέση απροσπέλαστη. Δίχως μεγαλοσύνη, δίχως εμβέλεια, αναγκάστηκαν να αποδεκτούν μια αδιανόητη ήττα. Τα όνειρα πήραν επιτέλους την εκδίκησή τους. Οι άνθρωποι του δράκου ήταν επιτέλους ελεύθεροι. Αυτός ήταν ο λόγος της παρουσίας του Vishap στο Αρτσάχ. Εφόσον η αποστολή εξετελέσθη, τα ίχνη του Vishap πλήθυναν διότι το πνεύμα του δράκου προστάτευε και πάλι τη γη των προγόνων.

EDITORIAL THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY by Jean Ipdjian currently in London

On December 19, 2008 the Turkish TV program '32nd Day' organised a live debate regarding the infamous 'Apology Statement' by a group of Turkish academics and ex diplomats. The program's producer was Mr. Ridyan Akar and the moderator of the debate was Mr. Mehmet Ali Birand. The panel consisted of three doves and four hawks. All are distinguished pillars of society or distinguished statesmen. I should also inform that an Internet site has been set up where people can co-sign the above mentioned statement and post comments. It is a fact that one of the greatest challenges faced by world leaders is finding solutions to a handful of unsolved historical problems which refuse to go away and creep up to the surface whenever negotiations over regional and geopolitical are attempted to launch or positively conclude. These 'unsolved' problems invariably have their roots deeply buried in the pages of history and invariably have religious intonations. Often outsiders cannot understand the deep emotions that are stirred from seemingly not so important or relevant issues. It is also a fact that world leaders would love to be able to forget about these problems and if possible force, persuade, bribe or sweet talk one or both sides into accepting a settlement formulae without really caring for their content. After all, who likes to wash his neighbours' or acquaintance’s dirty underwear? Such a problem is the Armenian Question. Being a substantial member of the Christian or ‘giavour’ minority in the Ottoman Empire, throughout the years the Armenians, together with the other minorities, had suffered pogroms and massacres, their women were frequently raped and misused, their possessions and riches confiscated by officials. They were deprived of all kinds of protection by the state and were at the mercy of the hordes of often crazed fanaticised mobs. Through the decades, and especially after the successful Greek Revolution and the independence of the some Balkan states, Armenians came more and more under the illusion that the European, Christian powers such as Great Britain, France and Russia would intervene with the Sultans and enforce reforms and provide deliverance for them from the heavy yoke of the Ottomans. So, it was this continuous threat of intervention on the part of the Europeans on behalf of the minorities that was the root cause for the decision taken by the leadership of the Ittihad ve Terakki ruling party known as the Young Turk movement, to look for a final solution of the Armenian Problem. The beginning of the First World war saw the Turks fighting on the side of the Axis Powers against the Entente comprising of Great Britain, France and Russia, the same Powers who had presented themselves as the protectors of the depressed, and who could do nothing as they were on the other side of the high fence erected around the Turkish mainland and the Anatolou. And thus the opportunity was created to solve the Armenian Problem by the sword, behind the thick curtains of war. Thus the idea of the systematic deportation, annihilation and slaughter of the Armenian in Turkey was born, planned and executed using all means under the disposition of the state. What was not possible to achieve by hand, was left for nature to complete through deprivation and exposure in the arid expanses of the deserts of northern Syria. Furthermore, it is a fact that Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire had no aspirations of independence and considered themselves as being loyal citizens of the empire, if only allowed to do so and not be forced to seek deliverance from outside powers. Eventually, having been denied that too, in some areas they took up arms and heroically fought in a futile attempt to save themselves and their villages and cities. So this is what the Statement and Debate are all about. This, and all the legal and moral obligations which must follow. The Debate, as it evolved, made interesting reading (in my case), though it offered no new insights or revelations as regards the beliefs of the participants. In essence, it was a chatting exercise between the three trends of thought that exist in Turkey today regarding the path that will take Turkey into the 21st century. On one side were the representatives of the projected modern face of Turkey. They are those, who believe that Turkey will mature, albeit belatedly, to become part of Europe, in peace with itself, without the burden of its often violent and dark history. They believe that in order for Turkey to take her (a) place in the civilised world, she has to pursue its European dream and thread the path leading her into the family of truly European Nations and the EU, rejuvenated and looking into the future with clear eyes and having left its past behind. Then there were the representatives of the more conservative people, who want Turkey in Europe and the European Union, who want Turkey to be perceived as a willing and accepted member of the higher echelons of power and world politics, but refuse to shed its chauvinistic self and refuse to change. They are those who believe that Turkey’s economic potential, her unsaturated market, her geographical position and her military strength combine to make her acceptance into the EU and among the powers to be, a proposition no one dare refuse. Finally, there were as well representatives of those who are the ugly face of Turkey, who are so blinded by the ‘turkism’ and arrogant self-perceptions, that they cannot accept any deviation from her age-old policies of intimidation and terror, refusal of compromise and denial of all things that do not conform to their extreme nationalistic doctrines. As such, there was a marked effort on the part of the doves to de-politicise their Statement and distance themselves from any form of demand or request for the Government to recognise the Genocide as Genocide. Also, I found their translation of the term ‘Medz Yeghern’, a term around which a lot of discussion evolved, intentionally simplistic and misguiding, because I believe that a more accurate translation would have been the ‘Great Calamity’, which essentially is another way of calling a holocaust.

The hawks, as expected, refused all and any kind of compromise. It was clear that for them this was a sorry development and a grave error. I am sure given the chance they would have gladly accused the doves of treason, which a few years ago they could have easily done, put them against a wall and solve the problem neatly by simply shooting their mouths close. In their funny way of thinking, they were trying to argue the massacres by rhetorically asking the panel what they thought about the supposed killing of some villagers by Armenian fighters, by the recent war in Azerbaijan, or the killing of Turkish diplomats by ASALA and other groups! This would be the mother of lopsided logic ever expressed! The fact that in Turkey today such a debate is being conducted and that it was even possible to gather this group and finish the discussion in a civilised matter should be considered extremely heartening that maybe, just maybe this country and this nations with whom faith or chance has dictated that we should live as neighbours, has started taking the very first tentative steps into becoming a country that can coexist peacefully with its neighbours, a society that can accept different ideas and beliefs, a society that accepts variety, a country where the rule of law is paramount and where all people whatever their creed or religion are equals. The next and decisive step is to be taken by the Government of Turkey, who has to find the courage and boldness to recognise the Genocide and by accepting the guilt of the perpetrators of the Genocide (the leadership and government of Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century) close that very ugly and sad page of its history. I sincerely wish that the likes of Mr. Birand and Mr. Aktar will eventually prevail and we will finally be able to make peace with them and once and for all the souls of the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Genocide will rest in peace. Jean Ipdjian - London December 2008

A TURKISH CITIZEN GIVES AWAY FAMILY LAND AS GENOCIDE REPARATION

Blogian.net 09 Jan 2009 - Encouraged by the recent apology to Armenians by thousands of Turkish intellectuals and dissidents, a Turkish citizen has done the unprecedented: Berzan Boti (not his real name) of Siirt is giving all the land he inherited to an Assyrian organisation. Along with Armenians, indigenous Assyrians were also victims of the WWI genocide at the hands of Ottoman Empire’s government during WWI: Boti’s letter to Sabri Atman, founder and director of the Assyrian Seyfo Center in Europe who will now be responsible for the returned land (south of the Lake Van), states: “When I found out that the properties that I and my brothers inherited from our father wasn’t our own, but properties taken from the murdered Assyrians in 1915 I felt an indescribable feeling of guilt and shame. I’ve been thinking long and hard before I have come to this decision. I tried to put myself in their position. I have personally apologised to every Assyrian and Armenian I’ve meet. But this does not get rid of the crime our ancestors committed. Even if I am personally not responsible for what happened in 1915, I felt as I had to do more than just to apologise. Finally, I came to the decision to give back all properties that I inherited from my forefathers to Seyfo Center, who struggles for a confession of the Seyfo genocide in 1915”.

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