PARUYR SEVAK 1924-1971 - The Dawn - Loussapatz
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POLLSTER WARNS OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT REVOLT IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN -- The Armenian authorities could face unprecedented social unrest this year unless they markedly improve the socioeconomic plight of the population, a leading pro-establishment pollster warned on Wednesday.
Gevorg Poghosian, who runs the Institute of Phi- losophy, Sociology and Law at the National Academy of Sciences, claimed that lingering hardship, coupled with increased freedom of expression, is making the situation in Armenia “explosive.” “Usually people start to act after freely expressing themselves,” he said, pointing to growing civic activism that translated into more anti-government street protests in 2013.
“The society has become quite active, finding ways of expressing its discontent,” Poghosian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “And those ways are becoming more and more serious.”
“Bearing all this in mind, I have arrived at the conclusion that we must be prepared for very serious events in 2014. We are sitting on a bomb that could explode at any moment,” he claimed. He said this conclusion is based on surveys conducted by his state-funded institute.
Poghosian, whose pre-election opinion polls have long been dismissed as not credible by Armenian opposition groups, said public discontent in Armenia is fraught with serious unrest because it is not being defused by regime change through snap elections or sweeping personnel changes in the government. He claimed that the authorities in Yerevan are only trying to distract disgruntled citizens with new “scandals” involving senior officials. They are thereby only adding to the discontent, he said.
The government declined to immediately comment on Poghosian’s unusually stark warning.
Hakob Hakobian, the pro-government chairman of an Armenian parliament committee on social affairs, dis- missed the pollster’s claims, saying that they are “very far from reality.” He insisted that greater freedom and plu- ralism on the contrary ease tensions within the Armenian society.
Hakobian also said that President Serzh Sarkisian’s administration is addressing popular grievances in earnest by steadily raising public sector salaries and pensions, boosting spending on other social programs, and carrying out political and economic “reforms.”
After years of double-digit GDP growth, the economic situation in Armenia worsened with the onset of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. The Armenian economy has since been slowly recovering from the crisis.
According to the National Statistical Service (NSS), 32.4 percent of Armenians lived below the official pov- erty line as of late 2012, down from about 35 percent in 2011. The official poverty rate stood at 24 percent in 2008.
MASTERPIECE OF ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE, COVERED MARKET, LOST IN 2013: EXPERT CONCERNED
Tert.am -- Armenian architecture has lost one of its masterpieces – the Covered Market in Yerevan.
The old Zvartnots airport building will be lost unless people join their efforts, Chairman of the Union of Architects of Armenia Mkrtich Minasyan told Tert.am.
“We had lost numerous buildings in our city before. But we failed to draw lessons. If we go on destroying our architectural values, one day we will learn we have never had any architectural heritage,” he said.
Asked about achievements in architecture, he pointed out the build- ing of Matenadaran (Institute of Ancient Manuscripts) in Yerevan and Echmiadzin.
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“Both the buildings are very good. They are our modern-day achievements. Matenadaran’s new building fits in with the entire complex. Its exterior and interior are excellent,” Minasyan said.
As regards the recently built elegant restaurants and other structures, the architect noted that they cannot be considered architectural values – at least as long as museums remain in a poor state.
Speaking of the necessary steps to preserve the rest architectural values, Minasyan said: “All the people – regardless of their status - must respect one and the same law. Otherwise, we’ll keep on suffering losses. It is time to come to our senses because we have nowhere to surrender. The government must struggle for its peo- ple for all of us to succeed not only in architecture, but also in dealing with other problems. This is the only way. Unfortunately, we are witnessing the government struggling for their wealth, while people are poor.”
LEPTOCRATIC REGIME IN ARMENIA STAYED IN POWER IN 2013 – ANC
YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Armenia’s main political failure in 2013 was the fact that the kleptocratic regime stayed in power.
Opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) bloc National Assem- bly (NA) Faction Head, ANC Party Vice-Chairman Levon Zurabyan told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am.
In Zurabyan’s words, the year that passed has practically put an end to the presidential, parliamentary, and capital city Yerevan electoral processes in the country.
“All elections were held in apparent fraud, and they proved that the rul- ing regime has created a machine of fraud; and this is the failure,” the ANC NA Faction head stated.
At the same time, however, Zurabyan noted that the political opposition forces are trying to unite.
“Our cooperation is growing deeper. The cooperation of the opposition forces can be built especially if the people that have taken to the streets [in protest] join us,” Levon Zurabyan
stressed.
KARABAKH TO BECOME TRADE TOPIC FOR ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES – OPPOSITION MP
NEWS.am -- I do not want to “caw,” but I am afraid that the Karabakh issue will become a topic of trade for the Armenian authorities.
Opposition Armenian National Movement Chairman, Armenian National Congress bloc National Assembly Fac- tion Secretary Aram Manukyan told the aforesaid to Arme- nian News-NEWS.am.
“That is, to maintain power, [President] Serzh Sargsyan placed a ‘bet’ with Karabakh, too. He has nothing to give in Armenia [any more]. He no longer has the right to settle is- sues,” Manukyan said.
In his words, “Now, Serzh Sargsyan is in the status of a subordinate.” Therefore, as per the opposition MP, he will do what they dictate him in the settlement of the Karabakh issue.
“He is unable to oppose because he has lied a lot, and his foreign policy has resulted in defeat so often that no one takes him seriously [any more],” Aram Manukyan argued.
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NOT EVEN TREND EXISTS IN IMPROVEMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS – PAP
YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- There is no positive move in the Armenian- Turkish rapprochement, Prosperous Armenia Party National Assembly (PAP NA) Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
In Zohrabyan’s words, there is not even a trend toward the improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations.
“I had spoken with the senior officials of Turkey. These conversations led me to the belief that as long as the figures who continue the Ottoman Turkey policy rule in Ankara, there are no chances for the improvement of Armenian- Turkish relations,” the PAP NA Faction secretary said.
In her words, despite the Turkish authorities’ announcement that they should have zero problems with their neighboring countries, in practice, this is yet another trick by the Turkish diplomacy.
“At the same time, some segments of the Turkish society do not consider the Armenian Genocide issue to be closed. But this is not enough for the Turks’ consciousness to change en masse,” Naira Zohrabyan noted.
CHINA TO GIVE MILITARY AID TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN -- China agreed to provide Armenia with 5 million yuan (US $830,000) in military aid per year, the Armenian Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
A cooperation agreement was signed by Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Chinese Minis- ter of National Defense Gen. Chang Wanquan Dec. 26 during the former’s official visit to Beijing. The dis- cussed topics included military cooperation in training and technical assistance, the statement said.
Ohanyan said relations with China are a priority for Armenia’s foreign policy, and Yerevan aims to en- hance military cooperation with Beijing in various fields, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.
The Armenian Ministry of Defense added that the two sides also pledged to enhance collaboration in areas re- lated to military medicine, education, and training, as well as military-technical co-operation.
During his visit, Ohanyan met with senior Chinese military officials, including Deputy Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Gen. Xu Qiliang. In addition, the Armenian minister visited a number of military units of the People’s Liberation Army and headquarters of Chinese defense companies, according to Armenia’s MoD.
The latest agreement is part of China’s wider efforts to boost ties with Armenia. In 2012, Beijing agreed to provide Yerevan with 70 million yuan in grants under an economic and technical partnership agreement.
ARMENIA THIRD AMONG COUNTRIES WITH HIGHEST SMOKING RATES AMONG MEN
NEWS.am -- The number of smokers worldwide has reached nearly one billion despite anti-smoking cam- paigns and smoking bans, says the survey conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The increasing number of smokers is connected to active population growth that doubled over the recent 50 years.
According to the experts, the highest smoking rates among men in 2012 were registered in Timor-Leste (61 %) and Indonesia (57 %), followed by Armenia (51.5 %), Russia (51 %) and Cyprus (48 %), medindia.net reported.
As to women, top countries are Greece (34.7) and Bulgaria (31.5%).
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ARMENIA, PERU TO EXPAND BILATERAL CO-OPERATION
LIMA -- Peruvian Foreign Minister Eda Rivas and her Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian met in Lima on Mon- day to discuss the prospect of a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Other topics discussed at the meeting were the establishment of a political consul- tation mechanism and the mutual waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, service, and special passports.
Moreover, the two ministers talked about the appointment of honorary consuls and ambassadors in both countries, creation of a legal framework, conduct of consulta- tions between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries, deepening of cooperation within international organizations, elaboration of agreements on visa facilitation.
Minister Rivas presented the steps taken by the authorities of her country and the priorities, the involvement in regional integration processes, the efforts towards resolution of regional problems.
In a speech delivered at the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, Nalbandian presented in detail the efforts of Armenia and the international community towards the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, underlining that Arme- nia will continue to work with the Minsk Group co-chairing countries to further the process of exceptionally peace- ful resolution of the issue.
Minister Nalbandian noted that the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are expected to meet in Paris later this month.
Minister Nalbandian arrived in Lima on Monday as Armenia’s first foreign minister to visit Peru since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1992.
During his stay, Nalbandian also met with the head of the Peruvian Congress’ Committee on Foreign Affairs, Martin Belaunde Moreyra.
ARMENIA’S FOREIGN TRADE IN JANUARY NOVEMBER 2013 INCREASED BY 5.2 PERCENT YEAR-ON-YEAR TO MORE THAN $5.342.7 BILLION – STATISTICS
YEREVAN/ARKA -- Armenia's foreign trade in January-November 2013 increased by 5.2 percent year-on- year to more than $5.342.7 billion, the National Statistical Service said.
According to official data, exports in the first 11 months amounted to $1.348.8 billion, an increase of 8.4% from the year before, while imports saw a 4.2 percent surge to $3.993.9 billion. The resulting trade deficit totaled $2.645.1 billion. According to the official numbers, the trade deficit in FOB prices was $2.030 billion.
Export of mineral products grew by 3.1 percent to $375.6 million, export of non-precious metals and products surged by 8.1 percent to $283.4 million, export of finished foods soared by almost 23 percent to $277.3 million, that of precious and semiprecious stones, precious metals and products increased by 9.7 percent to $175.3 million.
Also, the import of mineral products grew by 3 percent to $840.1 million, import of machinery and equipment fell by 5.7 percent to $499.2 million, import of finished foods rose by 10.7 percent to $348.8 million, import of
chemical and related products jumped by 11 percent to $325.7 million. Import of land, air and water vehicles fell by 1.8 percent to $321.1 million, that of precious and semiprecious
stones, precious metals and relating products jumped by 67 percent to $273 million, and import of non-precious metals and products rose by 3.4 percent to $271.5 million.
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ICRC IMPLEMENTS PROJECTS IN ARMENIA BORDER VLLAGES
YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- The delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is implementing a number or programs in the villages of Tavush Region bordering with Azerbaijan, Sarah Epprecht, Head of the ICRC Del- egation in Armenia, told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
She said the most vulnerable villages were selected as they are located near the border and villagers have less access to infrastructure and land.
“In 2013 we implemented projects on supplying drinking and irrigation water, distributed wheat seeds, fruit tree saplings,” she said.
Other activities that are carried out both on the Armenian and Azerbaijani side concern the incidents involving or directed against the civilian population.
“In the event of an incident, we visit the area, collect information about the incident as far as it is possible, and then turn to the responsible authorities,” Epprecht said.
Then, ICRC experts present information on their view and recommendations in terms of the violation of the International Humanitarian Law in connection with this incident.
ARMENIA, RUSSIA TO REMOVE ALL AIRLINE RESTRICTIONS
Armradio.am -- Russia and Armenia have agreed to remove all airline restrictions on routes between the two countries. According to the Russia’s Federal Air Transport Agency, Rosaviatsia, authorities will revoke limits on the number of carriers, frequencies, aircraft types and number of destinations. The new rules will be introduced this year, the Air Transport World reports.
Because of the significant Armenian diaspora in Russia, flights to these destinations are in high demand, espe- cially between the countries’ capitals. Yerevan-Moscow is the fifth most popular international route in Russia.
According to Russia’s Air Transport Sourcebook, Russian airlines carried 587,945 passengers between the cit- ies in 2012.
Russia’ Aeroflot, Transaero and S7 Airlines operate flights to Armenia. In October, Armenia authori- ties designated Air Armenia to fly between the capitals and on several other routes in Russia.
AZERBAIJANI IS TO BE BLAMED FOR FAILURE OF KARABAKH TALKS – PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY
YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Some progress has been made, in the last months of 2013, in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settle- ment issue.
Non-pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party National As- sembly (PAP NA) Faction Secretary Naira Zohrabyan told the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.
But Zohrabyan added that she prefers to be cautiously optimis- tic in this matter, since we are dealing with Azerbaijan.
“The already reached agreements are worthless for its [i.e., Azerbaijan’s] infamous political elite. As a result of this very poli- cy, Azerbaijan is the sole [party] responsible for the failure of the negotiations on the Karabakh issue,” the PAP NA representative noted.
In the MP’s words, however, the international community has begun to look more objectively into the Karabakh issue.
“[And] all this brings hope that the international community will finally understand that there is no alternative to the peaceful resolution of conflict.
“Despite the risk of being included in the Azerbaijani ‘black list’ [for visiting Karabakh], numerous European MPs recently announced their wish to visit Karabakh,” Naira Zohrabyan concluded.
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ARMENIA FUND CONCLUDES A SUCCESSFUL YEAR
LOS ANGELES -- Having con- cluded the preliminary data analysis of the Thanksgiving Day Telethon held November 28th, 2013, Armenia Fund U.S. Western Region is pleased to report that $22.7 million dollars was raised globally.
Proceeds from the 16th Internation- al Telethon will benefit the construction of the strategically important Vardenis- Martakert Highway, linking the northern regions of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The project has al- ready commenced with engineering works starting as of December 2013.
Armenia Fund U.S. Western Re- gion also recorded a growth in the total number of donors and the overall amount of pledges. A total of $2 million was pledged in the Western U.S. com- pared to last year’s $1.5 million. Mr. Antranik Baghdassarian, Owner and CEO of Karoun Dairies (Major Los An- geles Partner of Telethon 2013) and volunteer Armenia Fund President, pledged $275,000, matching contributions during 2 hours of the live Telethon and underwriting a number of Armenia Fund functions throughout the year.
“I want to thank each and every donor of Armenia Fund as well as all Diaspora organizations that stood by this monumental effort. Our strength is in our unity. Armenia and Artsakh are our national Homeland and we have a special opportunity in our modern day history to help Armenia survive and flourish in a very unfriendly neighbor- hood. With all the challenges along the way, Armenia and Artsakh are developing and moving forward steadily. The land and the people are unequivocally close to my heart and I will continue my support regardless of any- thing...it’s that simple,” stated Mr. Baghdssarian.
Below is the initial list of pledges by country breakdown as of December 2013.
Russian Federation $12,350,000 U.S. Western Region $2,000,000 European Phone-a-thon: France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece, Belgium $1,984,000 Armenia $1,642,372 Switzerland $1,250,000 Artsakh $1,000,000 U.S. Eastern Region $1,000,000 Argentina $700,000 Canada (Toronto) $225,000 Brazil $170,000 Canada (Montreal) $120,000 Great Britain $100,000 Lebanon $94,000 Iran $60,000 Austria $10,000
Armenia Fund, Inc. would like to extend its gratitude to the greater Armenian-American community as well as global Armenian communities for making 2013 a successful year for the Fund. Regardless of where our donors and general public stand politically or religiously, we as a global Diaspora once more proved that despite our differ- ences we are able to unite and help make the Homeland a better place to live.
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ARAM MP3 TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT EUROVISION 2014
YEREVAN -- Armenia’s public television broadcaster AMPTV announced on New Year’s Eve the representtaive for Eurovision 2014. Aram Mp3, the famous singer, comedian and showman in Armenia will repre- sent his country in Copenhagen.
Aram Mp3 is one of the most beloved personalities of the Armenian show business. He is not only well-known as the singer but also as the comedian and showman in his country. The singer is mostly famous for his live per- formances. He has a very unique style of covering the international hits and comedies.
The Armenian broadcaster AMPTV has made this decision internally. The song for the entry of Aram Mp3 in Copenhagen is still to find. Follow our news to find out about it soon.
ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE GATTO INTRODUCES RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE NAGORNO-KARABAKH
SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) joined with people of Armenian descent around California and the world in calling for the United States to recognize the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a sovereign state. The resolution, AJR 32, invokes strong language from the United States’ own his- tory regarding the rights of the people to “self-determination and democratic inde- pendence.” If Gatto's resolution passes, it would make California the most popu- lous governmental entity to call for Nagorno-Karabakh recognition or to recognize it outright.
In 1921, the Soviet Union illegally severed Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Artsakh, from Armenia, and placed it under the newly created Soviet Azerbai- jani administration. Seventy years later, the people there formed the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic. On 6 January 1992, the democratically elected legislature of the Republic formally declared independence. Since proclaiming independence, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has registered significant progress in democracy building, including a presidential election last year that was assessed by international observers as free and trans- parent.
Three organizations that have already expressed support for the legislation are the Armenian Council of Amer- ica (ACA), the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), and the Unified Young Armenians (UYA).
Assemblyman Gatto has worked closely with each of these organizations on legislation he has authored in the past, including a resolution calling for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide and on legislation extending the statute of limitations for victims of the genocide to file insurance claims. The Assemblyman has also supported events sponsored by each organization, including their stellar efforts to raise money for Armenians in need around the world. "The community is united in support of recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh," stated Gatto.
“It has been my privilege on this resolution to work with the leaders of the local Armenian American commu- nity and their outstanding representatives,” said Gatto. “I am especially honored to introduce this legislation on a day when Armenians around the world are celebrating Christmas with family and loved ones.”
“The introduction of AJR 32 by Assemblyman Gatto is an integral step towards the recognition of Nagorno- Karabakh as a sovereign state,” stated Sevak Khatchadorian, Chairman of the Armenian Council of America. “The Armenian Council of America applauds Assemblyman Gatto for his courageous and heroic effort toward promoting democracy and the right to self-determination in the region. This legislation will not only serve as a triumph for people of Armenian descent, but also as a victory shared by citizens of the world who value democracy, freedom and justice."
Once passed by both houses of the California Legislature, a copy of AJR 32 will be transmitted to the Presi- dent of the United States, the Secretary of the United States Senate, the Clerk of the United States House of Repre- sentatives, and to each member of the California delegation to the United States Congress.
Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake. www.asm.ca.gov/gatto
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PETITION CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
PARIS -- In the struggle against Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide, the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) has launched a petition ask- ing Switzerland to appeal the most recent judgment of the Eu- ropean Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which found that the ultra-nationalist Dogu Perincek, president of the Workers’ Par- ty of Turkey, could not be condemned for saying publicly in Geneva in 2007 that the “so-called Armenian genocide is an imperialist lie.”
The petition, in particular, says that Perincek’s state- ments, “offensive against the memory of the victims and de- famatory against their descendants, were condemned under the Swiss law on the repression of denialism.”
“The European Court of Human Rights, to which he had appealed, is therefore considering condemning Switzerland, in the name of an inconsequential reading of the freedom of expression and a restrictive interpretation of human digni- ty. This jurisdiction, in a judgement that is just as irresponsible as it is grotesque, thus gave its support to the denialist propaganda on the Armenian Genocide,” it emphasizes.
The full petition can be read at http://chn.ge/1cSKU6s
TWO SUSPECTS IN HRANT DINK MURDER CASE ARRESTED IN TRABZON
ISTANBUL -- Turkish Gendarmerie forces have detained two suspects whose arrests were demanded by an Istanbul court in the case into the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, the Hurriyet Daily News reports quoting CNNTürk.
Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, who was said to be the first person chosen as part of the conspiracy to murder Dink, was detained by gendarmerie forces in the Black Sea province of Trabzon’s Pelitli neighborhood on Jan. 7 and sent to the courthouse.
Osman Hayal, the brother of Yasin Hayal, who was charged with being the instigator of the assassination, was also captured in Trabzon a few hours later. The court ruled for the arrests of both key suspects.
Dink, the renowned editor-in-chief of Agos, was shot dead by Ogün Samast in front of his office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. Samast was subsequently sentenced to over 22 years in jail for the murder.
The trial into his murder resumed on Sept. 17, 2013, with 18 suspects being retried after the Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that all suspects in the case had acted as part of a criminal organization, instead of individually.
A group of activists called the “Friends of Dink” gathered in front of the courthouse and chanted slogans ahead of the hearing.
Popular novelist Ahmet Ümit, speaking on behalf of the group, said their demand to try the public servants who allegedly bear responsibility for Dink’s murder had yet to be heeded.
“Instead, these same public officials have been promoted,” Ümit said.
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AFTER LEAVING ARMENIA ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WAS PLOTTED AGAINST TURKEY FM
NEWS.am -- The Greek intelligence services were able to thwart the assassination attempt that was set up against Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu.
An assassination attempt was plotted against Davutoglu, who had left for Athens after participating in the Armenian capital city Yerevan meeting of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in December 2013, Hürriyet daily of Turkey re- ports citing Parapolitika newspaper of Greece.
The Greek intelligence services, however, learned about the plotted assassination and prevented it by detaining a suspect.
It is noted that the suspect is a Turkish citizen and a member of the Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party– Front (DHKP/C), which is considered a terrorist group by Turkey.
ARMENIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AT DIYARBAKIR CHURCH
NEWS.am -- The Armenian Christmas was celebrated Monday at Saint Giragos Church in Diyarbakir (Tig- ranakert), Turkey.
Famous Armenian musician Yervant Bostanci—who had returned to his place of birth, Diyarbakir, from the US—, Church Council Secretary Gaffur Turkay, tourism consultants, journalists, and many others attended the Christmas mass at the church, Demokrathaber website of Turkey reports.
The 1,400-seat-capacity Saint Giragos Armenian Church of Diyarbakir was built in 1376 in the city’s Hancepek district, where a large number of Christians lived up until the Armenian Genocide. Ever since the 1980s, however, the church was left to the mercy of fate. Subsequently, a group of Istanbul-based Diyarbakir Armenians established the Saint Giragos Fund to restore the church. The Armenian fund and the Diyarbakir City Hall covered 70 and 30 percent, respectively, of the $2.5 million-worth restoration costs.
TURKISH PARTY OFFICIAL ATTENDS ARMENIAN CHRISTMAS MASS
NEWS.am -- Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Vice-Chairman Erdogan Toprak on Monday was on hand at the Armenian Christmas mass in an Armenian Church in Istanbul.
Toprak paid a visit to the church and congratulated those in attendance in Armenian by saying “Happy Easter,” Demokrathaber website of Turkey reports.
Subsequently, Toprak attended the Divine Liturgy offered under the headship of Archbishop Aram Atesyan, General Vicar of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
TWO MORE AZERBAIJANI TERRORISTS KILLED IN SYRIA
Panorama.am -- Two more Azerbaijani citizens who participated in the fighting on the side of the terrorists have been killed in Syria. According to the Azerbaijani news agency "APA", two sites belonging to terrorist groups fighting against government forces in Syria extended this information.
It is reported that Namik Askerov, who fought with "Fronte al Nusra" group associated with "Al-Qaeda" was killed. Someone called Soltan Azeri Seifullakh was killed too. Sites also spread photographs of murdered Azerbai- jani terrorists.
According to "APA" in battles against Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria hundreds of Azerbaijanis are involved in various groups, dozens of them have been killed.
In the last period of time the media reported about a number of deaths of Azerbaijani terrorists in Syria. In early April, the Turkish sites have reported that about 30 terrorists from Azerbaijan have already been killed in Syria. According to the Azerbaijani conflict scientist Arif Yunus more than 300 Islamists from Azerbaijan are fight- ing in Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. However, according to Arif Yunus and the "Facthaber' portal, over 100 Azerbaijani terrorists are fighting in Syria. Azerbaijani terrorists had even placed an online video-record calling for "jihad.
The relationship between international terrorist groups and Azerbaijan originated in the early 1990s. That time,
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the Azerbaijani army, having failed in the aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), retreated with losses. Trying to save the situation, the Azerbaijani leadership, headed by Heydar Aliyev attracted to the war against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh international terrorists and members of radical groups from Afghani- stan (groupings of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar), Turkey ("Grey Wolves", etc.), Chechnya (groupings Basayev and Raduyev etc.) and some other regions.
Despite the involvement in of thousands of foreign mercenaries and terrorists in the Azerbaijani army during the war, the Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic failed, and the Baku authorities were forced to sign an armistice with the NKR and Armenia. However, international terrorists found ties in Azerbaijan, and used them in the future. Recruitment was conducted among Azerbaijanis, who then were sent to Afghanistan and the North Caucasus, where participated in the battles against the forces of the international coalition and Rus- sian organizations.
In recent years, the citizens of Azerbaijan are actively involved in terrorist and extremist activities in Russia, Afghanistan and Syria. In Azerbaijan the citizens are brought to criminal liability for participating in "illegal armed groups" in Afghanistan, sentenced to minor terms of imprisonment.
KURDISTAN OIL FLOW TO TURKEY BEGINS, EXPORTS AWAIT IRAQI CONSENT
Turkey hopes deal with Iraq can be reached this month
Ankara, Reuters — Crude oil from Iraqi Kurdistan has started flowing via a new pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean export hub of Ceyhan, but will not be shipped to world markets without the consent of Baghdad, Turkish Energy Minister Taner YZldZz said on Thursday.
YZldZz hopes a deal can be reached this month for exports to begin, he told a news conference in Ankara.
Flows through the pipeline would start at 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) and rise to 400,000, he said.
Turkey signed a multi-billion-dollar energy package late last year with Iraqi Kurdistan (KRG), under which the semi-autonomous region planned independent energy exports via Turkey.
Kurdistan could eventually export some two million bpd of oil to world markets and at least 10 billion cubic meters per year of gas to Turkey.
Its bid to export oil and gas independently of Baghdad has infuriated officials in the Iraqi capital, which claims sole authority to manage Iraqi oil.
Turkey has been working to get the central government on board before exports start.
“The flow of crude oil from Iraq has begun. It is being stored. It will not be exported without the consent of the Iraqi government,” YZldZz told the news conference.
The Turkish–KRG deal has significance for major oil companies as well as for the Kurds and Turkey, which stands to benefit from domestic supply and onward westward export through Ceyhan.
Kurdistan has struck deals with ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total among others as it seeks to develop its energy industry.
Ankara has set up the Turkish Energy Company (TEC), a state-backed entity which has struck partnership deals with Exxon and will be Turkey’s counterparty in dealings with Kurdistan.
YZldZz visited Baghdad in December for talks with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Hussein Al-Shahristani, who has long opposed Turkey’s courtship of the Kurdish region.
Baghdad says Kurdish efforts towards oil independence could lead to the break-up of Iraq, but Turkey has re- peatedly said it respects Iraq’s sensitivities over territorial integrity, and that increasing oil revenues will help the whole of the country.
Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities. Launched in London in 1978, Asharq Al-Awsat has established itself as the decisive publication on pan-Arab and international affairs, offering its readers in-depth analysis and exclusive editorials, as well as the most comprehensive coverage of the entire Arab world.
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ARMENIAN CHILD KILLED IN SYRIA
ALEPPO/NEWS.am -- Armenian child was killed on January 3 in an artillery shooting in Suleymaniye, Ar- menian quarter of Aleppo, the press service of Diocese of Beroea of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Aleppo in- forms Armenian News-NEWS.am
In the following explosion, several students who were waiting for school bus at that time were injured. In addi- tion, two adults – Gogo Gevorkian and Levon Lahmechian – also suffered injuries. The condition of the injured is stable.
According to the Syrian authorities, the terrorists’ activity increased in the last week.
NEW YEAR STARTS WITH MORTAR BLASTS IN ALEPPO’S ARMENIAN DISTRICTS
The Armenians of Syria’s largest city, Aleppo, celebrated New Year in an environment different from countries around the word.
Tert.am -- According to the Lebanese-Armenian publication Azdak, mortar mines and missiles hit the city from the first hours of 2014.
The Armenian districts came under serious attack, with the continuing noise of bombs disturbing the population.
No serious damages were reported.
But a mortar blast on Friday left a 10-year-old Christian child dead. A young ethnic Armenian, Goko Gevorgyan, was injured in the same attack.
REMAINING ARMENIANS PRAY FOR PEACE ON CHRISTMAS
DAMASCUS/www.dailystar.com.lb -- A small congregation of Armenian Orthodox Christians prayed for peace at a Christmas service in Old Damascus and reflected on the hardships of living in an uneasy middle ground in Syria’s increasingly sectarian conflict.
They lamented a low turnout compared to previous years – many have fled Syria and others were unable to get through a maze of checkpoints and traffic bottlenecks to reach the church of St. Sarkis for Armenian Christmas, celebrated on Jan. 6.
“You used to see this entire church courtyard full, but it’s been fewer and fewer people every season,” said one of the community organizers who, like all those interviewed for this article, asked to remain anonymous due to sensitivities.
“The trouble is many would have liked to come today but they couldn’t because of the traffic at checkpoints,” the organizer said.
Syria’s conflict has grown increasingly sectarian since it start- ed as a peaceful uprising in March 2011 and then evolved into an armed rebellion against President Bashar Assad.
Majority Sunnis dominate the uprising while minorities have for the most part stuck with the government, which is dominated by
members of Assad’s Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam. Syria’s Christians, around 10 percent, occupy an uneasy mid- dle ground. Some Christians have fled to government-held territo- ry, while others have stayed with the rebels. Some have joined the
insurgency. Archbishop Armash Nalbandian led the Christmas Mass then
delivered a short sermon, with a prayer for better days.
A worshiper receives communion as he attends a service at the Syrian Saint Sarkis Church for Armenian Orthodox in Damascus to celebrate the Armenian Christmas on January 6, 2014. (AFP PHOTO / STR)
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“Last year witnessed many martyrs and kidnappings ... There have been martyrs in our schools ... children aged 6 and 7 killed,” he said.
“We pray this year for the release of the kidnapped, and for peace in our country, Syria,” he said.
An estimated 100,000 Armenians live in Syria, many the descendants of displaced Armenians from the early 20th century Ottoman wars.
Many of the Armenian Orthodox Christian congregation live in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, a densely populated area home to many of the city’s Christians.
Jaramana has been the site of several car bombs and dozens of mortar and rocket attacks that the government blames on rebels who control the adjacent suburbs. Some rebels blame Christians for sitting on the fence during the uprising.
The community organizer said it took him one-and-a-half hours to arrive from his home in Jaramana to the church, walking most of the way. Two years ago, before the checkpoints, the drive would have taken around 20 minutes.
The church pews snugly fit about 100 congregants but were mostly empty when the service commenced. By the end, about 200 worshippers had shown up, spilling over into the courtyard. Congregants estimated that in 2013 there were twice as many in attendance and in years passed there were hundreds more.
Among the congregants were newly displaced Armenians from Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria.
One couple said they escaped dire conditions in Aleppo, where power and water cuts continue for days at a time.
“It took us 52 hours by bus to get here and we slept two nights inside our bus, which was parked inside a gar- age,” the wife said.
The journey took about eight hours before the war.
Some Armenians have also tried to escape by repatriating to Armenia, but community leaders say many of those have returned.
“We might feel that our origin is Armenia but the country is totally alien to us,” said a community elder. “Ar- menia is a very modern country with lots of big companies. But here? We’re used to small family business. It just doesn’t work over there, so people came back.”
RAGIP ZARAKOLU:
“TURKEY MUST COME TO GRIPS WITH ITS PAST” By Sako Arian
The name Ragip Zarakolu first echoed throughout Turkey in 1971, when he was jailed for “secretly” collabo- rating with Amnesty International. He spent five months in jail before the charges were dropped. Not surprisingly, the crucifixion of this human rights defender continued and one year later Zarakolu received a two year sentence for an article he published in the newspaper ANT (Pledge) on Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam War.
The pages of Zarakolu’s biography is written in similar form, jumping from one prison cell to another and tak- ing center stage in a variety of social activism platforms.1977 was a watershed year in Zarakolu’s life, for it was then that he and wife Aysenur established the Belge Publishing House in Istanbul. Belge continues to speak truth to power by publishing numerous tracts and books on the Armenian Genocide.
Recently, I met up with Zarakolu when he visited Yerevan.
Mr. Zarakolu, why have you come to Yerevan? I believe it isn’t your first visit to Armenia.
No, this is my sixth visit. And it’s quite important because it marks the launch of the Turkish translation of Verjine Svazlian’s The Armenian Genocide: Testimonies of the Eyewitness Survivors that was published by Belge. The book runs to over one thousand pages. It’s Svazlian’s life work and has already been translated into Armenian.
So, what are your impressions of Yerevan this time?
Coming from Istanbul, I would say that Yerevan is a very unique city for me. Armenia is like a second home- land for me. The third is Greece, because my compatriots from Turkey are spread throughout Armenia and Greece.
What motivated you all those years ago to start writing and speaking about Armenian issues?
To be honest, when I began to research matters related to the nature, essence and origins of the Turkish state, I also started to write about Armenian issues. It’s only natural that if you are to study the history of Turkey, you must
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take into account Armenian issues as well. When you attempt to ponder and examine matters related to human rights, you can’t escape the Armenian reality.
When did you start to dig deeper into these issues?
My interest really took off ever since the 1990s. It was a period when discussions on Armenian topics began to increase. We must also not forget that debates on the Kurdish question and Kurdish-related developments also helped to foster a public sentiment whose main interest focused on Armenian issues. It was also during those years when we started to struggle against the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Why?
Any such denial was simply very dangerous for our society. I say dangerous, because denial would have opened the door for new genocides or killings. In reality, it was the fear of repeat killings that forced a tiny segment of Turkish society to publicly speak about the problems of Armenians and Kurds.
Mr. Zarakolu, during the past few years Istanbul has taken on a more active role regarding diaspora- Armenian forums. Such a thing was impossible to imagine twenty or even ten years ago. It was problematic for Armenians to even visit Istanbul. For many it was a taboo subject.
I understand. Let’s accept that many things have since changed; overall in Turkey and especially in Istanbul. And it’s been the people who have forced the authorities to make visible and important changes in the country. Or- ganizations defending human rights have worked more publicly, forcing the government to make these changes.
We must understand that today’s authorities aren’t the same as the Kemalists. The path they have adopted is different from their predecessors. Today’s rulers also have a nationalistic streak, but the issue of religion remains paramount for them. They too have been persecuted, and for this reason certain changes can be achieved with them. Now, it is possible to openly talk about the Genocide and issues related to the Armenians, Kurds and other minori- ties. True, the situation isn’t ideal, but we and others devoted to human rights issues continue to fervently struggle.
How would you evaluate the current state of Armenia-Turkey relations?
Clearly, the arena of Armenia-Turkey relations today is centered within the scope of Black Sea economic co- operation. And I regard this as very important. This, despite the fact that today, just as yesterday, government repre- sentatives still make extremists statements.
Why is this so?
It explains why Pan-Turkism is so important to them and why such sentiments are so deeply shared by Turkish authorities. As regards the overall situation in the Caucasus, we must clearly see that the Russians have large and important connections to Armenia and Azerbaijan. This factor helps prevent war in the region. We also know that regional peace remains unfulfilled given the Karabakh conflict. I should also note that Turkey is attempting to mim- ic the role of Russia. That’s to say that Turkey is trying to come across as a superpower in the region. But, I believe Turkey will not succeed in this regard.
What would you say regarding the statements being made by Turkey directed at Armenia about settling its outstanding issues with Azerbaijan? For isn’t it true that Turkey has placed such a precondition for nor- malizing its relations with Yerevan?
I would say that we should ask those same Turkish officials about what happened regarding Cyprus. What is their position on this issue? If the settlement of the Karabakh conflict is so important to Ankara, then it should adopt the same stance that it has regarding Cyprus. In other words, if Turkey portrays itself as a defender of self- determination in Cyprus, then it is obliged to do the same regarding Karabakh. We must constantly raise these questions to the Turkish authorities.
One year ago, while I interviewed the actress Sona Tatoyan in New York, an issue arose over the term Anatolia. Many readers of the interview were put off by the word Anatolia. What do you have to say regard- ing the characterization of the term?
Anatolia is a cradle of cultures. That region is an important center for Armenians, Greeks, Turks and Kurds. It’s a center of civilization. The Kurds also detest the term Anatolia, and call the region Bet Nahrain (land of two rivers). With the destruction of Assyrians in Anatolia, the expanse of Kurdish lands increased.
There have been great geographical changes in this region, particularly during the days of World War I and as a consequence of the policies of the Turkish authorities. I must also note that the culture of Anatolia possesses something that connects all of us – it’s the strength of the culture that grew and spread on those lands. It’s this strength that Armenians and Kurds, Turks and Greeks, spread throughout the world. Thus, Anatolia belongs to all of us. It’s a mosaic that many have created. That heritage belongs to all.
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The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is fast upon us. What are your thoughts on the mat- ter, especially given that those Turks who accept the historical reality of the Genocide are also gearing up for the occasion?
Let me start by saying that due to a policy of denial there was no real information on the issue until recently in Turkey. Of course, much work has been done to fill in the gaps. The work presented to society at large has greatly assisted people to separate the truth from falsehood. Non-extremist Turks started to get interested in the issue and see the reality. This reality helped them not only to be content with emotional pronouncements, but to also launch important steps towards the recognition of the Genocide.
There are walls between us. This is no secret. But dialogue is important to tear down these walls. I know that it’s easier to build walls, rather than tear them down. Turkey has a major role to play in tearing down these walls. To date, Turks have pretended to be blind and mute. But the time has come for us to accept the existence of western Armenians and the Armenian diaspora. To start with, Turkey must consider how it should relate with its Armenian citizens.
Yes, Armenia and Turkey can initiate relations and that is a natural part of government policy. But such rela- tions cannot resolve all outstanding problems. The paramount problem exists between the Turkish state and the Armenian diaspora. And Turkey, if it aspires to become a powerful state, is obliged to first clean-up its past. With- out coming to grips with its past, Turkey will never become a well-grounded or strong state.
HOW TO SILENCE AN ARMENIAN MAVERICK IN TURKEY
By Nanore Barsoumian The Armenian Weekly
They finally locked him up. It was only a matter of time, really. And frankly, I’m surprised it took them this long. The Turkish-Armenian journalist and entrepreneur Sevan Nisanyan could not accept his place in Turkish society. And a “good” Armenian ought to know better than that. Somehow, Nisanyan always made headlines—from television talk shows to controversial blog posts. He’s been practically swimming in some two-dozen court cases—but Nisanyan is built differently than many of us. In fact, he actually enjoys making waves. You might say he was born in the wrong country, but if you were to ask him, he’d tell you—as he once told me—“I feel per- fectly at home in a country where most people would rather see me go. A paradox? I don’t think so. I like the precariousness of my situation. I think I contribute a lot to the society I live in.”
Two years, that’s how long Nisanyan will spend in a Turkish prison—an early Christmas present from the Turkish courts. Clutching a pillow in one hand, and two duffle bags in the other, he walked in to prison on Jan. 2. This was the punishment dished out from one of a long
list of court cases piled against him that could amount to over 50 years in jail. This time, they said, the 57-year-old Nisanyan had gone too far building a cottage without a permit on his
property in the village of Sirince in Izmir, a tourist destination he’s credited with reviving through his rustic hotel business. A cottage without a permit, in a land of illegal constructions, in a country where the President sits in a mansion confiscated from its Armenian subjects. Chew on that, Armenian!
This is a country where laws work for rulers—laws that were crafted to weed out the other, to sanction looting, gagging, chaining, and even killing.
Even at the prison gates, Nisanyan was still defiant. Still controversial. Still hopeful. “Unfortunately, Turkey is being governed by people who have no horizons, no vision, no quality; by small minded people [‘dwarves’ in literal translation],” he said to reporters gathered there. “It is a pity for this country. All of us, all of you, deserve better. We hope that one day, people with vision, people who can tell the good from the bad, will also be able to govern.”
Clutching a pillow in one hand, and two duffle bags in
the other, he walked in to prison on Jan. 2.
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As to his hotel-houses in Sirince, Nisanyan donated them to the Nesin Foundation in 2011. The foundation, lo- cated in Sirince, brings educational opportunities to children from financially handicapped families.
Despite the numerous court cases that at times saw him appearing before a judge as often as twice a week, Nisanyan managed to publish his research on the old and new names of places in Turkey, as well as an online topo- nymic index. This, in addition to his bestselling guidebook to small hotels in Turkey.
Just over a year ago, Nisanyan, a graduate of Yale and Columbia, angered thousands through a blog post de- fending freedom of speech. It was a response to proposed “hate crime” bills following the release of “The Inno- cence of Muslims,” a film denigrating the Prophet Muhammad.
“Mocking an Arab leader who centuries ago claimed to have contacted God and made political, financial, and sexual benefits out of this is not a crime of hatred. It is an almost kindergarten-level case of what we call freedom of expression,” Nisanyan wrote in his post.
A few months later, an Istanbul court found Nisanyan—a recipient of the 2004 Freedom of Thought Award by the Human Rights Association of Turkey—guilty and sentenced him to over 13 months in jail. His crime? “Publicly insulting the religious values of part of the population.”
When I asked him about it a few days later, his response was, “I don’t believe anyone has ever been prosecut- ed in Turkey for advocating the murder, mayhem, or massacre of Armenians, Jews, Kurds, atheists, gays, or liber- als. Thousands, on the other hand, were prosecuted and convicted in the past for ‘insulting Turkishness’ under the notorious Article 301 of the penal code. Now, ‘insulting Islam’ seems to be replacing that old juggernaut as a favor- ite instrument to hit dissidents with.”
In 2010, Nisanyan’s comments about the Armenian Genocide aired during a Turkish television debate pro- gram resulted in the punishment of the TV station. Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) de- clared that Nisanyan’s comments “humiliated the Republic of Turkey.”
Turkey’s human rights record—especially when it comes to journalists—is dismal. In 2012, Reporters Without Borders dubbed Turkey “The World’s Biggest Prison for Journalists.” In fact, the country is the leading jailer of journalists—ahead of China and Iran.
Nisanyan’s imprisonment further confirms what he has been communicating all along: “There is instinctive hostility toward an Armenian. It turns rabid when that Armenian is also an outspoken critic of the Turkish system.”
At the doorstep of the Armenian Genocide centennial, Nisanyan’s imprisonment is but a chapter in the fate of Turkey’s Armenians. “I believe this is a test case for the Erdogan government’s willingness to improve minority rights in Turkey,” he had told me in 2010, when a Turkish court ordered the demolition of his houses. “I believe it is also a test case that will show if Armenians can go on living freely and securely in this country, or whether the old system of state thuggery will go on unchanged.”
Ultimately, when a restless maverick like Nisanyan goes to jail, the whole of society suffers. It leaves Turkey with one less dissenting voice; one less dreamer capable of hoping for a democratic Turkey; and one more nail that binds modern Turkey to its xenophobic legacy.
CANADIAN TURKS SHOULD CONDEMN, NOT CONDONE, GENOCIDE DENIAL
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Canadian Turks launched a petition last month seeking the removal of all references to the Armenian Genocide
from the 11th grade curriculum of Toronto high schools.
This petition is a part of Turkish denialists’ long-standing efforts to reverse the Toronto District School
Board’s (TDSB) 2008 decision to educate students about the Armenian, Jewish, and Rwandan genocides. TDSB’s
action follows the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Canadian Senate in 2002 and the House of Com-
mons in 2004. In addition, since 2006, successive Canadian Prime Ministers have issued official annual statements
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide, despite intensive political pressure and economic blackmail by the Turkish
government.
Back in 2008, a similar Turkish petition failed to sway TDSB to amend the genocide curriculum, after gather-
ing over 11,000 signatures, mostly from Turkey. Indeed, the Ankara government and its Turkish proxies in Toronto
have done everything possible during the past seven years to undermine this curriculum.
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Below are the baseless claims made by the Turkish petition against TDSB’s genocide curriculum, followed by
my rebuttal:
-- Turkish Petition: "As the Turkish/Turkic speaking parents of students attending the Toronto District School
Board, we are deeply concerned about the negative impact of the current curriculum module on ‘Armenian Geno-
cide’ and the learning resources adopted by the Board since 2008."
My response: There has been NO violence or intimidation against a single Turkish student in Toronto schools
even though the genocide curriculum has been taught there for several years. The reason is that Armenians do not
hold today’s Turks responsible for the crimes committed by the Government of Ottoman Turkey almost 100 years
ago, except those who associate themselves with these crimes by their denial. The Republic of Turkey, on the other
hand, as successor to the Ottoman Empire, is responsible for the continuing consequences of the Armenian Geno-
cide. Denying the facts of the Genocide has a far more serious negative psychological impact on Armenians than its
inclusion in the curriculum on Turks. Furthermore, the truth cannot be concealed in order not to offend the sensibil-
ities of those who wish to cover up historical facts. Would anyone advocate erasing all references to the Jewish
Holocaust from history books not offend present-day Germans?
-- Turkish Petition: "The textbook on the Genocide of the Armenians and other readers, such as Barbara
Coloroso’s Extraordinary Evil, unremittingly discredits one community's narrative over the other; and, adversely
affects the students of TDSB with Turkish and Turkic heritages."
My response: There cannot be two narratives or two versions of the proven facts of the Armenian Genocide.
There can only be one version -- the truth!
-- Turkish Petition: "We firmly believe that the values of mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexist-
ence can be achieved through an honest and open dialogue on history. Moreover, fair and unprejudiced learning
should be based on historical facts and not solely on the narratives of select communities while ignoring others. It
should also be noted that there are no court decisions on any of these historical claims and the opinions of historians
differ regarding the details and the definitions of these events."
My response: 'Mutual respect, understanding and peaceful coexistence' cannot be achieved through distortions
and lies. Only after acknowledging the truth and making appropriate amends, Canadian Turks can talk about such
lofty ideals. Furthermore, contrary to the Turkish claims, there are several court verdicts on the Armenian Geno-
cide, starting with the Turkish Military Tribunals of 1919, and judgments by Argentinean, Swiss, and U.S. courts.
Significantly, the UN Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities adopted in
1985 a report acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. The ultimate arbiter of any genocide is the United Nations,
since the Genocide Convention is a UN document.
To sum up, this latest Turkish petition is a total failure since its initiator, the Federation of Canadian Turkish
Associations, has so far collected less than 2,000 signatures out of a claimed membership of 200,000 in Canada.
Interestingly, most of the signatories are not from Canada, but Turkey where the petition has been widely circulat-
ed.
A more worthwhile initiative for Canadian Turks would be to start a petition urging the Turkish government to
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and make proper restitution to the descendants of this heinous crime on the
occasion of the Genocide’s Centennial.
CELEBRATING MANSURIAN - DILIJAN CONCERT
GLENDALE -- Dilijan Chamber Music Series celebrates the 75th birthday anniversary of the beloved composer Tigran Mansurian with a special concert on January 12 at Zipper Hall. The concert features six chamber works by Armenia's foremost living composer known around the world through the breathtakingly beautiful catalog of recordings on the ECM New Series label.
With Tigran Mansurian in attendance, works of varying styles and spanning almost 40 years will be presented, from uncompromisingly mod- ernistic Violin Sonata No.2 (1965) and the wild "Allegro Barbaro" (1964) to the US Premiere of the haunting Parable (2012) for solo clarinet, and the transparent Lotos (2013) for solo viola, written for the most recent Munich International Viola Competition as the mandatory piece. Also, Romances by R. Melikyan, and Sept Sequences by B. Gelalian will be performed. Distinguished participating artists are soprano
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Shoushik Barsoumian, pianist Mark Robson, clarinetist Phil O'Connor, flutist Salpy Kerkonian, Artistic Director violinist Movses Pogossian, violist Robert Brophy, cellist Antonio Lysy, and the Dilijan Chamber Ensemble con- ducted by Vatsche Barsoumian.
The new season of the Dilijan Series is dedicated to the 75th birthday anniversary of Tigran Mansurian. Con- tinuing its mission of bringing new works to life, the Dilijan Series presents three world premieres from Paul Chihara, Artashes Kartalyan, and Vartan Adjemian, bringing the total of its commissions to 26. Among the distin- guished instrumentalists appearing this season are clarinetist Michele Zukovsky, guitarist David Starobin, violinist Guillaume Sutre, violists Carrie Dennis and Richard O'Neill, cellists Clive Greensmith, Ronald Leonard, Robert deMaine, pianists Svetlana Navassardian and Inna Faliks, and many other artists of international acclaim.
COVER PAGE
Paruyr Sevak (Armenian: +,-./- 012,3) (January 24, 1924 – June 17, 1971) was an Armenian poet and literary critic. He is considered one of the greatest Armenian poets of the 20th century.
Sevak was born Paruyr Ghazaryan (Armenian: +,-./- H,I,-1,J) in Chanakhchi (now Zangakatun) village, Armenian SSR, Soviet Union to Rafael and Anahit Soghomonyan on January 24, 1924. Young Paruyr attended the village school and later in 1940 moved to Yerevan to study at the philo- logical faculty of Yerevan State University. He graduated from the YSU in 1945. The same year he starts a postgraduate study of Armenian literature at the Academy of Sciences Abeghyan Institute of Literature. In 1951 Sevak went to Moscow to study at the Gorky Institute of World Literature. Graduating from that in- stitute Sevak works there in 1957-59 as a translating professor.
In 1960 Sevak returns to Yerevan and starts his fecund and meaningful literary, scientific and public activism. He starts to work at the Abeghyan Institute of Literature as a scientific researcher. From 1966- 1971 Sevak served as the Secretary of the Board of the Writers Union of Armenia.
In 1967 Sevak became a doctor of philology after dissertation defense. In 1968 he was elected to the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR.
Sevak died on June 17, 1971 in a car crash while on a drive back to Yerevan. In previous years, he had voiced his criticism of the corruption of the Soviet establishment and for this, many Armenians believe, he was murdered by the Soviet government. His wife, Nelly Menagharishvili, also died in the car crash. He was buried in the backyard of his home, in Zangakatun, which later became a museum.
Publications • Immortals Command (JX,YJ1-Z [-,X,/.2X \J) — 1948 • Uncompromising Intimacy (JY,^_ `_1-X.2ab2J) — 1953 • Love Road (0b-./ c,J,d,-Y) — 1954 • The Unsilenceable Belfry (Jef1eb g,Jh,3,_.2J) — 1959 • Man in a Palm (`,-iZ jb `kl) — 1964 • Sayat Nova (0,/,a .m,) — 1969 • Let There Be Light (\nbob p./q) — 1969 • Your Acquaintances (s1- t,JuaJ1-Z) — 1971
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