Loussapatz - The Dawn

32- , 1012 , 14 2013

23

NALBANDIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING IN KIEV

KIEV -- The United States, Russia and France on Thursday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to keep up the re- newed momentum in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process after fresh talks held by the foreign ministers of the two warring nations.

The meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mam- madyariv and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Igor Popov, Jacques Faure, James Warlick and Personal Repre- sentative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk took place in Kiev on December 4.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Minister for European Affairs Thierry Repentin and U.S. As- sistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland issued a joint statement on the talks in the Ukrainian capital the following day. They said Mammadyarov and Nalbandian “agreed to continue working together on a just and peaceful resolu- tion of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of what has been already achieved.”

“The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to meet again in early 2014 under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, in order to facilitate further talks at the highest level,” read the statement also signed by Mammadyarov and Nalbandian.

The representatives of the three mediating powers expressed hope that further Armenian-Azerbaijani negotia- tions “will advance the peace process.” They also urged the conflicting parties to “consider measures that would reduce tensions in the region.”

According to a separate statement released by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, U.S., Russian and French dip- lomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group on Karabakh will again visit Baku, Yerevan and possibly Stepanakert “soon.” The co-chairs said last month that their next tour of the conflict zone will take place in December.

Emphasizing the importance of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship – as a framework for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue – the Foreign Ministers thanked the Co-Chairs for the efforts towards continuation of the peace process.

TURKISH FM WANTS TO MEET WITH SERZH SARGSYAN - SABAH

NEWS.am -- Turkish media continued spreading various reports concerning Foreign Minister Ahmet Da- vutoglu’s visit to Armenia.

Turkish FM is going to Armenia with two offers, including transfer of two regions to Azerbaijan in return for opening of the border, Sabah daily writes.

Quoting its sources, the newspaper claims Davutoglu plans to meet with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian and President Serzh Sargsyan.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WILL NOT MEET WITH TURKISH FM - SPOKESPERSON

YEREVAN/ NEWS.am -- The meeting between Armenian president and Turkish FM has not been planned and will not take place, spokesperson for president Arman Saghatelyan tweeted.

As reported earlier, Turkish media continued spreading various reports concerning Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s visit to Armenia. Turkish FM is going to Armenia with two offers, including transfer of two regions to Azerbaijan in return for opening of the border, Sabah daily wrote. Quoting its sources, the newspaper claims Davutoglu plans to meet with his Arme- nian counterpart Edward Nalbandian and President Serzh Sargsyan.

Ahmet DavutoDlu will be in Yerevan Thursday to participate in the meeting of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

24

STRONG MESSAGE FROM ARMENIA AHEAD OF TURKISH FM’S VISIT – HÜRRIYET

NEWS.am -- The Turkish press reflected on Armenian deputy FM Shavarsh Ko- charyan’s message addressed to Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu, and called it a strong message from Armenia.

In an article, Hürriyet daily of Turkey noted that there is no development in Ar- menian-Turkish relations for a long time and, in this context, Davutoglu will make a move to ensure progress.

“Davutoglu will travel to [Armenian capital city] Yerevan to participate in the meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization [to be convened on

Thursday]. “But when Davutoglu announced about his visit, a strong message came from Yerevan toward the normaliza-

tion of Armenian-Turkish relations,” the article stated. The Turkish daily noted that Shavarsh Kocharyan had recommended that, instead of making provocative

statements, Davutoglu should visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan and pay a silent tribute to the memory of the innocent victims.

DAVUTOILU ENTERS YEREVAN HOTEL FROM BACK ENTRANCE

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Members from the youth and the student unions of Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnak- tsutyun Party and the youth and student union of the Social- Democratic Hnchakyan Party (SDHP) were unable to see Turkish FM Ahmet DavutoDlu

DavutoDlu is in capital city Yerevan to participate in Thursday’s meeting of the Organization of the Black Sea Eco- nomic Cooperation (BSEC).

The ARF and SDHP youth have gathered in front of Ar- menia Marriott Hotel on Thursday morning, to voice their pro-

test against the Turkish FM’s visit to Armenia and demand that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide. It was found out, however, that DavutoDlu had entered the hotel from the back entrance and the BSEC meeting

is already underway at the hotel. The protesters shouted, “Shame, shame!” upon hearing this news. Subsequently, they attempted to approach

the hotel entrance, but the police pushed them back. Turkish journalists likewise have arrived in Armenia on Thursday, and they, too, were covering the demonstra-

tion against their FM. Upon learning that Ahmet DavutoDlu is already in the hotel, the protesters announced that they are ending their

demonstration.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CRITICIZED FOR SECRET TALKS WITH CUSTOMS UNION

YEREVAN -- Two leading Armenian opposition parties denounced on Wednesday what they see as secret negotiations held by the government on Armenia’s accession to the Russian-led Customs Union.

The parliamentary leaders of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party hit out at President Serzh Sarkisian for not disclosing any details of the talks that followed his unexpected decision to seek membership of the union.

“It’s a monumental issue that cannot be decided by one person,” Zharangutyun’s Zaruhi Postanjian told

25

RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “It cannot be solved only by the government. It cannot be solved only by the National Assembly. This is the kind of issue that has to be addressed by every citizen of Armenia.”

“This is not what the public decided in 1991,” Postanjian said, referring to a referendum in which the over- whelming majority of Armenians voted for secession from the crumbling Soviet Union.

“Serzh Sarkisian and his entourage don’t give a damn about public opinion, about the parliament,” charged the HAK’s Levon Zurabian. “They don’t consider themselves accountable to the public and are cutting some deals be- hind the people’s back.”

Zurabian stressed that this criticism is “equally applicable” to the Sarkisian government’s nearly four-year ne- gotiations with the European Union over a wide-ranging Association Agreement. Those talks were essentially com- pleted in July. Sarkisian subsequently abandoned that agreement, however, announcing in early September his deci- sion to make Armenia part of the Russian-led bloc.

Sarkisian defended last week the lack of publicity in the accession talks with mainly Russian officials. He said his government will provide detailed explanations when the National Assembly debates a long list of legislative changes needed for joining the union.

Eduard Sharmazanov, the spokesman for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), echoed this argu- ment, saying that the Armenian parliament will publicly debate the matter next year. “Armenia’s decision to join the customs union was not made secretly,” he said.

Zurabian insisted, however, that the authorities have failed to substantiate that decision or clarify membership terms sought by them. “Democratic leaders may hold secret negotiations but their main directions never come as a surprise to the people,” he said.

Postanjian went further, accusing Sarkisian of “serving foreigners” at the expense of his nation. “We must start by ousting these illegitimate authorities from power and punishing them,” she said.

Zharangutyun, whose U.S.-born leader Raffi Hovannisian was Sarkisian’s main challenger in the February 2013 presidential election, has explicitly condemned the president’s U-turn. The HAK has taken a more cautious stance, decrying only the lack of transparency in Armenian foreign policy making. But the two opposition parties agree that Sarkisian has no mandate to make such strategic choices.

WAY FORWARD FOR EU-ARMENIA RELATIONS IN NEW CONTEXT HAS BEEN OUTLINED - ŠTEFAN FÜLE

NEWS.am -- Armenia and EU have desire to continue to have a close rela- tionship and take it forward based on what have been achieved, EU Commissioner Štefan Füle said.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle participated at the 14th Cooperation Council between Armenia and the Euro- pean Union in Brussels on Monday.

“Compared to previous Cooperation Council there is definitely a difference in the content of our discussions - given the new international commitments of Armenia. But what remains the same, is our desire and resolve to continue to have a close relationship and take it forward, based on what we have achieved so

far,” Füle said during the press conference following the meeting. He said in this light, the sides have reconfirmed the need to revisit the basis for bilateral relations, as well as to

update the EU-Armenia European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan to adjust it to the extent and ambitions of our future cooperation.

“We have commended the progress on the Mobility Partnership. The ratification of the Agreements on Visa Facilitation and Readmission is completed and we are looking forward to their early entry into force. This will en- able us to boost people to people contacts, which is an important element of our continued cooperation.

We have welcomed progress on reforms in Armenia and Armenia’s commitment to continue on this positive path. At the same time, we have however encouraged acceleration of the efforts in specific areas, notably Democ- racy and the Rule of Law, anti-corruption, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and judicial reform.

The way forward for EU-Armenia relations in the new context has been outlined. Now we have to start work

26

to make it reality. Armenia can count on the continued EU support to advance political, economic and social re- forms and improve the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Today’s meeting was also yet another important opportunity to underline the role Civil Society is playing in the reform process, in shaping it and monitoring reforms. We have strengthened the cooperation and support for the Civil Society. We hope very much that also their work will be built on what has been achieved in that area in the last 3,5 years. We hope very much that fundamental freedoms, in particular freedom of expression and assembly, will be further strengthened.

A specific support is going to be provided to the Armenian national platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in order to strengthen its role and monitoring the reform process by building structured dialogue with the government.

We call on the government to ensure that there is not intimidation of Civil Society representatives, human rights activists, in particular women's rights activists. And we called on Armenia to investigate some of those cases from the past and make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE SLAMS ARMENIAN JUDICIARY OVER UNFAIR TRIALS, CORRUPTION

ArmeniaNow.com -- The Ombudsman’s Office has issued a special report on the right to fair trial, in which it published a number of disturbing facts about corruption in the judi- cial system, its scale and fairness of verdicts.

The report, which was published on the eve of December 10, marked internationally as Human Rights Day, summarizes 120 anony- mous interviews with professionals, including judges, prosecutors, lawyers, legal experts. All decisions made by the Council of Justice in 2006-2013 have been examined. Also studied have been appeals made to the Court of Cass- ation and decisions on them (2007-2013), the

appeals returned by the Court of Cassation, about 35 cases provided by lawyers. The report was presented by the ombudsman’s deputy Genya Petrosyan, who said that the Court of Cassation

and the Council of Justice apply double standards in making verdicts and sometimes it is accompanied with viola- tions of the requirements of law. Petrosyan expressed hope that the report will have a preventive role for the Court of Cassation and the Council of Justice.

“If the Court of Cassation were a credible body, then every citizen would not put himself in the position of a judge in high-profile cases like [actor] Vardan Petrosyan’s car crash, killing of Avetik Budaghyan [near the house of Syunik’s ex-governor], the murder of [military doctor] Vahe Avetyan at the Harsnakar restaurant, but would wait till a fair verdict of the court,” writes Ombudsman Karen Andreasyan in the report, making references to a number of other high-profile cases as well and suggesting that if the court acted fairly people “would not have sought jus- tice in the streets”.

The authors of the report point out the “judicial bribery rate”, which, according to them, is determined as 10 percent of the cost of the lawsuit. They refer to the 2013 Global Corruption Barometer survey results, showing that 69 percent of respondents considered the judicial system as corrupt or extremely corrupt, while 18 percent of re- spondents reported facts of giving bribes to courts.

As a result of its surveys the Ombudsman’s Office revealed several corruption mechanisms in the judicial sys- tem, the amounts of money used as bribes and ways of bribing. Thus, according to the report, a bribe can be given to the judge of the first instance court, who assumes responsibility only for the verdict to be issued by him or her. In the second case the judge demands a higher amount of money to guarantee that his or her verdict will not be over-

27

turned by the higher court. In the third case the person involved in the case gets into contact with someone from the Court of Cassation. In that case the trial from the very beginning is supervised by a Court of Cassation member. In the fourth case a party that fails to get a result in two court instances comes to agreement with the Court of Cass- ation and achieves the cassation and change of the judicial act. In other words, no money is paid to the court of the first instance, and the appeals court and the matter is “settled” only at the Court of Cassation.

The report of the Ombudsman’s Office also addresses pressures applied against judges. “Our numerous sur- veys indicate that a criminal, but very functional system of pressurizing and subjugating judges has been formed at the Court of Cassation. A so-called institution of “zonal judges” of the Court of Cassation has been formed. Ac- cording to this system, individual judges of the Court of Cassation have judges under their control and these [lower court] judges are supposed to coordinate with them relevant court cases,” the report reads.

A Judicial Department official on Tuesday dismissed the report by the Ombudsman's Office as a publicity stunt.

USAID/ARMENIA PRESENTS ASSISTANCE STRATEGY 2013-2018

YEREVAN -- USAID presented its 2013-2018 assistance strat- egy for Armenia at a public event in Yerevan on December 11. Dr. Karen Hilliard, Director of USAID/Armenia, introduced the main strategic directions of bilateral cooperation in the areas of economic growth, governance, health care and social reform. Senior officials of the Armenian government, representatives of local and international donor organizations, the private sector and civil society attended the event.

Dr. Hilliard noted that the strategy was the result of extensive consultations with key stakeholders and assessment of the country’s major economic, democratic and social transition issues. “USAID has rigorously examined the potential for change and identified areas where counterparts believe the U.S. Government could most usefully intervene. The Mission views the strategy as an opportunity to develop local capacity by engaging with the Armenian government, civil society and the private sector more directly. USAID will also intensify the use of public private partnerships that have the potential to outlive our presence and that can constructively engage the Diaspora,” the head of USAID/Armenia said.

Over the coming five years, USAID programs in the area of economic growth will work to promote equal op- portunities for the citizens of Armenia, support competitive industries that can create jobs, increase the enterprises’ access to markets and resources, and improve the business environment for innovation and investments. USAID will work with the Government to improve the management of strategic resources such as energy and water. Assis- tance will also focus on effective policies, increased regional integration, and professional workforce to drive future growth.

In the area of governance and public administration, USAID will work with the Government of Armenia to help the country develop a more participatory, transparent and accountable system of governance as well as better address the needs and expectations of the citizenry. USAID will also collaborate with civil society organizations to improve their advocacy skills and increase citizen participation in policy development and oversight.

In the area of health and social reform, USAID will work with the Government of Armenia, civil society, and other stakeholders to build lasting partnerships, improve maternal, child and reproductive health, combat child mal- nutrition, and reduce the spread of tuberculosis. USAID will also continue its support for the country’s pension re- form and will increase its collaboration in the area of child welfare reform and social integration of people with dis- abilities.

28

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO HELP ARMENIA STRENGTHEN NUCLEAR SECURITY

YEREVAN -- The Armenian government has approved today the sign- ing of an agreement with the European Commission whereby the latter will provide Armenia with up to 1 million euros to strengthen the nuclear and radiation safety of the Armenian nuclear power plant.

Economy minister Vahram Avanesyan said the support will be shown to Armenian government agencies ensuring nuclear safety. The program aims to strengthen the technical support and radiation security.

This cooperation is dictated by the need to license new nuclear safety devices being installed in Armenia to control the operation of the reactor. Assistance will also be shown for the final closure of the plant.

According to experts, the plant can operate until 2016, however, the EU insists on shutting it down. On April 19, 2012 the government decided to extend the service life of the Armenian nuclear power plant up to 2026.

The program will be implemented within 96 months.

POLISH FIRM ‘MODERNIZING ARMENIAN TANKS’

YEREVAN (RFE) -- A Polish defense company is thoroughly mod- ernizing dozens of Armenian battle tanks as part of growing military- technical cooperation between Armenia and NATO member Poland, mili- tary sources in Yerevan confirmed on Wednesday.

The Russian news agency Regnum was the first to report on the deal in May. Citing unnamed Armenian Defense Ministry officials, it said that the Russian-made T-72 tanks will have stronger dynamic armor and be equipped with more powerful engines, new machine guns, surveillance cameras and state-of-the-art communication systems. It said these upgrades will make them analogous to the more advanced T-90 tanks currently manufactured by Russia.

The Moscow-based Center for the Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO) gave more details of the re- ported modernization in a report released late last week. TsAMTO said that the Polish Defense Holding, Poland’s leading arms manufacturer, is due to upgrade 84 Armenian tanks by the end of 2015 in accordance with a $100 mil- lion contract signed with the Armenian Defense Ministry last year. According to it, 24 of those tanks are to be modernized in 2013.

Military sources in Yerevan essentially confirmed this information. They told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that the Armenian military will receive the first batch of upgraded tanks before the end of the year.

The Defense Ministry refused to confirm or refute the reports. Its spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, said only that modernization of military hardware is a top priority for the Armenian army command.

The Regnum report in May came shortly before it emerged that Russia has started delivering $1 billion worth of offensive weapons, including 94 T-90 tanks, to Azerbaijan in line with commercial contracts signed in 2011.

The closely integrated armed forces of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are not known to have T-90s in their arsenal. The vast majority of several hundred tanks possessed by them are T-72 models originally manufactured in the Soviet Union in the early 1970s.

Armenian military experts regard the modernized Polish versions of T-72 as an efficient alternative to T-90s. “With less expenditure, we are making our tanks as potent as the ones which may be possessed by Azerbaijan,” said Vagharshak Harutiunian, a former defense minister.

Ever since the Soviet collapse Russia has been the number one source of weapons and ammunition supplied to Armenia, a fact reflecting their close military ties. They have enabled Yerevan to obtain Russian arms at knock- down prices or even free of charge.

29

In recent years, Armenia has also embarked on military-technical cooperation with several NATO member states and Poland in particular. The Armenian government announced in July plans to sign a relevant agreement with the Polish side. The two countries set up a defense joint venture in March.

ARMENIA UNVEILS SMARTPHONE AND TABLET

YEREVAN — Armenia will launch its own tablet computer and smartphone next year, the government press service said Friday, on the heels of the launch of Russia’s first smartphone earlier this week.

Prototypes of the devices were presented at a Friday meeting of the country’s Industrial Council, chaired by Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian.

Armenian-American joint venture — Tech- nology and Science Dynamics Inc/Armtab Tech- nologies — would start producing the Armtab tablet and Armphone mobile in early 2014. The price for Armtab will range from $ 200-250 with one year warranty service.

The company’s director, Vahan Shakarian, said it had already developed test models of the tablet — running on an Android platform with 3G and Wi-Fi capa- bility with screen sizes of 7.85, 9, 9.7 and 10.1 inches — as well as a sample of the smartphone.

Shakarian informed that the software design and technical support is provided by Armenia, with assembly in the United States and Hong Kong.

IRAN AGAIN QUESTIONS ARMENIAN GAS CLAIMS

Armenialiberty.org -- A senior Iranian diplomat on Friday again called into question the Armenian govern- ment’s claims that Armenia buys the bulk of its natural gas from Russia because it is much cheaper than Iranian gas.

The official price of Russian gas for Armenia was set at almost $190 per thousand cubic meters recently after President Serzh Sarkisian unexpectedly decided to make his country part of a Russian-led customs union. The Sark- isian administration says that this concessional tariff is one of the factors that necessitated its foreign policy U-turn.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisian on Thursday again dismissed suggestions that Ar- menia could have imported cheap gas from neighboring Iran. Movsisian claimed that the price of the gas currently “offered” by the Iranian side exceeds $400 per thousand cubic meters.

Mohammad Reisi, the Iranian ambassador in Yerevan, appeared to deny this as he held his second news con- ference in four days. Asked whether Iranian gas is indeed more expensive than the gas supplied by Russia’s Gaz- prom conglomerate, he said, “One needs to negotiate first, and only during the signing of a supply contract would it be clear which gas is more expensive.”

“Having said that, a country may sell gas to another country for $400 but be willing to charge a third country only $100. That depends on agreements between them,” Reisi stressed, hinting that Iran might have offered Arme- nia such a discount.

The envoy insisted in that regard that the Armenian government has never sought to officially negotiate with Tehran over more large-scale gas supplies. He said earlier this week that the Iranian government stands ready to significantly increase the current supply volumes.

30

Armenia began importing Iranian gas following the construction in late 2008 of a pipeline connecting the two countries. According to Armenian government data, Iranian gas deliveries totaled roughly 500 million cubic meters last year, compared with almost 2 billion cubic meters purchased from Gazprom.

The Iranian gas is swapped for electricity generated at a thermal power plant in Yerevan and exported to the Islamic Republic. In a report released last month, the Armenian customs service put the monetary value of that gas at around $182 million per thousand cubic meters, meaning that it is technically cheaper than the Russian gas. The

report thus raised more questions about the credibility of Movsisian’s claims. The pipeline from Iran was supposed to ease Armenia’s heavy dependence on Russia for energy resources.

Critics have for years accused the authorities in Yerevan of failing to make use of the alternative source of gas which few other former Soviet republics dependent on Russia have. The Iranian ambassador’s statements will give them more ammunition to attack the government.

“I think it is obvious to everyone that the Armenian authorities need the Russian government’s permission to negotiate with Iran on gas supplies. They don’t have that permission,” said Hayk Gevorgian, a senior economics writer for the pro-opposition daily “Haykakan Zhamanak.”

Analysts believe that greater Iranian gas imports are also hampered by the fact that Armenia’s gas distribution network is owned by Gazprom. The Sarkisian government raised the Russian giant’s share in the network from 80 percent to 100 percent in a controversial deal that was signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the country on Monday.

ARTSAKH CELEBRATES STATE INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM AND CONSTITUTION DAY

STEPANAKERT -- On December 10 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory address in connection with the Day of NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution. In the address disseminated by his press office, the Karabakh leader states:

“Dear Compatriots,

On behalf of the Artsakh authorities and personally myself I cordially congratulate you on the Day of the NKR State Independence Referendum and Constitution, a holiday, which has a unique place in the life of our nation.

December 10 is significant for the Artsakh people due to important state events, which have been serving as a basis and guideline for our further development. In 1991 Artsakh chose once and for all the path of building an in- dependent democratic state and 15 years later reconfirmed and fixed that historic decision with its firm affirmative for the basic state law – the Constitution.

Being committed to democratic norms and principles requirements, guided by universal principles and values, the core of which is the human being with his rights and freedom, we passed a complicated and difficult way and registered tangible success.

However, we still have much to do in this direction. Supremacy and equal protection of law must become a way of life for our society, a mandatory condition in everybody’s work and daily life. Only in this way can we build a powerful and developed country.

Dear Artsakh people, I congratulate all of us on this double holiday and wish peace, robust health and all the best.”

AUA LAUNCHES SUMMER 2014 PROGRAM

YEREVAN -- The American University of Armenia (AUA) has announced the AUA Summer 2014 Program.

Comprised of three weeks at Armenia’s very own university offering a global education, AUA Summer 2014 is an opportunity to get acquainted with the legacy and culture of the Armenian people in an American-accredited institution, while at the same time getting in touch with modern-day Armenia.

31

Lectures and presentations on Ar- menian Heritage & Culture, Armenian Music, and Armenian Art & Architecture will be interspersed with excursions to concerts or theater, historical sites in Armenia, as well as visits to museums and galleries.

The AUA Summer 2014 Program is open both to current students and also to individuals generally interested in the topic areas covered by the courses. Be-

cause of AUA’s American accreditation, the courses will carry units which may be transferable to your home uni- versity according to their guidelines.

AUA Summer 2014 will take place from June 9 to 27, 2014. The deadline for applying is January 15, 2014. For more information, visit summer2014.aua.am or e-mail summer2014@aua.am.

RAGIP ZARAKOLU: I CANNOT GO AGAINST MY CONSCIENCE

YEREVAN -- The Turkish translation of Verz- hine Svazlian’s book “Armenian Genocide: Testi- monies of Eye-Witness Survivors” has been pub- lished by the “Begle” publishing house headed by Ragip Zarakolu. The Turkish publisher was in Yere- van today to participate in the presentation of the book.

The Armenian and English publications of the book had been released earlier. The book includes at least 700 testimonies of eye-witness survivors and historic songs.

Starting from 1955 Verzhine Svazlian has been writing down, recording and publishing the testimo- nies of genocide survivors from Armenia and Dias- pora exiled from more than 150 settlements of his- toric Armenia. She has dedicated 55 years to save the tragic and heroic excerpts in the history of the Armenian people.

Zarakolu was the first to decide to break the wall of denial in Turkey. He founded his own Begle publishing house in Istanbul in 1976, where he published a number of books on the harassment against national minorities in Turkey, as well as the Armenian Genocide.

Zarakolu has often been persecuted in Turkey for his activity, but it has not prevented him from publishing Verzhine Svazlian’s book. Asked whether he’s not afraid to return to Turkey, the publisher said: “I cannot go against my conscience. At the same time I don’t think the Turkish authorities will launch a criminal case against me this time. Experience has shown that these attempts never succeed.”

“Verzhine Svazlian’s name is known to many in Turkey as a ‘pedestal of irrefutable truth.’ This book could become the statue standing on that pedestal. In Turkey the ice is starting to melt and the number of people seeking for truth is increasing,” Ragip Zarakolu said.

Zarakolu stated that despite the positive changes towards the Armenian issue in the Turkish society, the Turk- ish state machine does not cease to use its leverages to continue the policy of denialism. Even the universities and academies are used to serve this goal. Notwithstanding, the Turkish intellectual underscored that it’s Turkish deni- alism that constantly keeps Armenian issue in country’s agenda.

32

ARMENIAN CHURCH LOCATED IN TURKISH MILITARY AREA TO BE RELOCATED

NEWS.am -- At the Turkish National Defense Minister’s order, the Armenian church, which is located at a military area in Sivas Prov- ince of Turkey, will be moved to another area and opened for visitors.

The Armenian Friends of Sivas Union members had petitioned to Turkish National Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz, and stressed that the church had remained in a military area and they are unable to visit it, Spothaber website of Turkey reports.

The minister gave them a positive response and ordered that the church be moved from the military area and be restored.

Sivas Deputy Governor Salih Ayhan confirmed the aforesaid or- der, and noted that the projects toward the relocation and restoration of the church are being worked on.

But to the query as to in what status the church doors will be opened after restoration, Ayhan stressed that the Turkish authorities will determine this.

ARMENIAN, TURKISH ACTORS BEAT HANDSHAKE RECORD

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Turkish and an Armenian actor completed the longest-ever handshake on Dec 8 in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi in an act designed to foster peace between the two countries, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Deniz BarYZ from Turkey and Hovhannes Hajinyan from Armenia stood for 43 straight hours holding each other’s hands. The performance was aimed at underlining the possibility of better relations between Turkey and Armenia and took place thanks to the initiative of a group of Turkish and Armenian entrepreneurs and artists supported by the TANGO Network

(Turkish and Armenian NGO Network), which unites Armenian and Turkish non-profit organizations. BarYZ and Hajinyan’s handshake beat the previous record by 25 minutes, which was set in New York in 2011. The whole event was broadcast live on the Internet, allowing everyone to witness BarYZ and Hajinyan holding

hands despite rain, wind and cold weather, with the temperature falling to as low as minus 3 degrees Celsius during the night.

Event organizers are currently working on a Guinness World Record Book entry at the moment.

Hajinyan, an actor at the Yerevan Pantomime Theater, and BarYZ, from the southern province of Mersin, took the idea of participating in the event enthusiastically, HDN said.

ARMENIA MUST TURN TO INTERNATIONAL COURT ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS -- The political authorities of the Re- public of Armenia regularly send messages to the world that we do not give up our de- mands which is already a step forward. “Armenpress” reports that Deputy Director of the Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide Suren Manukyan expressed such a view at the course of the meeting with the journalists. “Our demand must be based on the convention of the Genocide, which says that anyone who carries out genocide must receive punishment and the consequences of the genocide must be eliminated. The most

important goal that we must put in front of us as a nation, people is to return our homeland,” Suren Manukyan said adding that we must break the myth that after the date of 100 years of the genocide there is no right for the de- mand.

33

IRANIAN PRESIDENT'S SPECIAL ASSISTANT: OTTOMAN TURKEY IS CONDEMNED IN EXTERMINATION OF MILLIONS OF ARMENIANS

Panorama.am -- “Ottoman Turkey is condemned in extermination of millions of Armenians,” has stated the Iranian president's Special Assistant in Ethnic and Minority Affairs Ali Younesi, the Iranian “Habaronline.ir” re- ports. The Iranian high ranking official has touched upon the ethnic and religious minorities in the ISNA news agency and has noted in particular, “Some radical circles claim that Iran is a multinational country, however it is a wrong inter- pretation as there is only one nation in Iran. All the citizens are a part of that nation. The religious and other ethnic Iranians have a big input and have no privileges with each other.”

Ali Younesi has added, “It should be noted that during the glorious history of Iran there has been recorded no case of Genocide. See what is going on in Turkey, Iraq, and Pakistan. Ottoman Turkey is condemned in extermina- tion of millions of Armenians. While there are no such records in the case of Iran, as many Iranian tribes have been able to preserve their identity.”

ARMENIA-TURKEY BORDER AS DEPICTED ON AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN MAPS OF 1922-1925

YEREVAN -- The Armenian Genocide Museum- Institute (AGMI) collection has been enriched by new cartographic materials issued in the first half of the 1920s stated AGMI Press Service.

The American, British and German cartographic materials are of utmost interest because they include the borders of the already declared Republic of Turkey. Based on those maps the Eastern border of the Turkey coincided with the one defined in the Arbitrary Deci- sion of US President Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924).

These cartographic materials are the best evidence that even after the sovietization of the Republic of Ar- menia and the declaration of the Republic of Turkey, the borderline between Armenia and Turkey was the one defined by the American President in November 1920, which was not amended or voided by any international agreement thereafter.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM TO INTRODUCE NEW FEATURES IN 2015

YEREVAN -- The Armenian Genocide Museum is currently closed because of the reconstruction and it will introduce new exhibi- tion to the visitors by April 24, 2015. The Deputy Director of the Ar- menian Genocide Museum-Institute adjunct to the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia Suren Manukyan stated this at the course of the press conference held on December 9. According to Manukyan the territory of the museum will be enlarged 2.5 times due to the reconstruction. The first temporary exhibition after the recon- struction will be held in 2014 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the World War I. Among other things the Deputy Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute adjunct to the National Acad-

emy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia Suren Manukyan underscored: “The main exhibition of the museum will be reopened on April 24, 2015 with new content and technical maintenance.”

34

The Armenian Genocide Museum opened its doors in 1995, concurrently commemorating the eightieth anni- versary of the Genocide. The Museum structure, planned by architects S. Kalashian, A. Tarkhanyan and sculptor F. Araqelyan, has a unique design.

During the decennial activity the Museum received many visitors including schoolchildren, college students and an unprecedented number of tourists both local and abroad.

The museum provides guided tours in Armenian, Russian, English, French and German.

The Republic of Armenia has made visiting the Armenian Genocide Museum part of the official State protocol and many foreign official delegations have already visited the Museum. These delegations have included, Pope John Paul II, President of the Russian Federation V. Putin, President of the Republic of France J. Shirak, and other well-known social and political figures.

The impressive two-story building is built directly into the side of a hill so as not to detract from the imposing presence of the Genocide Monument nearby. The roof of the Museum is flat and covered with concrete tiles. It overlooks the scenic Ararat Valley and majestic Mount Ararat.

The first floor of the Museum is subterranean and houses the administrative, engineering and technical main- tenance offices as well as Komitas Hall, which seats 170 people.

The Genocide Monument is designed to memorialize the innocent victims of the first Genocide of the 20th century. The Genocide Museum’s mission statement is rooted in the fact that understanding the Armenian Geno- cide is an important step in preventing similar future tragedies, in keeping with the notion that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.

AGAIN: TURKISH STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR NAZI SALUTES AT

AUSCHWITZ

Second incident in three months sees Turkish students arrested - this time under infamous sign at the entrance to notorious Nazi camp.

By Ari Soffer -- israelnationalnews.com

Two Turkish tourists could face up to two years in prison for giving Nazi salutes outside the site of theAuschwitz- Birkenau extermination camp in Poland.

The Turkish nationals - who according to Turkey's Zaman news site are a man and woman, both aged 22 - are apparently studying history at Budapest University in neighboring Hungary.

They reportedly took pictures of each other making the of- fensive gestures underneath the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work makes you free") sign, which stands at the entrance to the former death camp. The sign was one of the first - and for many, the last - things which the camp's estimated 1.1 million victims, approximately 90% of whom were Jewish, saw upon arrival, after being offloaded from crowded cattle carts.

The pair will likely face charges for publicly promoting Nazi symbols in public, which is a criminal offense in Poland.

Rising anti-Semitism

This is not the first time Turkish students have been arrested for displays of fascism at the site of a former Pol- ish concentration camp.

In a similar incident in October, two Turkish university students were arrested at the site of the Majdanik death camp after giving Nazi salutes to a group of Israeli students and shouting "Heil Hitler".

The two protested their innocence at the time, saying they had only meant the gestures "as a joke".

This latest incident once more shines a spotlight on growing anti-Semitism in Turkey, a phenomenon which has forced many young Turkish Jews to leave the country and which many analysts blame on the ruling Islamist AKP party, whose own leading officials have actively engaged in anti-Semitic rhetoric.

In July, Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister accused "Diaspora Jewry" of orchestrating the "Gezi Park" anti-

The gate to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

35

government protests. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a long history of anti-Semitic and racist remarks, including collectively comparing Jews to "Nazis" during his term as the mayor of Istanbul.

And in May, a shocking documentary revealed alarming levels of anti-Semitism among Turkish immigrant youths in Holland, where growing anti-Semitism has been blamed largely on the country's growing Muslim popula- tion.

TURKS MUST BE SMOKING THEIR OWN POPPIES By GAREN YEGPARIAN

So disconnected from reality is an article I just read from a Turkish source, that I thought I had found the ex- planation for why we no longer hear (since the 1970s) about opium from Turkish poppies being shipped to the west— the Turks are smoking it all, with none left for export.

A friend who had attended the ANCA-Western Region’s Grassroots Conference on Thanksgiving weekend met a Turkish participant, Bahar Senem Çevik-Ersaydi, who is an Assistant Professor at Ankara University. She’s the author of the article, “The Armenian Diaspora and the Need for the ‘Other’” (published in Issue no.09/2011 of “Gazi Akademik BakYZ”) that betrays where the bulk of Turkish intellectuals (let alone society) are stuck when it comes to Armenian issues, and particularly, the Genocide.

This article, based partially on discredited Freudian psychological theories, posits that the Armenian Diaspora uses “Turks” as the “other” which serves as a “reservoir all bad elements”. Why? Because, it seems, according to Çevik-Ersaydi, this is at least one of the main ways (if not the way) the Diaspora sustains its identity. We allegedly teach kids to hate Turks for this reason.

Of course it seems to escape our “learned” author that any human learning of the type of horrors inflicted by the Turks on our families, would, as a first reaction, hate the perpetrator of such a crime if her/his family were the victim.

It is precisely the horror and magnitude of the crime of genocide that understandably leads the Turks of today not to be able to even consider that THEIR families could have been guilty of such a crime. Yet, not only consider, but accept it they must.

The article is laced with the usual Turkish denialist narrative. First off, not once is the term “genocide” used. It is “events”, “historical enmity”, “sense of being victimized”, etc. Then we have the usual attempt to equate the Ar- menian and Turkish experiences of the era in question, perhaps best manifested by this sentence from her conclu- sion:

“These two groups which are so much alike in terms of eating-drinking habits, dressing, culture and music have identified each other as their archenemy due to past experiences with each other and various external provoca- tions.”

Of course you’ll notice the attribution of Armenian-Turkish antagonism to “external” factors. Naturally, the de rigueur reference to Armenian terrorism is present, and taken to the laughable extent of somewhat anachronistically describing Ashod Yergat (whose 1870 birth-date she notes), one of our revolutionary-period heroes, as a “terrorist.” This is all standard-issue Turkish jargon used to discredit our efforts to restore justice to our nation.

Then we have the attempt to give this “polite” denialism the veneer of legitimacy. Of course the article is a study in “political psychology” published in an academic journal. She references Armenian sources— Hrant Dink, Viken Yacoubian, Donald E. and Lorna Touryan Miller, even “Haytoug”— the AYF-Western Region’s publica- tion, along with others. Various sources are cited in the first half of the article where a theoretical construct is as- sembled to help in the effort to explain away, minimize, Armenians’ responses to the Genocide.

My friend, who had mentioned me to Bahar Senem Çevik-Ersaydi, suggested I talk to her before writing this piece. After reading her article, I’m glad I did not, because she is still far too lost in the jungle of denialism for me to give her a hand so she can cross over into the land of human decency.

Nevertheless, I would not object to meeting with her, as long as our discussion was recorded, since I would not want to be misquoted or cited out-of-context. I also laud her attendance at the Grassroots Conference, though I am a bit suspicious of her motivation and the prism through which she perceived what was presented and discussed there.

Instead of trying to explain away Armenian attitudes through abused psycho-babble (“chosen trauma” is what she calls the Genocide, a farcical term in all but her extremely narrow context), Çevik-Ersaydi should perhaps look into herself to discern what motivates her to engage in “polite” denial of the Armenian Genocide. Let’s all help her if she asks for it.

36

TURKEY JOINS UN CULTURAL COMMITTEE: WOLF IN CHARGE OF GUARDING SHEEP

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

Earlier this year, I wrote a column describing the Turkish government’s bullying tactics to reclaim antique ob-

jects from European and American museums. It is ironic that Turkey, one of the greatest looters and pilferers of

other nations’ cultural heritage, would so aggressively demand the return of these antiquities.

Just in case its threats fail to work, Turkey embarked on a new course of action last month -- bribery! Turkish

Education Minister Nabi Avci announced on November 10: “Turkey has doubled its contribution to the United Na-

tions Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) amid the financial crisis it faces with the United

States and Israel not paying their membership fees.”

Minister Avci did not even attempt to hide the real reason for Turkey’s generosity. He disclosed that “signifi-

cant progress has been made in Turkey’s candidacy for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee elections to be

held on November 19.” Indeed, the Turkish Minister’s prediction came true when his country was elected to the 21-

member World Heritage Committee for the next four years.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry immediately announced that as a member of that Committee, “Turkey intends to

share, at the international scale, the experience and knowledge it has accumulated in managing and protecting its

own 11 world heritage areas representing different layers of Anatolian civilization, including Neolithic, Hellenistic,

Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman periods.”

Electing Turkey to a body that is supposed to preserve cultural assets is akin to putting a wolf in charge of

guarding sheep. Turkey should not be eligible to serve on the UNESCO committee or on any other UN agency be-

cause of its long record as a major violator of human rights and the hegemonic threat it presents to the peace and

security of neighboring states.

Not surprisingly, the Foreign Ministry’s announcement made no mention of the numerous Armenian religious

and cultural monuments in present-day Turkey. Only in recent years, with the intent of easing the way for its Euro-

pean Union candidacy as well as generating income from foreign tourists, the Turkish government has renovated a

handful of Armenian and Greek churches, after decades of neglect and systematic desecration and destruction.

Now that Turkey has undeservedly become a member of the World Heritage Committee, Armenia’s UNESCO

representative has the opportunity during each meeting for the next four years to point out the irony Turkey faces --

tasked with preserving cultural monuments, while remaining one of the biggest confiscators of other nations’ cul-

tural heritage.

Murat Suslu, Turkey’s director-general of cultural heritage and museums, told the New York Times with a

straight face: “We only want back what is rightfully ours.... If you come to my house and you steal precious objects

from me, do I not have the right to get them back?” Mr. Suslu, who insisted that thievery and looting are wrong no

matter when they occurred, must be reminded that Turkey can make such claims only after returning to Alevis, Ar-

abs, Armenians, Assyrians, Cypriots, Greeks, and Kurds, what is rightfully theirs!

Just as ironic was the statement made by Ertugrul Gunay, Turkey’s Culture Minister, to the Economist maga-

zine: “I wholeheartedly believe that each and every antiquity in any part of the world should eventually go back to

its homeland. Even if these objects are made of stone, just as people have souls, so do animals, plants and monu-

ments. Taking a monument away destabilizes the world and is disrespectful to history.”

Instead of falsely presenting their country as a looting victim, Turkish officials should acknowledge that they

are in possession of numerous antiquities confiscated by their Ottoman predecessors while occupying over a dozen

neighboring countries. For example, the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, discovered near Sidon, Lebanon in

1887, was shipped to Istanbul’s Archaeology Museum under orders from Sultan Abdul Hamid II, where it is still

kept as one of its most prized possessions. It’s now up to Lebanon to demand the return of this precious cultural

treasure from Turkey! Also, Saudi Arabia has the right to reclaim a plethora of sacred Islamic relics removed from

Mecca by the Ottoman authorities in the 19th century.

Turkey’s membership in UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee provides a unique opportunity for Armenians

and other dispossessed nations to draw the world’s attention to the Turkish government's illegal confiscation of

their cultural heritage and demand their immediate return.

37

DIKRANAGERD-ARMENIAN DIALECT DICTIONARY RELEASED

TEANECK, N.J. – After years of compilation, a new dictionary of words and expressions from the Dikran- agerd-Armenian dialect is now available. Titled, “Inch g’usis”: A Dikranagerdtsi Vernacular Handbook,” the term “Inch g’usis” literally means “What do you say?” in the dialect of Dikranagerd.

Authored by Charles Kasbarian, “Inch g’usis”: A Dikranagerdtsi Vernacular Handbook showcases the earthy and humorous dialect of Dikranagerd, presented in English transliteration. Kasbarian is also known as “C.K. Gara- bed,” the columnist behind “Uncle Garabed’s Notebook,” which has appeared in The Armenian Weekly for almost 25 years.

No one knows how many Armenian Genocide survivors were integrated into Turkish society, nor how many native Armenians may remain, though hidden away. In either case, there are few, if any Armenians in the Diarbekr region of Western Armenia (present-day Turkey) who still speak the native dialect. As a result, it is likely that the dialect of Dikranagerd will become extinct in our lifetime. Aside from this obvious fact, Kasbarian explained his reasoning for creating “Inch g’usis?”: “The Dikranagerd dialect is my native language. In my childhood, while try- ing to converse with non-Dikranagerdtsi Armenians, I would get laughed at for what they perceived to be a queer way of speaking. But in my maturity, I realized that there was a lot to be said for dialects – the one of Dikranagerd in particular.”

As such, Kasbarian took on the task of trying, in some small way, to document elements of the Dikranagerd dialect for posterity. And so, he began to note Dikranagerdtsi words and phrases, which grew into the present col- lection. “And far from being laughed at,” Kasbarian continued, “linguistic scholars have consulted me on the vir- tues of the dialect which they feel is worthy of preservation.”

To make the work widely accessible, Kasbarian decided to put the handbook online. The work can be freely accessed on Kasbarian’s Armeniapedia page.

Included are words and terms “A” through “Z”, a section on Dikranagerdtsi nicknames, and an Armenian al- phabet mnemonic. Arranged alphabetically and containing a pronunciation key, the handbook offers many colorful phrases, interjections and exclamations such “Kher eghnah” (“May it be useful or good,” often said when some- body sneezes); “Leghin badri” (“May his gall bladder burst,” meaning “May he drop dead.”); “Jivit godreh, doun nusdi” (“Break your leg, stay at home,” meaning “Stop gadding about.”); and “Kna kni” (“Go to sleep,” meaning “Get out of here.”). Parents of young children are cautioned that there are many ribald entries.

Kasbarian grew up, during the Great Depression, in Union City, New Jersey -- which was once heavily popu- lated by Dikranagerdtsi Armenians. Over the years, he has presented folk tales and skits in the Dikranagerdtsi dia- lect at cultural evenings held in the New Jersey area. Also in progress on his Armeniapedia page are his The Dik- ranagerd Mystique Armenian Cookbook; a number of articles about growing up Dikranagerdtsi; Oyin Mi Tavli, a one-act play in the Dikranagerd dialect; and The Dictionary of Armenian Surnames.

Says Kasbarian of “Inch g’usis?”, “like everything else, there are bound to be missing words and phrases and even mistakes, in which case readers should feel free to bring them to the attention of the author.”

Kasbarian can be reached at ckgarabed@aol.com

A CHRISTMAS APPEAL TO SUPPORT SYRIAN ARMENIANS

The Syrian Armenian Relief Fund Executive Committee wishes the greater community of the Western United States a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, with one wish: To collectively open up our hearts and lighten up our Christmas by helping the Armenians struggling to survive day-by-day, facing dangers and an uncertain future in Syria.

Please mail your checks to the following address: Syrian Armenian Relief Fund, P.O. Box 1948, Glendale, CA 91209-1948.

The following churches, charities and organizations came together to form the Syrian Armenian Relief Fund in August 2012: Armenian Catholic Eparchy in North America; Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; Western Diocese of the Armenian Church; Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America; Arme-

38

nian General Benevolent Union; Armenian Missionary Association of America; Armenian Relief Society of West- ern U.S.A.; Armenian Democratic Liberal Party; Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Western U.S.A.; and Social Democrat Hunchakian Party-Western U.S.A.

The web site address follows: www.SyrianArmenianReliefFund.org.

NELSON MANDELA

18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was South Africa's first black chief executive, and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid through tackling institutionalized racism, poverty and inequality, and fostering racial reconciliation. Politically an African nationalist and democratic socialist, he served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1991 to 1997. Internationally, Mandela was Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela born to the Thembu royal family, Mandela attended the Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied law. Living in Johannesburg, he became involved in anti- colonial politics, joining the ANC and becoming a founding member of its Youth League. After the South African National Party came to power in 1948, he rose to prominence in the ANC's 1952 Defiance Campaign, was appointed superintendent of the organization's Transvaal chapter and presided over the 1955 Congress of the People. Working as a lawyer, he was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and, with the ANC leadership, was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the Treason Trial from 1956 to 1961. Although initially committed to non-violent protest, he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961 in association with the South African Communist Party, leading a sabotage campaign against the apartheid government. In 1962 he was arrested, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the state, and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial.

Mandela served over 27 years in prison, initially on Robben Island, and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison. An international campaign lobbied for his release. He was released in 1990, during a time of escalating civil strife. Mandela joined negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk to abolish apartheid and establish multiracial elections in 1994, in which he led the ANC to victory and became South Africa's first black president. He published his autobiography in 1995. During his tenure in the Government of National Unity he invited several other political parties to join the cabinet. As agreed to during the negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa, he promulgated a new constitution. He also created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses. While continuing the former government's liberal economic policy, his administration also introduced measures to encourage land reform, combat poverty, and expand healthcare services. Internationally, he acted as mediator between Libya and the United Kingdom in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial, and oversaw military intervention in Lesotho. He declined to run for a second term, and was succeeded by his deputy, Thabo Mbeki. Mandela became an elder statesman, focusing on charitable work in combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life. Denounced as a Marxist terrorist by critics, he nevertheless gained international acclaim for his activism, having received more than 250 honors, including the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Soviet Order of Lenin and the Bharat Ratna. He was held in deep respect within South Africa, where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name, Madiba, or as Tata ("Father"); he was often described as "the father of the nation".

39

Kiva.org is a non-profit online lending organization. It helps to alleviate poverty in developing world. It allows individuals like YOU to make $25 or more loans directly to low income entrepreneur/farmers, through reli- able micro- financing institutions. It has a repayment rate of 98.87%. It op- erates in more than 60 countries (including Armenia)

For more information, please visit Kiva.org, do your due diligence, and

make $25 or more Loan (s) and join many other Armenians (and many more non- Armenians) to help reduce poverty in Armenia, and help keep Armenians in Armenia.

YOU CAN

For further information you can contact: Seta Ghougassian seta_gu@yahoo.ca (416)694-6142

Èàôê2 ́2ò Þ2 ́2Â2Âoð - LOUSSAPATZ - THE DAWN

Ðð2î2ð2ÎàôÂÆôÜ Üàð êoðàôÜ ̧ ØÞ2ÎàôÂ2ÚÆÜ ØÆàôÂo2Ü - ÂàðàÜÂú

333 DENISON ST. UNIT # 3 MARKHAM, ON CANADA L3R 2Z4 TEL: 905 – 752 – 1206

E-MAIL : loussapatz@gmail.com

Èàôê2 ́2ò Þ2 ́2Â2ÂoðÂÆ ì2ðâ2Î2Ü Î21⁄4Ø

îÜúð3⁄4Ü äoîðàê ØàôÞo2Ü MANAGING EDITOR BEDROS MOUCHIAN îÜîoê2Î2Ü Úàìê3⁄4ö ¶2ܶàôðo2Ü FINANCE HOVSEP KANKOURIAN

40