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Missak Manouchian (Armenian: Միսաք Մանուշեան, 1 September 1906 – 21 February 1944) was a French-Armenian poet, a militant communist in the MOI (Main-d'œuvre immigrée or Immigrant Workforce Move- ment), and military commissioner of the FTP-MOI (Partisan irregulars of the MOI) in the Paris region. He was 37 years old when executed by the Nazis for his Résistance work.

Although Manouchian became well known for his leadership in the French Resistance, he was, above all, an intellectual and a talented poet.

Missak Manouchian was born on 1 September 1906 at Adıyaman of Vilayet of Mamuret-ul-Aziz in the Otto- man Empire into an Armenian peasant family. Manouchian's father died during the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and his mother died soon afterward.

Missak and his brother, Karabet, now orphaned, joined the stream of Armenian refugees heading south into the French protectorate of Syria. The brothers were accepted at an orphanage, where they learned the French language, and acquired carpentry and other manual skills. They remained until they were able to secure passage to Marseilles, where they landed in 1925, when Manouchian was 19.

Eventually, the brothers moved to Paris, where Missak took a job as a lathe operator at a Citroën plant and joined the General Confederation of Labour (in French: Confédération Générale du Travail or CGT). This national association of trade unions was the first of the five major French confederations.

In 1934, Manouchian joined the Communist Party. The following year, he was elected secretary of the Relief Committee for Armenia (HOC), an organization associated with the MOI (Immigrant Workforce Movement). At a meeting of the HOC in 1935, he met Mélinée Assadourian, who became his companion and, later, his wife.

Manouchian wrote poetry and, with his Armenian friend who used the pseudonym of Séma (Kégham Atmadjian), founded two literary magazines, Tchank (Effort) and Mechagouyt (Culture). They published articles on French literature and Armenian culture. The two young men translated the poetry of Baudelaire, Verlaine, and Rimbaud into Armenian, making many of these works available in Armenian for the first time.

When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Manouchian as a foreigner was evacuated from Paris. He found work in the Rouen area, again as a lathe-operator. After the defeat of June 1940, he returned to Par- is to find that his militant activities had become illegal. (French authorities had banned the Communist Party as ear- ly as September 1939.) On 22 June 1941, when the invasion of the Soviet Union by the Nazis began, Manouchian was arrested by the occupying Germans in an anti-Communist round-up in Paris. Interned in a prison camp at Compiègne, by the efforts of his wife he was released after a few weeks without being charged.

Manouchian became the political chief of the Armenian section of the underground MOI, but little is known about his activities until 1943. In February of that year, Manouchian transferred to the FTP-MOI, a group of gun- men and saboteurs attached to the MOI in Paris. On 17 March 1943, Manouchian at age 36 participated in his first armed action, in Levallois-Perret.

Joseph Epstein, head of a group of FTP-MOI, became the head of all of the partisan guerrilla fighters in the Paris region. Manouchian assumed command of three detachments, totaling about 50 fighters. The Manouchian group is credited with the assassination on 28 September 1943, of General Julius Ritter, the assistant in France to Fritz Sauckel, responsible for the mobilization and deportation of labor under the German STO (the Obligatory Work Service) in Nazi-occupied Europe. (The attack was made by the partisans Marcel Rayman, Léo Kneller, and Celestino Alfonso.) The Manouchian groups carried out almost thirty successful attacks on German interests from August to November 1943.

In March and July 1943, the Special Brigade No. 2 of General Intelligence made two sweeps, looking for re- sistance activists. (The Special Brigades were a collaborationist French police force specializing in tracking down "internal enemies": members of the French Resistance, dissidents, escaped prisoners, Jews, and those evading the STO.) The Special Brigades undertook a large operation based on tailing suspected activists, an effort which even- tually led to the complete dismantling of the FTP-MOI of Paris in mid-November. They arrested a total of 68 per- sons, including Manouchian and Epstein. On the morning of 16 November 1943, Manouchian was arrested in his headquarters at Évry-Petit Bourg. His companion, Mélinée, managed to escape the police.

Manouchian and the others were tortured to gain information, and eventually handed over to the Germans' Geheime Feldpolizei (GFP). The 23 were given a 1944 show trial for propaganda purposes before execution. Manouchian and 21 of his comrades were shot at Fort Mont-Valérien near Paris on 21 February 1944.

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RELATIVES OF 2008 MARCH 1 VICTIMS: KOCHARIAN HAS NO MORAL RIGHT TO AGAIN GOVERN ARMENIA

Relatives of opposition protesters killed in the 2008 post-election violence in Yerevan on Tuesday decried former President Robert Kocharian’s perceived plans to return to the political arena and warned opposition groups against cooperating with him.

They said that Kocharian has no moral right to again govern Armenia because of his key role in the deadly break-up of street protests against vote rigging in the February 2008 presidential election, which formal- ized the handover of power from Kocharian to Serzh Sarkisian.

Eight supporters of the main opposition presidential candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian, and two police service- men were killed as security forces tried to disperse thou- sands of people who barricaded themselves in downtown Yerevan on March 1-2, 2008. Kocharian vigorously de- fended the use of lethal force at the time, saying that it thwarted a coup d’etat planned by the Ter-Petrosian-led op- position. The latter insisted, however, that the authorities deliberately killed people to enforce the official results of a rigged election.

More than 100 Ter-Petrosian loyalists were arrested and charged in the following weeks. By contrast, no law- enforcement officials or other individuals were prosecuted in connection with the ten deaths.

“I would advise Robert Kocharian not to return to politics. Shame on him,” Sargis Kloyan, whose son Gor was among the victims, said, commenting on the ex-president’s latest public statements that have stoked fresh specula- tion about his political comeback.

“He must be expelled from Armenia.” Kloyan told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “I am sure that one day he will go on trial. He may have forgotten our loss, but we haven’t.”

“It’s amazing that Kocharian is now criticizing those for whom he stained his hands with blood,” said Alla Hovannisian, the mother of Tigran Khachatrian, another young man killed in the unrest. “There is a lot of apathy, but it doesn’t mean that the people have forgotten what Kocharian did.”

“I don’t believe that there are disagreements between [Kocharian and Sarkisian,]” added Hovannisian. “I be- lieve that there is some secret deal to promote Kocharian. They are making fun of us.”

Both parents stressed that they believe the current and former presidents are equally responsible for what was the worst street violence in Armenia’s history. They also rebuked opposition forces for their muted reaction to Kocharian’s possible comeback.

“Their kids didn’t die and they stayed away from trouble,” Kloyan said of unnamed opposition leaders. “But I can’t forget [what happened in 2008] because I’m raising [Gor’s] orphaned kids.”

“I am surprised that nobody is reminding Kocharian of the blood on his hands,” said Hovannisian. “A political force standing by Kocharian would be an enemy of the Armenian people.”

ARMENIAN OLIGARCH TO BUILD ANOTHER LARGE CASINO

Hetq.am -- Prosperous Armenia party leader Gagik Tsarukyan plans to build a large casino named Onira Club on the road between Yerevan and Abovyan.

This will be Tsarukyan's second such large project, after Shangri La Casino. The project is expected to cost about 61 billion AMD (about $150 million USD), more than the cost of building Shangri La, which is located on the road to Sevan and is part of the Paravon resort and recreation area. Onira Club likewise will be surrounded by a recreation area. According to the state registry, Onira Club's founders are Gagik Tsarukyan (48.6%), Djavahir Tsarukyan (48.6%), and Multi Group Concern LLC (2.79%).

But why does Gagik Tsarukyan need to build two large casinos in close proximity? The answer is hidden in the RA Law on Gambling and Casinos. According to this law, beginning on Jan. 1, 2014, all casino owners and those offering games of chance or direct online gambling (through gambling halls) have to move their business out

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of Yerevan and other residential areas with the exception of Tsaghkadzor, Sevan, Jermuk, Meghri, and Zvartnots International Airport. There is also another exception: if the investment in building the casino exceeds 40 billion AMD, then the Armenian government can permit the casino to be built, with the condition of meeting certain crite- ria.

Since the investment value of Onira Club exceeds 40 billion AMD, the Armenian government on Dec. 26 ap- proved its construction, while the remaining casinos must be removed from Yerevan since none of their invest- ments exceeded 40 billion and none sought permission from the government, leaving only two large casinos — Shangri La and Onira Club, both of which belong to the same person.

There is perhaps one other reason why Tsarukyan has committed to building a new casino. Shangri La's founder is Cleopatra LLC, 50% of the shares of which Gagik Tsarukyan owns. The other half is owned by Shtormbreyn LLC registered in Moscow. It's possible that there are others linked to them. Also for consideration is that the day-to-day operations of Shangri La are run by the UK company Storm International, to which the Shangri La brand belongs. Onira Club, however, belongs solely to Gagik Tsarukyan.

As of Nov. 30, 2013, eleven companies are licensed to have casinos in Armenia, only one of which operates in Tsaghkadzor. Sixty-nine companies are licensed to offer games of chance, while five are licensed to offer lotteries.

3 JAILED ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS DECLARE HUNGER STRIKE

YEREVAN/ NEWS.am -- Avetis Avetisyan, Alek Poghosyan, and Misak Arakelyan—who are among those arrested during the events that occurred on November 5, 2013 in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan— declared a hunger strike since Wednesday.

But they have not yet been moved to a separate cell, Avetisyan’s wife told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

They demand that the ban on their relatives’ visits be lifted and the psychological pressures and the persecutions against their families be ended.

“The Justice Ministry informed that it is unaware of this hunger strike, whereas a person from the Ombudsman’s Office already visited them on this matter,” the woman added.

The United National Initiative leader and activist Shant Harutyunyan who heads a nationalist party, and who had announced about starting a revolution, on November 5, 2013—and with close to several dozen supporters wearing Guy Fawkes “Anonymous masks”—had started a march toward the Presidential Palace, but the police had stopped the march.

As a result, there was a scuffle, and the police detained 38 activists, including Harutyunyan and his son. Sub- sequently, 20 of them, including Harutyunyan, were arrested, charges were laid against six of them and, conse- quently, they were incarcerated. As a result of the melee, sixteen people, including police officers and the Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter, were injured.

Shant Harutyunyan was charged with violence against a representative—i.e., the police—of the authorities, and on Friday he ended his sixteen-day hunger strike.

ARMENIA RANKED 41ST IN 2014 INDEX OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM

PanARMENIAN.Net -- Armenia is ranked 41st among 178 countries in the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, the Heritage Foundation’s report says.

Last year Armenia placed the 38th among 177 countries in the index. Armenian economy score dropped by 0.5 points to 68.9 compared to the last year. The Heritage Foundation experts say the decline is recorded due to wors- ened indicators of investment freedom, entrepreneurship freedom and financial freedom, according to Arka news agency.

The countries are considered not free at all if they get less than 50 points, mostly not free if they have from 60 to 70 points, relatively free – with 60-70 points, mainly free with 70-80 points and free if they get above 80 points.

In terms of economic freedom Armenia placed 18th among 43 countries of the European region.

Armenia got 83.1 points for entrepreneurship freedom, 85.5 points for trade freedom, 86.5 points for fiscal freedom, 81.3 points for state spending, 77 points for monetary freedom, 70 points for investment freedom, 70

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points for financial freedom, 30 points for ownership rights, 26.7 points for freedom from corruption and 78.5 points for labor freedom.

Yet, according to Arka, the experts say, substantial problems still exist, particularly, deeper institutional and system reforms are required to help strengthen the basis for economic freedom. Protection of property rights and freedom from corruption are below the international standards and legal framework is still weak in Armenia, ex- perts say.

Hong Kong (90.1 points), Singapore (89.4 points) and Australia (82 points) topped the 2014 Index of Econom- ic Freedom followed by Switzerland (81.6 points) and New Zealand (81.2 points). Georgia was the 22nd (leading in the South Caucasus region), Azerbaijan the 81st and Russia placed 140th.

The Index of Economic Freedom takes a broad and comprehensive view of country performance, measuring 10 separate areas of economic freedom. Some of the aspects of economic freedom that are evaluated are concerned with a country’s interactions with the rest of the world—for example, the extent of an economy’s openness to glob- al investment or trade. Most, however, focus on policies within a country, assessing the liberty of individuals to use their labor or finances without undue restraint and government interference.

WORLD VISION SPONSORS RELIGIOUS SECTS IN ARMENIA – UNITED YOUTH LEAGUE

YEREV AN/NEWS.am -- Five new religious sects infiltrated into Armenia in the last six years, United Youth League (UYL) Co-President Sevak Hovhannisyan told reporters on Monday.

Hovhannisyan stressed that the Jehovah’s Witnesses likewise have become more active in the country.

“They have begun to secretly distribute pamphlets where it is stated that education is a waste, [and] educa- tion should be received solely from the Jehovah’s Wit- nesses,” the UYL co-president added.

In Hovhannisyan’s words, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are planning to hold a large gathering in Armenia on April 14, where they will discuss their subsequent actions against the Armenian government.

For his part, UYL Chief Coordinator Gor Nalband- yan pointed to several charitable organizations—including World Vision Armenia—which, in their view, provide funding to the religious sects and promote their activities in Armenia.

“The [World Vision Armenia] organization collaborates with some Christian, Evangelical and Catholic and churches, and it operates in various regions of Armenia,” Nalbandyan added.

In turn, Sevak Hovhannisyan highlighted the “Diaconia” Charitable Fund, whose leader met some time ago with Mayor Taron Margaryan of capital city Yerevan.

ARMENIA IS 57TH IN FOOD RANKING LIST

NEWS.am -- Around the world, one in eight people go to bed hungry every night despite there being enough food for everyone, says the food report published by Oxfam.

Armenia ranks 57th in the report titled “Good Enough to Eat: The Food Index”. Armenia showed good results in quantity of food, but bad indicators in terms of affordability and health.

Oxfam has compiled a snapshot of 125 countries indicating the best and worst places to eat. The nations are ranked on the availability, quality and affordability of food and dietary health.

The Netherlands top the standings leaving behind France and Switzerland. As to neighboring states, Azerbaijan is ranked 91st and Iran is the 80th.

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KUWAIT’S NEW GOVERNMENT ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO STRENGTHENING OF COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

YEREVAN/NEWS.am -- Armenia’s Deputy Prime Minis- ter and Territorial Administration Minister Armen Gevorgyan, who is also Co-Chairman of the Armenian-Kuwaiti Intergov- ernmental Commission on Economic and Technical Coopera- tion, on Tuesday received Kuwaiti Ambassador Bassam Mu- hammad Alqabandi.

On behalf of the new Government of Kuwait, the ambassa- dor expressed a readiness to deepen bilateral relations, the Ter- ritorial Administration Ministry press service informs. He noted that Kuwait’s new government attaches a great importance to the strengthening of cooperation with Armenia.

Alqabandi informed that, associated with the change of government, the Kuwaiti party proposes to postpone, for a cer- tain period, the forthcoming second session of the aforesaid in- tergovernmental commission. At the same time, however, it was stressed that the session needs to be convened this year.

For his part, the Armenian deputy PM expressed confidence that, together with the new Government of Ku- wait, cooperation between the two countries will broaden and all the planned projects will be brought to fruition.

EVERY 16TH WOMAN IN ARMENIA SUFFERS FROM BREAST CANCER

NEWS.am -- Every 16th woman in Armenia suffers from breast cancer. These are the findings of Armenian- American Wellness Center (AAWC), stated by the head of the center Khachanush Hakobyan at a press conference on January 15.

According to her, the center accepts daily 150 patients, annually – 35000-36000. During the 17 years of its ex- istence the center had 325 164 patients, 182831 of them for breast testing, and 8000 of those women had breast cancer. Doctor Hakobyan noted that the incidence of cancer has increased, but has also increased the number of appeals to the center, which is a result of their ongoing work on awareness of the citizens.

The head of the center also told, that their employees permanently carry out site visits in rural areas. The high- est percentage of breast cancer, according to the Center, was recorded in Gegharkunik region.

Doctor Hakobyan noted that Armenians and Jews are most often affected by breast cancer before the age of 25. The explanation for this, like in case of Yerevan disease, is the genetic factor. The youngest patient of the cen- ter, who was diagnosed breast center is a 16-years old girl.

And yet, according to the head of department of radiology AAWC Ani Hakobyan, the target group is women 35 - 60 years old. They should undergo mammogram once a year. Women below 35 can undergo sonographicstudy.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN TO BUILD TOWNSHIP IN KARABAKH VILLAGE

YEREVAN, ARMENPRESS -- To stand alongside the Artsakh people, to support the resettlement programs and contribute to the development and revival of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. To achieve that goal, three years ago ARI (Artsakh Roots Investment) organization decided to make investments in Artsakh.

In the first program, launched three years ago, about 100 businessmen provided credits for the implementation of the agricultural and livestock programs of 800 immigrants of Kashatagh region, in the result of which today Kashatagh is one of the agricultural centers of the country with 6,000 hectares of land and about 2,000 livestock.

“During the meetings with the people, president and the prime minister of Artsakh, we understood that parallel

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to the providing of living means, it is necessary to think about the housing problems of the immigrants, creation of the comfortable and favorable conditions for their living and working. For that particular reason 57 Diaspora Ar- menian businessmen concentrated their attention to the Aghavni Village of Kashatagh region, being the gates to Artsakh, and decided to build a small township there. No land will be resettled and no economy will be developed only with charity. Due to the cooperation with the Government of Karabakh, we managed to convince the Lebanese businessmen to make investments in the motherland, instead of the foreign shores”, - said the Deputy Executive Director of Artsakh Roots Investment, the Lebanese Armenian Benjamin Bchakchyan, stating that $2 million has already been collected for the building of apartments.

After the construction of the township, the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic will implement the re- settlement program with low mortgage interest rates or other social programs. The Deputy Prime Minister of Artsakh Arthur Aghabekyan stated that thus a mortgage market will be formed in Karabakh.

RENOWNED FILMMAKER AND SCRIPTWRITER SERGEI PARAJANOV’S 90TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

Tert.am -- Today, on January 9, the re- nowned film director and scriptwriter Sergei Parajanov would turn 90.

He was born in 1924, and liked theater and cinema when he was a child. In 1952, he graduated from the Production Department of the All-Russian State University of Cinema- tography named after S. A. Gerasimov.

His disposition was reflected in his films. In 1964, he made the film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, based on the classic book by Ukrainian writer Mykhailo Kotsiu- bynsky. The film is highly symbolic, making frequent use of religious and folkloric images that include crosses, lambs, graves, and spir- its. It also uses color to represent mood. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors won a num- ber of international awards.

Another film by Parajanov, The Color of Pomegranates, is a biography of the Armenian ashug Sayat-Nova (King of Song) that attempts to reveal the poet's life visually and poetically rather than literally. Among other works by the renowned filmmaker are The Legend of Suram Fortress and Ashik Kerib, which is his last completed work.

Among Parajanov’s works are “stamps from the prison camp” - pen drawings on matchboxes. They reminded him of his three-year-long prison term (1974 to 1977).

Sergei Parajanov died of lung cancer in Yerevan, on July 21, 1990.

ARMENIA TO HOST CHESS WORLD TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP 2015

Armenia will host World Team Championship 2015, according to FIDE’s official website. The event will take place from March 1 to 15.

The Women’s World Team Championship 2015 will also take place in Armenia in the same period.

The World Team Chess Championship is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of 10 countries whose chess federations dominate their continent. It is played every two years. In chess, this tournament and the Chess Olympiads are the most important international tournaments for teams.

Armenia has won the team title in 2011 and hosted the event once before in 2001. The European Individual Men’s Tournament as well will be held in Yerevan in March.

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ARMENIAN NATIONAL TEAM TO FACE GERMANY IN A FRIENDLY-BENEFIT MATCH

On January 13 Pope Francis received the Ambassadors accredited to the Vatican, Press and Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports.

During the traditional annual reception Armenia’s Ambassador to the Holy See Mika- el Minasyan had a short conversation with Pope Francis.

The Leader of the Catholic Church asked to convey his warm greetings to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and his blessings to the whole Armenian nation.

RENOWNED CONDUCTOR ARAM GHARABEKIAN PASSED AWAY AGED 58

Armradio.am -- Renowned conductor Aram Gharabekian passed away in the US today at the age of 58, the Armenian Ministry of Culture informs.

Born in 1955, he graduated from the New England Conservatory with a Master’s degree in Composition, and continued his postgraduate studies in Musical Phenomenology at Mainz University in Germany. He studied conducting with Franco Ferrara in Italy, and was one of a few pupils of the legendary conductor Sergiu Celibidache. He was also granted a fellowship to study composition and conducting under Jacob Druckman and Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood Music Center.

From 1997 until 2010 Mr. Gharabekian served as Music Director of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, leading this acclaimed en- semble on tours to Greece, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Switzerland, England, Russia, Lebanon, Georgia,

Germany, France, Canada and the U.S. Mr. Gharabekian was formerly the Principal Guest Conductor of the Ukrainian Radio & Television Symphony

Orchestra in Kiev. Following a critically acclaimed guest appearance with the Ukrainian National Symphony Or- chestra in 1991, Mr. Gharabekian was invited by the Ukrainian Minister of Culture to assume the position of Artis- tic Advisor and Conductor.

During his tenure with that orchestra he conducted performances in Kiev and on tour throughout Ukraine, and successfully regenerated its artistic and organizational capacity. During his eight years as Music Director of Bos- ton’s SinfoNova Orchestra, Mr. Gharabekian won national recognition for his innovative and enterprising pro- gramming, as well as his critically acclaimed performances in major American venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Boston’s Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall.

As a guest conductor, Mr. Gharabekian has been the Principal Guest Conductor of the Zagreb Philharmonic, and appeared with the Sinfonietta München in Germany and Italy. He has also led the Ukrainian National Sym- phony, the Ukrainian State Opera and Ballet of Kiev, the West Ukrainian Philharmonic in Lvov, the Armenian Philharmonic, and returned to America to conduct the Shreveport Symphony and the Fresno Philharmonic.

Mr. Gharabekian’s concert recordings have been broadcast on National Public Radio, and he has made numer- ous recordings for Ukrainian, Croatian and Armenian Radio and Television, Boston’s WBZ-Television, WBUR, WGBH and WCRB FM radio stations in Boston, WNYC FM in New York, the Voice of America in Washington,

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and Bayerischer Rundfunk in Munich. The recipient of the 1989 Lucien Wulsin Performance Award for the best concert performance aired on America’s National Public Radio, Mr. Gharabekian was also awarded the 1988 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Award for Adventuresome Programming. He was twice honored by the Harvard Musical Association’s “Best Performance Award” and his performances have been singled out as “Best of 1985, 1989, 1990 and 1991′′ by the Boston Globe. He is the recipient of the Presiden- tial Medal for his contributions to the arts in Armenia.

11,000 SYRIAN-ARMENIANS SETTLED IN ARMENIA: ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS CARRIED OUT

YEREVAN/ARMENPRESS -- One of the programs, sponsored by the Austrian Government to assist the needy Syrian Armenians living in our Republic, has been partially launched and the other one is in the preparatory stage. In the second half of 2013 Austria stated that it will allocate €600,000 to the refugees, who were forced to leave their houses in Syria because of the violence and get settled in Armenia.

The Red Cross Armenia will implement a program costing €280,000 of the allocated money and the other part has been provided to the Armenian Caritas to implement another related program. The money allocated by the Aus- trian Government will serve the Red Cross Armenia to provide 300 Syrian Armenian families with assistance.

The Head of the Department for Disaster Management and Population Displacement of the Red Cross Arme- nia and the Head of the program “Assistance to Syrian Armenians” Edmon Azaryan told Armenpress that in the framework of the program for seven months the needy families will be provided with hygiene products, the people with chronic diseases – with corresponding medicine, winter clothes and shoes, present cards to purchase household accessories, applicable in different shops.

We clarified the final information about the number of the Syrian Armenians, settled in our country from the Head of Staff of the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia Firdus Zakaryan. He informed that during the last three months the Syrian Armenians come to Armenia through Lebanon. “300-400 Syrian Armenians monthly arrive in Armenia, parallel to which they leave to Syria from Armenia. It seems that the roads are closed but they leave by land, moreover, they go to their homes and shops and then come back”, - said Firdus Zakaryan.

Currently about 11,000 Syrian Armenians live in Armenia, who are permanently supported by the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia in apartment and job issues. About 1000 Syrian Armenians applied to the Ministry and were provided with jobs.

SYRIAN-ARMENIANS ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY FROM DIASPORA MINISTRY IN DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS

ARMENPRESS -- Syrian-Armenians living in Armenia would like to see transparency in the allocation of government benefits they are set to receive. On Monday, they will discuss these concerns at a meeting with representatives of the RA Ministry of Diaspora, said Syrian-Armenian Robert Sulahyan at a press con- ference earlier today.

"Many ask, 'Where did the allowance go? Who pocketed it? What hap- pened? I didn't get it.' And there are many issues that need to be transparent, so the calculations have to be presented to the public. Our demand is that this issue be clarified," he said.

According to Sulahyan, the reason for the meeting was discussions on Facebook in which many users ex- pressed serious dissatisfaction with the distribution of benefits.

"We expect to get answers today. The distribution of benefits in Armenia is carried out with the support of the Ministry of Diaspora, and in Syria, by a specially formed headquarters body. What we're saying is that the ministry has to present the facts and ensure transparency in allocation. Today's meeting will be the first, so we believe those who are dissatisfied will come and will express their complaints on the spot," said another participant at the press conference, Vazgen Berghutyun.

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According to Berghutyun there is talk that apart from the diaspora ministry, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund also was to provide financial aid to Syrian Armenians.

"It was said that 10% of the $22 million 661 thousand collected in the 2013 telethon belongs to Syrian Arme- nians, about which there were many discussions on Facebook, as to what happened to that money. We hope that this will be discussed at today's meeting as well. Two million is not a small amount of money, and we will ask for explanations also concerning this matter," concluded Berghutyan.

POLITICAL EXPERT: GENOCIDE IS BEING IMPLEMENTED AGAINST ARMENIANS IN SYRIA

ArmInfo.am -- It is no secret that genocide is being im- plemented against Armenians in Syria. Several hallmark eastern mass media have already touched on this problem, political expert, Sergey Shakaryants, said at today's press- conference.

"A man is put against the choice: either to leave the country or to change his religious views. Such a method was applied in all the Armenian populated districts.

This is genocide. What other evidence do you need? It is no secret that the number of the Armenians within the Christian community of Syria is the biggest. This means that all these actions are directed against Armenians", - he said.

The expert thinks that such a policy is guided by the USA, then France and Turkey, as these countries have headed another anti-Armenian campaign.

BAKU REPORTS KARABAKH COMBAT DEATH TOLL

Armenialiberty.org -- At least 11,557 Azerbaijani sol- diers were killed during the 1991-1994 war for Nagorno- Karabakh, military authorities in Azerbaijan have said in first-ever official data on the country’s combat death toll.

The Azerbaijani APA news agency said on Monday that the names of those “martyrs” have been posted on the website of the State Service for Mobilization and Draft. It said among them are soldiers who went missing and are still unaccounted for.

“Although the lists [of dead soldiers] from some dis- tricts are not complete, they can be considered the first offi- cial data on the number of Azerbaijani servicemen killed in

1991-1994,” explained APA. Official and non-governmental sources in Baku have

long reported conflicting information about Azerbaijan’s war casualties. President Ilham Aliyev said in a 2011 inter- view with the Al-Jazeera TV network that between 12,000 and 15,000 of his countrymen, including civilians, died or went missing in the bitter war.

His late father and predecessor, Heydar Aliyev, had spoken of some 21,000 Azerbaijani casualties. Some Azerbaijani media outlets and civic groups have cited similar figures.

The Armenian side, which emerged victorious from the bloody conflict, claims to have lost around 7,000 sol- diers and over 1,260 civilians, most of them Karabakh Armenians. With the names of those soldiers kept in military records and publicized, this official combat death toll is not disputed by non-governmental sources.

Azerbaijan -- A woman walks past tombstones with portraits of Azeris killed during the fighting between Karabakh and Azerbaijan forces in 1993 in the Alley of Martyrs memorial cemetery in Baku

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A MONTH OF AWARENESS ON THE GENOCIDE OF AZERBAIJANI ARMENIANS

Armradio.am -- The mass killing and deportation of Armenians from Baku started on this day 24 years ago. The massacre organized on the highest state level has neither an explanation nor an excuse. Although known, the organizers have not been punished yet. President of the Assembly of Azerbaijani Armenians Grigory Ayvazyan has declared a month of awareness on the massacre of Azerbaijani Ar- menians.

According to Grigory Ayvazyan, the Baku massacres are comparable only to the Jewish Holocaust. Armenia has long recognized the genocide of Armenians in Azerbaijan from 1988 to 1992 de jure, evidenced by the statements of high-level officials and corresponding legislative decisions.

After the official recognition of the genocide of Azerbaijani Armenians the Assembly suggests holding a trial and sentencing the guilty to a maximum punishment.

“If we don’t speak about this, it will seem Azerbaijan has “digested” the crime and is now trying to present it- self as a victim on the international arena,” Ayvazyan said.

ONE MORE AZERBAIJANI KILLED IN SYRIA

One more Azerbaijani has been killed in Syria, APA reports quoting the websites owned by mujahideen.

Baku/APA -- Azerbaijani mujahid aka “AbuZer-Azeri”, who was a member of “Al-Nusra Front”, was killed by Syrian Army in Hama region.

Real name is not reported in the site.

According to reports, the Azerbaijani mujahid’s family is also in Syria. His brother Suleyman is currently fighting in Syria.

A group of Azerbaijani citizens went to Syria and fought among the radical groups. Nearly 100 Azerbaijanis have been killed in these fights. Photos of most of them have been posted on the social networks.

CALGARY AL-QAEDA FIGHTER KILLED IN SYRIA

www.calgarysun.com -- A Calgary high-school dropout turned al-Qaeda soldier has been killed fighting in Syria, according to a friend's Twitter feed.

The Tweet shows a photograph of Calgarian Damien Clairmont, who was earlier going by the name Mustafa al-Gharib after leaving Canada to fight on the rebel side in Syria's civil war.

The Twitter feed continues to say "he was killed while defending himself and his brothers from the FSA on- slaught in Aleppo," and then goes on to say his real identity was Damien Clairmont from Canada.

Clairmont left for Syria in November 2012 to join a force called Jabhat al-Nusra, a group labelled as a terrorist organization by Ottawa, due to al-Qaeda connections.

ARMENIANS OF MARSEILLE TO PROTEST AGAINST HOLLANDE’S VISIT TO TURKEY

NEWS.am -- Armenians of Marseille will hold a demonstration near the building of municipality in a protest against French president’s visit to Turkey planned for late January.

The organizers issued a statement expressing discontent with the planned visit of Francois Hollande to a sate that “has no respect towards human rights and rights of ethnic minorities, jails journalists, continues decade-long blockade of Armenia, illegally occupies northern Cyprus and continues disseminating Armenian Genocide denial”, Nouvelles d'Arménie reported.

The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) decided to launch protests against Hollande’s visit to Turkey across the states.

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JAILED PKK LEADER HONORS MEMORY OF SLAIN TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST DINK

Armradio.am -- Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), has honored the memory of Hrant Dink, an Armenian-Turkish journalist killed seven years ago in an ultranationalist plot, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“I greet the memory and the struggle of the precious child of the Armenian people, our brother Hrant,” Öcalan said in a message which was conveyed to the public on Jan. 11 following a visit to İmralı Island by two deputy par- liamentary group chairs of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), İdris Baluken and Pervin Buldan, and People’s Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder.

“I hope to address our Armenian citizens with a comprehensive letter and have it ready for the anniversary of the massacre of Hrant,” Öcalan said.

Dink, the renowned editor-in-chief of Agos, which has been the voice of the small Armenian community in Is- tanbul for several years, was shot dead by Ogün Samast in front of his office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. Samast was sentenced to over 22 years in jail for the murder.

AGAINST GENOCIDE ASSOCIATION CRITICIZES KURDISH WOMAN LEADER’S ANTI-ARMENIAN STATEMENT

NEWS.am -- Germany-based Against Genocide Association criticized Kurdi- stan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-President Bese Hozat.

Hozat had stated that the Armenians and the Greeks have a parallel state in Turkey, and they hinder the democratization of the country.

Against Genocide Association released a disapproving statement addressed to Hozat, Demokrathaber website of Turkey reports.

The statement noted that the genocide victims are not an obstacle before Kurdish independence.

“The real barrier before the independence of the Kurdish people is the Repub- lic of Turkey, which is guilty of genocide,” the statement read, in particular.

In an interview with the Kurdish Firat news agency, and speaking about the parallel state which Islamic opinion leader Fethullah Gulen’s movement has estab- lished in Turkey, Hozat had also reflected on the Armenians, Greeks, and Jews. She had noted that, aside from the official state, there also are parallel states in Turkey.

“The Jewish lobby, the nationalist Armenians and Greeks are such parallel states. Such parallel states are in touch with one another and have interests from each other.

“Parallel states do not have formal and constitutional rights. It seems they do not have troops either, but they have an organized and a strong structure,” the Kurdish woman militant had said.

Hozat also had claimed that these parallel states hinder the establishment of democracy in Turkey.

Numerous Turkish, Kurdish and Armenian intellectuals, the T24.com.tr website, and the vice-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) of Turkey, however, strongly criticized Bese Hozat for her statement.

HOW TO FIND ARMENIANS’ TREASURES?

NEWS.am -- Those that seek the Armenians’’ treasures in Turkey have even started giving YouTube lessons on how to steal these treasures.

Taraf daily of Turkey covered these “video guides” noting, however, that the surprising thing is that each of these YouTube videos has over 10,000 hits.

In one of these “video guides,” which is entitled “A secret safe in an Armenian home,” the creator of the video states that, prior to the Genocide, the Armenians had kept their expensive objects and jewelry either in special re- positories at their homes, or in their gardens.

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“After the genocide, some Armenians managed to return and take their treasures, or they took back their ex- pensive objects and jewelry by way of the [Armenian] Patriarchate [of Constantinople].

“This notwithstanding, there still is numerous Armenian homes where the treasures still remain. [But] never use maps or signs to find the Armenians’ treasures. Look for the treasures at the homes and in the gardens,” the “video guide” informs.

REP. GUS BILIRAKIS REITERATES SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN ISSUES

Armradio.am -- US Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) has assured the Armenian community he will continue working with his colleagues at the Congressional Armeni- an Caucus to help shape US policy in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian National Committee of America reports.

“I have always been very supportive of a wide range of issues regarding Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. I am proud to have co-sponsored H.Res.227 honoring the memory of victims of the Armenian Genocide. I have signed several congressional let- ters to past and current presidents urging them to recognize and honor those who per- ished during the Armenian Genocide. I have supported the inclusion of US financial and military aid to Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh in the annual Foreign Appropria- tions Acts,” Rep. Gus Bilirakis said.

TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ZARAKOLU TO LIVE IN SWEDEN FOR 2 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net -- Well-known Turkish human rights activist and publisher Ragip Zarakolu will live in Sweden for two years on invitation of International Cities of Refuge Network. He will reside in Sigtuna city.

The director and owner of Belge Publishing House, Ragip Zarakolu has been subject to a lifetime of harassment from the Turkish authorities.

Zarakolu was arrested along with more than 40 people on October 28, 2011.

Turkey arrested up to 1,000 scholars, writers, publishers, and rights advocates during a two-year crackdown targeting activists who focus on Kurdish issues. Zarakolu’s son, Deniz Zarakolu, who is an editor at Belge Publishing House and a Ph.D. student at Bilgi University, was arrested weeks earlier, on Oct 7.

On March 19, 2012, Zarakolu was formally indicted under the charge of "aiding and abetting an illegal organi- zation" under Turkey's sweeping anti-terror laws, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He is among 193 defendants named in the indictment. He was released pending trial on April 10, 2012.

He also has published several books on the Armenian Genocide, such as George Jerjian's “The Truth Will Set Us Free: Armenians and Turks Reconciled” and Professor Dora Sakayan's “An Armenian Doctor in Turkey: Garabed Hatcherian: My Smyrna Ordeal of 1922” — which brought new criminal charges in 2005. In November 2007 Zarakolu published David Gaunt's book “Massacres, resistance, protectors” about the Assyrian Genocide in Turkish.

He last visited Yerevan on Dec 10, 2013 to attend Verjine Svazlian’s “Armenian Genocide. Testimonies of the Eyewitness Survivors” book.

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TURKISH COURT ALLOWS EXHUMATION OF ARCHBISHOP SHAHAN SVAJIAN FOR DNA TESTING

Woman Claims Former Constantinople Vicar General Was Her Father

Hetq.am / Sako Arian -- Based on the claim of a woman in Turkey that the recently deceased Vicar General of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople was her father, a Turkish court has permitted the exhumation of the clergyman for DNA testing.

According to the Istanbul Armenian newspaper Jamanag, Takouhie Balkin filed a claim with the court alleging that she is the daughter of Archbishop Shahan Svajian, who died at the age of 87 on September 23, 2013.

Not only are reputations at stake, but also Archbishop Svajian’s inheritance, which the late clergyman willed to Istanbul Armenian institutions.

For further clarification I contacted Jamanag Editor Sevan Deirmendjian, who told me that the clergyman’s grave, located in the Holy Cross Armenian Church section of the Scutari Bağlarbaşı cemetery, and was exhumed for DNA testing. The graves of such Armenian notables as Bedros Tourian and Mateos Zarifian are located here.

“This morning I was able to get in touch with Hovhannes Goboyian, secretary of the Holy Cross Parish Council, who verified that the grave had been opened on the orders of the court,” Deirmendjian said, adding that a piece of Archbishop Svajian’s tooth was taken for testing.

The Jamanag editor added that Takouhie Balkin, the woman in question, is about twenty years younger than the deceased archbishop.

Vahan Svajian, the late archbishop’s nephew told Jamanag that he doesn’t know all the particulars of the court case, but that he rushed to the cemetery with his lawyer on the day of the exhumation. The nephew told the news- paper that he would be closely following developments in the court.

Deirmendjian reluctantly confessed that according to rumors circulating in the Armenian community, the archbishop had fathered a daughter before becoming a celibate priest. The mother was said to have died during childbirth and the girl was handed over to the grandmother.

Even if the rumors are proven true, the editor told me, they cannot cast a shadow over Archbishop Svajian’s dedicated service as a clergyman.

How the court case will affect the inheritance issue remains to be seen. If the court recognizes Takouhie Balkin as the legal heir of the late archbishop will it also rule that the assets be turned over to her?

What remains puzzling is the silence of the Constantinople Patriarchate?

In this regard Deirmendjian noted that in the eyes of the Turkish legal system Archbishop Svajian was an ordi- nary citizen of Turkey, and that in response to Balkin’s suit the courts must launch an investigation.

Another nagging question that raises a degree of doubt over the “impartiality” of the actions of the Turkish le- gal system is where has Takouhie Balkin been hiding for all these years?

If the Turkish authorities regard the decision to exhume the grave of Archbishop Svajian as “par for the course”, yet another ordinary judicial decision, I would argue that it is totally unacceptable whatever the circum- stances.

Archbishop Shahan Svajian served the Armenian Church with dedication and distinction for more than 50 years.

As such, at the very least, the Turkish courts should have consulted Armenian Church representatives before allowing such a desecration.

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ARMENIANS SHOULD COUNTERACT

COUNTLESS CONGRESSIONAL TRIPS TO TURKEY By Harut Sassounian -- Publisher, The California Courier

The Turkish government, its lobbying firms, and Turkish-American organizations have spent millions of dol- lars to take members of Congress and their staffs on all-expenses-paid trips to Turkey with the intent of buying their allegiance.

This is standard practice for Washington’s influence peddlers. Understandably, Turkish power brokers would want to sway congressional decision-making, as long as the trips follow proper legal procedures. However, as in- vestigative journalist Shane Goldmacher revealed last week in the National Journal, members of Congress and their paymasters often manipulate the nebulous rules to accomplish their self-serving interests.

Goldmacher begins his article, ‘How Lobbyists Still Fly Through Loopholes,’ by describing the globe-trotting adventures of a pair of political odd fellows chasing the almighty dollar: “Dennis Hastert and Dick Gephardt could- n't stand each other when they led Congress a decade ago. But now they've moved to K Street, where the flood of money tends to wash over such personal differences. These days, they work hand in hand as two of Turkey's top lobbyists, with their respective firms pocketing most of a $1.4 million annual lobbying contract.” Not surprisingly, Republican Hastert and Democrat Gephardt accompanied eight members of Congress on an “all-expenses-paid journey” to Turkey last April.

The National Journal article covers congressional trips to several countries, including Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Israel. Under the subtitle, ‘Turkey Exploits the Biggest Loophole,’ Goldmacher discloses the extensive preparations made by Hastert’s firm for the congressional trip to Turkey, even though lobbyists are prevented under the rules from planning or paying for lawmakers’ visits: “Lobbyists have been intimately involved in the months of planning for the trip, with dozens of back-and-forth emails, phone calls, and meetings on Capitol Hill. As the trip neared, one lobbyist at Hastert’s firm, Laurie McKay, held conference calls and emailed daily with the schedulers of the eight House members who participated: Republicans Virginia Foxx, George Holding, Adam Kinzinger, Todd Rokita, Lee Terry, and Ed Whitfield; and Democrats Sheila Jackson Lee and Chellie Pingree. McKay even escorted three of them to Washington Dulles International Airport and helped them check in with Turkish Airlines.”

Ignoring the ban on lobbyists accompanying members of Congress on overseas excursions, Hastert, Gephardt, Robert Mangas, Janice O’Connell, and an undisclosed lobbyist with the Caspian Group joined the congressional delegation in Turkey. Goldmacher explains that “the Turkey trip was sanctioned under a 1961 law, the Mutual Edu- cational and Cultural Exchange Act, [MECEA] which allows foreign governments to shuttle members of Congress and their staffs abroad if the State Department has approved the destination nations for ‘cultural exchange’ trips. About 60 countries have such clearances.” Azerbaijan and Turkey are among the 60, Armenia is not! The Armenian government should make the necessary arrangements to include Armenia in the MECEA program.

The National Journal further reports: “A long list of nonprofits supportive of Turkey have paid for congres- sional travel there.” One such prominent group is the Turkish Coalition of America (TCA). Interestingly, besides running TCA as a nonprofit, its president, Lincoln McCurdy, “dishes out campaign cash to pro-Turkey politicians as treasurer of a political action committee.”

The National Journal’s revelations are reinforced by LegiStorm.com, a website that closely monitors congres- sional travel and finances. It discloses that 615 congressional visits were made to Turkey since 2000, at a cost of $3.5 million, paid by the following nonprofit organizations: American Friends of Turkey, Council of Turkic Ameri- can Associations, Institute of Interfaith Dialogue for World Peace, Istanbul Center, Maryland Institute for Dialogue, Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations, Pacifica Institute, Rumi Forum for Interfaith Dialogue, Turkic American Alliance, Turkish-American Business Council, Turkish-American Business Forum Inc., Turkish American Federation of Midwest, Turkish Coalition of America, Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Indus- trialists, Turkish Cultural Center NY, Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board, and Turquoise Council of Amer- icans and Eurasians.

In 2013 alone, 87 congressional visits were made to Turkey at a cost of $640,000, and 36 trips to Azerbaijan at a cost of $262,000. During that same period, no member of Congress was sponsored to visit Armenia. Only one trip was organized to Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh) for California State Assemblymen and Los Angeles City Coun- cilmen by the ANCA-Western Region, in collaboration with the Armenian Consulate.

Clearly, such trips make members of Congress more sympathetic toward their host country. Unless Armenian- Americans and Armenia begin sponsoring similar trips, members of Congress could become more favorable toward Turkey and Azerbaijan, and less supportive of Armenia and Artsakh.

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RESEARCH CENTER NAMED AFTER HRANT NAZARYANTS OPENS IN BARI CITY

YEREVAN, ARMENPRESS -- An event devoted to the 1st anniversary of Armenian cross stone (khachkar) installation took place in Bari city of Italy on January 11. The cross stone was installed as a symbolization of gratitude of the Armenian people to Bari and its residents who received a large number of Armenians survived in the Genocide in 1915-1922.

“Armenpress” was informed from the Department for Mass Media and Public Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia that Ambassador of Armenia to Italy Sargis Ghazaryan, Bari Mayor Michele Emiliano, President of the Arme- nians’ Union of Italy, Professor Paykar Sivazlyan, Armenian community leader in Bari Ruben Timuryan and a great number of Bari citizens and representatives of Armenian community participated in the event.

Ambassador Sargis Ghazaryan made a speech at the course of the event, who noted in particular that the in- stallment of Armenian cross stone in Bari, a city which gave a shelter to the Armenians survived in the Genocide, is the gratitude symbol of the Armenians and Armenia. The Ambassador also noted that the steps made by Bari Mayor and the civil council directed to the Armenian Genocide recognition are bright examples of adherence to universal values and political courage for the sake of genocide prevention and international process of denial con- demnation.

AGBU SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM DISTRIBUTES OVER $1.1 MILLION IN 2013-2014 ACADEMIC YEAR Funds Support Hundreds of Performing Arts, Religious Studies and International Students Around the World

As the spring semester begins, university students worldwide are enjoying the benefits of the AGBU scholar- ships that help to make their educations possible. For the 2013-2014 academic year, the AGBU Scholarship Pro- gram distributed more than $1.1 million internationally, of which $400,000 was awarded to 100 students studying in the U.S. These scholarships are supporting over 400 undergraduate and graduate students at top-ranking schools in nearly 35 countries, including those focusing on performing arts and religious studies.

An AGBU scholarship provides students with more than financial assistance. It signals they are part of a glob- al community that recognizes their talents. For Monika Manişak, a Turkish citizen in her senior year at Ege University, this is especially significant. She noted, “What I appreciate most is that AGBU awards aid to all Arme- nians irrespective of their nationality. With my scholarship, I can put aside funds to take summer courses at the Armenian Association for Academic Partnership and Support in Yerevan and collaborate with academics from around the globe who share my passion for our cultural identity.” After obtaining her B.A. in American Culture and Literature, Manişak hopes to teach at her alma mater, the Getronagan Armenian High School in Istanbul.

Manişak is one of many AGBU International Scholarship recipients charting a career path. Rima Karapetyan, an LL.M. student at Leiden University in the Netherlands, intends to join Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs after she completes her Public International Law Program. Karapetyan was accepted to the program in 2012, but was forced to decline due to financial constraints. This year, with her AGBU scholarship, she was able to take ad- vantage of the opportunity. Next year, she, along with a select few graduates of the Diplomatic School of Armenia, plans to begin working at the Ministry.

As some students prepare to enter public service, recipients of the AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship are finding themselves in the spotlight. Aram Ohanian, an opera singer studying at the Bern University of Arts in Swit- zerland, will soon perform with the renowned vocal ensemble

İzmir’s

La Cetra in the city of Basel, as well as in Amster-

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dam.

Ohanian began collaborating with the group two years ago at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, where he first received AGBU funding. Producing and singing in operas “requires a great degree of discipline and a very strict and organized schedule,” Ohanian noted. “If I didn’t have my AGBU scholarship, I don’t know how I would meet those demands. With AGBU’s assistance, I’m able to pursue my M.A. in Specialized Music Performance while making a name for myself in this field.”

On the other side of the globe, Vardan Gasparyan, a Yerevan native and student at The Colburn Conservatory in California, is another rising artist who has caught the attention of industry leaders. For two consecutive summers, Gasparyan has attended the Kneisel Hall Music Festival in Maine, which is led by teachers from the Juilliard School. At those festivals, and others, he plays the cello that the Conservatory has loaned him while he saves to purchase his own instrument—something he says he could never do without AGBU’s assistance. In 2012, the young cellist joined fellow AGBU scholarship recipients on stage at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall for the AGBU New York Special Events Committee’s Annual Performing Artists in Concert, which benefits performing arts initiatives.

Whether AGBU is supporting their work on stage or on the silver screen, all scholarship recipients are com- mitted to keeping the Armenian culture alive. Martiros Vartanov, a Film & Television M.F.A. student at the Uni- versity of California, Los Angeles, is currently producing a short documentary in Armenian, a rarity in his depart- ment. His AGBU scholarship allows him to focus more deeply on his studies and immediately had a positive im- pact on the quality of his projects. In recent years, Vartanov organized a tribute to William Saroyan at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in California, and curated the world’s first joint retrospective of Armenian masters Sergei Parajanov and Mikhail Vartanov at Korea’s Busan International Film Festival, the largest in Asia.

Award-winning composer Arpine Kalinina is also introducing Armenian artists to diverse audiences. Now a master’s student at the London Royal Academy of Music, for several years Kalinina was the Artistic Director of the classical ensemble she founded, Kantegh, which performs within and outside of Armenia. During that time, she earned a number of honors, notably the Russian Federation’s “Triumph” award for highest achievement in art. This year, many of Kalinina’s compositions will premiere across London, including a choir piece inspired by the Arme- nian poet Yeghishe Charents.

The AGBU Scholarship Program, along with other institutions, has played a critical role in allowing Kalinina to showcase her work. “For the past two years, I was offered a spot at the Academy but didn’t have the financial means to attend,” she remarks. “Now, I am training under world-renowned professionals and honing my skills in conducting and orchestration, as well as compositions rooted in traditional Armenian music.”

While Kalinina preserves Armenia’s musical heritage, religious studies students are examining ways the Chris- tian Armenian faith has endured throughout history. AGBU Religious Studies Fellowship recipient Donna Rizk is a Ph.D. candidate at the King’s College London

Kathryn Ashbahian, who is working toward her M.A. in Theology and Youth Ministry, reflected, “I feel fortunate every day because I can fo- cus exclusively on my studies and my work at the Diocese [of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)] without worrying about how I will cover tuition and support myself. The individuals who so graciously give these financial gifts have lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. The generosity of the AGBU community, and the Armenian

American community as a whole, is a blessing—one that is simply unparalleled.”

For almost a century, the AGBU Scholarship Program has championed the higher education of thousands of promising young Armenians enrolled in leading college and universities around the world. Financed through en- dowment funds established by generous AGBU donors since the 1920s, the AGBU Scholarship Program has proud- ly contributed to the academic achievements of gifted young Armenians, offering financial assistance to full-time students of Armenian descent from close to 40 countries across six continents. Today, through its AGBU U.S. Fel- lowship Program and added focus on specialized fields of study, such as the performing arts and religious studies, the AGBU Scholarship Program offers financial assistance to a broader range of Armenian students across the globe.

To learn more about the AGBU Scholarship Program, please visit www.agbu-scholarship.org. To read the stories of AGBU scholarship recipients in the U.S., visit www.bit.ly/J2A7e3.

Department of Theology & Religious Studies. She is studying a

Christian text that has been dated to the 10th century, but which she believes is actually from as early as the 5th cen-

tury and has influenced the Armenian creed. Rizk has her sights set on using her AGBU scholarship to conduct fu-

ture research at the St. Nersess Armenian Seminary in New York.

Rizk would be able to share ideas with a number of AGBU scholarship recipients who are already enrolled at

St. Nersess. They are the future leaders of the Armenian Church, though for now they are enjoying their studies and

expressing gratitude to those who have contributed to the AGBU Scholarship Program.

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NEW PUBLICATION: “THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE. THE MECHANISMS OF DECISION-MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION”

The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute has published the work of Doctor of Historical Science Arsen Avakyan “The Armenian Genocide, The Mechanisms of Decision-making and Implementation”. The book reveals the mechanisms of decision-making and their implementation during World War I and the years after war , based on archives and primary sources.

The book analyzes deeply the inner structure of The Committee of Union and Progress, which made the deci- sion of Armenians extermination, the intergroup configuration of power in the central body of this party, and the structure and creation process of "Special Organization". It also covers the responsibility of Young Turks and the Parliament in destruction the Christian population all over the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

The book also discusses the participation of the army in the genocide against the Armenian population. Some documents from Turkish archives have been put in scientific circulation, including legislation of Ottoman Parlia- ment regarding the deportation of the Armenians, the orders of Young Turks signed by Talaat Minister of Internal Affairs, and other ministers, as well as quotations from the records of court hearings about the deportation of Ar- menians and the massacres, which was going on during the deportations. The book is addressed to historians, re- searchers studying the history of World War II, orientalians, as well as to wide audience.

IN MEMORIAM: ARAM GHARABEKIAN By Heghinar Melkom Melkomian

The man with a simple baton: but a great talent, who left an even greater legacy ...

This piece turned out to be the hardest writing chal- lenge I have ever faced. How do you tell the story of someone who has touched so many lives, brought change, spread love both through music and by simply being ex- ceptionally kind and modest; someone who has done more than can be written down in just a few lines. How do you talk about and refer to someone who is no longer with us in person, but whose legacy will always live on? How do you keep it short but intense, just like his life and career.

Aram Gharabekian was born and raised in an average working class family in 1955. The realization that music was much more than a hobby led him to study music and composition at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He continued his postgraduate studies in Musical Phenomenology at Mainz University, Germany. In Italy, his con- ducting guru was Franco Ferrara and at the tender age of 24, he became one of the few conducting pupils of the legendary Sergiu Celibidache in Germany. Gharabekian also studied composition and conducting under Jacob

Druckman and Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts. Music is not constrained by boundaries or time; it touches lives, shapes history, connects people and cultures

and helps bring social change. A true bearer of this philosophy, throughout his career Maestro Gharabekian fre- quently performed at open air concerts to make classical music accessible to all, including the underserved commu- nities.

He started his extraordinary journey by becoming the founder and conductor of the Boston SinfoNova Orches- tra in 1983. The Orchestra excelled with performances in major American venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Boston’s Symphony Hall and Jordan Hall.

A guest appearance with the Ukrainian National Symphony Orchestra in 1991 changed his life and he became its Artistic Advisor and Conductor. “Following last Friday night’s concert of the Ukrainian National Symphony in the Ukrainian Palace of Culture, we can attest to the fact that Armenian born American conductor Aram Gharabekian has transformed our orchestra to an unrecognizable musical standard”, said Yuri Romazanov of the Kievsky Gazette.

Taking one challenge after the other he moved to his homeland Armenia, to become the Artistic Director and

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Principal Conductor of the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia in 1997. Under his directorship until the year 2010, he introduced a new face of classical music in the country by staging unforgettable performances. One such notable performance was when the audience showed up to find that there were no chairs for them and the concert began without any musicians on stage. The latter carried their instruments around with them, played while moving in and out of the crowd, and for the first time the musicians and the audience were on the same “stage”, on the same level - all equal, all playing, all listening and all feeling.

He went on to undertake other challenges and with the launch of the Open Music Fest international music fes- tival in 2009, he crushed many stereotypes in Armenia by mixing different genres, setting collaborations between artists from different cultures, taking classical music out of halls to open spaces, playing with the backdrop of his- torical sites and even adding a dash of fun to the performances by using children’s musical instrument toys next to sturdy classical instruments.

In the words of Lane Crockett from Shreveport Times, “Gharabekian’s conducting is not flashy, just solid and determined. His arms reach out and the orchestra obeys. He has good balance in that he not only can get the big dramatics, but also find the quieter subtleties in the works.”

His work and efforts have not been in vain. Aram Gharabekian received numerous prestigious awards, includ- ing a special proclamation by the United States Congress, Armenia’s Presidential Medal of Honor, the Lucien Wulsin Award, the ASCAP Award, a special diploma by the ECO-ETNO-FOLK Film Festival for the DVD of an open-air concert recorded at the ancient Garni temple in Armenia, and the Harvard Musical Association’s Best Per- formance Award.

Throughout his tragically short career Gharabekian commissioned and premiered over 40 works of various composers. He mentored and taught music to young talents. He also earned accolades as guest-conductor of several orchestras in the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Russia, Georgia, Lebanon, and the UAE.

John Lanouette Brenner wrote in the Post-Gazette: “Aram Gharabekian has to be one of the finest young con- ductors on the scene today. To watch him control his ensemble is a joy in itself. He works with elegant flair and great dignity.”

Besides being a talented musician, Aram Gharabekian was also a beloved son, brother, uncle and friend. Un- fortunately many of you may not have had the privilege of knowing him personally. He was kind, caring and lov- ing, always helping, supporting and inspiring others; a true role model. Today we grieve and commemorate his un- timely death on a personal, national and international level; however, parallel to this we must not forget that in real- ity people like Aram Gharabekian never die. His legacy will live on for generations to come.

ARA GÜLER’S EXHIBITION OPENS IN WASHINGTON

Twenty black-and-white photographs of lesser-known sites in Turkey — the work of Turkish Armenian photographer Ara Güler, – are on display in the intimate exhibit “In Focus: Ara Güler’s Anatolia,” at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, The Washington Post reports.

A legend, Güler, 85, is called the “Eye of Istanbul” for his 1950s and ’60s photos of street scenes that are among the most iconic representations of the city.

The Istanbul native, whose photograph- ic archive includes some 800,000 images, got his start in the 1950s as a photojournalist for Hayat (the Turkish “Life” magazine) and went on to a distinguished career that includ- ed working at Magnum Photos with luminar- ies including Henri Cartier-Bresson and pub- lishing his work around the world.

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The works in “In Focus” — never previously shown — come from a set of 53 photographs donated to the mu- seum in 1989 by Raymond Hare, U.S. ambassador to Turkey from 1961 to 1965. Hare had a keen interest in Middle Eastern architecture, and the photos were a gift from colleagues when he left Turkey.

Shot at locations across Anatolia, the photographs mainly portray medieval Seljuk and Armenian monuments, along with a few other sites including the stunning IshakPasaPalace in Dogubayazit, built by the Ottomans in the 18th century.

The photos of Armenian sites, including the 10th-century Church of the Holy Cross on AkdamarIsland in Lake Van, are especially poignant because Güler himself belongs to Istanbul’s Armenian community.

By the time he photographed the remote ruins of Ani in northeastern Turkey — capital of the Bagratuni Arme- nian Kingdom in the 10th and 11th centuries — the buildings had badly deteriorated, caused by both natural forces and centuries of neglect. The facade of the crumbling Church of the Redeemer — only half of which remains erect after a lightning strike — appears surrounded by thick, overgrown grasses, as if it had stood untouched for years.

Güler has a distinctive photographic style, and the exhibit treats his photos as “art,” emphasizing aesthetic el- ements such as dramatic lighting, composition, texture and framing. Labeled only with names, locations and dates, the works are divided into four (slightly contrived) thematic sections, each paired with a quotation from Güler and commentary that encourages viewers to contemplate the artistic qualities of the images.

While presenting Güler’s photos as art is valid, to a certain extent it removes them from their cultural and his- torical context. A wide shot of the Church of St. Gregory of Tigran Honents in Ani, for example, shows a deep river valley that snakes between two hillsides directly behind the church. What isn’t revealed is that this river forms the boundary between Turkey and Armenia; the border itself is lined in places with mines and has been closed since 1993.

“Nevertheless, even without an in-depth examination of their political and historical significance, Güler’s pho- tographs are compelling in their beauty and narrative power. Whether viewed as “art” or “documentation,” they capture a moment in Turkey that has long since vanished,” the article reads.

PRESS RELEASE

“KEEP TURKEY ON OUR SIDE ... WHETHER AS A RESULT ARMENIANS DO PERISH OR NOT.”

The German ambassador in Constantinople, Count Paul Wolff-Metternich, wrote to the Imperial Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, in Berlin on December 7, 1915:

... Our displeasure over the persecution of the Armenians should be clearly expressed in our press and an end be put to our gushing over the Turks. Whatever they are accomplishing is due to our doing; those are our officers, our cannons, our money... In order to achieve any success in the Armenian question, we will have to inspire fear in the Turkish government regarding the consequences. If, for military considerations, we do not dare to confront it with a firmer stance, then we will have no choice but... to stand back and watch how our ally continues to massacre.

The Chancellor’s response: The proposed public reprimand of an ally in the course of a war would be an act which is unprecedented in history. Our only aim is to keep Turkey on our side until the end of the war, no matter whether as a result Armenians do per- ish or not.

Toronto—The Zoryan Institute is pleased to announce that the long-awaited English edition of The Armenian Genocide: Evidence from the German Foreign Office Archives, 1915-1916, compiled and edited by Wolfgang Gust, has just been released by Berghahn Books. It contains hundreds of telegrams, letters and reports from German con- sular officials in the Ottoman Empire to the Foreign Office in Berlin which describe in graphic and shocking detail the unfolding genocide of the Armenians. The documents provide unequivocal evidence of the genocidal intent of the Young Turks and the German government’s official acquiescence and complicity.

Upon the earlier release of the German and Turkish editions of the book, the media reacted emphatically:

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• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung [Germany]—“The documents collected here illustrate clearly the shared responsibility of the Kaiserreich, the most important al- ly of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War... They are therefore largely undisguised and so vivid that the reader often shudders when reading them.”

• Forum Wissenschaft [Germany]—“Wolfgang Gust documents, in this excellent political-historical edition from contemporary German sources and the Foreign Office of the Reich government, the murderous events themselves...as well as the political co-responsibility of the German state.

• Hurriyet Daily News [Turkey]—“If you read the book and look at the documents, if you are a person who is introduced to the subject through this book, then there is no way that you would not believe in the genocide and justify the Armenians.”

The exceptional importance of these documents is under- scored by the fact that only German diplomats and military officials were able to send uncensored reports out of Turkey during World War I. Apart from the Americans, who remained neutral in the war until April 6, 1917, German diplomats and their informants from the missions or employees of the Bagh- dad Railway were the most important non-Armenian eyewit- nesses of the Genocide. These documents, meant strictly for internal use and never intended for publication, are remarkable for their candid revelations. Even as allies of the Ottoman Em- pire, German officials still felt compelled for moral and political reasons to report and complain about the atrocities being committed against the Armenians by their Ottoman ally.

In describing how he came to undertake this massive project, Gust writes,

.......I was shocked to see the Germans again playing an important role in mass murder at the edge of Europe. This genocide was neither initiated nor committed by Germans, but was widely accepted by them. Imperial Germa- ny was the closest ally of the Young Turks and had a formal military alliance with them. Was there a link between these two most important genocides in Europe? Did the Nazis copy the methods of the Young Turks, who had committed the Armenian Genocide? Were the two World Wars in reality one historical event, as some historians believe?

Questions upon questions. Was Imperial Germany a driving force in the genocide of the Armenians, or possi- bly even the source of the idea, as some non-German historians have suspected.... Did Imperial Germany view the Armenian Genocide with indifference or with sympathy? Did some Germans or part of the leading class resist the deportations and mass killings? And finally, did Germany have the power to stop the Armenian Genocide, and if they were able to so, why did they not make use of this power?

The answers to these questions are found in this prodigious 800-page collection. For more information about the book, please contact the Zoryan Institute zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org or telephone 416-250-9807.

The Armenian Genocide: Evidence from the German Foreign Office Archives, 1915-1916, compiled and edit- ed by Wolfgang Gust. New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2014. $89.95US, $95.50CDN.

The Zoryan Institute is a non-profit, international center devoted to the research and documentation of con- temporary issues with a focus on Genocide, Diaspora and Homeland. The Zoryan Institute through its division, the International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, runs an annual course in comparative genocide studies in partnership with the University of Toronto and is co-publisher of Genocide Studies International in part- nership with the University of Toronto Press. For more information please contact the Institute by email zoryan@zoryaninstitute.org or telephone 416-250-9807.

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