Armenian News ...@... The story behind the Medieval Cross in the Vatican
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBl3ZEyH13k&feature=youtu.be [1]
armradio.am
POPE FRANCIS WILL FORMALLY PROCLAIM ST. GREGORY
OF NAREK 'DOCTOR OF CHURCH' ON APRIL 12
02 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Pope Francis formally will proclaim a 10th-century Armenian monk as
a doctor of the church when he celebrates a liturgy April 12 with
leaders and faithful of the Armenian Catholic Church, Catholic News
Service reports.
The Vatican had announced in February the pope's decision to confer
the title "doctor of the church" on St. Gregory of Narek. The title
indicates that the saint's writings are considered to offer key
theological insights for the faith.
Earlier, the Vatican had announced that the pope would celebrate
a liturgy April 12 with members of the Armenian community, who are
preparing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
02 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Pope Francis formally will proclaim a 10th-century Armenian monk as
a doctor of the church when he celebrates a liturgy April 12 with
leaders and faithful of the Armenian Catholic Church, Catholic News
Service reports.
The Vatican had announced in February the pope's decision to confer
the title "doctor of the church" on St. Gregory of Narek. The title
indicates that the saint's writings are considered to offer key
theological insights for the faith.
Earlier, the Vatican had announced that the pope would celebrate
a liturgy April 12 with members of the Armenian community, who are
preparing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide April 24.
Pope Francis will concelebrate the liturgy with Armenian Catholic
Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, the Vatican said.
St. Gregory of Narek is considered one of the leading figures of
Armenian theology and thought, and many of his prayers are included
in the Armenian Divine Liturgy.
He was born in 950 in the Armenian town of Andzevatsik, located in
present-day Turkey. He entered a monastery at a young age and was
ordained a priest at 25. He lived at the monastery at Narek his whole
priestly life and taught at the monastic school.
His best-known writings include a commentary on the Song of Songs
and his "Book of Lamentations," now commonly known as "Narek."
"Narek" is considered his masterpiece. It includes 95 prayers and
has been translated into more than 30 languages.
St. Gregory died in Narek around 1005. His feast day in the Armenian
churches is Oct. 13; he is remembered in the Roman Catholic Church
Feb. 27.
Designating him a doctor of the church, Pope Francis will bring to
36 the number of saintly theologians to hold the title.
ecolur.org
WATER TO BE LET OUT FROM LAKE SEVAN THROUGH
Pope Francis will concelebrate the liturgy with Armenian Catholic
Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni, the Vatican said.
St. Gregory of Narek is considered one of the leading figures of
Armenian theology and thought, and many of his prayers are included
in the Armenian Divine Liturgy.
He was born in 950 in the Armenian town of Andzevatsik, located in
present-day Turkey. He entered a monastery at a young age and was
ordained a priest at 25. He lived at the monastery at Narek his whole
priestly life and taught at the monastic school.
His best-known writings include a commentary on the Song of Songs
and his "Book of Lamentations," now commonly known as "Narek."
"Narek" is considered his masterpiece. It includes 95 prayers and
has been translated into more than 30 languages.
St. Gregory died in Narek around 1005. His feast day in the Armenian
churches is Oct. 13; he is remembered in the Roman Catholic Church
Feb. 27.
Designating him a doctor of the church, Pope Francis will bring to
36 the number of saintly theologians to hold the title.
ecolur.org
WATER TO BE LET OUT FROM LAKE SEVAN THROUGH
ARPA-SEVAN TUNNEL FROM APRIL 5
22 April 01, 2015
On 31 March Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan visited "Arpa-Sevan
Tunnel", where he was introduced the progress of rehabilitation works,
as the Information and Public Relations Department of Agriculture
Ministry informs.
Rehabilitation works are carried out in daily shifts - 7 months a
year (from 1 September to 1 April), while works are stopped during
spring floods, from 1 April to 1 September, to allow water to flow
into Lake Sevan.
"The current rehabilitation works planned for this year have been
accomplished, so we can start letting out water of Lake Sevan starting
from 5 April," Sergo Karapetyan said.
Under the official source, 545.5 million cum water was transferred
to Lake Sevan through "Arpa-Sevan" tunnel in 2010-2014.
RFE/RL Report
22 April 01, 2015
On 31 March Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan visited "Arpa-Sevan
Tunnel", where he was introduced the progress of rehabilitation works,
as the Information and Public Relations Department of Agriculture
Ministry informs.
Rehabilitation works are carried out in daily shifts - 7 months a
year (from 1 September to 1 April), while works are stopped during
spring floods, from 1 April to 1 September, to allow water to flow
into Lake Sevan.
"The current rehabilitation works planned for this year have been
accomplished, so we can start letting out water of Lake Sevan starting
from 5 April," Sergo Karapetyan said.
Under the official source, 545.5 million cum water was transferred
to Lake Sevan through "Arpa-Sevan" tunnel in 2010-2014.
RFE/RL Report
Cyprus criminalizes denial of Armenian Genocide
Emil Danielyan
02.04.2015
In a move hailed by Armenia, Cyprus enacted on Thursdaya law making it
a crime to publicly deny the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
A bill unanimously passed by the Cypriot parliament made corresponding
changes in the country's existing legislation dealing with denial of
crimes against humanity. Until now it required prior rulings by
international courts.
"Today is a historic day," the parliament speaker, Yiannakis Omirou,
said, according to the Reuters news agency. "It allows parliament to
restore, with unanimous decisions and resolutions, historical truths."
The east Mediterranean island, partly occupied by Turkey since 1974,
was one of the first countries worldwide in 1975 to recognize as
genocide the World War One-era slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians
by the Ottoman Turks. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is one of
the world leaders expected to attend the April 24 commemorations in
Yerevan of the 100th anniversary of the genocide.
The passage of the Cypriot bill coincided with a visit to Nicosia by
an Armenian parliamentary delegation headed by speaker Galust
Sahakian. The latter met with Omirou and addressed the Cypriot
parliament later on Thursday.
"I express our profound gratitude for the adoption by the Cyprus House
of Representatives of the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian
Genocide," Sahakian said in his speech. He described Cyprus as a
"country that has for centuries displayed its friendly and brotherly
attitude towards Armenia."
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian was also full of praise for the
Greek Cypriots. "This is a symbolic event coming on the eve of the
centenary of the Armenian Genocide," Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said in a written statement.
"With the passage of this bill Cyprus has made an important
contribution to the noble task of preventing genocides and crimes
against humanity," added Nalbandian.
There was no immediate reaction to the development from official
Ankara.
Official Yerevan reacted just as positively to the passage in recent
years of similar bills by the parliaments of Switzerland, Slovakia and
Greece. The French parliament also criminalized Armenian genocide
denial in 2012. However, France's highest court subsequently declared
the move unconstitutional, citing French legislation guaranteeing
freedom of speech.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) cited similar grounds when
it struck down in 2013 a Swiss court ruling against a Turkish
politician who branded the Armenian genocide an "international lie"
during a lecture tour in Switzerland.
The Swiss government responded by appealing against the ECHR
verdict. The Strasbourg-based court's Grand Chamber opened hearings on
the appeal, strongly backed by the Armenian government, in January.
Emil Danielyan
02.04.2015
In a move hailed by Armenia, Cyprus enacted on Thursdaya law making it
a crime to publicly deny the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
A bill unanimously passed by the Cypriot parliament made corresponding
changes in the country's existing legislation dealing with denial of
crimes against humanity. Until now it required prior rulings by
international courts.
"Today is a historic day," the parliament speaker, Yiannakis Omirou,
said, according to the Reuters news agency. "It allows parliament to
restore, with unanimous decisions and resolutions, historical truths."
The east Mediterranean island, partly occupied by Turkey since 1974,
was one of the first countries worldwide in 1975 to recognize as
genocide the World War One-era slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians
by the Ottoman Turks. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades is one of
the world leaders expected to attend the April 24 commemorations in
Yerevan of the 100th anniversary of the genocide.
The passage of the Cypriot bill coincided with a visit to Nicosia by
an Armenian parliamentary delegation headed by speaker Galust
Sahakian. The latter met with Omirou and addressed the Cypriot
parliament later on Thursday.
"I express our profound gratitude for the adoption by the Cyprus House
of Representatives of the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian
Genocide," Sahakian said in his speech. He described Cyprus as a
"country that has for centuries displayed its friendly and brotherly
attitude towards Armenia."
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian was also full of praise for the
Greek Cypriots. "This is a symbolic event coming on the eve of the
centenary of the Armenian Genocide," Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said in a written statement.
"With the passage of this bill Cyprus has made an important
contribution to the noble task of preventing genocides and crimes
against humanity," added Nalbandian.
There was no immediate reaction to the development from official
Ankara.
Official Yerevan reacted just as positively to the passage in recent
years of similar bills by the parliaments of Switzerland, Slovakia and
Greece. The French parliament also criminalized Armenian genocide
denial in 2012. However, France's highest court subsequently declared
the move unconstitutional, citing French legislation guaranteeing
freedom of speech.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) cited similar grounds when
it struck down in 2013 a Swiss court ruling against a Turkish
politician who branded the Armenian genocide an "international lie"
during a lecture tour in Switzerland.
The Swiss government responded by appealing against the ECHR
verdict. The Strasbourg-based court's Grand Chamber opened hearings on
the appeal, strongly backed by the Armenian government, in January.
TURKEY REJECTS GREEK CYPRIOT BAN ON DENIAL OF
1915 CLAIMS
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 2 2015
Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic says Greek Cypriot
law on banning denial of Armenian claims over 1915 incidents is
"not worth of commenting"
Turkey has rejected the Greek-Cypriot administration's law on banning
the denial of Armenian claims over the 1915 incidents.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said in a statement
late Thursday: "Greek-Cypriot administration's decision is null and
void for Turkey and not worthy of comment."
"It is without doubt that those who try to exploit the 1915 incidents
at every opportunity by using simple political ambitions, cannot get
any result," Bilgic added.
Earlier Thursday, the Greek Cypriot administration's parliament passed
into law a bill which criminalized disavowal of Armenian allegations
over the incidents of 1915 involving the Ottoman Empire during World
War I.
Thursday's move by the Greek Cypriot administration -- which remains
at odds with the Turkish side over the future of the divided island
-- came in the very month when Armenia will hold a mass commemoration
ceremony in capital Yerevan to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1915
incidents on April 24.
The draft bill, which was jointly submitted by all political parties
to the Greek Cypriot parliament, can impose a five-year imprisonment
and fine of EURO 10,000 to those who deny allegations about the
1915 events.
Vartkes Mahdessian, a lawmaker of Armenian origin in the Greek Cypriot
assembly, also announced that a series of events would be organized
in the Greek Cypriot side to mark the 1915 events.
Allegations refuted
The 1915 incidents took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.
A decision by the Ottoman Empire to relocate Armenians in eastern
Anatolia followed the revolts and there were some Armenian casualties
during the relocation process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey
officially refutes Armenian allegations over the incidents, saying
that, although Armenians died during relocations, many Turks also
lost their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
The debate and differing opinions between the present day Turkish
government and the Armenian diaspora, along with the current
administration in Yerevan, still generates political tension between
Turks and Armenians.
'Great tragedy'
Turkey's official position against the allegations is that Ankara
acknowledges that the past experiences were a great tragedy and
that both parties suffered heavy casualties, including hundreds of
Muslim Turks.
Turkey agrees that there were certainly Armenian casualties during
World War I.
In January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent invitation
letters to more than 100 leaders, including Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, to participate in the commemoration of the Battle of
Canakkale on April 24.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced Erdogan's invitation as a "short-sighted"
attempt to overshadow the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events,
according to armenianow.com.
Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 2 2015
Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic says Greek Cypriot
law on banning denial of Armenian claims over 1915 incidents is
"not worth of commenting"
Turkey has rejected the Greek-Cypriot administration's law on banning
the denial of Armenian claims over the 1915 incidents.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said in a statement
late Thursday: "Greek-Cypriot administration's decision is null and
void for Turkey and not worthy of comment."
"It is without doubt that those who try to exploit the 1915 incidents
at every opportunity by using simple political ambitions, cannot get
any result," Bilgic added.
Earlier Thursday, the Greek Cypriot administration's parliament passed
into law a bill which criminalized disavowal of Armenian allegations
over the incidents of 1915 involving the Ottoman Empire during World
War I.
Thursday's move by the Greek Cypriot administration -- which remains
at odds with the Turkish side over the future of the divided island
-- came in the very month when Armenia will hold a mass commemoration
ceremony in capital Yerevan to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1915
incidents on April 24.
The draft bill, which was jointly submitted by all political parties
to the Greek Cypriot parliament, can impose a five-year imprisonment
and fine of EURO 10,000 to those who deny allegations about the
1915 events.
Vartkes Mahdessian, a lawmaker of Armenian origin in the Greek Cypriot
assembly, also announced that a series of events would be organized
in the Greek Cypriot side to mark the 1915 events.
Allegations refuted
The 1915 incidents took place during World War I when a portion of
the Armenian population living in the Ottoman Empire sided with the
invading Russians and revolted against the empire.
A decision by the Ottoman Empire to relocate Armenians in eastern
Anatolia followed the revolts and there were some Armenian casualties
during the relocation process.
Armenia has demanded an apology and compensation, while Turkey
officially refutes Armenian allegations over the incidents, saying
that, although Armenians died during relocations, many Turks also
lost their lives in attacks carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia.
The debate and differing opinions between the present day Turkish
government and the Armenian diaspora, along with the current
administration in Yerevan, still generates political tension between
Turks and Armenians.
'Great tragedy'
Turkey's official position against the allegations is that Ankara
acknowledges that the past experiences were a great tragedy and
that both parties suffered heavy casualties, including hundreds of
Muslim Turks.
Turkey agrees that there were certainly Armenian casualties during
World War I.
In January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent invitation
letters to more than 100 leaders, including Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, to participate in the commemoration of the Battle of
Canakkale on April 24.
Sargsyan reportedly denounced Erdogan's invitation as a "short-sighted"
attempt to overshadow the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events,
according to armenianow.com.
RUSSIAN PILOTS START MILITARY DRILLS IN ARMENIA
Russian Peacekeeper
April 2 2015
Russian Defense Ministry's Southern Military District's press service
said Thursday Russian MiG-29 (Fulcrum) jet fighter pilots have started
military exercises from a Russian base in Armenia.
"More than 100 Air Force pilots and service personnel are participating
(in the military exercises) with more than 30 pieces of specialized
military and aviation hardware," the press service said.
During the exercises, which are to last for three days, the fighter
pilots will cover ground forces from the air and destroy "enemy"
bombers, cruise and ballistic missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry said at least 4,000 military exercises
are planned to be conducted throughout the country in 2015.
Russian Peacekeeper
April 2 2015
Russian Defense Ministry's Southern Military District's press service
said Thursday Russian MiG-29 (Fulcrum) jet fighter pilots have started
military exercises from a Russian base in Armenia.
"More than 100 Air Force pilots and service personnel are participating
(in the military exercises) with more than 30 pieces of specialized
military and aviation hardware," the press service said.
During the exercises, which are to last for three days, the fighter
pilots will cover ground forces from the air and destroy "enemy"
bombers, cruise and ballistic missiles.
The Russian Defense Ministry said at least 4,000 military exercises
are planned to be conducted throughout the country in 2015.
armradio.am
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION TO TAKE PLACE
IN DIYARBAKIR
03 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
An Armenian Genocide commemoration event will take place in Diyarbakir
on April 24. The commemoration will be held at the Surp Giragos
Armenian Church, the Armenian Weekly reports.
"Diyarbakir is the location where--one hundred years after the
genocide--the grandchildren of forcefully Islamized Armenians showed
the courage and determination to reveal their true roots. All this
happened after the reconstruction of the Surp Giragos Church, and
was encouraged by the organized Armenian language classes and trips
to Armenia," Raffi Bedrosyan, a Toronto-based civil engineer and a
concert pianist, told the Armenian Weekly. Bedrosyan will perform a
concert of works by Armenian composers at the commemoration event.
"It means a lot to me to celebrate, not commemorate, the rebirth of
these new Armenians with a concert right where the whole movement
started; in the beautiful Surp Giragos Church," said Bedrosyan.
Bedrosyan was also involved in organizing the Surp Giragos Church
reconstruction project, and in promoting the significance of this
historic project worldwide. In September 2012, he gave the first
Armenian piano concert in the Surp Giragos Church since 1915.
"Diyarbakir was one of the bloodiest sites of the Armenian Genocide.
About 97 percent of the Armenian population of the province disappeared
in 1915, so it means a lot to me to be there commemorating the victims
of the genocide with the music of Komitas and [Aram] Khatchaturian,"
said Bedrosyan.
For the past several years, proceeds from Bedrosyan's concerts and two
CDs have been donated to the construction of school, highway, water,
and gas distribution projects in Armenia and Karabagh--projects in
which he has also participated as a volunteer engineer.
The event, which is organized by the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian
Church Foundation, the Gomidas Institute of London, and Human Rights
Association of Diyarbakir, will include a candle lighting ceremony
to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Last year, hundreds gathered at the Surp Giragos Armenian Church to
commemorate the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, with the participation
of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Fırat Anlı and
former mayor of Sur Municipality Abdullah DemirbaÅ~_. The first
genocide commemoration event took place in Diyarbakir in 2013.
horizonweekly.ca
ARA SARAFIAN: THE OTTOMAN ARCHIVES IN TURKEY
03 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
An Armenian Genocide commemoration event will take place in Diyarbakir
on April 24. The commemoration will be held at the Surp Giragos
Armenian Church, the Armenian Weekly reports.
"Diyarbakir is the location where--one hundred years after the
genocide--the grandchildren of forcefully Islamized Armenians showed
the courage and determination to reveal their true roots. All this
happened after the reconstruction of the Surp Giragos Church, and
was encouraged by the organized Armenian language classes and trips
to Armenia," Raffi Bedrosyan, a Toronto-based civil engineer and a
concert pianist, told the Armenian Weekly. Bedrosyan will perform a
concert of works by Armenian composers at the commemoration event.
"It means a lot to me to celebrate, not commemorate, the rebirth of
these new Armenians with a concert right where the whole movement
started; in the beautiful Surp Giragos Church," said Bedrosyan.
Bedrosyan was also involved in organizing the Surp Giragos Church
reconstruction project, and in promoting the significance of this
historic project worldwide. In September 2012, he gave the first
Armenian piano concert in the Surp Giragos Church since 1915.
"Diyarbakir was one of the bloodiest sites of the Armenian Genocide.
About 97 percent of the Armenian population of the province disappeared
in 1915, so it means a lot to me to be there commemorating the victims
of the genocide with the music of Komitas and [Aram] Khatchaturian,"
said Bedrosyan.
For the past several years, proceeds from Bedrosyan's concerts and two
CDs have been donated to the construction of school, highway, water,
and gas distribution projects in Armenia and Karabagh--projects in
which he has also participated as a volunteer engineer.
The event, which is organized by the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian
Church Foundation, the Gomidas Institute of London, and Human Rights
Association of Diyarbakir, will include a candle lighting ceremony
to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
Last year, hundreds gathered at the Surp Giragos Armenian Church to
commemorate the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, with the participation
of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Fırat Anlı and
former mayor of Sur Municipality Abdullah DemirbaÅ~_. The first
genocide commemoration event took place in Diyarbakir in 2013.
horizonweekly.ca
ARA SARAFIAN: THE OTTOMAN ARCHIVES IN TURKEY
REPRESENT WHAT TURKISH OFFICIALS HAVE CHOSEN TO
DECLASSIFY SO FAR
April 2, 2015
By Vahakn Karakachian
Interview With Ara Sarafian, Director of the Gomidas Institute
"The Ottoman archives in Turkey represent what Turkish officials
have chosen to declassify so far. There are millions of documents
that have not been declassified"
Historian Ara Sarafian is the founding director of the Gomidas
Institute in London, which sponsors and carries out research and
publishes books. Among the institute's publications are English
translations of Armenian texts related to the Armenian Genocide. He
edited a "Critical Edition" of the The Treatment of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire, 1915-1916, commonly known as the Blue Book (originally
published in 1916 by British historians Lord James Bryce and Arnold
Toynbee), as well as a Turkish edition of the book.
"Talaat Pasha's Report on the Armenian Genocide, 1917" was published
by the Gomidas Institute in April 2011. As the title implies, it is an
appraisal of a report that was found in Talaat Pasha's private papers.
How did you start this project?
I first heard of Talaat's report when Murat Bardakci published
some information from it in Hurriyet newspaper in 2005. Bardakci
later published the whole report in facsimile format in a book. That
allowed me to take the report more seriously. The project then took
off when I was able to go to the Prime Ministry Archives in Istanbul
and follow up on the data at hand. My key finding was information
about a special survey Talaat had ordered on Armenians in February
1917. These materials authenticated Talaat's report. The final
stage was the analysis of the data : the report, which had no title,
calculated the number of Armenians who had gone missing in the Ottoman
Empire between 1914-17. The whole analysis was presented on the first
page in a clear manner. It was a report on the Armenian Genocide.
Do you think that some Ottoman era archives on the Armenian Genocide
have been deliberately "vanished" by the authorities or some academic
circles?
The Ottoman archives in Turkey represent what Turkish officials have
chosen to declassify so far. There are millions of documents that
have not been declassified. Undoubtedly many documents have been lost
or destroyed for all sorts of reasons. And there can be little doubt
that the declassified materials have been carefully chosen. There are
entire categories of records that are not available to researchers -
such as the detailed deportation and resettlement registers from the
provinces. The Armenian issue is an intensely political issue and
none of this should be surprising.
However, the available Ottoman materials, especially when used
alongside alternative sources (such as United States records or
Armenian survivor accounts), support the Armenian Genocide thesis.
Every civil society has to deal with the dark pages of it's past. Do
you think Turkey's leading civil society organizations have started
influencing Turkish political reform?
Yes, all nations have dark pages. However, in Turkey, the Armenian
issue is not simply a dark page in the past. It is part of the ruling
ideology of the state - especially in the opposition parties and some
parts of the ruling AKP. Modern Turkey has been built on the continued
abuse of Armenians and other social groups such as Kurds, women,
and Alevis. Many of the abusers - including torturers and killers -
are still living lives there. Turkey needs a social revolution to
extricate the good from the bad in itself.
It is against such a background that many brave individuals have spoken
out in the past. Now there are democratic organisations carrying on
the struggle for the good. Only weeks ago, the People's Democratic
Party (HDP) has made a point of fielding Armenian candidates, and
many women, in the coming elections in Turkey. They have already
influenced Turkish politics by their conduct, and if they do well at
the elections, they will be moving Turkey in a positive direction.
In recent years, you've been collaborating with the city councils of
Diyarbakýr and Bitlis. Tell us more about this.
In recent years I have worked closely with Turkish civil society
organisations, like the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Bar
Associations of Diyarbakir and Bitlis, the municipalities of these
cities as part of the positive changes we are seeing in Turkey.
Because of the changes that are taking place in Turkey, there is
need for sensible Armenian voices to chart the way forward. The
Gomidas Institute has thus dealt not only with the Genocide, but
also the possibilities of rehabilitating of the Armenian issue in a
sensitive and peaceful manner. And we do this as a diaspora Armenian
organisation.
When you say dealing with issues in a sensitive and peaceful manner,
what do you mean?
I see Kurds, for example, as victims. Most Kurds in Turkey are
internally dispersed refugees. Thousands of their villages were
destroyed by the Turkish army in the 1980s and 1990s. Ordinary Kurds
still suffer from discrimination, poverty, and lack of basic services.
They have been brutalised, yet remain steadfast. Their political
struggle has fuelled the democratisation of Turkey. Despite these
difficulties, today, Kurds invariably refer to Armenians as their
kith and kin. Of course, they have a sense of guilt too, because many
of their own ancestors were involved in the Armenian Genocide. This
is something most Kurds, especially their leaders, say outright. So,
whatever the past, we have the ability to engage all of these issues
openly and consider the best way to resolve them. If the Turkish
state adopted a similar position, the Armenian issue could be resolved.
One of the issues I grapple in my own work concerns the descendants of
Armenians who were assimilated into Muslim communities in Turkey. Some
of these people, perhaps most, wish to be left alone. Others are
interested in their Armenian heritage in a passive way. And some feel
a sense of loss and wish to reclaim part of their lost identity. As
a rule, none of these people have a voice, and too often they are
objectified in a terrible way. For example, when a group of such
Armenians went to Armenia last summer, there were Armenian newspaper
articles claiming that a group of "hidden Armenians" were visiting
their "homeland." The fact was that these were not hidden Armenians
(they came from Sourp Giragos church in Diyarbakir). Furthermore, they
lived on their ancestral homelands, in Diyarbakir. And ironically,
while in Armenia, they were offered eastern Armenian lessons in the
bastardised Soviet era orthography.
Where do you expect these developments to go?
Nobody can predict the future, However, if we take the issues at
hand seriously, there is room for serious progress. However, if good
people do not get involved, then we should not blame others for
lack of progress or regression. The Armenian Genocide has not run
its course, and there is a great deal to play for. That is why the
Gomidas Institute works in Turkey. Join us if you can.
dailymail.co.uk
This is the real barbecue... Not with the oily sausage': Armenian
April 2, 2015
By Vahakn Karakachian
Interview With Ara Sarafian, Director of the Gomidas Institute
"The Ottoman archives in Turkey represent what Turkish officials
have chosen to declassify so far. There are millions of documents
that have not been declassified"
Historian Ara Sarafian is the founding director of the Gomidas
Institute in London, which sponsors and carries out research and
publishes books. Among the institute's publications are English
translations of Armenian texts related to the Armenian Genocide. He
edited a "Critical Edition" of the The Treatment of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire, 1915-1916, commonly known as the Blue Book (originally
published in 1916 by British historians Lord James Bryce and Arnold
Toynbee), as well as a Turkish edition of the book.
"Talaat Pasha's Report on the Armenian Genocide, 1917" was published
by the Gomidas Institute in April 2011. As the title implies, it is an
appraisal of a report that was found in Talaat Pasha's private papers.
How did you start this project?
I first heard of Talaat's report when Murat Bardakci published
some information from it in Hurriyet newspaper in 2005. Bardakci
later published the whole report in facsimile format in a book. That
allowed me to take the report more seriously. The project then took
off when I was able to go to the Prime Ministry Archives in Istanbul
and follow up on the data at hand. My key finding was information
about a special survey Talaat had ordered on Armenians in February
1917. These materials authenticated Talaat's report. The final
stage was the analysis of the data : the report, which had no title,
calculated the number of Armenians who had gone missing in the Ottoman
Empire between 1914-17. The whole analysis was presented on the first
page in a clear manner. It was a report on the Armenian Genocide.
Do you think that some Ottoman era archives on the Armenian Genocide
have been deliberately "vanished" by the authorities or some academic
circles?
The Ottoman archives in Turkey represent what Turkish officials have
chosen to declassify so far. There are millions of documents that
have not been declassified. Undoubtedly many documents have been lost
or destroyed for all sorts of reasons. And there can be little doubt
that the declassified materials have been carefully chosen. There are
entire categories of records that are not available to researchers -
such as the detailed deportation and resettlement registers from the
provinces. The Armenian issue is an intensely political issue and
none of this should be surprising.
However, the available Ottoman materials, especially when used
alongside alternative sources (such as United States records or
Armenian survivor accounts), support the Armenian Genocide thesis.
Every civil society has to deal with the dark pages of it's past. Do
you think Turkey's leading civil society organizations have started
influencing Turkish political reform?
Yes, all nations have dark pages. However, in Turkey, the Armenian
issue is not simply a dark page in the past. It is part of the ruling
ideology of the state - especially in the opposition parties and some
parts of the ruling AKP. Modern Turkey has been built on the continued
abuse of Armenians and other social groups such as Kurds, women,
and Alevis. Many of the abusers - including torturers and killers -
are still living lives there. Turkey needs a social revolution to
extricate the good from the bad in itself.
It is against such a background that many brave individuals have spoken
out in the past. Now there are democratic organisations carrying on
the struggle for the good. Only weeks ago, the People's Democratic
Party (HDP) has made a point of fielding Armenian candidates, and
many women, in the coming elections in Turkey. They have already
influenced Turkish politics by their conduct, and if they do well at
the elections, they will be moving Turkey in a positive direction.
In recent years, you've been collaborating with the city councils of
Diyarbakýr and Bitlis. Tell us more about this.
In recent years I have worked closely with Turkish civil society
organisations, like the Human Rights Association (IHD), the Bar
Associations of Diyarbakir and Bitlis, the municipalities of these
cities as part of the positive changes we are seeing in Turkey.
Because of the changes that are taking place in Turkey, there is
need for sensible Armenian voices to chart the way forward. The
Gomidas Institute has thus dealt not only with the Genocide, but
also the possibilities of rehabilitating of the Armenian issue in a
sensitive and peaceful manner. And we do this as a diaspora Armenian
organisation.
When you say dealing with issues in a sensitive and peaceful manner,
what do you mean?
I see Kurds, for example, as victims. Most Kurds in Turkey are
internally dispersed refugees. Thousands of their villages were
destroyed by the Turkish army in the 1980s and 1990s. Ordinary Kurds
still suffer from discrimination, poverty, and lack of basic services.
They have been brutalised, yet remain steadfast. Their political
struggle has fuelled the democratisation of Turkey. Despite these
difficulties, today, Kurds invariably refer to Armenians as their
kith and kin. Of course, they have a sense of guilt too, because many
of their own ancestors were involved in the Armenian Genocide. This
is something most Kurds, especially their leaders, say outright. So,
whatever the past, we have the ability to engage all of these issues
openly and consider the best way to resolve them. If the Turkish
state adopted a similar position, the Armenian issue could be resolved.
One of the issues I grapple in my own work concerns the descendants of
Armenians who were assimilated into Muslim communities in Turkey. Some
of these people, perhaps most, wish to be left alone. Others are
interested in their Armenian heritage in a passive way. And some feel
a sense of loss and wish to reclaim part of their lost identity. As
a rule, none of these people have a voice, and too often they are
objectified in a terrible way. For example, when a group of such
Armenians went to Armenia last summer, there were Armenian newspaper
articles claiming that a group of "hidden Armenians" were visiting
their "homeland." The fact was that these were not hidden Armenians
(they came from Sourp Giragos church in Diyarbakir). Furthermore, they
lived on their ancestral homelands, in Diyarbakir. And ironically,
while in Armenia, they were offered eastern Armenian lessons in the
bastardised Soviet era orthography.
Where do you expect these developments to go?
Nobody can predict the future, However, if we take the issues at
hand seriously, there is room for serious progress. However, if good
people do not get involved, then we should not blame others for
lack of progress or regression. The Armenian Genocide has not run
its course, and there is a great deal to play for. That is why the
Gomidas Institute works in Turkey. Join us if you can.
dailymail.co.uk
This is the real barbecue... Not with the oily sausage': Armenian
expat becomes internet sensation with video showing Aussies
how to BBQ 'khorovats' chicken
By SARAH MICHAEL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
3 April 2015
An Armenian expat who shows Australians how to cook a 'real barbecue'
By SARAH MICHAEL FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA
3 April 2015
An Armenian expat who shows Australians how to cook a 'real barbecue'
has become an internet sensation after his daughter posted his hilarious
video online.
Yervand Garginian, a 60-year-old bus driver from South Croydon
Yervand Garginian, a 60-year-old bus driver from South Croydon
in Melbourne, filmed himself cooking chicken on an open charcoal
barbecue using a traditional 'khorovats' recipe at a recent family
gathering.
In the video Mr Garginian, who moved to Australia from Armenia
In the video Mr Garginian, who moved to Australia from Armenia
in 1977, dismisses the Australian-style barbecue of cooking 'oily'
sausages.
His daughter Elizabeth Garginian, 24, posted the video to Reddit
His daughter Elizabeth Garginian, 24, posted the video to Reddit
and it has since been viewed more than five million times after it
was shared across Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
In the video Mr Garginian says: 'Hi guys, I want to tell you what,
In the video Mr Garginian says: 'Hi guys, I want to tell you what,
this is the real barbecue OK?
'Not your barbecue with the sausage, it's all oily thing you eating,
'Not your barbecue with the sausage, it's all oily thing you eating,
this is the real barbecue which is called Armenian barbecue.
'Once you eat you're going to eat your fingers together too, and
'Once you eat you're going to eat your fingers together too, and
then you're going feel sorry you eat your fingers.'
Ms Garginian said she never anticipated the video would be so
popular when she first posted it from her clothing business Casual
Dress Day 's YouTube account.
'My boyfriend posted it on Reddit and within one hour it was on
'My boyfriend posted it on Reddit and within one hour it was on
the top page of videos, and within the next hour it was on the front
page of Reddit and it went to number two,' she told Daily Mail
Australia.
In the video Mr Garginian, who moved to Australia from Armenia
In the video Mr Garginian, who moved to Australia from Armenia
in 1977, dismisses the Australian-style barbecue of cooking 'oily'
sausages. He is pictured here with his wife Hasmik
'We were awake all night staring at it - it was crazy.
'I think it's just because it's funny, the way my dad explains it is
'We were awake all night staring at it - it was crazy.
'I think it's just because it's funny, the way my dad explains it is
funny.'
Ms Garginian said her father was enjoying his newfound internet
Ms Garginian said her father was enjoying his newfound internet
fame.
'He's pretty excited, he's happy that the whole world's seen his
'He's pretty excited, he's happy that the whole world's seen his
barbecue.'
The video was filmed at her cousin Albert's house to celebrate
The video was filmed at her cousin Albert's house to celebrate
a new veranda Mr Garginian had just helped to build.
Ms Garginian said the chicken was marinated in spices overnight
Ms Garginian said the chicken was marinated in spices overnight
according to a secret family recipe.
She said her family often gathers together so her father and
She said her family often gathers together so her father and
uncles can cook the traditional barbecue for everyone.
'All the uncles will gather around early and stand around the
'All the uncles will gather around early and stand around the
barbecue and drink vodka,' Ms Garginian said.
'Whenever my dad and uncles have been out at parks doing
'Whenever my dad and uncles have been out at parks doing
Armenian barbecue they always receive attention from the public,
and they always let people come over and try some to share our
culture.
'Whenever they're doing it the smell takes over the whole street.'
Ms Garginian added that unlike her father, she also enjoys
'Whenever they're doing it the smell takes over the whole street.'
Ms Garginian added that unlike her father, she also enjoys
Australian-style barbecues.
'I like sausages on the barbecue, I like a sausage sizzle, but it's
'I like sausages on the barbecue, I like a sausage sizzle, but it's
so different to the type of barbecue we do.'
Click to see video
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3024046/This-real-barbecue-Not-barbecue-sausage-Armenian-expat-internet-sensation-posting-video-showing-Aussies-BBQ-refuses-share-secret-blend-spices.html
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Click to see video
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3024046/This-real-barbecue-Not-barbecue-sausage-Armenian-expat-internet-sensation-posting-video-showing-Aussies-BBQ-refuses-share-secret-blend-spices.html
[1]
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