Armenpress

ROBERT KOCHARIAN VISITS ARMENIAN PROVINCE OF LORI

SPITAK, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President
Robert Kocharian visited today the Armenian province
of Lori and got acquainted with the construction works
of individual houses in the village of Shirakamut
(former Nalband) which was the epicenter of the 1988
destructive earthquake. The funds for the construction
of the houses have been released from the Armenian
state budget.
The earthquake destroyed 701 houses in the village.
Until 1997 with different funds 356 houses were built,
in 2004 by the catholic health program 73 houses were
built, in 2005 the government released 26.1 million
drams from the state budget for the construction of 7
houses, this year 70.5 million drams have been
provided and 11 houses are being constructed. The
governor of the Lori province, who was accompanying
the president, said that 180 families are still living
in wagon-houses. He also said that gas, water and
electricity issues have been solved in the village.
The villagers, on their turn, complaint that only
one first-aid post is acting in the village and there
is a necessity to construct a hospital. President
Kocharian noted that gradually all the problems of the
village will be solved. The construction of the houses
will continue during the next years as well, a sport
gym of the village school will also be constructed.
He said the solution of the problems of the rural
areas is a priority for the Armenian authorities.

Panorama.am

13:49 10/08/06

FIVE SONGS SELECTED AS POSSIBLE NATIONAL ANTHEM

Armenia will soon have its new national anthem.
However, Gayane Durgaryan, press spokeswoman of the
ministry of culture and youth affairs, failed to
specify when. She neither refuted nor confirmed that
the anthem will be ready by September 21, Independence
Day. Five songs have been selected as the most
possible to become a national anthem, among them, one
on Aram Khachatryan’s music. They will soon be
presented to public judgment./Panorama.am/

Panorama.am

16:52 10/08/06

MIGRANTS FROM AZERBAIJAN GET FLATS FROM GOVERNMENT

Forced migrants from Azerbaijan, who have accepted
citizenship of Armenia, were donated flats in their
hostel in Yerevan. Some of the hostels are located
close to downtown Yerevan and are under the
jurisdiction of Department of Migration and Refugees.
Government press office told Panorama.am the
government reached this decision in its session today./Panorama.am/

Panorama.am

14:16 11/08/06

CONSUMER RIGHTS CENTER SAYS DANGEROUS TO BUY
WATERMELON

Abgar Yeghoyan, head of Consumer Rights Center (CRC),
referred to a government session, saying, `No goods
will be sold without an Armenian label starting from
July 1, next year.’ Yeghoyan said goods are in
unbearable hygienic conditions when sold outdoors
under such hot weather. He supported his words with
the findings of a food security monitoring, conducted
by CRC, and the inspections conducted by the state
epidemiological service. The epidemiological service
conducted an inspection of 57 juice sold in the
streets of Yerevan and discovered high proportion of
intestine bacillus in 35 percent of the juice. In some
cases, instant cups are used for the second time, he
claimed.

Yeghoyan said street trade is one of the unsolved
problems of Yerevan. He said local self-government
bodies are responsible to stop that. Yeghoyan warned
against buying watermelon and melon under such hot
weather, especially if they are sold on roads. He said
these fruits collect extra level of radiation in them
if left out under sun for a long time. /Panorama.am/

Panorama.am

18:11 11/08/06

ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT WORKS IN NORMAL REALM AFTER ATTEMPT
OF TERRORISM IN LONDON

Zvartnots Airport keeps on to its normal schedule and
so do the Armenian railways. The National Security
Service (NSS) of Armenia reported that NSS also works
in normal realm and security norms are respected at
all sites under NSS subordination.

Reminder: Special Service of Great Britain set an
alarm concerning a massive terrorism attempt at Hitrow
Airport in London. About 20 suspects are arrested.
British Security Services claim that this was just a
test operation to be followed by real attacks in the
coming few days. U.S. President George Bush has
reportedly said, `We are in a war with Muslim
fascism,’ RFE/RL reports. /Panorama.am/

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
August 11, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER "EXTREMELY CONCERNED"
OVER AMB.-DESIGNATE HOAGLAND’S RELUCTANCE TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

— Sen. Coleman Vows to Vote Against Hoagland Nomination

WASHINGTON, DC – Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), in a
letter to the Armenian National Committee of Nevada (ANC-NV),
reported that he is "extremely concerned" by the reluctance of
Richard Hoagland, the Administration’s nominee to serve as the next
ambassador to Armenia, to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

Senator Reid’s public stand follows the August 2nd announcement by
Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) that he will vote against the Hoagland
nomination because of the nominee’s refusal to properly recognize
the Armenian Genocide as a "genocide." Sen. Coleman serves on the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"The opposition of Senator Norm Coleman and concerns raised by
Harry Reid – the Senate’s Democratic Leader – reflect the growing
bipartisan opposition to the approval of a U.S. envoy to Yerevan
who refuses to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We continue to work in
communities around the nation to explain to Senators the damage to
U.S-Armenia relations – and, more broadly, to America’s standing on
genocide prevention efforts worldwide – that will be done by
approving a nominee that has actually denied the genocidal intent
of the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide."

Responding to grassroots concerns raised by Nevada’s growing and
increasingly active Armenian American community, Senator Reid noted
that this refusal is "particularly troubling in light of the State
Department’s dismissal of the last Ambassador to Armenia, John M.
Evans following comments he made during a February 2005 tour of
Armenian-American communities in which he recognized the Armenian
Genocide. As you may know, the State Department has offered no
explanation for Evans’ dismissal."

As reported by the Associated Press, Senator Coleman has explained,
"As someone of the Jewish faith, I bring a heightened sensitivity
to the reality of genocide and mass murder, and the importance of
recognizing it for what it is. I was brought up believing you
never forget the Holocaust, never forget what happened. And I could
not imagine how our ambassador to Israel could have any
effectiveness if he couldn’t recognize the Holocaust."

On August 1st, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed
consideration of Ambassador Hoagland’s nomination, following a
request by the Committee’s Ranking Democrat Joseph Biden (D-DE) and
Senator John Kerry (D-MA). Also voicing support for the delay were
Senators George Allen (R-VA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). The
Committee is set to consider the matter during its regular business
meeting on September 7th.

To date, more than half of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
including Senators George Allen, Joseph Biden, Barbara Boxer,
Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN), Christopher Dodd (D-
CT), Russell Feingold (D-WI), John Kerry and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD),
have contacted Secretary Rice or questioned Ambassador-designate
Hoagland directly regarding the Armenian Genocide. Senators Edward
Kennedy (D-MA) and Jack Reed (D-RI), along with over sixty members
of the U.S. House have also expressed serious concerns to the State
Department on this matter.

For a comprehensive overview of documents regarding the firing of
Ambassador Evans and the Hoagland controversy, visit:
p

#####

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Aug. 11, 2006

High court gunman’s father claims there are traitors in Turkey

The public enemy is not his son but "those who are enemies of Islam
and the nation’s moral values," according to Idris Arslan, whose son
Alparslan is on trial for May’s Council of State shooting.

Answering the questions of reporters yesterday ahead of the first
hearing of May’s Council of State shooting case, Alparslan Arslan’s
father said people who don’t respect the values of the nation will be
punished.

"This nation will punish, one way or another, those who don’t respect
our values," said Arslan, who works as an Education Ministry
inspector.

Also making a call on the media, Arslan told reporters, "Don’t be a
tool of imperialist forces. Serve your nation!"

He claimed that there are people in Turkey who are against Islam.
"There are enemies of Islam in this country. There are enemies of the
Koran. We’ve sacrificed 100,000 martyrs to this country. If
necessary, we will sacrifice more," said Arslan.

"There are many Mehmets and Mustafas in this country who are indeed
Armenians or Greeks. They betray this country hiding behind
secularism," claimed Arslan.

However he also stated that he never wanted such an attack to occur.

Asked to comment on his son’s desire to attend Friday prayers while
the hearing was in progress, Arslan said his son has been in prison
for a long time and that people should understand his request given
his son’s emotional state.

Zaman, Turkey
Aug. 11, 2006

What can be Done for Chechnya?

I had written two consecutive articles on the Chechen issue under the
headline, `A Chechnya Accounting,’ and tried to develop an approach
to the background of this dramatic problem. I promised I would write
on what could be done to end this tragic situation, which is rapidly
wearing down a nation.

Unfortunately, I was unable to keep my promise until now, because as
I was trying to draw attention to the forgotten Chechen issue, the
Palestine and Lebanon issues surfaced. The two problems drag on today
before the helpless eyes of the world community. Elected Palestinian
MPs are still in Israeli jails. As children are being killed in
Lebanon and its cities bombarded, western powers are engaged in
cease-fire debates that would even make crocodiles laugh.

I doubt I would be able to draw attention to the Chechen issue amid
new developments. Nonetheless, it is necessary to deal with this
almost-forgotten but challenging problem with common sense. A glance
at some statistics released by the pro-Russian government in Chechyna
will help understand the magnitude of the problem. Chechnya’s Deputy
Prime Minister Dukvaha Abdurrahmanov announced that 300,000 people
have been killed and over 200,000 others wounded since the war began
in 1994. These numbers represent nearly half the Chechen population.
One should add the four Chechen leaders killed while fighting for
independence, after the era of Dzhokhar Dudayev, to this death toll.

In my two previous articles I emphasized the necessity to evaluate
the problem. This is an evaluation of all those associated with the
Chechen cause, the Chechen people in particular and answers to the
following questions: What strategic and tactical errors have been
made during the course of the struggle? Why weren’t rogue armed
groups and ransom hackers in Chechnya controlled? Was the
international conjecture analyzed properly? Could the victory of the
Afghan mujahedeens over Soviet Union have been an example for
Chechnya? In this context, was independence the right choice?
Wouldn’t a broad-based coalition, like the one in Tataristan, have
been better for Chechnya? What should be done now?

Also in my previous article, I wrote how the Chechens are fervently
in favor of independence. However, However, whether this admirable
idealism was equally backed by realism was doubtful. This is because
it was almost mission impossible for Chechen leaders, under the most
difficult conditions, to learn about the world’s realities
immediately after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. I could
hardly find a sincere Chechen leader willing to deliver a
pro-democracy speech. A comparison could be made among Bosnian,
Albanian and Armenian leaders who were faced with similar problems
during those turbulent years.

I think the situation has not changed for the better. Chechens living
abroad have serious responsibilities. I wish a convention,
representing all Chechens, could be held to find answers to the
above-mentioned questions and to develop a vision for the future of
the Chechens.

There is a striking point included in reports by international human
rights organizations on Chechnya. These reports say most Russian
soldiers have returned to their barracks and that most of the raids
against the Chechen people are carried out by the pro-Russian
government troops. The current president of Chechnya is Ramazan
Kadirov, who is the son of former Chechen President Ahmed Kadirov who
was killed by Chechen insurgents. According to a Human Rights Watch
report, Kadirov is interim prime minister because he is under 30 and
is marking his authority everywhere with the help of a security
forces that include renegade insurgents.

Many Chechens, who wish to remain anonymous, believe this force is
more dangerous than the Russian force. Unfortunately, among Chechens,
the war of independence has the potential of turning to a blood shed.
Therefore, it is crucial for Chechens to unite and develop a common
vision that is compatible with the realities of our contemporary
world.

I will continue with `What can be done?’ in the next article.

Pasadena Star-News, CA
Whittier Daily News, CA
Aug. 11, 2006

Lebanon-born Armenian talks about war in Lebanon
An American background

By Bill Bell

IN the morning, the smiling face of Grigor Kaladjian greets people
who drive into Whittier’s Uptown parking structure on Bright Avenue.
After lunch, at around 1p.m., the smiling face of Grigor Kaladjian
also greets people who come to Grigor’s Shoe Repair shop.

The shop is one of several city-owned storefronts on Bright Avenue
that are built into the parking structure. Grigor, as he is known by
many people, is another in my once-in-awhile immigration series.

Although he learned how to repair shoes as a soldier in the Russian
Army while it was still part of the Soviet Union, and his wife, Anna,
was born in Beirut, Lebanon, they are Armenians who have been solid
American citizens for many years. Grigor has been the part-time
parking structure attendant for the city for 14 years and a shoe
repair man in Whittier for about 30 years. His first shop on
Greenleaf Avenue was part of the Uptown cinema complex but was
destroyed in the 1987 earthquake.

But, let’s go back to the beginning.

Grigor’s Greek-born, Armenian father and Lebanon-born Armenian mother
met and married in Turkey. They fled to Greece during the so-called
`Young Turks” genocide of Armenians when 1.5 million Armenians were
killed. His parents had been married 20 years when Grigor was born
Nov. 12, 1935, in Athens.

Grigor’s mother died of cancer when he was 8. Grigor was orphaned at
12 when his father died, and he moved to Soviet Armenia. That was
1947.

`A neighbor came and told me, I’m going to be your mama’ and she
became my second mother,’ he said. `She’s in Rose Hills now. She died
11 years ago in her 90s.’

Grigor entered the Soviet army in the Ukraine in 1958 at the age of
21. He served in the army for four years. It was during his military
years that he learned to repair shoes.

In 1961, he met and married Anna, and they returned to the Armenian
capital. They now have three grown daughters, one son and five
grandchildren.

Over the course of his earlier life, he became fluent speaking
Turkish, Greek, Armenian and Russian, and he now speaks good English
as well as `poquito Spanish.’.

In 1976, at the age of 41, Grigor brought his family to America,
where he said he has

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become a really happy citizen of this country. He and his family
lived the first four years in Montebello, then moved to their current
home in Rowland Heights. `America was my father’s dream,’ Grigor
said. `He didn’t make it, but I did. `I have a swimming pool, a
Jacuzzi. We go to the beach, to Las Vegas,’ he said. `We like to
travel. We went to Argentina last year.’.

When asked, he reflected a little bit about what is happening in the
world today. `The war is no good,’ he said. `The Jewish fight all the
time with Arabs. I guess a little bit is OK, but this is too much …
Beautiful Beirut. Now, no Beirut.’.

He shook his head, sadly.

`They kill some kids. Why, why? Old women, why? Talk, talk, talk …
but people are still dying.’ It’s funny how you can walk past a
person a hundred times and never really take notice of who they are
and what their story may be.

I’ve walked through and past the parking structure and the little
shoe shop many times over the years.

But, I would never have known Grigor had it not been for a
conversation a week earlier with my friend Jerry Sterling, who is an
Uptown Whittier personality who is often seen riding his bike here
and there.

Last week, Jerry asked me if I knew the shoemaker who speaks a whole
lot of languages.

I didn’t know him then, but I do now, and so do you.

He’s a stocky fellow, stands 5-feet-6, weighs about 200 pounds, has
gray hair and a gray mustache and has a very pleasant personality.
How would you ever guess that he was in the Soviet army back during
the Cold War? Today, he’s a patriotic American.

The Nation, Kenya
Aug. 12, 2006

Armenians were criminals: State

Story by MUGUMO MUNENE
Publication Date: 8/12/2006

The "Artur brothers" were international criminals who came to Kenya
to clean up illegal money, an inquiry heard yesterday.

Commissioner Horace Etemesi receives a document from Mr Simon
Wasilwa, a commission official, during yesterday’s sitting. Photos by
Joseph mathenge
They hid their trail by engaging only in cash transactions to
disguise the suspect sources of their money and with the intention of
clouding out possible investigations into their activities, the
Kiruki Commission was told.

"We should not downplay the issues that have come out of the inquiry.
Tax evasion is a serious crime that is highly penalised in many
countries around the world. I can see a perfect case of money
laundering and the avoidance of immigration laws. I can see a perfect
example of organised transnational crime," Ms Dorcas Oduor, one of
the counsel assisting the commission, said yesterday.

Money laundering – the art of taking money acquired through crime and
turning it into clean money by disguising its illegal origin – is
regarded as a serious crime in many countries around the world but
Kenyan laws do not treat it as such.

Ms Oduor submitted that it was clear from the evidence that "there
was something in the offing" as she rounded up the conclusions handed
in by lawyers on the final day of the inquiry at Kenyatta
International Conference Centre in Nairobi yesterday.

She urged the commission to recommend that the police and the
National Security Intelligence Service be equipped with modern
technology to increase their efficiency in keeping up with
international criminals, "who keep on skipping countries".

The commission, chaired by former police commissioner Shedrach
Kiruki, sat for 28 days and received evidence, which was described by
vice-chairman Horace Etemesi in his final prayers at the last minutes
of the inquiry as "worrying".

So gross were the revelations about the Armenians that even Ms Winnie
Wangui, the Kenyan woman seen publicly with the taller bearded Artur
– Margaryan – had changed her mind about the banished "brothers".

And commissioner Etemesi, an Anglican bishop, prayed: "Help us, oh
Lord, to fear you as we make our decision fully aware that you are
watching and listening and that you care even for the small people in
our society."

In his submissions, lawyer Gibson Kamau Kuria, representing Ms
Wangui, said that her association with the Armenian was "similar to
any other association a person enters only to later ask himself or
herself how did I end up with that man or that girl".

Through the inquiry, the Armenians were described as dubious
international criminals, undesirable characters and their series of
shocking criminal activities during their nine-month stay in Kenya
exposed.

Stolen motor vehicles, fake numbers plates, fake passports, shadowy
identity, fake police identities, illicit firearms and ammunition,
forgeries, fraud, outlandish and arrogant behaviour described the
character and lifestyle of the Armenians, the commission heard.

At one time, they had even masqueraded as children of royalty,
claiming that they were from the monarchy in Armenia, a country which
has not been ruled by a queen or king for 1,500 years.

And yesterday, Ms Oduor wound up submissions to the commissioners
saying: "They had infiltrated many places including the police and
our security institutions. We should all condemn their activities and
not be party to them."

"A criminal mind is not a logical mind. A criminal is not a normal
person and will always try to be ahead of the law enforcement
agencies and make it difficult to be investigated. Our police tried
hard and did a good job," she said.

And Mr Alois Omita – named earlier in evidence as a co-director of
Kensington Holdings along with the Armenians, Mr Julius Maina and Ms
Wangui – denied any wrongdoing.

Also submitting her innocence through lawyer Ashitiva Mandale was
suspended Kenya Airports Authority deputy managing director Naomi
Cidi, who was accused of assisting the Armenians and their associates
to get security passes.

The commission closed the public inquiry without taking evidence from
certain business and social associates of the Armenians and police
some of the officers who had investigated the matter since March.

Commissioners Kiruki, Etemesi and Issack Hassan will now retire to
write a report, which must be handed over to President Kibaki by the
end of this month.

Police commissioner Maj General Hussein Ali who ordered
investigations into the Artur brothers ways back in March did not
testify and neither did suspended CID boss Joseph Kamau. Nairobi CID
boss Isaiah Osugo, the senior detective detailed by Maj Gen Ali to
investigate the brothers in March did not turn up.

Also missing from the appearances at the witness stand was Ms
Shirfana Alarakiya, the Kenyan lady arrested at the home of the Artur
brothers in Runda the night before they were spirited out of the
country.

Ms Wangui only regretted her association with the brothers through
her lawyer, protested her innocence and urged the commission to
recommend that she be reinstated but did not testify in person.

Ms Oduor explained that although the commission had served every
person mentioned in negative light with notices asking them to appear
before the commission, some chose not to.

The Commissions of Inquiry Act grant a commissioners powers
equivalent to that of the High Court powers to summon witnesses and
ask for records, documents or information they may deem necessary in
addressing their terms of reference.

Ms Oduor explained that the power to summon witnesses is however
limited by the constitutional provision that an individual testifying
in a court may not incriminate himself or herself.

She further explained that public officials who comes across
information touching on the matters in questions in the course of
duty can be compelled to give evidence, raising questions as to why
the police officers who investigated the Arturs or handled their file
were not required to attend.

The three commissioners – Mr Kiruki, Bishop Etemesi and Mr Issack
Hassan – will now retire to write a report which must be handed over
to President Kibaki by the end of the month.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress