Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
July 29 2004
GEORGIA SEEKS ALTERNATIVE GAS SUPPLY FROM IRAN
[July 29, 2004, 16:27:30]
Georgian officials say Tbilisi considers Iran as an alternative gas
supplier for Georgia, which currently depends only the Russian giants
GazProm and Itera for its gas supply, reported AzerTAj Tbilisi based
correspondent.
Officials say that the project is a long-term one and may be launched
as early as next year. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
discussed this issue during his visit to Iran in early July. `Iranian
gas can serve as an alternative source of gas supply for Georgia only
in cases of emergency situations and in the case that Russia reduces
or stops the gas supply
[to Georgia]. It can not be a permanent supplier for us, as Iranian
gas is more expensive,’ Teona Doliashvili, a spokesperson for the
Georgian Energy Ministry, told journalists.
There are two potential delivery routes of gas from Iran into Georgia
– one via Azerbaijan and another through Armenia.
In Soviet times Georgia received gas from Iran via Azerbaijan;
however the Azerbaijani pipeline needs rehabilitation, which,
according to the Georgian Energy Ministry, would cost around USD 2
million.
Representatives from SakGazi, the gas distribution company in
Georgia, say that the joining of the Georgian gas system to the
Iranian-Armenian gas pipeline may prove cheaper.
`These considerations over a gas supply from Iran were launched some
three years ago, but discussions yielded no results, mainly because
of the lack of finances to rehabilitate the pipe. I think the
Armenian option will be cheaper,’ Maka Arakhamia, a spokesperson for
the SakGazi Company, told correspopndents.
This issue was discussed during the Georgian Foreign Minister Salome
Zourabichvili’s vist to Armenia last week. Zourabichvili said that
Georgia is interested in gas being delivered from Iran.
According to the Georgian Energy Ministry, Iran is also interested in
Georgia as a transit country to export its gas to Europe.

Internews Monthly Bulletin
June 2004
The Mineral Water Tragedy
And other mysteries revealed by Aniv Investigation
Last summer, when twelve-year-old Margarita bought a bottle of
mineral water she couldn’t even imagine she would lose her eyesight
as a result. The glass bottle exploded and damaged her eye when she
put the bag of groceries down to catch her breath on her way to the
apartment where she lived. Her family tried to file a lawsuit against
the mineral water company and get reimbursement in order to regain
Margarita’s eyesight but failed…
This is just one of the stories investigated by Internews Armenia
radio production group and broadcast in the framework of the new
project Aniv Radio Investigation at Yerevan-based Ardzagank and
Public Radio stations, as well as at Shant in Gyumri and Interkap in
Vanadzor. The program on the mineral water tragedy was on the air
this week, evoking lots of feedback from listeners in three cities.
As told by Robert Balayan, a radio producer from Interkap, Vanadzor:
`We had lots of phone calls from our audience. They insisted that the
problems of our city should be covered as well.’
Aniv Investigation is a two-part program with an average running time
of 30 minutes. As stated by the Internews Armenia production manager
Harutyun Mansuryan, `While we produced Aniv Talk Show and Aniv Radio
Hour, we constantly came across striking and impressive facts that we
couldn’t explore to the end because the program format didn’t allow
us. We realized we had enough materials to investigate, to launch a
new program and to grab listeners’ attention. Plus, we already had
the television investigative program and we thought: why not make a
radio show?’
Prepared by the Internews team and freelancers, Aniv Investigation
supposes comprehensive and thorough research of the topic. The
producers and reporters search and reveal hidden facts and previously
unknown details in their attempts to get the truth. Other topics
covered by Aniv Investigation include: the safety of dairy products
in Armenia, the issue of adoption, the suicide of a prisoner accused
of the assassinations in the parliament in October, 1999.
The audio files of the radio investigation are available at the
Internews Armenia web site:

UEFA.com
July 29 2004
Longford share hopes of progress
Forty-eight teams will meet today when the second leg of the UEFA Cup
first qualifying round is completed.
Estonian winners
The victors will join Estonia’s FC Levadia Tallinn, who beat Bohemian
FC of the Republic of Ireland 3-1 on aggregate on Tuesday, in the
second and final qualifying round.
Helpful fans
Another Irish side will be hoping for a more successful outcome this
evening. Longford Town FC trail Liechtenstein’s FC Vaduz 1-0 from the
away leg, but their supporters will expect their players to match the
efforts they have put in over the past few days. New seats,
turnstiles and a control room have been installed to bring Flancare
Park up to the UEFA A Licence standard required to host the match.
Injury doubt
Vaduz’s chances will not be helped should Liechtenstein Player of the
Year, Benjamin Fischer, fail to recover from a minor leg injury. “We
have to apply pressure from the start,” said coach Martin Andermatt.
“The Irish will try to score an early goal but we will try to impose
our rhythm.” However, Vaduz midfielder Franz Burgmuller is confident
of progress. “If we play with full speed and concentration we will
make it.”
Pre-season fitness
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s Glentoran FC face a tough task at
Finnish club AC Allianssi. With the Irish League only starting on 14
August, Glentoran manager Roy Coyle said a lack of match fitness had
played a big part in the 2-2 first-leg draw in Belfast.
Competitive debut
However, Coyle, who could include former Manchester United FC
defender Pat McGibbon for the first time in a competitive game, said:
“I think we have seen the best of them and we are pretty confident.”
His Allianssi counterpart, Ari Tiittanen, is also in relaxed mood
ahead of the action at Vantaa’s Pohjola stadium. “We are in no rush
to score an early goal. We can be patient. I believe we can win,” he
said.
Visa difficulties
Elsehere, Armenia’s FC MIKA will be without midfielder Tigran
Hovhannisyan, who has been denied a visa for the trip to Hungary
where they will play Budapest Honvéd FC. MIKA coach Suren Barsegyan
is unworried, though, and said of his side’s 1-0 deficit: “We are all
aware that nothing is lost after the first leg. We will get even for
the defeat and have enough to build on.”
First ever win
Despite trailing 2-0 to Ukrainians FC Illychivets Mariupil, another
Armenian club, FC Banants, are determined to restore national pride.
Armenia’s representatives are yet to win a match in this competition,
and Banants coach Hovhannes Zanazanyen said: “We will treat this game
seriously because we need a victory in the UEFA Cup. The time has
come to break the duck.”
Staying behind
Illichivets coach Mykola Pavlov has called up an 18-man squad for the
away leg, leaving several players at home to prepare for a league
fixture against FC Dynamo Kyiv next Monday. He acknowledged that his
team failed to take all their chances last week. “We failed to do
so,” he said, “and the winner will be decided in the second match.”
Farewell game
Finally, Lithuania’s FK Ekranas, 1-0 ahead against F91 Dudelange from
Luxembourg, and hoping for a first-ever aggregate victory in a UEFA
club competition qualifying round, could be saying farewell to
centre-back Egidijus Majus, who is a target for Russian Premier
League leaders FC Zenit St. Peterburg.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION EXTENDS $2MLN LOAN TO
ARMSAVINGSBANK
YEREVAN, July 28 (Noyan Tapan). The International Finanical
Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank will allocate a loan of $2mln. to
Armsavingsbank for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprizes (SME) and
mortgage crediting. The agreement was signed by Ashot Osipian,
Executive Director of Armsavingsbank and Edward Nassim, Director of
the IFC Central and Eastern European Department in Yerevan July
28. A. Osipian told reporters the loan will be allocated in two
tranches to be repaid within five years. $1.5mln. will be used to
extend credits to the SMEs operating in the spheres of industry,
construction, services and trade. The largest size of those loans will
be $150,000 with a due date of payment five years and with annual
interest rates of 14%-20%. The bank will extend mortgage loans both
for the purchase and repair of dwellings. The largest size of the
loans in the first case will be $30,000, in the second case
$15,000. The loans will be extended with a repayment date of up to
five years, and with an annual interest rate of 14%. A. Osipian also
said the Armsavingsbank is currently extending mortgage loans with a
repayment date of four years and with an interest rate of 16%. He gave
assurances that the bank now has a package of 100% healthy mortgage
loans of $900,000. he said the main obstacle to the sphere’s
development is the procedure of working credit technologies which is
being gradually processes. According to Nassim, this deal is the first
investment of IFC in the Armenian banking system. Before that the
corporation invested $5mln. in the Marriott Armenia hotel and another
$2mln. in the ACBA Leasing company. He also said the corporation is
planning to establish a foundation in Armenia with its own funds
though no relevant final decision has yet been made. Edward Nassim
stated IFC studied the Armenian banking system four years ago and
decided it was too early to make investments in it. This deal
testifies that the Armenian banking system has developed and is
trustworthy now. He said mortgage loaning is of great interest for IFC
since it develops both the middle layer of the population and the
construction sphere of the country. Chairman of the RA Central Bank
Tigran Sargssian said the Central Bank welcomes this cooperation.
It will enable the Armsavingsbank to provide new services in large
volumes which will intensify competition in the banking sphere as a
result of which the system will get sronger. Armsavingsbank is the
fourth among the Armenian banks with the volume of its assets
($33.4mln.). The capital of the bank totaled $5.3mln. as of January
1. It has 24 branches and 450 workers. IFC, founded in 1956, is a
member of the World Bank. It aims to fund investments in the private
sector, attract free means in circulation on the international market,
as well as to assist the developing and transition countries. So far,
the corporation has extended loans of over $37bln. from its iwn funds
and over $22bln. from the attracted funds.

LAVRENTY BARSEGHIAN DISPELS INFORMATION ABOUT MEETING WITH TURKISH
SCIENTISTS IN VIENNA PUBLISHED IN “MILLIET”
YEREVAN, July 28 (Noyan Tapan). Information about the Viennese meeting
of Turkish and Armenian scientists who exchanged the documents for and
against the Armenian Genocide and about the presence of Lavrenty
Barsegian, Director of the Genocide Museum, at this meeting doesn’t
completely meet reality. Lavrenty Barseghian reported about it to the
“Marmara” newspaper, emphasizing that he didn’t leave Yerevan and,
hence, didn’t participate in the Viennese meeting. To recap, “Marmara”
reported about the meeting on July 21, referring to the Turkish
“Milliet” newspaper. In reality, according to L. Barseghian, there was
no meeting held as there were no scientists leaving Armenia. Lavrenty
Barseghian reported that he himself sent 85 documents to the Viennese
University. The documents were taken from the archives of Germany and
Austria that were allies of Turkey then. He will send another hundred
documents from the German archives to the Viennese University
soon. But there was no meeting in Vienna, because the Armenian side
doesn’t agree to make the issue “whether the Genocide had taken place
in reality or not” the subject of the discussion. Lavrenty Barseghian
said that they are sorry that they couldn’t take part in the meeting,
but the position of the Armenian side is firm. Lavrenty Barseghian
emphasized in his interview to the “Hayastany Hanrapetutiun”
(“Republic of Armenia”) newspaper that Wolfditer Bihl, a famous
historian, PhD of the Viennese University, was the initiator of the
meeting. He organized so-called Armenian-Turkish platform and
suggested that the Armenian and Turkish scientists should meet in
Vienna, previously presenting the documents regarding the 1915 events.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
July 29, 2004
___________________
FUNERAL SERVICES FOR BISHOP BAGDASIAN TO BE HELD AUGUST 10
Longtime Armenian Church leader, Rt. Rev. Bishop Houssig Bagdasian
passed away on Tuesday, July 27, 2004.
A wake will be held at the St. Mary Church in Livingston, NJ, on Sunday,
August 1, 2004 with viewing from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 and the wake service
at 7 p.m.
The Divine Liturgy and last anointment, presided over by Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of
America (Eastern), will be held at the St. Mary Church at 10 a.m. on
Monday, August 2, 2004.
A hokejash will follow. The St. Mary Church is located at 200 W. Mt.
Pleasant Ave. in Livingston, NJ.
Bishop Bagdasian will be buried in Providence, RI, where he was born in
1934.
“His entire life was devoted to serving our church and our people,”
Archbishop Barsamian said. “As a pastor, his flock always held a
special space in his heart. He left his mark by planting the seeds of
leadership in people who lead our church today and the others who will
in coming years.”
LONGTIME SERVANT OF THE LORD
A graduate of the Seminary of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem,
Bishop Bagdasian was ordained a priest in 1959. In 1960 he was
appointed Patriarchal Vicar of Israel, and was responsible for the
Armenian community in Israel as well as the properties of the Armenian
Patriarchate.
During his 11 years of service in the Holy Land, Bishop Bagdasian helped
renovate several Armenian churches, including St. Nicholas in Jaffa, St.
Elijah in Haifa, and St. Krikor Loosavorich in Jerusalem.
Returning to the United States in 1971, he was assigned to the St. Mary
Church, then in Irvington, NJ. He led the church in its move to
Livingston in 1974. After the church was destroyed by fire in 1980,
Bishop Bagdasian’s leadership was key in helping the parish faithful
pull together to rebuild the church, which was consecrated in March
1982.

His service to the Diocese was not limited to the St. Mary parish. He
was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese and headed the Diocesan
Finance Committee. He had also served as a member of the Diocesan
Council. And he was dedicated to the Armenian homeland, leading a group
of 26 ACYOA members to the region devastated by the 1988 earthquake to
help with reconstruction efforts.
Upon the recommendation of His Beatitude Patriarch Torkom Manoogian,
Bishop Bagdasian was consecrated a bishop in Armenia in September 1992
by His Holiness Vazken I, the late Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians.
“He was a great leader, a dedicated pastor, and above all else, a kind
friend to so many,” Archbishop Barsamian said. “His dedication to the
faith he was called to serve was strong, as was his love for his flock.
He will surely be missed in Livingston, throughout the Diocese, and in
the worldwide Armenian Church family.”
— 7/29/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
www.armenianc}oOuh.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Bishop Houssig Bagdasian

Armenian Assembly of America
122 C Street, NW, Suite 350
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
July 29, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY, AGBU INTERNS TAKE PART IN WASHINGTON WEEKEND
Washington, DC – For the second time in three months, the nation’s capital
served as the setting for an event held jointly by the Armenian Assembly of
America and Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) – this time bringing
together the next generation of community leaders to establish a rapport on
issues facing the community.
More than 50 college students of Armenian descent – participants of the
Assembly and AGBU internship programs – came together for a weekend of
activities that culminated in a meeting with Armenian Ambassador Dr. Arman
Kirakossian. Assembly interns welcomed their counterparts from New York
July 23-25, taking them on tours of the city and hosting a Saturday night
barbeque in their honor.
Armenian Assembly Internship Program Manager Alex Karapetian, who organized
the weekend with AGBU internship program co-founder Rita Balian, said “These
students have a shared heritage and genuine interest in the betterment of
our community. The Assembly is honored to facilitate such gatherings that
speak to today’s youth.”
AGBU Intern Program Associate Director Aline Ekmekji underlined the spirit
of camaraderie and importance of networking among Armenian youth. “We were
delighted to accept the invitation to spend a weekend with Assembly interns
and look forward to hosting them in New York next year,” said Ekmekji.
The weekend capped off at the Virginia home of Rita and Vartkess Balian, who
arranged a Sunday brunch for the interns. “You are the future leaders of
our communities and it is a great pleasure to see you gathered here today,”
said Rita Balian, an Assembly Associate Trustee Member.

“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of creating a professional and
personal network,” Balian added. “I am very encouraged by the spirit of
cooperation between everyone present here.”
Ambassador Kirakossian, who was among the guests, praised the two
organizations for their role in providing youth “this unique and valuable
opportunity to enhance their knowledge, understanding and involvement in
Armenian and Armenian-American issues.”
The AGBU New York Summer Internship Program, established in 1987, has
benefited more than 550 college students from the U.S. and abroad.
Similarly, the Assembly since 1977 has hosted nearly 800 Armenian-American
college-aged students for an eight-week stint in Washington, DC, combining
summer employment with a full schedule of educational and social activities.
The program was renamed the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship in 2003.
This year’s class, which includes students from the U.S., Canada, England
and Armenia, are interning for congressional offices, government agencies,
think tanks and media outlets.
The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
NR#2004-070
Photographs available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:
Caption: Armenian Assembly and AGBU interns during the Saturday night
barbecue held at the Georgetown University dormitories.

Caption: AGBU President’s Club Chairperson and Armenian Assembly Associate
Trustee Rita Balian flanked by AGBU Intern Program Associate Director Aline
Ekmekji and Assembly Internship Program Manager Alex Karapetian.
Caption: Ambassador Dr. Arman Kirakossian, center, commended Assembly and
AGBU interns for taking an active interest in issues facing their
communities and homeland.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Communications Officer
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
July 29, 2004
___________________
Week of July 24 to July 29, 2004
* * *
BISHOP HOUSSIG BAGDASIAN PASSES AWAY
The Rt. Rev. Bishop Houssig Bagdasian, longtime pastor of the St. Mary
Church of Livingston, NJ, passed away on Tuesday (7/27). A wake will be
held from 2 to 4 and 6 to 9 on Sunday (8/1). The Divine Liturgy and
last anointing, with Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, presiding,
will be at the church at 10 a.m. on Monday (8/2). For more on the
arrangements and the life of Bishop Bagdasian, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/29/04)
* * *
ARARAT CENTER OPEN HOUSE A GIANT SUCCESS
More than 650 people turned out on Saturday (7/24) for the open house
and consecration of the Diocese’s new Ararat Center, 30 miles south of
Albany, NY. During the service, soil from Armenia was buried at the
site and an altar stone was consecrated for use during services at the
center. For more information on the open house and consecration, for a
full set of photos, and to learn how people were inspired to support the
center after seeing it, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/27/04)
* * *
PRIMATE HEADS TO THE MIDWEST
Archbishop Barsamian will travel to Chicagoland this weekend. He will
celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the St. James Church of Evanston, IL, at
10:30 a.m. on Sunday (8/1). The church is located at 816 Clark St. in
Evanston, IL.
Later on Sunday, he will spend time with the campers at Midwest Hye
Camp, which runs from Sunday through next Saturday (8/7). You’ll be
able to follow along with updates from the camp by clicking to our
website:
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/26/04)
* * *
PRIMATE CONTINUES ECCUMENICAL EFFORTS
The Primate is continuing his ecumenical work by participating in two
events this week in New York City. Tonight he will be a special guest
at the biennial clergy congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America. He will deliver welcoming remarks in the Grand Banquet Room of
the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
Yesterday (7/28), the Primate delivered the benediction during a
luncheon hosted by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in honor of His
Eminence Peter Cardinal Erdo of Hungry.
For more on these events, click to our website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/29/04)
* * *
SEMINAR AT DIOCESE FOCUSES ON ARMENIAN FAITH
This week, 10 parish leaders from throughout the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) have been in New York City at the Diocesan
Center for a free week-long course titled “Light of Light: The Armenian
and His Faith,” which features prominent historians, psychologists,
sociologists, and linguists discussing a variety of aspects of Armenian
Christianity. For more details on this, click to the Eastern Diocese’s
website:
;selmonth=7&sel
year04
(Source: Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), 7/27/04)
* * *
YOUNG CHOIR MEMBERS HEAD TO ARARAT CENTER
The Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA) will hold a
new Junior Choir Leadership Development Program next week — from August
4 to 8 — at the Diocese’s new Ararat Center. The program was designed
to develop future choir directors for our parishes. Twelve outstanding
young students, between 14 and 18 years old, from different parishes
were selected to attend this special program. The Choir Association is
underwriting most of the cost for the session. To learn more about the
AACCA, click to its website. You can find it, and many others, on our
links page:
(Source: AACCA, 7/26/04)
* * *
MAKE OUR FAITH VIBRANT
Support the on-going operations of the Ararat Center, continue education
efforts such as the Light of Light seminar, and provide resources to
strengthen the outreach ministries of the Diocese, such as our college
ministry program and Internet ministry. Your continued support makes
all these efforts successful. You can give online today.
It’s simple, safe, and secure. Just click here to support the efforts
of the Diocese to make the Armenian Church significant in the lives of
every Armenian:
# # #

The Monitor (Kampala)
July 29, 2004
Going to the Bush Not an Option

Kintu Nyago
Kampala
Reform Agenda and the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum’s (Pafo) last
Friday’s Lugogo meeting is a desired pointer to Uganda’s future
political development. As I will endeavour to explain below, our
future politics lies in civil political means defined by our
constitution which, of course, can be progressively amended as
dictated by, non other than, Ugandans.
The current re-alignment within our political elite was mainly
triggered by the 2003 Kyankwanzi Movement National Executive
Committee meeting. This allowed for the lifting of the double
restrictions on political party activity and Presidential terms
limits.
However, removing these double restrictions require constitutional
amendment. This should not have been a problem given the government’s
majority in Parliament. But they are insisting that the entire
electorate be consulted through a referendum, which complicates the
political equation.
Mainly so on the question of lifting term limits, given especially
that though controversial amongst the urban elite, and sections of
the diplomatic community, this issue seems to resonate well with the
rural, more conservative population, who constitute our overwhelming
majority.
Then there is the issue of the 2006 General Elections, where
formidable candidate Y.K Museveni will most likely stand on the NRM-O
ticket, after his side’s securing the amending of Article 105 (2). It
is only prudent for the NRM’s competitors to reorganise now, if they
are to capture the electorate’s imagination and favourably compete.
It is in vogue and politically trendy for many Ugandan leaders to
quickly claim that that they are ‘going to the bush’ in case their
partisan political interests, no matter how trivial, are not catered
for. Although the German military theorist Count Von Clausewitz
explained that war is a continuation of politics by violent means, in
contemporary Uganda ‘going to the bush’ to achieve domestic political
objectives is anachronistic or a thing of the past.
History informs us that successful armed struggles are not merely
outcomes of an individual’s bravery or even mere popular support.
Take the instances of the Mau-Mau in Kenya or the bloody Armenian
struggle in the Turkish Empire. A complex set of objectives and
subjective factors are required for a successful political armed
struggle.
Museveni’s successful guerrilla experience in the Luweero Triangle,
which has motivated a number of young and old to emulate him usually
for the wrong reasons, resulted from three fundamental factors.
Namely correct timing, then Museveni and his inner circle’s prior
experience in insurgency activities, coupled with remarkable
conceptual and organisational abilities.
And also having possessed a hierarchical, disciplined
politico-military structure founded on the Front for National
Salvation that evolved into the NRA/NRM. Museveni also seems to have
had the knack of crafting and maintaining broad political coalitions.
Earlier in the mid 1960’s Commadante Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara’s failure
in neighbouring eastern Congo, had arisen mainly out of poor timing
that led to operating in a political context where peasant Congolese
and their leaders, shared little of his grand ‘Internationalist anti
Imperialist agenda’. A later attempt, in the late 1960’s, in the
mountains of Bolivia ended to his death.
Two other factors favoured the NRM namely; Uganda’s economy and state
structures collapsed during the removal of the Marshal Amin in 1979,
abated, for sure, by the later misrule. While the little goodies that
existed only went round to the Uganda People’s Congress supporters,
who excluded others elite.
In today’s Uganda, the state has creatively been re-established with
responsive civil structures, the Local Councils, with a stake in the
system. Few, if at all any, LCs would allow their villages or
parishes to be infested with elite having hair brained ‘bush going’
agendas.
This explains the Lord’s Resistance Army’s evil logic of unleashing
terror upon the population and targeting councillors. Indeed why the
rebel groups opted to operate from Congo’s Ituri forest! While the
state’s ‘steel frame’ namely the army and intelligence organisations’
elaborate structures are quite intact and should be ready to take on
extra-constitutional elements with potent ferocity.
The liberalisation of the economy, coupled with sound macro-economic
policies have provided ‘many carrots’ to a cross-section of ever
increasing numbers of Ugandans.
Former Local Government minister, ‘Mister’ Bidandi Ssali, while
managing the Museveni’s 2001 campaign aptly termed it: “Balina
kebekoledde”, a potent slogan! These will not risk all to “go to the
bush”.
Uganda’s future politics lies in civil political expression. Apart
from this being the medium through which our constitutionalism will
be sustainably nurtured, the odds are pretty high for the warmongers.

KurdishMedia, UK
July 29, 2004
IPA concerned about dangers threatening publishers in lead up to
consideration of Turkey’s membership in the EU.
BIA (Geneva) – The International Publishers Association (IPA) is
deeply concerned about the dangers that threaten Turkish publishers
when pursuing their profession.
“We call upon the Turkish authorities to implement the many reforms
that were passed. Implementation is key and must not surrender to
bureaucratic conservatism or any other hurdle,” says Ana-Maria
Cabanellas, President of the IPA.
On 15 July 2004, eight international NGOs met with Enlargement
Commissioner Günter Verheugen in Brussels to discuss the progress
made by Turkey in the field of Human Rights.
The Commission will issue a recommendation this September on whether
EU member states should start membership negotiations with Turkey in
December 2004 or not.
It is indeed in December that Heads of States and Governments will
decide on this. They have already indicated that they would follow
the recommendation issued by the Commission.
The IPA recalled that last year 43 books were banned and 37 writers
and 17 publishers were put on trial. To date in 2004, at least 15
books have been banned in Turkey.
While welcoming the legislative and constitutional changes in Turkey,
the IPA expressed its three main concerns:
1. The legal impediments to the practice of the right to freedom of
expression in Turkey;
2. The current tendency of Turkish Security Courts to harass writers,
journalists and publishers by putting them on trial more and more
often, fining them or just postponing their trials indefinitely;
3. The lack of implementation of legal reforms regarding freedom of
expression.
Lars Grahn, Chairman of IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, says,
“The six following taboos are obvious hurdles to freedom of
expression and to publishing in Turkey: Position of the Military,
Kurdish Question, Armenian Genocide, Kemalism, Women’s Liberation and
Islamic Law.
“Treating writers, journalists and publishers as potential terrorists
or criminals and judging them in the same courts as drug traffickers
and/or real terrorists is unacceptable.” (YE)
* The IPA press statement was released on July 19, 2004
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress