ASBAREZ Online [03-09-2005]

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03/09/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) System Of A Down ~QSouls 2005~R Benefit Concert 2) Sen. Allen Calls for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide 3) Erdogan Calls for a Study about Armenian Genocide ~QInsinuations~R 4) Skirmish Reported in Karabagh 1) System Of A Down ~QSouls 2005~R Benefit Concert "We call this 'Souls' because there are all these souls that aren't at rest. Their deaths have been overlooked." LOS ANGELES--Multi-Platinum-selling group System Of A Down will headline "Souls 2005," a benefit concert presented by Los Angeles radio powerhouse, KROQ-FM, and held in Los Angeles on Sunday, April 24 at the Universal Amphitheatre. All tickets for the concert will be priced at $45.00 and will go on sale at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 12 at the Universal Amphitheatre box office, all Ticketmaster outlets including Tower Records, Robinsons-May, Wherehouse, Ritmo Latino, <;, and <; Doors are at 7:00 PM and the show will begin at 8:15 PM; support acts and other details will be announced shortly. This is the third "Souls" benefit concert that System Of A Down has organized and headlined, and as before, the four band members--Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian, and John Dolmayan--have earmarked the proceeds from "Souls 2005" to benefit organizations that work to eradicate genocides across the globe. This includes the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), an organization that supports legislation in US Congress to recognize the Armenian genocide that was perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire during World War 1. During this first genocide of the 20th century, 1.5 million Armenians were annihilated and hundreds of thousands deported from their ancient homeland. April 24 was chosen as the date for the concert as this year it commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. The members of System of a Down, who are of Armenian descent, all lost family members and family history to the Armenian genocide. "Because so much of my family history was lost in the Armenian Genocide," said Malakian, "my grandfather, who was very young at the time, doesn't know his true age. How many people can say they don't know how old they are?" Tankian, Dolmayan and Odadjian all identify their grandparents' memories as the only links they have to their respective family heritages, as most of their families were obliterated during the Armenian genocide. Why should System Of A Down fans be concerned about the Armenian genocide, something that happened nearly one-hundred years ago and far away from the United States? "It's important for people to be aware of the Armenian Genocide," explained Tankian, "and that those actions continue to be covered up by the Turkish government, the US State Department, Turkey's allies in the defense and oil industries, and by our present US Administration. Had the Armenian Genocide been acknowledged as a Crime Against Humanity as it was, Hitler might not have thought he could get away with the Jewish Holocaust. History does and will repeat itself, unless we stop that cycle." 2) Sen. Allen Calls for US Recognition of Armenian Genocide --Virginia Legislator: US "Not Willing to Sweep History under the Rug" WASHINGTON, DC--In a principled stand for US recognition of the Armenian genocide, Senator George Allen (R-VA), in his capacity as the presiding officer of a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee hearing on the Black Sea region, noted that the United States "wants to have good relations with Turkey but we are not willing to sweep history under the rug," reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The hearing, on "The Future of Democracy in the Black Sea Area," was held before the Subcommittee on European Affairs and featured testimony by John F. Tefft, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, European and Eurasian Affairs; Bruce P. Jackson, President of the Project on Transitional Democracies; Vladimir Socor, a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, and; Zeyno Baran, Director of International Security and Energy Programs for the Nixon Center. Senator Allen, during his remarks, also noted the chilling nature of Adolf Hitler's remarks to quiet the reservations of his military staff on the eve of invading Poland--"Who, after all, remembers the Armenians?" "As he has done so often in the past--as a member of the Virginia legislature, a US Representative, Governor of the Commonwealth, and now as Senator--George Allen has spoken with moral clarity on the need to end any association with Turkey's shameful policy of genocide denial," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Armenians throughout the Old Dominion and around the nation appreciate the Senator's strong leadership on the issue of the Armenian Genocide and the full range of legislative issues dealing with Armenia and the surrounding region." Early in her testimony, Baran of the Nixon Center cited the "deterioration in the US-Turkey bilateral relationship." She went on to voice her opposition to the Armenian Genocide Resolution, noting that its passage would harm US-Turkey relations. "Given the prevalent Turkish view that the US is running a campaign against Turkey, it would be very damaging if the "Armenian Genocide" resolution passed Congress this year," stated Baran. "This year is the 90th anniversary of the tragic 1915 massacre and certainly Armenian diaspora groups would like to get recognition. However, such a resolution would play right into the hands of the growing set of anti-Americans and ultra-nationalists in Turkey." "We are profoundly troubled that there remain voices whose recipe for reining in the Turkish government's increasing anti-American policies is to reward Turkey by compromising our nation's principles stand against genocide," said Hamparian. "American leadership requires that we stand up for our values, not run away from them." 3) Erdogan Calls for a Study about Armenian Genocide ~QInsinuations~R ANKARA (Reuters)--Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan called Tuesday for an impartial study by historians of ~SArmenian claims that their people suffered genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turkish troops during and after World War I.~T Turkey always denied the Armenian genocide but has been irked by growing calls, especially from within the European Union, which it aspires to join, that it recognize a genocide occurred as an historic fact. Some EU politicians have even suggested that Turkey should not be allowed to start entry talks to join the bloc on Oct. 3 unless it accepts the genocide claims. "We have opened our archives to those people who claim there was genocide. If they are sincere, they should also open their archives," Erdogan told a news conference. "Teams of historians from both sides should conduct studies in these archives. We are ready to take steps on this issue. "We do not want future generations to have a difficult life because of hatred and resentment," he added. In an unusual gesture that underlined the sensitivity of the issue in Turkey, opposition leader Deniz Baykal joined Erdogan at the news conference to stress his party's full backing for an independent inquiry into the claims. "We are facing a political campaign (against Turkey)," said Baykal, leader of the Republican People's Party (CHP). In his statement to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Baykal said, ~SIt is time to put an end to the insinuations on the Armenian ~Qgenocide,~R" describing it as a product of a morbid imagination. He announced that his party will host a symposium, under the auspices of UNESCO, with the participation of the world's most famous scholars. "If the Armenian scholars really have serious arguments and facts on the ~Qgenocide,~R they should display them here. Those who talk about the Armenian ~Qgenocide~R by the Ottoman government must present documentary proofs. If the events are nothing but the insinuations, however, the international community must be aware of that," he said. Several foreign parliaments, including those of Canada, France, and Switzerland, have approved resolutions recognizing an Armenian genocide as fact, much to Turkey's irritation. 4) Skirmish Reported in Karabagh STEPANAKERT (Combined Sources)--Mountainous Karabagh Republic~Rs (MKR) Defense Ministry reported late Tuesday that a group of Azeri soldiers attempted to cross the frontline near the Armenian-controlled village of Seysulan on a ~Sreconnaissance and sabotage~T mission before being repelled by Armenian forces. ~SThe enemy had to retreat as a result of a gunfight,~T said a ministry statement. ~SThe Karabagh side suffered no losses.~T The MKR military charged that the skirmish was part of Azerbaijan~Rs efforts to ~Sdestabilize the situation~T along the line of contact north and east of Karabagh and move its troops closer to Armenian positions. ~SAny action by the Azerbaijani side threatening the security of Mountainous Karabagh and aimed at destabilizing the situation in the Azerbaijani-Karabagh conflict zone will be resolutely thwarted,~T it warned. Karabagh troops suffered no casualties. The Azeri side confirmed the firefight but said it was the Karabagh Armenians who provoked it by firing on Azeri positions. ~SThe enemy was silenced by Azerbaijani gunfire,~T the Azerbaijani ANS television said, according to BBC. ~SSeveral enemy soldiers were killed in the attack. Four wounded Azerbaijani soldiers have been hospitalized.~T An ANS correspondent at the scene reported that sporadic gunfire could still be heard in the area on Tuesday. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.