California Courier Online, March 24, 2005
1 – Commentary
Pastor Shocks Turkish TV Viewers
By Bold Remarks On Genocide
By Harut Sassounian
California Courier Publisher
2 – A Critical Evaluation of Book by TARC Mediator
3 – Dr. George Kooshian Appointed
Visiting Movel Professor at UCLA
4 – UAF Shipped $24 Million
Of Aid to Armenia in 2004
5 – Alumnus Charlie Keyan Donates
$150,000 For Scholarships at CSUF
6 – George Deukmejian Endorses Sen.
Poochigian for Attorney General
7 – Pepperdine ALSA
To Honor Karabian
At March 30 Reception
8 – Activist Hrand Simonian Receives
‘Gontag’ From Catholicos Aram
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1 – Commentary
Pastor Shocks Turkish TV Viewers
By Bold Remarks On Genocide
By Harut Sassounian
Publisher, The California Courier
Even though the Turks are supposed to be on their best behavior in order to
convince the Europeans that they are civilized enough to join the European
Union, they are still extremely intolerant of anyone who dares to bring up
the taboo subject of the Armenian Genocide.
Last month, when Orhan Pamuk, an internationally-known Turkish novelist,
boldly told a foreign reporter that one million Armenians were killed
around 1915, just about all Turkish commentators, historians
(government-paid propagandists) and politicians severely condemned the
writer for making such a statement. A radical Turkish group even called for
the murder of this “traitor.” Furthermore, a Turkish publisher is being
prosecuted by the government for releasing the Turkish translation of an
English language book that urges the acknowledgment of the Armenian
Genocide. Around six months ago, in the midst of trying to qualify for the
start of membership talks to join the EU, the Turkish Parliament adopted a
new law that makes it a crime for anyone to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide. If this is how the Turkish government is acting, while trying to
impress the Europeans, imagine what it would do if its actions were not
under scrutiny!
Given all the controversy this issue has generated within Turkey, the
Turkish “Flash TV” decided to air earlier this month a five-hour live talk
show on the Armenian Genocide. The host of the program requested that the
Armenian Patriarchate send a representative to take part in this show.
However, the Patriarchate refused to participate by saying that it did not
have an expert on the subject to be discussed. The host then invited Rev.
Krikor Aghabaloghlu, the outspoken and courageous pastor of a local
Armenian evangelical church, to present “the Armenian point of view.” Rev.
Aghabaloghlu is a well-known activist who has already been jailed once for
challenging the confiscation of his church’s property by the Turkish
government.
While there have been many talk shows on the Armenian issue, no one has
ever dared to go on Turkish TV and repeatedly assert in a bold and brazen
manner, as Rev. Aghabaloghlu did, that there is no doubt a genocide was
committed against the Armenians. Both Hulki Jevizoglu, the host of the
show, and his main guest, historian Mehmet Saray were dumb-founded and
tongue-tied by the Armenian clergyman’s unexpectedly outspoken remarks. In
a very calm and congenial manner, and with always a smile on his face,
Pastor Aghabaloghlu said on national Turkish TV that all Turks in Anatolia
know the truth about the Armenian Genocide. He said that no one dared to
talk about this subject and that anyone who had the courage to speak about
it, is called a traitor, condemned by the media, taken to court, and sent
to jail.
Despite all attempts to shut him up during the show, Rev. Aghabaloghlu kept
on insisting that as a clergyman he has the obligation to tell the truth.
When asked to back up his comments, he said that he knew the facts
first-hand from the experiences of his own family. Besides, he added, there
is plenty of evidence for the Genocide in thousands of books and that
everyone knew that the Armenians in Anatolia were the victims of Genocide.
Otherwise, he said, what did happen to the Armenians inhabiting that
region?
Did they evaporate? Did they decide to migrate en masse? Are there any
Armenians left in Anatolia?
Making the Turks even angrier, Rev. Aghabaloghlu said that since Armenians
are mistreated in Turkey today, one can only imagine how much worse their
treatment must have been back then under the Ottoman Empire?
Mehmet Saray, the Turkish historian, was so enraged by the Armenian
clergyman’s assertions that he kept asking the host of the show, “where did
you find this man?” Saray said he would have refused to appear on the show
if he had known that he would take part in such a “low quality” discussion
and that his years of research and his books on this issue would be
ignored.
When a viewer from Erzeroum called to say that mass graves of Turks were
recently uncovered, Rev. Aghabaloghlu immediately retorted: “How do you
know that these bones did not belong to Armenians?”
This astounding conversation, broadcast live to millions of Turkish
viewers, went on until the wee hours of the morning.
Rev. Aghabaloghlu is the courageous shepherd not only of his own flock, but
that of all Armenians in Turkey who dare not to speak out fearing for their
lives! The good pastor risked his life by making such bold remarks on a
taboo subject in Turkey. European Union officials should warn the Turkish
government that Turkey’s EU membership prospects would be seriously
jeopardized should anything happen to this brave Armenian servant of God
who, as he says, has an obligation to tell the truth!
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2 – Review
A Critical Evaluation of Book by TARC Mediator
Unsilencing the Past: Track Two Diplomacy and Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation, by David L. Phillips (Preface by Elie Wiesel), Berghahn
Books, New York/Oxford (2005)
By Charles Garo Ashjian, J.D., Ph.D
Newark, New Jersey
This is a book about third party mediation (i.e. Track Two Diplomacy) in a
world filled with “intractable conflicts that confound traditional
diplomacy.” Whereas, according to Phillips, the U.S. State Department
“inculcates a risk-adverse culture that discourages initiative and stifles
creativity;”(page135). Informal third party mediation or Track Two
Diplomacy embodies a flexibility which compensates for such inherent
constraints on government officials. Thereby, private citizens may succeed
or make inroads where officials seem only like to fail. This book depicts
the author’s own experiences as chair and facilitator of the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) which was the fulcrum for
the Track Two Program on Turkey and the Caucasus. The Commission was
quietly financed by the State Department and initiated during the Clinton
Administration and formally established in 2001, and, at least, tacitly
approved by the governments of Armenia and Turkey. Presumably based on the
author’s experiences, the book concludes with the offering of practical
principles which may be of utility to those involved in such future
endeavors.
However, even though the author attempts to depict important
accomplishments as the direct result of the efforts of TARC, there is no
actual resolution of the conflicts and issues which, nevertheless, still
exist between the governments and peoples of Turkey and Armenia. Actually,
the Track Two activity merely aggravated and compounded the situation.
Contrary to the insinuations of success by the author, the overall activity
of TARC was a failure. The book unwittingly or transparently corroborates
and underlines this failure. For instance, in the Preface, Eli Wiesel asks
the question: “Has it been fruitful?” Wiesel refrains from giving an
answer. The author, Phillips, nearly gives an answer when, summarizing and
referring to the concluding activity of TARC, he states: “Track Two rarely
results in a breakthrough.” The Bush administration never reacted with
anything but a courteous nod toward this activity.
The major obstacle to rapprochement or reconciliation between the
governments and people of Turkey and Armenia is the matter of the Armenian
Genocide. The TARC addressed this matter by seeking and obtaining a legal
opinion, purportedly objective and unbiased, which was entitled, “A Legal
Analysis on the Applicability of the United Nations Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide to Events Which Occurred
During the Early Twentieth Century” (i.e. the Armenian Genocide). They did
so by referring the request to the International Center for Transitional
Justice (ICTJ). The ICTJ is a reputable and expert organization founded by
and presided over by Alex Boraine.
Its purpose is to “advise emerging democracies on addressing legacies of
human rights abuse.” The ICTJ, in turn, merely and only facilitated the
request of TARC by referring it to an independent third-party for a legal
analysis or opinion. In actuality, and since then, the ICTJ has distanced
itself from the ensuing analysis by a “legal analyst” who remains
unidentified, according to my knowledge, and said analyst has also been
referred to as “the group” to be contacted through Phillips at the Council
on Foreign Relations. (Note: The brief legal analysis is not even printed
in the book.)
It is repeatedly false for Phillips to indicate (e.g. pp. 154-116) that the
resultant “opinion” or “analysis” is authored by the ICTJ. Why does
Phillips persistently do so throughout the book while also providing the
contradictory text of the letter, dated 9/16/02, to him from Boraine? The
letter states: “ICTJ has agreed to facilitate the provision of a legal
analysis. The analysis will be performed entirely independently of the
ICTJ. The analysis will not be conducted by any ICTJ staff member; nor will
the ICTJ be involved in any way in seeking to influence the conclusions
reached by the analysis. Our role is merely that of helping to identify an
appropriate expert to undertake the analysis requested by Tarc.” (page 110)
Why is the resultant opinion or analysis so onerous? Firstly, it falsely
states that the term “genocide,” though applicable to the “Events” (i.e.
the Armenian Genocide), is merely a “terminological” one with “no legal
applicability” whatsoever; secondly, the opinion or analysis, in
contradiction of overwhelming prevalent evidence and scholarship,
challenges the historical truth and verity of the Armenian Genocide as
merely a yet unresolved historical issue; thirdly, it treats the Genocide
as a local or limited regional event and minor in both its character and
magnitude; and fourthly, it disputes the direct involvement and culpability
of the governmental leadership and officialdom of the time. This is
historical reductionism and revisionism. This is genocide denial.
The actual purpose of this so-called analysis was to break the truth and
throw a distorted fragment of it to each side. Armenians were supposed to
become grateful before they were being given permission or sanction by
TARC, even though strictly qualified, to apply the term “genocide” to their
past plight. Armenians do not need permission from anyone. But perhaps some
of this is not entirely correct as Phillips, the chairman of TARC, in
reference to Turkish Armenian relations, states: “I was not concerned with
the response of Armenians.”
Phillips was not concerned about the Armenian response to the harmful
misdeeds of TARC since the key Armenian member of TARC had privately
offered him assurances of support from the unidentified and most prominent
or powerful members of the Armenian community (see page. 57). The Armenian
community was supposed to line up in lockstep behind TARC. It did not
happen. It never will happen. (Lest there be any mistake as to identity of
this key Armenian member of TARC, it is Van Z. Krikorian, a New York
attorney.)
In turn, the Turkish side was supposed to become elated because if the term
“genocide” does not have any legal applicability, then the Genocide
Convention may not be used by Armenians to claim territory or financial
reparations. Actually, even if the Genocide Convention did not exist, there
remains an abundance of legal ground upon which Armenians may still pursue
such claims if they so choose. However, I do not believe this legal course
is presently the prevailing disposition of the worldwide Armenian community
or the government of Armenia. The entirely of this matter is otherwise
amenable to solution.
Phillips describes Krikorian as a “champion of the Armenian people.” With
this kind of champion, who needs an enemy? This member of TARC chose to
propound and argue that the ICTJ analysis “should give both sides
something.” (see page 109). Accordingly, both Phillips and this member
openly advocated that the analysis achieve a “balanced outcome.” These
words had different meanings for each of the parties. One leading Turkish
member of TARC, vocally fearful of the truth, was guaranteed such a
“balanced outcome” by Phillips (See page 111). This analysis was wrongly
guided by standards more appropriately applicable to a fair and
conscientious business transaction. The goal should not have been to assure
a “win-win” situation. This is the source of the rot. The improper goal of
TARC, which suerely was communicated to the “legal analyst” for direction,
was to gild and memorialize lies and provide plausible and comforting
arguments for both sides, however false, for respective public consumption
in the guise of seeking and establishing reconciliation. The outcome of the
“legal analysis” with its false historical and legal conclusions was
designed and rigged beforehand. The members of TARC should not, as they do,
rationalize that truth was not their proper or paramount concern. The proof
is the stench coming from all of the lies. Everyone can smell it.
What TARC and its anonymous “legal analyst” merely accomplished, because of
the multitude of ulterior and ill-concealed personal and political motives,
was to unduly disappoint and discourage and aggravate each side. The book
by Phillips, though otherwise intended, actually provides a case study in
what should not be done during Track Two Diplomacy.
Phillips should have heeded his own admonition: “Track Two will flounder if
its integrity is compromised by either participants or the organizer.” (see
page 144). Actually, it will eventually drown. The whole truth of any
genocide should actively be sought and maintained. The people who do
otherwise should be exposed and rebuked. Any attempt to establish
reconciliation or rapprochement upon a duplicitous base of distortion and
falsity is outrageous and intolerable.
Ultimately, this is the most important lesson to be derived from the book.
The book itself should have been titled “Distorting the Past.”
I hope the book is read widely with due credit.
Editor’s Note: The author is a practicing attorney in New Jersey.
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3 – Dr. George Kooshian Appointed
Visiting Movel Professor at UCLA
UCLA -Dr. George B. Kooshian, Jr. has been appointed as Visiting Movel
Professor at UCLA for the Spring Quarter. A specialist on Armenian
immigration, Dr. Kooshian will teach a course on the history of the
Armenian community in California from its earliest settlers to the present.
Professor Richard Hovannisian, AEF Chair in Modern Armenian History at
UCLA, stated: “The Armenian community of California has a rich and colorful
history, which unfortunately remains virtually unknown to great waves of
recent Armenian immigrants. The course Dr. Kooshian has been invited to
teach will certainly help to fill this void.”
Kooshian was born and reared in Pasadena, attended local public schools and
Pasadena City College. He graduated from Seattle Pacific College with a
degree in Latin. After two years in the Army, he entered graduate school at
UCLA and received an M.A. in Linguistics and a Certificate in the teaching
of English as a Second Language. Dr. Kooshian then entered the Armenian
History program and studied under Professor Hovannisian.
He was granted a Ph.D. in 2002. His interest in the American-Armenian
community of his birth led him to write his dissertation on “The Armenian
Immigrant Community of California, 1880–1935.” This work was based
primarily on original accounts in California Armenian-language newspapers
and other sources.
For many years Dr. Kooshian has taught English as a Second Language,
American History and
Government, Citizenship, and other subjects to adults in the Los Angeles
Unified School District.
He has also taught at the University of La Verne and the American Armenian
International College,and has served as a teaching assistant at UCLA. He
recently delivered papers on the history of the Armenian immigrant
community of Pasadena in New York and San Francisco and is currently
preparing the stirring autobiography of his father for publication. Dr.
Kooshian is a member of the Society for Armenian Studies, the Middle East
Studies Association, and the National Education Association.
He has been active as a volunteer in the Pasadena Unified School District
and in the Armenian Church, where he has served as a teacher, clerk, and
lector.
In announcing the appointment, Dr. Hovannisian stated: “I am deeply
gratified to Nora and the late Bob Movel for establishing the Movel Fund
at UCLA to support the Armenian Studies program through fellowships
andpost-doctoral lectureships. The Fund allows us to bring innovative
courses and special events to campus and to assist promising graduate
students.”
Dr. Kooshian has placed information about the course on the Internet at
<;, together with the course
syllabus and many readings available for download, including the complete
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4 – UAF Shipped $24 Million
Of Aid to Armenia in 2004
Glendale, CA -During 2004, the United Armenian Fund contributed over $24
million of humanitarian assistance, consisting primarily of medicines and
medical supplies, according to the latest audit
of its financial statements.
The UAF spent less than 1% of its total revenues on administrative
expenses, allocating the remaining 99% to assisting the people of Armenia
and Karabagh, according to the audit.
During its 15 years of operations, the UAF delivered to Armenia a grand
total of $400 million worth of relief supplies on board 132 airlifts and
1163 sea containers.
The U.A.F. is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the Armenian Missionary Association
of America, the Armenian Relief Society, the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America, the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, and
the Lincy Foundation.
For more information, contact the U.A.F. office at 1101 North Pacific
Avenue, Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241- 8900.
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5 – Alumnus Charlie Keyan Donates
$150,000 For Scholarships at CSUF
FRESNO – A former Fresno State football team athletic manager has donated
$150,000 to California State University, Fresno.
Fresno State alumnus and retired businessman and farmer Charlie Keyan of
Indio, Calif., has established two endowed scholarships, one in the
Armenian Studies Program for $100,000 to establish the Charlie Keyan
Endowed Scholarship in Armenian Studies. Income from the endowment will be
used to provide scholarships for students at Fresno State who enroll in
Armenian Studies courses, with preference for freshmen.
At the same time, Keyan established a second endowed scholarship of $50,000
in the Athletic Department of Fresno State. The income from this endowment
will be used for scholarships to student-athletes in the Fresno State
football program.
Keyan’s goal for most of his adult life has been to help young people who
need help to go to college and to complete their education. He had been
assisted when he was in college, and now he wants to help others stay in
college.
Keyan chose to give to Fresno State and in particular to the Armenian
Studies Program, because he had heard from former classmates and friends
how well the Armenian Studies Program has been doing under the leadership
of Armenian Studies Program director Dr. Dickran Kouymjian and Barlow Der
Mugrdechian. A conversation with old acquaintances and former classmates
Berge Bulbulian and Aram Garabedian led to the generous endowment. Keyan
plans to add more to the existing scholarships and establish a separate
endowment to benefit students studying agriculture at Fresno State.
Keyan was born in Fresno to Ohan and Jouhar Keyahian. Ohan Keyahian was a
native of Karachor (Kharpert) and Jouhar Keyahian was from Hussenig.
The future donor graduated from Malaga Grammar School, Fowler High School,
and began attending Fresno State in 1944, graduating with a major in
history and physical education in 1948. He enjoyed his years at Fresno
State, fondly remembering how he enjoyed the social life. Fresno State in
1944 had a student population of less than 1,000 students. It was a small
school where everyone knew each other and Keyan made lots of friends.
After graduation, he went into the liquor business with his brother-in-law
in Los Angeles. Keyan also learned the building trade and he began
purchasing property in the San Fernando Valley, building duplexes and
triplexes, and later built and managed a 50-unit and a 75-unit apartment
complex. He moved to the Coachella Valley, and bought some 140 acres of
land. He grew grapes on 75 of those acres, shipping and selling his own
produce in his own facilities. The vineyard became quite successful.
Later, Keyan began investing in the stock market where he was also very
successful. He retired in 1988.
He has traveled extensively, visiting every continent.
Perhaps his most memorable journey was taken in 1995 when he visited
historic Armenia. There were 10 people in the group, with each person
having the opportunity to visit the village or city where their families
had once lived. The group traveled more than 2,000 miles in 2 weeks,
visiting Aintab, Istanbul, and saw much of historic Armenia. In particular
the historic ruins of Ani were a memorable stop.
Keyan’s family includes two sisters, Rose Kasimian (also his former
business partner) and Agnes Margosian of Dinuba, a long-time elementary
school teacher who recently retired.
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6 – George Deukmejian Endorses Sen.
Poochigian for Attorney General
LOS ANGELES – In a letter to California voters, former Governor George
Deukmejian has officially endorsed Sen. Chuck Poochigian in his bid to be
California’s next Attorney General.
“Chuck Poochigian, one of the most decent men I know, is extraordinarily
well qualified to become California’s next Attorney General,” said
Deukmejian, who served as California’s Attorney General from 1979-1983.
“His list of legislative accomplishments in the area of crime prevention is
long,” Deukmejian said. “Chuck successfully passed laws to increase
protections for victims of crime, to increase DNA training which will lead
to the prosecution of more crimes, and to increase law enforcement in the
rural communities of the state.”
Deukmejian also commended Poochigian’s ability to work with the majority
party.
“Chuck Poochigian is so respected by all members of the California
Legislature that he is able to introduce strong legislation across a broad
range of issues and work it all the way into law,” Deukmejian said.
“As Governor and Attorney General, George Deukmejian made public safety his
number one priority,” Poochigian said. “Over the years, his passion for
protecting the safety of California’s citizens, his commitment to public
service, his intelligence and his integrity have taught me a great deal
about leadership. I am honored to have his endorsement.”
Poochigian is serving in his second term in the State Senate. He previously
served four years in the State Assembly. Poochigian worked for both
Deukmejian and former Gov. Pete Wilson, serving as Wilson’s Appointments
Secretary. For more information on Poochigian and his record, visit
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7 – Pepperdine ALSA
To Honor Karabian
At March 30 Reception
LOS ANGELES – The Pepperdine Armenian Law Students Association will host
its First Annual Alumni Reception on March 30, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the
Jonathan Club in Downtown Los Angeles and will honor former California
State Assemblyman and Majority Leader Walter Karabian.
The honor is being rendered in recognition of Karabian’s professional
accomplishments, his contribution to the Armenian American legal community
as a whole, and his ongoing support of the Armenian students at Pepperdine
University School of Law.
The reception will be attended by Pepperdine F
aculty and Alumni, including Law School Dean Kenneth Starr, Dean Emeritus
Ronald F. Phillips, and Associate Dean Richard L. Cupp, Jr.
Founded in 2000, the Pepperdine ALSA currently consists of approximately 20
students, and boasts over 80 alumni.
For more information about the March 30 event or ALSA, contact the
Pepperdine ALSA at [email protected].
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8 – Activist Hrand Simonian Receives
‘Gontag’ From Catholicos Aram I
LOS ANGELES – Hrand Simonian, of Hollywood, Calif., a columnist and
community leader, has received an encyclical from Catholicos Aram I, of
Antelias, for Simonian’s life-long dedication to Armenian community life,
culture, religion and education for over 60 years.
The Gontag was presented by Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian at a
special ceremony at the newly built church in Tujunga. Simonian recently
donated an 18th Century hand written Holy manuscript written in Zeitoun,
to the Catholicossate of Cilicia. The manuscript had been appraised at
over $100,000.00 in value.
“I felt the proper place for the manuscript was with the religious library
of the Catholicos in Cilicia, where the present and future Armenian
communities could read and enjoy it,” said Simonian.
The honoree will celebrate his 80th birthday this year. Hrand and wife
Manoushak have been married for 55 years, and are the proud parents of
three sons. Raffi and Armen are both pharmacists living in San Diego.
Both have been recognized as “Pharmacists of the Year” in California.
Vicken is an attorney and Judge Pro Tem, and former Chairman of the Board
of the Armenian Bar Association.
Hrand Simonian was born in Aleppo, Syria, and immigrated to the United
States in 1952. He was a successful businessman prior to retiring in 1974
to pursue his interest in journalism. He was the founding editor of Nor
Gyank weekly newspaper, and has a weekly column in the US-based Armenian
Life weekly newspaper, where he comments on issues of interest to the
Armenian community.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress