Month: June 2005

Capital News 9, NY
June 6 2005
St. Peter’s Armenian Church holds festival
6/5/2005 5:40 PM
By: Capital News 9 web staff
A local church shared its culture with the community this weekend.
St. Peter’s Armenian Church in Watervliet held its annual festival
Sunday afternoon.
There were plenty of ways to experience the sights, sounds and tastes
of Armenian culture. There was plenty of traditional food, like lamb
and chicken kebabs, along with cultural dances and games for the kids.
Rafi Topalian said, “A lot of people worked hard to prepare this,
and we lucked out with the good weather, and everyone’s having an
awesome time.”
The festival was held to raise money for the church.

RESULTS OF ANTI-CORRUPTION MONITORING RESEARCHES TO BE PLACED IN GRECO INTERNET SITE
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Results of the GRECO experts’
researches being carried out these days in Armenia are envisaged to
be placed in the GRECO internet site in February, 2006. According to
Ashot Galoyan, the RA Foreign Ministry’s Advisor, at this stage in
Armenia the group studies the level of corruption’s display in the RA
authorities’ structures and the level of society’s participation in
those processes. It was mentioned that the experts’ group envasiges
also to study financing resources of political parties and facts
of corruption’s display during elections. According to A.Galoyan,
according to the inner regulations, the conclusion on the group’s
studies will be presented to the GRECO’s close sitting’ discussion
in 6 months after the visit.

REVIEWED VARIANT OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS ONCE MORE TO BE DISCUSSED
WITH VENICE COMMISSION OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE TILL LATE JUNE
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia has been in the process of the
constitutional reforms since 2000 and a rather great work is done
in that direction, however, principals of power’s equilibrating, as
well as both presence of an as possible complete Constitution and a
democratic atmosphere in the country and guarantees that the adopted
laws will act, are important for establishing real democracy and
having a basic law corresponding to the international standards. Gianni
Buquicchio, a representative of the Venice Commission of the Council of
Europe stated this at the June 2 meeting of the delegation with Artur
Baghdasarian, the RA National Assembly’s Chairman. Attaching importance
to the Venice Commission’s cooperation in the prosses of establishment
of democracy, Artur Baghdasarian mentioned that drafts circled
beforehand and those adopted in the first reading have qualitative
differences, however, there are issues liable to working out including
differences in the issues of the judicial power’s independence, the
Yerevan Mayor’s election, separating power’s competences. As Noyan
Tapan was informed from the NA Public Relation’s Department, at the
end of the meeting an agreement was reached to discuss jointly the
variant reviewed once more with the Venice Commission members till
late June, then to adopt the edited variant in the second reading at
the special session to be convened. In this case, the referendum will
take place in October. Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting,
Gianni Buquicchio assured Artur Baghdasarian of the Venice Commission’s
assistance and constant readiniess for a joint work.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THREE CANDIDATES LAY CLAIM TO POST OF SPITAK MAYOR
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Spitak Mayor’s elections will be held
on June 5. As Artashes Adloyan, the Secretary of the No35 District
Electoral Commission informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent,
three candidates lay claims to the Mayor’s post: Vanik Asatrian,
the acting Mayor, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia,
and Varazdat Danielian and Aramayis Matosyan, both non-partizan,
not working at present.

IF DRAFT TO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS HAS NO MATERIAL REFORMS,
REFERENDUM IS CONDEMNED TO FAILURE: GURGEN ARSENIAN
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. At June 2 meeting with the CE Venice
Commission’s experts, Gurgen Arsenian, the NA “United Labour
Party” Chairman, and Grigor Ghonjeyan, a party member presented the
party’s position concerning the process and future steps of carrying
out the obligations taken in front of the PACE by Armenia. Gurgen
arsenian informed the Noyan tapan coresspondent about this after the
meeting. According to him, as the representatives of the political
force responsible for the fulfillment of the obligations taken in
front of the PACE by Armenia, they informed the experts that if
the draft to constitutional amendments has no material reforms the
referendum will be condemned to failure. “It does not mean that the
people of Armenia does not want to become a full and equal member
of the European family or is against the European values’ system,
just the people of Armenia will not welcome the amendments which it
does not consider a reformation,” the faction’s members informed the
Venice Commission. G..Arsenian is sure that if the coalition was ready
for reforms and acception of proposals made by the faction, it would
vote for the “United Labour Party” faction’s draft appreciated by
the Venice Commission. Whilemean, the coalition did not participate
in the vote of the above-mentioned draft. “United Labour Party” voted
against the coalition’s draft as “it is agaist building such a country,
having such a governing system.” The faction does not want that a
negative attitude is displayed towards Armenia in the conclusions
as he does not believe that “the Armenian people has peculiarities
of the mentality.” “We are very normal people and want to live in a
normal democartic country,” Arsenian mentioned. According to him, the
rulling coalition has no political will of fulfilling real reforms,
otherwise, it could do that during the previous 11 months, and not
only satisfied with giving promises. “There is no confidence among
the political coalition that if a real democracy is established in
the country, they can come to power with the people’s assistance,”
Gurgen Arsenian emphasized. The Venice Commission also met with
Arshak Sadoyan, a NA Deputy, the author of another refused draft to
the constitutional amendments. The latter also presented the experts
his considerations concerning the constitutional reforms’ process. The
MP is going to present details at the June 3 press-conference.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish premier says media not exempt from penal code
Yeni Safak website, Istanbul
4 Jun 05
Excerpt from interview with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
published by Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak website on 4 June
[Newspaper’s introduction to interview omitted]
[Question] You have been in office for two and a half years. Do you
think that you have been successful during this period? In other
words where have you been successful and where do you see deficiencies?
[Erdogan] I would like to start with novel steps in domestic
politics. I believe that we have made some very serious progress in
domestic politics. We are not where we should be yet but we have made
serious progress. Virtually no one was convicted because of his or
her thoughts during our tenure.
[Question] Could that happen in the future now that the new TCK
[Turkish Penal Code] has gone into effect?
[Erdogan] I do not view the penal code issue the way the press has
approached it. An act that is considered criminal for an ordinary
citizen must also be a crime for a journalist. In other words
what is at issue here is not punishment for ideas. If there is any
falsification of truth, any slander, or any false reporting anywhere,
then the price paid for it. We have seen this in the past. It is a
crime when an ordinary individual does it but it is not a crime when
a journalist does it. For example they attack us over the issue of
immunity. The media attack us. Now the same media that attack us over
immunity want immunity for themselves. If you are attacking me then
you should drop your own armour of immunity too. No one has objected
to making this a crime. [There have been proposals to change] the
penalty to a large fine instead of imprisonment.
OK, but then the large fine must be imposed on everyone else. Then
what will happen to people who cannot pay the fine? Then wealthy
and well-to-do people in this country would not have a problem? Is
that fair?
[Question] The draft law does not refer to slander only. There is
a provision about basic national interests. For example national
interests could include issues such as the withdrawal of troops from
Cyprus and the Armenian genocide.
[Erdogan] The law has its own language. I am not a lawyer. I do not
know what is said in the reasoning for basic national interests but
I do not agree with that example. No judge could evaluate the matter
that way. [Passage omitted]

World Cup: Macedonia beats Armenia 2-1 in qualifier
AP Worldstream
Jun 04, 2005
Goran Pandev scored two goals Saturday to lift Macedonia to a 2-1
win over Armenia in the World Cup qualifier.
Pandev scored the first goal from the penalty spot after Albert
Sargsian fouled Goran Popov in the right corner of the penalty box
in the 29th minute.
One minute after the interval, defender Alexander Tateosian failed
to clear Velice Sumulikovski’s cutting pass from the left, which left
Pandev one-on-one with Armenia goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky.
Edgar Manucharian, who substituted for Sargsian in the 51st minute,
narrowed the gap off Aram Voskanian’s pass in the 55th minute.
The result had no effect on the Group 1 standings. Macedonia remained
fifth with eight points after eight games while Armenia has four.
___
Lineups:
Armenia: Roman Berezovsky; Karen Dokhoian, Sargis Hovsepian, Romik
Khachatrian, Alexander Tateosian, Aghvan Mkrtchian, Karen Aleksanian
(Romeo Jenebian, 76), Albert Sargsian (Edgar Manucharian, 51), Hamlet
Mkhitarian, Armen Shakhgeldian, Aram Voskanian (Ara Hakobian, 67).
Macedonia: Filip Madzovski; Velice Sumulikovski, Vlade Lazarevski,
Robert Petrov, Goce Sedlovski, Aleksander Vasovski, Goran Popov
(Mile Krstev, 57), Aleksander Mitrevski, Goran Maznov, Goran Pandev,
Vlatko Grozdanovski.

RA PRESIDENT AND VENICE COMMISSION’S DELEGATION DISCUSS PROCESS OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
YEREVAN, JUNE 3, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian received
the PACE Venice Commission’s delegation on June 2. As Noyan Tapan
was informed from the President’s Press Office, the process of the
Constitutional reforms was discussed at the meeting.

Armenian National Committee, Central California
Post Office Box 626, Fresno, California 93709
(559) 486-1918
PRESSRELEASE
June 2, 2005
Contact: Hygo Ohannessian
California Gubernatorial Candidate Will Demand That Turkey End Policy
of Denying Armenian Genocide
Fresno, CA – California State Treasurer Phil Angelides, who hopes to
be elected Governor of California next year, addressed the Armenian
Genocide during an annual event hosted by the Madera County Democratic
Central Committee on May 21, 2005.
The question, posed by Armenian National Committee member Richard
Sanikian, dealt with the Treasurers’ longstanding relationship with
the Armenian American community. Sanikian asked, “What more can the
Armenian American community expect if you are elected Governor?”
Angelides’ responded by sharing that his family member also fell
victim to the hands of Ottoman Turkish persecution. He emphasized
that ninety years of the Turkish Government’s denial of the Armenia
Genocide is unacceptable and that he will continue to work toward
proper recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Turkey.
After the event, the Chairwoman of the Madera County Democratic Central
Committee Susan Rowe stated, “I have close Armenian friends who have
explained the horrendous events of Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman
Turks. The wounds will remain open without healing until Turkey
comes to terms with its dark past. Like Germany’s acknowledgment
of the Holocaust, Turkey must also accept responsibility for its own
history of genocide, and move on.”
In 1997, Angelides took the lead in addressing the denial of the
Armenian Genocide. He challenged the California Public Employees
Retirement System, (CalPERS), regarding their interest in holding
investments in Turkey. He commented at the time that “Turkey’s
human rights violations, aggressive military posture, and political
instability,” were a clear threat to the growth of its economy.
Furthermore, he worked to cancel a $30,000 contract with a firm
that overtly dishonored the 1.5 million Armenians who died during
the Armenian Genocide, stating “we can never forget atrocities like
those committed against the Armenians in the early part of the century.
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The Armenian Writers’ Union
Head: Levon Ananyan
Address: 3 Barekamutyan
375019 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Phone: (374 1) 561 831
and
The Armenian Genocide Institute-Museum
Director: Dr. Lavrenti Barseghyan
Address: Tsitsernakaberd
375028 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Phone: (374 1) 390 981; (374 1) 391 041; (374 1) 391 412
URL:
PRESS RELEASE
SMYRNA 1922: Dr. Hatcherian’s journal in three languages
On April 27, 2005, the Armenian Writers’ Union in conjunction with the
Genocide Institute-Museum launched three editions of Dora Sakayan’s
book based on Dr. G. Hatcherian’s journal, “My Smyrna Ordeal in the
year 1922.” The event was part of the many initiatives to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Armenian capital
of Yerevan.
Dr. Garabed Hatcherian’s journal is an eyewitness account of the
1922 Smyrna catastrophe, when the ancient city was destroyed by
a spectacular fire and the entire Armenian and Greek populations
were either massacred or forced to flee. The sequence of events
that led to this disaster stems from the defeat of Turkey by the
Allies in WW1, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of the
Kemalists and the postwar peace settlements. Dr. Hatcherian’s journal
covers the period between August 28, 1922 and April 7, 1923, with a
special focus on the two infernal weeks of September 9 through 25,
when the family of eight miraculously escaped the catastrophe. Ten
other members of the extended family, including the mothers of the
Hatcherian couple, along with their brothers and their families,
stayed behind and were all massacred. The journal chronicles on a
day-by-day basis the most significant events in and around Smyrna,
as well as the suffering of the Christian civilian population —
Armenians and Greeks alike — who in those horrific days became the
target of Mustafa Kemal’s nationalists.
Dora Sakayan is Dr. Hatcherian’s granddaughter. She first learned
about the existence of Dr. Hatcherian’s manuscript (completed and
signed on June 1, 1923 in Salonica) in 1992. It had been kept in the
Argentinean branch of the family for almost seventy years. She read
the West Armenian manuscript in 1993 and undertook immediately to
publish it (Montreal: Arod Books, 1995 and 1997). She subsequently
published her English translation (Montreal: Arod Books, 1997) and
later became the general editor of a multilingual series (French, in
Paris: L’Harmattan, 2000), (Spanish, in Montreal: Arod Books, 2001),
(Greek, in Montreal: Arod Books, 2001).
The three new editions are in East Armenian, Russian and —
Turkish. The first two were published just a few days prior to
their launching by the Armenian Genocide Institute-Museum in Yerevan
under the title “Smyrna 1922: The Journal of the Armenian Physician
Hatcherian.” The Turkish edition appeared in March 2005 in Turkey
and was published by the BELGE Publishing House in Istanbul. It
is entitled: Bir Ermeni Doktorun Yasadiklari. Garabet Haceryan’in
Ízmir Guncesi (An Armenian Physician’s Ordeal. Garabet Hatcherian’s
Diary). To date, eight editions of Dr. Hatcherian’s journal have been
prepared and published by Dora Sakayan. She has recently completed
the German translation, which will be published in Germany.
The hall of the Armenian Writers’ Union was filled to capacity with
writers, foreign guests, faculty members, publishing executives and
journalists as well as many of Sakayan’s friends. Writer Levon Ananyan,
head of the Armenian Writers’ Union, delivered the opening speech.
He welcomed the publication of Dr. Hatcherian’s journal in three new
versions, Turkish, East Armenian, and Russian, just in time for the
genocide commemoration, and thanked the courageous publisher Ragip
Zarakolu for the Turkish edition. Mr. Ananian emphasized the crucial
importance of Dr. Hatcherian’s eyewitness account by saying: “It
demonstrates to the world that despite the outcry of the international
community following the Armenian genocide of 1915, the Turks proceeded
to commit yet another genocide seven years later, this time against the
entire Christian population of Smyrna, both the Armenians and Greeks.”
Referring to recent developments in the Armenian-Turkish relations, and
particularly to the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s letter addressed
to the Armenian President Robert Kocharian, Ananyan stated: “They are
proposing to set a group of specialists that would investigate the
archives in Armenia, Turkey and other countries to establish whether
a genocide took place. A document like Dr. Hatcherian’s journal that
enlists the reader into a day-by-day trip through history makes such
undertakings redundant. These are merely efforts of the Turkish
authorities to avoid recognizing the Armenian genocide and evade
responsibility. Let us pay tribute to survivors like Dr. Hatcherian
who left behind their testimonies, a source of incontestable facts,
a weapon to fight those who deny the Armenian genocide.” Mr. Ananyan
also acknowledged the artistic merit of Dr. Hatcherian’s writing by
saying: “Some sections of the diary read as a work of art.”
Ananyan thanked Dr. Tessa Hofmann, the prominent German historian and
academic, expert on the Armenian genocide, a Human Rights activist,
and a friend of the Armenian people, for providing an extensive preface
that elucidates the historical background of the Smyrna catastrophe
and the context in which it developed. He then praised Dora Sakayan
for “having erected a monument to her grandfather’s memory by making
his journal accessible to the world community and thereby an integral
part of survival literature.” He also credited her for a book that
is not only a tribute of love from a granddaughter to her kin but
also a definite contribution to the history of the Armenian genocide.”
Ananyan thanked also the director of the Genocide Institute-Museum, Dr.
Lavrenti Barseghyan, for publishing the East Armenian and the Russian
editions of the journal in such a short time, praising him notably
for the publication of a host of survivor testimonials over the last
few years. Regretting, however, that this storehouse of solid proof
has hardly broken out from the Armenian community, he said, “It is
imperative that this great fund of information be translated into
other languages and made available to the international community.”
Ananyan then asked radio journalist and writer Larissa Gevorkyan to be
the moderator and preside over the panel of speakers. The panelists
were: Dr. Tessa Hofmann, Institute for East European Studies, Free
University Berlin Academician Simeon Kerkyasharyan, Professor of
History, Yerevan State University (YSU) Margo Ghukassyan, writer and
journalist Dr. Khoren Balian, Professor of Medieval Musicology and
vocalist (YSU) Dr. Artem Harutiunyan, Professor of Western Literature
and poet (YSU) Dr. Lussineh Sahakyan, Professor of Turkish Studies
(YSU) Dr. Verzhineh Svazlian, philologist, senior researcher,
Genocide Institute-Museum, Yerevan Dr. Dora Sakayan, Professor of
German Studies, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (p/r) Called upon
to introduce her guest, Larissa Gevorkyan cited Dora Sakayan’s being
up until recently Professor of German Studies at McGill University in
Montreal, Canada, but she also proudly recalled that before migrating
to the New World in 1975 Dora Sakayan had been at the Yerevan State
University — professor starting in 1957 and chair of the Department
of Foreign languages from 1966 on. Gevorkyan then added: “Dora Sakayan
has authored a great number of scholarly books in applied linguistics
and Armenology. However, she confessed to me that nothing has given
her as much satisfaction as working on her grandfather’s journal,
translating it into various languages and editing it.” Gevorkyan also
noted that in order to facilitate the fast production of the series,
she founded her own publishing company, Arod Books, in Montreal, where
so far five of the Smyrna editions have appeared. In closing, Larissa
Gevorkian expressed the wish to see one day Dr. Hatcherian’s gripping
account become the scenario of a film that would draw the world’s
attention on the Smyrna catastrophe, an aftershock of the genocide
that in a matter of seven years ethnically cleansed Asia Minor from
its entire Armenian population, killing thereby 1.5 million innocent
men, women and children.
Larissa Gevorkyan then introduced and gave the floor to Dr. Tessa
Hofmann, who said how happy she was to have prefaced these new editions
and how much she enjoyed presenting them to the press with Dora. “Dr.
Hatcherian’s journal,” she added, “is an extremely important eyewitness
report, un document humain, as the French call it, a human testimony
about the final phase in a decade of genocides. We are talking about
the transition period of the Ottoman Empire becoming the Republic of
Turkey, a transition from a multi-ethnic and multi-religious state
to a monolithic national state. We are talking about five million
Christians, Greeks, Armenians and Assyrians, who vanished through
genocide, expulsion, and assimilation. The final stage of this crime
was the burning of Smyrna.” Dr. Hofmann then went on to describe the
infernal situation, when Smyrna, the once gem city of the Aegean,
went up in flames, and its citizens were burned alive or massacred
by the thousands, and when the 23 international warships anchored
in the harbor did nothing to rescue the endless line of refugees —
Armenian and Greek Christians who were caught, in Dr. Hatcherian’s
words, ‘between fire, sword and water.’ Dr. Hofmann stated that
“the Smyrna catastrophe proves the continuity between the crimes
committed by the Ittihadists and the Kemalists, since the crime
in Smyrna was perpetrated by the Turkish nationalist regime that
followed.” She also stated that, based on the UN definition of
genocide, the Smyrna massacres constitute a genocide, and that in
1998 the Greek Parliament passed a resolution declaring the 14th
of September a day of commemoration of the Asia Minor Genocide. In
the last few years, several governors of American states have named
certain days of September remembrance days of the Smyrna and Asia
Minor Genocides. Dr. Hofmann concluded, saying how grateful she is
to Dora for introducing her to this important document and for asking
her to write a preface.
Academician Kerkyasharyan began his speech by saying: “I have
read the West Armenian original version, and I have read it in one
breath. This is a startling book, a book that forces the reader to
face his humanity, for Dr. Hatcherian’s idealism, his dedication
to his fellow human beings is simply remarkable. While other Smyrna
doctors escaped Smyrna’s disaster by leaving at the first signs of
the imminent danger, Dr. Hatcherian decided to stay. We see him
ready to render medical service, performing operations and assisting
in childbirth. After moving his children and his wife to a sheltered
residence along the seashore, we see him with a fez on his head, and
his military medals pinned on his breast, returning over and over again
to the Armenian and Greek quarters, eager to be with the thousands
of miserable people huddling wherever they could find refuge. After
finally escaping annihilation, we see him, this time in Salonica,
helping the refugees from the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s
medical headquarters. With humanists like Hatcherian, even genocides
prove powerless.” He then added: “I highly appreciate Dora Sakayan’s
thorough scholarly work, supplying Dr. Hatcherian’s journal with 65
well-founded historical annotations and a bibliography that makes the
book a precious instrument in the hands of anybody who seeks truth and
justice.” Kerkyasharyan also stressed the great importance he attaches
to the forthcoming German edition in view of the responsibilities that
Turkey’s WWI ally bears for its collusion, as well as the prospect
of the recognition of the Armenian genocide by the German Parliament.
The next speaker was the writer and journalist Margo Ghukassyan. “I
was in Smyrna in 1980,” she said, ” and I was fascinated by the
city’s natural beauty. Two years ago, I had read the original of Dr.
Hatcherian’s journal in West Armenian, and instantly drew parallels
between the beautiful scenery I had once seen and the dreadful events
at the Smyrna harbor described in the journal 83 years ago. As a writer
myself, I was most impressed by Dr. Hatcherian’s powerful expression
and elegant style. Without exaggerating, instead rather downplaying his
painful experience, he captivates the reader, drawing him in and making
him a participant of the events. Recently, I read the book again,
and although I knew the outcome, I was as anxious as the first time I
read the book to see his salvation from the horrible military barracks
and his safe return to his family. With this journal, Dr. Hatcherian
definitely establishes himself as a writer in his own right.”
Mrs. Ghukassian was followed by Khoren Balian, who first spoke
about Dora Sakayan’s overall achievements as a scholar. He then
added: “It is a catastrophe, when Armenian intellectuals leave
their homeland for good. But Dora Sakayan is a happy exception, a
blessing in disguise. She left Armenia 30 years ago, taking Armenia
with herself, and walking with Armenia around the world, introducing
Armenia to many. She also kept coming back to her homeland to renew
her experiences and replenish herself, while contributing to Armenian
linguistics with a great number of books and articles. She pioneered
Armenology at Montreal’s renowned McGill University and throughout
Canada. Even though she was a professor in the German Department,
she organized Armenological conferences, founded Armenian courses,
and wrote Armenological monographs and textbooks. Lately, she has been
arriving here every year with a new monograph, or a new conference,
or both, presenting them as a gift to Armenia. She is now with us with
three more editions of Dr. Hatcherian’s journal: an East Armenian one,
that will make it accessible to a broad readership in Armenia and
Artsakh, a Russian one for the thousands of readers in the former
Soviet republics, and most importantly, a Turkish edition for the
open-minded Turks who want to discover the truth about the events that
took place in their country between 1915 and 1922. This is a unique
book in the body of survivors’ literature.” Khoren Balian concluded his
impassioned speech, saying: “This book is a true fossil and a precious
relic of the genocide, a thorn in the flesh of the Turks who do not
have the courage to come to terms with their own history.” Since in
the Armenian tradition the launching of a book is done with a song,
Khoren Balian went on to perform “Karahissar,” an Armenian folksong
lamenting over the death of a hero who resisted the deportation from
Shabin Karahissar.
“There are at times documentary narratives that surpass or at least
match the artistic quality of literary works.” That was the opening
statement of Artem Harutiunyan, the next speaker, who went on to
praise Dr. Hatcherian’s literary talents. “In the very first entry of
his journal, the author enlists the reader’s interest and triggers
his fascination by starting his narrative with the presentation of
his peaceful and happy family life, his success story as a medical
doctor and his future plans for himself and his loved ones. Alas,
sudden dramatic and earth-shaking events drastically destroy the
doctor’s life. The reader follows his story with bated breath. Each
page of this journal is important because it reflects deep personal
feelings, an analytic mind, and a compassionate soul. Compared to
the original West Armenian edition, published in 1995, the present
East Armenian version (2005) has become a much more substantial
publication. Dora Sakayan has done an excellent job in gradually
adding new components: an introduction, numerous notes, an epilogue,
a chapter describing the reception of the journal, etc. And now we
see Dr. Hofmann’s most valuable contribution, her preface translated
into Armenian by Dora Sakayan. In its present shape, this book reaches
the reader as an integral unit on the Armenian genocide which is a
valuable documentary, literary, and historical work all in one.”
As an expert in Turkish language, Lusineh Sahakyan concentrated on
the Turkish version of the book. She highly praised the publisher,
Ragib Zarakolu for courageously accepting to publish such a book
in Turkey, and also the translator, Atilla Tuygan, for the fitting
quality of his work. “I made some random comparisons,” said Sahakyan,
“to ascertain the accuracy of the Turkish translation, and I was
pleasantly surprised to see that Tuygan not only had provided the
original Armenian text with an excellent rendition, but also expanded
the conclusion of Sakayan’s introduction, adding a few more rhetorical
questions and rendering her text more convincing and compelling
to the Turkish reader.” Sahakyan then proceeded to translate into
Armenian those additional sentences in the Turkish text and added:
“It is known that for many decades Turkish authorities have withheld
information on the Armenian genocide from the general public, from
history books and from school curricula. No wonder Turkish people are
misinformed about the destiny of the Armenian population under Ottoman
rule and in Smyrna, and defend the official denialist views of the
Modern Turkish government. For any uninformed Turkish citizen, this
book is a genuine source of knowledge about the Armenian genocide.”
Verzhineh Svazlian, a leading collector of eyewitness accounts of
the 1915-1923 Armenian genocide for fifty years, congratulated Dora
Sakayan for having presented her grandfather’s book to the world
in several languages. She added: “Books on the Armenian genocide
have been written in many genres. However, until recently the voice
of survivors was seldom heard. Dr. Hatcherian’s journal provides
precious insight into the Smyrna disaster from the unique perspective
of a survivor. But most importantly, it carries both a historical
and a documentary significance because the author puts down his
bitter experience himself and immediately, recording day-by-day,
hour-by-hour what he sees and feels during this atrocious ordeal. In
my view,” Dr. Svazlian said, “the 20-page description of his five
days in prison is a significant contribution to the annals of history.”
In closing the literary event, Dora Sakayan thanked Dr. L. Barseghyan
for publishing the East Armenian and the Russian editions and
L. Ananyan for organizing the event. She then said: “Today I rejoice,
because I repatriated my grandfather. It is as if I brought his ashes
to Armenia. He is now with his people, in his homeland, where he will
take on a new life, a spiritual one. My grandfather’s journal exists
now in nine languages and I consider my mission completed. The most
valuable in the series of translations, however, for me is the Turkish
one and I say: ‘More power to Mr. Ragib Zarakolu, the brave publisher
and journalist, the hero, who stands up against censorship and for
freedom of expression in Turkey.’ When the book was distributed in
Turkey, Mr. Zarakolu informed me that he was summoned to appear before
the general prosecutor. Today’s Turkish authorities dread Dr. Garabed
Hatcherian’s journal because it refutes the Turkish apologists’ thesis
according to which the steps taken in 1915 against the Armenians were
normal precautionary measures in a state of war, reciprocating the
aggressive actions of the Armenians siding on Turkey’s eastern border
with the Russian enemy. Most importantly, because it shows that Kemal
Ataturk, the founder of today’s Turkey, carried out the Young Turks’
program by eliminating the entire Armenian community in and around
Smyrna. At the present time, Mr. Zarakolu faces a new trial. We all
should support him in his strife to reform Turkish society.” Sakayan
then talked about her uncle Hovhannes (89) and her aunt Vartuhee
(84), Dr. Hatcherian’s two children, both citizens of Argentina, both
survivors of the Smyrna catastrophe, who lived to see their father’s
work coming home. She then said with emotion: “For us, Armenians around
the world, the time for crying and lamenting is over. It is now time
to show firm resolve and strength.” She was very much impressed by
the two-day (April 20-21, 2005) international conference (“Ultimate
Crime, Ultimate Challenge – Human Rights and Genocide”) dedicated to
the commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Armenian genocide in
Yerevan. “It was an unprecedented conference: dignitaries, scholars,
human rights activists from 50 countries had come not only to condemn
the ultimate crime of genocide, but also to discuss the ultimate
challenges of truth, reconciliation and transitional justice. From
such a high-level forum, our voices can be heard and many goals can
be reached. I congratulate the organizers of this conference, and
especially the Zoryan Institute.” Those were Dora Sakayan’s closing
words. The three new editions – East Armenian, Russian and Turkish
– had been successfully launched with well-deserved praise for the
author and fervent hope for a positive impact.
–Boundary_(ID_TWpoMLNZcR0uFF/K6ONaGg)–