ASBAREZ Online [07-01-2005]

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
07/01/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Senate Appropriations Committee Adopts $75 Million for Armenia; $3 Million for Karabagh 2) Turkish Coffee at Sourp Magar Monastery 3) AFSA Stands by Decision to Withdraw Evans' Award 4) Homenetmen Navasartian Games & Festival in Full-Force 5) ANC Praises Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo 6) Los Angeles County's Democratic Party Recognizes Ardashes Kassakhian ~QDemocrat of the Year~R 7) Critic's Forum 8) The Genocide Study Trap 9) Time Bomb Alright 10) THREE WEDDINGS AND AN ENGAGEMENT 11) Bush Clueless on Concept of Genocide 12) Badanee Educational Seminar Concludes with 23 New AYF Members OUR NEXT POSTING: Due to the Independence Day holiday, our next issue will be posted on Tuesday, July 5. 1) Senate Appropriations Committee Adopts $75 Million for Armenia; $3 Million for Karabagh US House Finalizes Approval of its Version of the Foreign Aid Bill WASHINGTON, DC (ANCA)--The Senate and House continued consideration of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 foreign aid bill this week with the Senate Appropriations Committee adopting on Thursday appropriations of $75 million for Armenia and $3 million for Karabagh. The House adopted their version of the foreign aid bill on Tuesday. "We want to thank Senator McConnell for his leadership in securing a $75 million earmark for his Armenia, and to thank all our friends on the Foreign Operations Subcommittee for their work on each of the provisions in this bill that will contribute to the further strengthening US-Armenia ties," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We look forward to supporting Senators McConnell and Leahy as well as Representatives Kolbe, Knollenberg, Lowey, Rothman and all the other conferees who will, in the coming weeks, engage in the important work of reconciling the Senate and House versions of this legislation." Senate Appropriations Committee assistance levels for Armenia represent a $20 million increase over President Bush's budget request earlier this year, and $7.5 million more than the House measure adopted earlier this week. The Senate panel also approved over $6.4 million in military and security aid to Armenia, including $5 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF), $750,000 in International Military Education and Training (IMET), and $700,000 in Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, De-mining and Related (NADR) assistance. The House and Senate versions of the foreign aid bill differ in their overall support levels for US assistance to the former Soviet States. The Senate Appropriations Committee adopted an overall figure of $565 million for the region, approximately $88 million more than their House Colleagues. As part of that allocation, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $70.5 million for Georgia and $38 million for Azerbaijan. The Senate Committee report called on the "State Department and USAID to more emphatically and publicly support political process programming in Russia and Azerbaijan. Freedom is ill served by excessive hand wringing over concerns with projecting political balance in programming or of offending authoritarian host governments." The House allocation of up to $5 million for Karabagh is $2 million more than the amount set by the Senate panel. The Committee report accompanying the House measure noted that "in furtherance of a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict, and in support of the measures discussed at NATO and OSCE summits, the Committee strongly supports confidence-building measures among the parties to the conflict. Such measures include strengthening compliance with the cease-fire, studying post-conflict regional development such as landmine removal, water management, transportation routes and infrastructure, establishing a youth exchange program and other collaborative and humanitarian initiatives to foster greater understanding among the parties and reduce hostilities." In a new development this year in the House bill, foreign military assistance to Turkey was reduced sharply from $29.6 million in FY 2005 to just $4.4 million for FY 2006. While the Committee report was careful to state that the reduction "is not a reflection of a lessening of the Committee's appreciation for Turkey's support," it did note that "sufficient justification" was not provided for the funds. In a related matter, the House will take up a $975 million veterans healthcare measure this evening, the funding for which comes from a $1.1 billion rescission in foreign aid to Turkey that was part of the FY 2005 Iraq supplemental assistance package. "It is particularly fitting that $1 billion in US assistance, originally slated for Turkey, should now go to help fund better healthcare for our veterans here at home," noted Hamparian. "By Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld's own account, Turkey's refusal, in early 2003, to create a northern front in Operation Iraqi Freedom contributed to the strength of the ongoing insurgency. These much-needed funds to our nation's Veterans Hospitals can play a crucial role in helping our veterans--including those who were made more vulnerable as a result of Turkey's actions." 2) Turkish Coffee at Sourp Magar Monastery By Simon Aynedjian NICOSIA (Gibrahayer)--It is business as usual for the kiosk operating at Sourp Magar Monastery. With the 2.5 km road from Halevka junction now open, and the huge billboard inviting picnickers in the Pantataktylos mountain region, the Sourp Magar monastery--now in ruins--has suddenly been transformed into a popular picnic destination. "Ermeni Manastiri" reads the sign leading to the ruins. There we came across both Greek and Turkish Cypriots, enjoying traditional shish kebabs and playing football with the members of their family in front of the monument erected in 1933 on the occasion of the visit of Catholicos Sahag of Cilicia. It is business as usual for the kiosk operating at Sourp Magar Monastery where everything seems the same--that is only if you're very bad at mathematics. Going back 30 years, you would have found a few scenes missing, but there are certainly more than a few scenes missing now. One needs not to be an expert in subtractions in order to grasp this new equation. Missing are the few hundred Armenians who would have been in the Monastery on a Sunday afternoon: the family christening their infant, my godfather's--Karnig Kouyoumdjian's--christening basin that he built for his grand children and for the Armenian community of Cyprus. Actually almost everything is missing except for the desecrated walls of the Church. The inconspicuous Cross on the Church-- also missing. So are the windows and the doors in every room, the icons and the pictures, the candles and the scent, as well as most of the floors. DANGER warns one sign! I wonder if the holes on the ground are in fact the sole root of our problems... The big room facing the sea, where we had our family get-togethers, is also missing. The floor has simply vanished. I remember, during winter times, we used to rush to the window, to witness with our naked eye, the first signs of snow on the multiple peaks of the Tarsus Mountains. From the same window one can meet the sea-path through which our own grandparents entered Cyprus, fleeing the Genocide and the deportations carried out by the Ottoman Turkish Government against the Armenians in 1915. The same path was later used by the storming Turkish army who invaded the island 30 years ago. What does that add up to now~E? 3) AFSA Stands by Decision to Withdraw Evans' Award Many Suspicious about Interaction, Motives of State Department, AFSA By Jenny Kiljian Following what it said were concerns raised by the State Department, last week the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) announced that it had awarded and subsequently withdrawn its Christian A. Herter award for "Constructive Dissent" from US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, on the grounds that his nomination had not met the selection criteria. Evans was nominated for the award for his February remarks in which he characterized the extermination of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1918 as genocide. His comments created a diplomatic debacle, after which the State Department forced Evans not only to retract his remarks, but also later to clarify his retraction. Despite overwhelming criticism, AFSA officials stand by their decision. "I got a lot of messages saying the American Foreign Service Association doesn't look good," said AFSA president John W. Limbert. "My response was 'I agree.' But there are some times when other things are important, other than looking good. The awards committee found itself with two bad choices: either continue in a course of action it now considered a mistake, or rescind the award. Neither one is very good."Association officials said that the decision was based on AFSA criteria for the awards; the historical facts of the Armenian genocide were not part of the committee's discussion or subsequent decision, according to AFSA. "What was never debated was the historical issue. In other words, what happened during World War I to the Armenians," said Limbert. "The issue was an AFSA process issue. Simple question was does this award meet our dissent award criteria." AFSA has, however, apparently left this question unanswered several times in the past. "The award wasn't for dissent. I received it because as a second-tour [junior officer] I spent six months as acting deputy chief of the [non-immigrant visa] section," said an anonymous source in an article titled "Is there Life after Dissent," from the June 2002 issue of the Foreign Service Journal. In 1981, Ambassador L. Bruce Laingen and other former hostages were "corporately awarded" the Christian A. Herter Award, the William R. Rivkin Award, and the W. Averell Harriman Award, according to Foreign Service Journal articles from June 1981 and June 2002. Laingen was the charge d'affairs in Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis. "My colleagues and I were given the award on returning," said Laingen, disagreeing with the comparison between the Evans decision and his receiving of the award. "I don't think they're analogous. It was given to us under very unusual circumstances." Laingen served as the chairman of the committee that considered Evans' nomination. "I'm in no position to make judgment whether it was genocide or not, so I don't use the term. I think we can all agree that the event was surrounded by all kinds of tragedies, particularly for Armenians," said Laingen. "Whatever degree it was, everyone can agree it's a tragedy. But it's over. It's part of history now, and we know how both governments, both peoples feel and how governments feel and have reacted to it. But as I recall, the Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission--the little language I can remember--was looking for reconciliation on that issue. And I would hope to God they can. I haven't read the report of TARC, but I get the impression that that's what the TARC people were trying to doto encourage reconciliation. Everyone knows the facts, but to look at it in light of history and the passage of time, and move forward. "But, the AFSA committee wasn't there to make a decision on those kind of things. We were looking at it in the context of our criteria. We all have respect for what John Evans was trying to do, what he said and why he said it. But, let's look ahead." AFSA and State Department officials may not have to look much furthera resolution calling for the US recognition of the Armenian genocide was brought before Congress this week. Rep. Frank Pallone, an original co-signer of the resolutions, made highly critical remarks about the AFSA decision last week on the House floor. "Mr. Speaker, Ambassador Evans has been penalized for telling the truth. The American Foreign Service Association has set a terrible example by retracting Ambassador Evans' award. I guess even in America the Turkish Government is able to stifle debate," said Pallone. "I find the timing of the decision peculiar. The sharp turnaround came right before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Washington for a meeting with President Bush. Based on past history, it's clear that the State Department, the Bush Administration, and the powerful pro-Turkish lobby pressured AFSA to withdraw Ambassador Evans Award." Jenny Kiljian is the editor of the Armenian Weekly 4) Homenetmen Navasartian Games & Festival in Full-Force VAN NUYS--Thursday kicked-off the 30th anniversary of the Navasartian Games and Festival, a weekend celebration dedicated to the organization's 7,000 scouts, athletes, volunteers, and of course, the Armenian-American community. Closing celebrations began on June 30 with fireworks and performances by internationally-known singers, and will continue throughout the weekend with the largest celebration on Monday, July 4, as members, supporters, and government officials gather for the Closing Ceremonies and Parade. The Games and Festival is expected to draw over 30,000 spectators throughout the weekend as athletes from the organization's 18 chapters in the Western region, along with guest teams from around the country, compete for championships in basketball, soccer, ping-pong, karate, swimming, track and field, chess, and volleyball. The championship Games and Festival will be held at Birmingham High School--located at 17000 Haynes Ave. Van Nuys, CA 91406. After three decades, the Navasartian Games have become more than just a Homenetmen event, and hold a special place in the heart of the community. "Renewed civic pride, a massive surge in volunteerism, and the enthusiasm that surround the Navasartian Games are the force behind our hard work and efforts," says committee member Pattyl Aposhian Kasparian. "When the last medal is awarded and our athletes and scouts join family and friends for the closing of the ceremonies, who can ignore the dynamism and spirit that the games leave behind?" Weekend Festival Hours: Friday: 5:00 p.m.- midnight Saturday: 9:00 a.m.-midnight Sunday: 9:00 a.m.- midnight Monday: 9:00 a.m.- midnight 5) ANC Praises Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo LOS ANGELES--The State of California's largest and most influential Armenian-American public affairs organization, the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR), issued a statement praising the work of Los Angeles City Attorney, Rocky Delgadillo. Since his election to office in June of 2001, Delgadillo has established a healthy working relationship with the Armenian-American community and has actively worked to attract a number of talented Armenian-American attorneys to his office. "Rocky Delgadillo's tenure as City Attorney for Los Angeles has been marked by a profound dedication to improving the quality of life for all Angelenos," remarked ANCA-WR Government Relations Director, Armen Carapetian. "From launching a Neighborhood Prosecutor Program that keeps our streets safe, to his work in reaching out to the Armenian-American community, Rocky Delgadillo's commitment to public service has made our neighborhoods a healthier place to live, work, and play," Carapetian added. This past April, Delgadillo hosted a celebration of Armenian art, culture, and heritage at Los Angeles City Hall by featuring a photography exhibit of images from Armenia--taken by his close aide Sara Anjargolian who previously worked in Armenia on a Fulbright scholarship. At the exhibit, the City Attorney welcomed members of the community to City Hall and said, "Armenian-Americans have enriched every aspect of life in our city, and across the country--from contributions in science and technology, to business and commerce, to law and politics, and of course the arts. And, for the first time, Armenian-Americans hold a majority on the Glendale City Council. You have been fighting for recognition of the Armenian Genocide, with this month marking the 90th anniversary of the deaths of 1.5 million of your ancestors at the hands of Ottoman Turkey. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your persistent struggle. By keeping the memory of the Armenian Genocide alive, you remind all of us of our collective responsibility to insure that such horrors are never repeated again." Sara Anjargolian, Rocky's main contact on Armenian issues, currently serves as a policy advisor and deputy city attorney. She graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Public Policy and then went on to receive her law degree from UC Berkeley's Boalt Hall School of Law. After admission to the California Bar, and before heading back to Los Angeles, Sara served as a trial lawyer for the Justice Department in Washington, DC. Most recently, Delgadillo hired a talented, up and coming attorney, Sandy Bedrosian, to serve as a deputy city attorney in the Central Trials Division. Sandy received her undergraduate degree in both Political Science and History from USC and went on to graduate from Pepperdine Law School last year. Sandy gained valuable legal experience and skills while clerking for Federal District Court Judge Dickran Tevrizian. Sandy is currently putting these legal skills to good use for the benefit of the people of Los Angeles. In addition to meeting with members of the Armenian clergy--including Archbishop Hovnan Derderian earlier this year--Delgadillo spoke at an event held at the United Armenian Congregational Church (UACC) on February 1, 2005. During the event, hosted by the Men's Fellowship, the City Attorney spoke about the three major issues he has tackled during his tenure: public safety, education, and an economy driven by entrepreneurship. Rocky's meetings with the Armenian clergy and members of the church community were facilitated by yet another talented Armenian-American on his staff, Deputy City Attorney Raffy Astvasadoorian. A native of the Eastside of Los Angeles, Rocky Delgadillo earned a scholarship to Harvard University, graduated with honors, and received his law degree from Columbia University in New York City. Delgadillo became the highest-ranking Latino to win citywide office in more than 100 years when he was elected Los Angeles City Attorney on June 5, 2001. Running unopposed, he was re-elected in March 2005 to a second four-year term. Rocky is currently seeking the Democratic nomination for California Attorney General, and has already raised more than $1 million in his first 100 days of campaigning. 6) Los Angeles County's Democratic Party Recognizes Ardashes Kassakhian ~QDemocrat of the Year~R LOS ANGELES--On Sunday, June 26, over 700 community activists, public officials, and Democratic Party leaders gathered at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California to honor Los Angeles County Democratic Party's top activists for 2004-2005. Honorees were nominated by their local Assembly District Democratic clubs and local leaders for outstanding service and leadership within the Democratic Party. Over 23 other Assembly Districts were represented at the awards with two honorees from each district. Newly elected City Clerk of Glendale, Ardashes "Ardy" Kassakhian was selected as the Democrat of the Year for Los Angeles County's 43rd Assembly District, which includes the areas of Burbank, Glendale, and Los Angeles (Griffith Park, Los Feliz, North Hollywood, Toluca Lake). Kassakhian received the Frank and Eleanor Roosevelt Award along with acknowledgments and recognitions from federal, state, and local officials for his work in registering and educating Armenian-American voters as well as for fighting for official US reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Kassakhian is widely recognized as a leading voice for political activism amongst Armenian-Americans, particularly the Armenian youth. His passion for activism harkens back to his days as a student at University of California, Los Angeles where while he studied History and Near Eastern Cultures he served as the President of the UCLA Armenian Students Association. He was at the forefront of the community wide effort to stop the Turkish Government's attempt to establish a Chair of Modern Turkish History at UCLA. Kassakhian went on to work on local campaigns for both state and federal elections not only in California, but in Washington, DC as well. While at UCLA, he participated in the University's Center for American Politics and Public Policy Program in Washington, DC. During the program, Kassakhian interned in Congress for both Republican and Democratic members' offices and worked on his thesis outlining the successes and failures of the Armenian lobby in securing recognition for the Armenian Genocide. On April 5, 2005, Kassakhian became the youngest Armenian-American elected to public office in the US when he was elected City Clerk of Glendale, California with an overwhelming majority of the votes in a 9 person race. Prior to running for office, Kassakhian served as the Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region, a position he held for three years. While at the ANCA, he worked closely with members of the state legislature and members of the US Senate and Congress on passing such bills as California Senate Bill 165, which set to establish the California-Armenia trade office and California Assembly Bill 2003 that will enhance the human rights curriculum for California public school teachers' regards on the subject of genocide awareness. 7) Critic's Forum By Hovig Tchalian Perhaps the best way of inaugurating our series on art and literature in the Armenian diaspora is by looking back. In April of 2004, Riverhead Books published The Daydreaming Boy, the second book by Micheline Aharonian Marcom, a Saudi-born Armenian writer raised in Los Angeles. The book went on to garner critical acclaim, winning Best Book of the Year honors from the Los Angeles Times, as well as the San Francisco Chronicle. Marcom's first novel, Three Apples Feel from Heaven, first published in 2001, had also won praise from critics and readers alike. The author is reportedly planning a trilogy, of which these two novels make up the first and second installment, respectively. Marcom's two novels depict the various aftermaths of the Armenian genocide--its toll on lives, relationships, and the psyche of a scattered nation. As such, the novels portray in fiction what would normally be doomed to fail in fact, the attempt to reverse the unmentionable event itself, to start over. This gesture of looking back, then, provides the most appropriate metaphor with which to begin this article and this series. The later of the two novels, The Daydreaming Boy, tells the fictional story of Vahe, an orphan and survivor of the Genocide transplanted to Lebanon. The story leads us through various events in his life in 1960's Beirut while moving us in and out of his daydreams and wild hallucinations. We catch glimpses of his slowly disintegrating marriage to a woman named Juliana, the relentless memories of his brutal youth at the orphanage, and his own self-destructive desires. The story opens as the orphans land on the shores of the Mediterranean: We are naked like Adam and the blue wide band now becomes what it is, the long sea rises before us, the notfish become what they too are, so that we see: water; white-capped waves stretched out into infinity; but not salt, warm, sad. Clothes stripped and bodies for the sun and sea and we run like the djinn, thousands of boys running to the Mediterranean, saying, we thirst, we thirst and we drink the water and we laugh and gag, a gaggle of orphans loaded onto the boxcars at Eregli and unloaded in the Lebanon by the sea's edge. The novel starts by moving back as far back as the historical imagination will allow, to the Biblical Eden. But Marcom invokes the moment just after the Fall, after Adam's recognition of his own nakedness. As such, the fleeting innocence in the scene is quickly dispelled in the profane reference to the children as "djinn," Arabic for demons. Marcom will later remind us of this scene in describing the children of Vahe's orphanage as "Adams in the wasteland, eating the bread made from the sweat of their brow" (87). The word "notfish," which seems to be Marcom's own, will also be echoed ominously throughout the novel: when Vahe grows up and finds himself in a loveless marriage, he will "notlisten" to his wife, and while answering her say that "it is not me listening" (7-8). Marcom folds many other elements of this first scene skillfully back into the novel. She repeatedly evokes the Mediterranean described in the novel's first scene, as an emblem of both loss and renewal: though occasionally in the novel people will look hopefully out of their windows at the sea, Vahe will suggest more enigmatically that "the sea has always been a solace, his haven, and she is sadder than you know and dangerous; beautiful" (72). We discover quickly that the "wide band" of the Mediterranean has already closed in on Vahe's childhood friend, Vostanig, who we are told drowned himself in it. Later still, Vahe's own search for his past will echo the "thirst" of the children in the first scene. He will describe himself as unable to quench his thirst, and yet unable to end his life in the sea inside himself. He will eventually die at gunpoint while looking longingly at the Mediterranean. As this brief overview suggests, Marcom's novel is full of moments that are poignant and yet brutal, so graphic that they are sometimes difficult to read. Reading the novel, in fact, produces the peculiar feeling of having lived through much of what is being described in it. That feeling is surely a testament to Marcom's writing ability, of her ability to describe in fiction what is difficult to confront in fact. But it is equally a testament to the enormity of the Genocide itself, whose shadow falls across every page of the novel. To draw a perhaps inappropriate analogy, we might consider how much of the laughter produced by an "ethnic joke" told among members of the same community has to do with the teller's gift and how much is the result of the uncanny sense of recognition produced by the joke itself. The novel alludes to this strange commingling of fact and fiction in its final pages. Vahe asks a question that the reader of the novel, the historian of the Genocide, and the enemy of Genocide recognition might all ask, though for different reasons. Addressing the "invisible history stories" told in his own tale, Vahe asks: "how do I know something occurred, if I myself have not been witness to it?" (200). The curse of the novel, and this one in particular, is that in returning to the tragic events it describes, it must come perilously close to recreating their brutality. About a third of the way through the novel, we see Vahe and the rest of the orphans walking in file on the long trek to the orphanage after landing on the shore of the Mediterranean. This is clearly a new beginning of sorts, at least in Vahe's memory: "My memory begins here," he says. "I can pinpoint the beginning of what I remember" (65). But the "new beginning" follows a recollection of another sort immediately preceding it, of Vahe's mother, whose husband was killed mercilessly on another long trek, the one through Der-el-Zor, and who later gave up Vahe for money. Perhaps the two most brutal moments in the novel grow out of this strange juxtaposition of scenes and the inability, both Vahe's and the novel's, to re-imagine or re-invent the past. We find out that Vahe is the product of his mother's rape by a Turkish soldier, which sends Vahe into fits of violence and the repeated desire to kill her. (We have been told earlier that Vahe and his wife are unable to bear children.) This brutality culminates in one of the last scenes in the novel, in which Vahe rapes a servant girl, described in terms identical to his mother's rape by the soldier. Vahe's final babblings tell a disturbing tale: "The sooth flesh I required to get a little bit of it back, a small immeasurable ineffable return: inside that girl's flesh I was (say it!Says): home" (205-6). The impossibility of starting over is a favorite theme of modern literature and criticism. And its application to an event such as the Genocide is a reasonable one. Despite that fact, however, and though Marcom's novel represents much more than a literary exercise, the novel's attempt to rescue the Genocide from history proves ultimately less than gratifying. The novel remains trapped in the irony of its own enterprise: the fictional retelling of historical events not yet accepted as fact simply redoubles the difficulty of the effort. The novel ends fittingly, just as the Lebanese Civil War begins, in effect as history intrudes to push Vahe's adopted country to the brink of destruction. We are left as readers to ponder the larger fate of the diasporan communities created by the Genocide, whose attempts at starting over create the possibility of yet other homelands to leave behind. This kernel of historical truth alone survives Marcom's novel--we might even say despite it. You can reach Hovig Tchalian or future contributors to Critics' Forum at [email protected]. 8) The Genocide Study Trap By David B. Boyajian Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently asked Armenia to agree to the creation of a Turkish and Armenian commission that would study the murder of Armenians in 1915 to determine if it constituted genocide. President Bush liked the idea. So did German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis. The Turkish members of such a commission would, of course, never consent to a finding of genocide. The result, therefore, would be a "hung jury," exactly the kind of ambiguity that Turkey is looking for. Fortunately, at least for now, President Robert Kocharian turned Turkey down. He suggested, instead, an "intergovernmental commission" that could discuss "any issue." What many individuals and countries are unaware of, or deliberately ignoring, is that the mass killings of Armenians have already been the subject of a number of studies conducted by third party organizations. Verdict: Genocide In 1985, the United Nations Sub-commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities issued a genocide study that is sometimes referred to as the Whitaker report. "The Ottoman massacre of Armenians in 1915-1916," stated Paragraph 24 of the report, is an example of "genocide." Furthermore, it "is corroborated by reports in United States, German and British archives and of contemporary diplomats in the Ottoman Empire." The Permanent Peoples' Tribunal, sitting in Paris in 1984, impaneled a jury of Nobel Prize recipients and distinguished experts in international law from around the globe. Its conclusions, published in "A Crime of Silence: The Armenian Genocide," sliced Turkey to pieces: "The extermination of the Armenian[s]~Ethrough deportation and massacre constitutes a crime of genocide...within the definition of the [UN Genocide Treaty of] 1948." Furthermore, "By virtue of general international law" and the UN's 1968 "Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutes of Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity", the jury determined, "no statute of limitations can apply" to Turkey's crimes. Nor can Turkey use "the pretext of any discontinuity in the [1915 vs. current Turkish] state" and so "must recognize officially...the consequent damages suffered by the Armenian people." Another study, requested by the Turkish Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC), was released in 2003. TARC itself was, of course, controversial and ill-fated. Nevertheless, the study, facilitated by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), concluded that the 1915 murders "include all of the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in the [UN Genocide Treaty of 1948]." (In view of TARC's US State Department sponsorship, it was to be expected that the report also alleged that the 1948 Genocide Treaty is not retroactive to 1915 and, consequently, Armenians cannot assert land or reparations claims against Turkey. In any event, for the reasons cited by the 1984 Tribunal and others, the report is wrong about Armenian claims and implicitly acknowledges that, conceding that it did not consider "other...international law"). Genocide Games Were there to be another study, Turkey, the US, Europe, various business interests, and perhaps Turkish friends such as Israel and Pakistan, would covertly try to bring about a judgment of "no genocide" or "we are unable to arrive at a decision." The study would also emulate the TARC report by trying to relieve Turkey of liability. The West, after all, wants to shield eastern Turkey from Armenia claims as that territory is the only land bridge to the oil and gas rich Caspian Sea basin that bypasses Russia and Iran. Even during the Cold War, international political pressure corrupted a UN report on genocide. The report's Paragraph 30, issued in 1973, had stated that the Armenian "massacres" were considered "the first genocide of the 20th Century." Turkey objected and was supported by the US, Austria, France, Iran, Italy, Nigeria, Pakistan, and others. During the ensuing years, Paragraph 30 was removed. Just last year, a United Nations report on the mass killings in Darfur, Sudan decided they might not be "genocide." Even the US had, grudgingly, termed them genocide. The report may have been the victim of clandestine international influence. Still, let's suppose that a new study were to reaffirm that Turkey committed genocide. Turkish Tricks Regardless of what it may promise now, Turkey will almost certainly reject a verdict of genocide. It has, after all, brushed aside every previous study that affirmed the factuality of the Genocide. Even if it were to accept such a verdict, Turkey would retreat to its well-known fallback position: "Modern" Turkey bears no legal responsibility for the actions of "Ottoman" Turkey. Turkey's pathetically obvious game is to keep asking for new studies until it gets one that concludes there was no genocide. That would be bad news for Armenians. Western nations would pronounce the Genocide issue dead. The Diaspora's Job Besides, should we be trading our dignity and rights for what is likely to someday be an ambiguously-worded, half-hearted statement of guilt by the Turkish government? Even a sincere genocide acknowledgment's value is questionable as, by itself, it is unlikely to heal Armenian wounds or change Turkish policy toward Armenia. Only restitution and the return of Armenian land will ultimately bring a significant degree of satisfaction. Restitution means the recovery of, or in some instances compensation for, homes, farms, stolen assets, schools, communal property, and thousands of churches. Quantifying the theft and material damage committed by Turkey is urgently needed. A starting point is published studies from the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and more recent works by scholars such as the late Professor Kevork K. Baghdjian. Last year's successful prosecution of the New York Life Insurance Company by Armenians shows that headway can be made. Geographic and demographic studies of eastern Turkey should also be undertaken. Future territory must include a Black Sea coastline so that Turkey and its friends can no longer block Armenian access to Europe and Russia. We recognize that achieving all our goals right now is not realistic. In the meantime, Armenia must at least avoid anything that would make the future prosecution of claims more difficult. Poor and preoccupied with Karabagh and the Turkish blockade, Armenia lacks the resources and public relations savvy to undertake a full defense of its rights against Turkey. Diasporan think tanks and political parties must, therefore, shoulder the burden. Is it not the job of political parties, after all, to uphold national rights? But, first, we must not yield to the temptation for yet another study to confirm what we and the world have already proved: Turkey committed genocide against Armenians. Now, let's move on. David B. Boyajian is an Armenian American freelance writer based in Massachusetts 9) Time Bomb Alright By Garen Yegparian Unbelievable! Fifteen days as of this writing, and not a peep out of us! NBC's Dateline runs roughshod over Hai Tahd and one of our activists, and no one says or does anything. On Tuesday, June 14, NBC Dateline ran the piece, "Time Bomb: Investigation into Storage Locker Full of Explosives in Bedford, Ohio" about Mourad Topalian and the investigation leading to his arrest. The story presentation is pedantic, moralistic, and worst of all, sensationalist. "Behave yourself or the government will get you, some day, somewhere." This is starkly apparent in the interview the ATF [Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] agent who worked the case. It is great publicity for a bureau that had caused the bloodbath in Waco when dealing with the Branch Davidians--the armed sect. This matter even comes up in the discussion. The whole story is full of inappropriate comparisons to the mafia and al-Qaeda. The agent is portrayed as a shining example of American diligence, and an exemplary law enforcement officer who always gets his man. Phooey! Meanwhile, Mourad and implicit unnamed 'others' are portrayed as evil cohorts, lurking in the wings, waiting to strike innocent bystanders. There's even mention of what Mourad WAS NOT convicted of. Double Phooey! The Genocide gets passing mention in the context of our 'hero' relating that all of his Armenian sources (better known as rats, finks, and traitors) cited it as their motivation for involvement in pursuing Armenian rights and redressing of [national] grievances. A few background sentences even present the Genocide as an "ethnic conflict" erupting from the "dispute between Armenians and Turks." Triple Phooey! Armenians are presented as being shady, dangerous--even criminal. Our cause gets no just mention. Who gains from this? Dateline. NBC. ATF. Turkey. Did anyone ask how Dateline was turned on to this story, eight years after the whole matter began, four years after the case concluded--and a year after Mourad's release from prison? Who gave it to them? The ATF? I think it was probably some Turkish agent--a lobbyist, a member of Turkey's diplomatic corps, or even some US-dwelling Turk still suffering the delusions imposed by his ancestral government's pseudo-history. What do I expect? I expect that all hell would've broken loose over this one. It's worse than Armenia being put on the list of terrorist-spawning countries by the Bush regime in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq as a sop to the Turkish government. Why? Because it is far more insidious. For the most part, only Armenians knew of Armenia's placement on that list. Those with insufficient historical awareness who watched this piece of trash (i.e. 99.99% of the viewers), are left with impressions that are nothing short of horrible. This is a building block of public opinion, in the court where our battle with Turkey is currently being waged. While I despise doing this, a comparison with the Jewish community's aggressive public relations approach is in order, for a change. I'll cite a recent, almost identical time frame, case. In 1999, Jewish activist Irv Rubin sued the City of Burbank, where I reside, for allowing sectarian prayer (i.e. prayer that is overtly Christian or overtly any other faith) as the opening invocation at its city council meetings. He won the case in September 2002, but couldn't enjoy the fruits of his efforts since he committed suicide two months later while in custody awaiting trail for conspiracy to bomb a mosque and the offices of Cong. Darrell Issa (who's of Lebanese descent). You see, Irv Rubin was the National Chairman of the Jewish Defense League. The JDL is noted for its violent, even lethal, activities. Yet after the news subsided, no one dredged up his story and vilified the whole Jewish community through it. Anyone considering such a project would likely be quickly dissuaded from wasting their time. As it was, a hue-and-cry was raised by Rubin's supporters who claimed he might have been murdered, that it really wasn't suicide. All this plays in the court of public opinion and minimizes damage to the Jewish image. It's incumbent on us to make NBC know such activity is utterly unacceptable and contemptible. We reacted when Armenians were portrayed as vicious killers in some TV police show, yet we're silent when it comes to reality. Moreover, whatever Mourad may have done, what he's gone through, and your personal opinion and position about these, it was for our struggle. It's incumbent on us to stand up for our cause on all fronts, especially such public ones. Let's show NBC & Dateline a time bomb they have triggered in the Armenian community. More importantly, let's feed news show leads about the dirty doings of various Turks and create a subtle linkage to Turkey--to further tarnish the image they so dearly want to polish. 10) THREE WEDDINGS AND AN ENGAGEMENT This column is not my best work. I'm warning you right now. I'm writing this on the back of a napkin at wedding somewhere in the Valley. It's 11 p.m. and they just started serving dinner. I'm so hungry I tried to eat the centerpiece. (By the way, orchids taste like raw, unripe almonds.) I'm nearly deaf from sitting next to the DJ. My editor told me I have an early deadline this week because of July 4, so here it goes. At the risk of sounding like Andy Rooney, I'm going to pick an inane topic and beat it to death. I'm trying to sound less bitter or angry in my columns but I can't help it. Criticizing is what I do best. And after a marathon wedding/engagement/graduation weekend, I've decided to start a petition to remove the month of June from the traditional calendar. I know I'm not alone on this, but no one else seems to want to speak out. Here's a basic rundown of what my weekends looked like this month. First weekend of June: Fridaywedding Saturdaywedding/engagement (I double-booked because I knew I'd have more fun at the engagement and the wedding was just one of those where I was invited because of my parents and not because anyone really knew me) Sundaygraduation party (this party might as well have been a weddingover 300 guests and just because of a graduation from high school.) Second weekend of June: FridayGraduation/wedding SaturdayWedding/graduation/baptismthe Armenian community trifecta. Ok. I think you get the picture. I'll spare you the details of the rest of the month except to say that if I ever have to step foot inside another Vegas-themed Armenian Banquet Hall again in the next month, I'm going to snap and start throwing seafood salad and hummus all over the dance floor and then punch out the DJ when he starts playing Turkish/Arabic music! Maybe I'm a cultural snob or maybe it's because I'm not married, but I can't seem to understand the draw and allure of a) having a wedding or any significant celebration in June and b) having 900 people you'll rarely see again in your lifetime attend such a special day. The one that boggles my mind the most is the wedding style graduation. That's when the family drops 15,000 dollars to rent a place that looks like Liberace's rumpus room (<'t%20have%20an%20active%20i magination%20like%20mine/> in case you don’t have an active
imagination like mine) and hire a DJ–all to celebrate a kid’s graduation from
high school. They celebrate and party as if there were a doubt that the kid
might not graduate. They drink and dance like it’s the kid’s last day of
freedom before they send him or her off to jail to serve three back to back to
back life sentences. Meanwhile, the kid will probably continue living at home
for the next four to six years while they commute to Cal Sate Northridge or
Los
Angeles. BUT MAN, WHAT A PARTY! RIGHT? Seriously though, people need to
grow up
and come back down to earth. Graduating from high school or college is a big
deal but not an earth shattering event that requires carved ice sculptures of
naked gymnasts holding bunches of grapes on each table! Maybe a pen. Maybe a
REALLY nice pen or a check to cover the cost of books during the first
semester
or pay for the airplane ticket for a trip to Europe and Armenia. Like I
said–maybe I’m just a snob and I will never understand.
But here’s a word of advice for anyone out there planning a wedding or any
other significant event and is considering doing it in June. Don’t. Really, I
mean it. Don’t do it. Unless you’re a sadist, pick another month. For those
who
live in California, the land of eternal sunshine, it’s not like your
wedding is
going to be snowed out. October is just as fine a month as June–maybe even
nicer. I’m begging all my readers to put a moratorium on all June weddings and
other similar parties, but I know that nobody will. The temptation to be like
everyone else is just too much for Armenians. God forbid we do something
different, what will people think? WHAT WILL THEY THINK?
That’s what really drives all of these ridiculously expensive and pretentious
events. The “what will other people think” syndrome that has infected our
community. It’s a mental affliction that manifests itself in the most
inappropriate ways and times. And the double standard that goes along with it
is also sad. Here’s an example: It is ok for an overweight woman over the age
of 50 to wear a tight, bright, sequined dress and shake her flubber to the
tunes of Arabic crooners, but it’s taboo to ask a band or a DJ to play only
Armenian music. Why? Because what will the other guests think! They won’t have
fun! The armies of sequined and puffy-faced lushes need to reminisce about
their summers spent at the resort towns of Iran, Lebanon, or Turkey. Never
mind
that each person attending is already costing the newlywed couple almost 100
dollars.
And speaking of weddings and DJs, has anyone else noticed that there are no
female Armenian wedding singers? Why is that? Just an observation but one
worth
mentioning.
Anyway, here’s the bottom line. I’m not going to go to anymore June weddings,
even if it’s my own. I’m not going to encourage anyone’s kid by attending a
graduation party held anywhere other than someone’s backyard. And finally, I’m
going to only write checks that cover the cost of my attendance for couples I
don’t know very well.
Here’s a word of advice for anyone who’s inviting folks to a June wedding.
Have your wedding in early June because by the third week my bank account
looks
like the Gross Domestic Product of a Third World African nation.
And my final word of advice–make sure there’s more Armenian music than
Persian, Arabic, or Turkish. Otherwise, there’s going to be a stop-payment on
that check and I don’t care what anyone else thinks!
Skeptik Sinikian is planning to be married in the dead of winter in Las Vegas
by an Armenian Elvis impersonator. The reception to follow will be held at the
Liberace Home/Museum Banquet Hall. To RSVP, email [email protected] or
visit <; 11) Bush Clueless on Concept of Genocide By Nanor Abkarian The mass murder and human rights abuses connected to the crime of genocide are arguably perplexing and deeply troubling. The international legal definition of genocide includes the mental element of the act--"intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group", and the physical element, which includes the killing, causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of a group--as well the deliberate inflicting of conditions in order to bring about their physical destruction, in whole or in part. Although straightforward, this definition--based on the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide--appears to perplex President George Bush, who has demonstrated his incapacity to grasp the term whether it applies to the Armenian genocide at the beginning of the 20th century, or more recently, the genocide in Darfur. On June 1, President Bush expressed his concern for the genocide in Darfur--marking only the second time Bush used "genocide" to describe the crisis in Darfur; yet, an actual attempt to assist the citizens of Darfur remains insufficient. In early 2003, black Africans from Darfur rebelled against the country's Arab Muslim leadership, demanding a power-sharing government. The government of Sudan responded by sending in forces to suppress the rebellion, and sponsoring the militia known as Janjaweed, who have been strategically slaughtering, raping, and starving the citizens of the western region of Sudan, Darfur. Approximately 400,000 people have died, and are dying because of violence, starvation, and disease. Also, more than 2.5 million people have been displaced from their homes, and over 200,000 have fled across the border to refugee camps in Chad. During a meeting with the South African President Thabo Mbeki, Bush admitted, "This is a serious situation, as you know; former Secretary of State Colin Powell, with my concurrence, declared the situation a genocide." The Bush administration has been supplying "logistical aid" through North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to Africa Union (AU) troops. However, according to US Deputy Secretary of State, Robert Zoellick, the US government still shares intelligence with the Sudanese government, which might explain why we haven't made a real effort, considering the level of efficacy we actually withhold, to help bring an end to the Genocide. Mbeki believes the United States and other non-African countries should not be asked to deploy troops. "Our view has been that it's critically important that the African continent should deal with these conflict situations on the continent--and that includes Darfur." Though ideally Mbeki's opinion might seem correct, it's not worth debating while more lives are at stake. Like the first genocide of the 20th Centurythe Armenian genocidehas been renounced for nine decades, the first genocide of the 21st Century is likewise being overlooked. Hopefully, by the time we take action, Darfur won't be entirely cleansed. In a true effort to stop the cycle of genocide throughout the world, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has participated in many events, zealously working to terminate the Darfur genocide. Giving real meaning to the words "never again," the ANCA has protested outside the Sudanese Embassy, spoken at genocide prevention conferences, and generated support for Congressional legislation aimed at ending the slaughter in the Darfur region. "Genocide denial--of past atrocities or ongoing massacres--only serves to encourage perpetrators, emboldening them with the knowledge that their crimes can be committed with impunity," says Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. 12) Badanee Educational Seminar Concludes with 23 New AYF Members GLENDALE--After the educationals and test, 23 badanees were ready to join the Armenian Youth Federation ranks on June 25 at AYF Camp. On behalf of the Central Executive, Chairman of the AYF Western Region Shant Baboujian stressed the importance of duty, responsibility, and service to their respective communities, as well as to the Armenian Cause. Baboujian then invited AYF alumni and director of the camp, Karnig Sarkissian, to share their memories and experiences with the novices. After a short question and answer session, Baboujian introduced ANCA Western Region Board member Raffi Hamparian, who served as the "Gnkahayr" for the oath ceremony. Prior to the oath ceremony, Melkon Melkonian spoke about AYF's progress through the years. Hamparian also spoke of the AYF legacy and its continuous growth and prosperity. As the oath ceremony finally began, Hamparian led the youth in pledging to devote their energies toward achieving a free, independent, and united Armenia. "Before taking their oath, our newest members successfully completed the AYF Educational Program, designed to educate them about Armenian history, the Genocide, our struggles, and the organization in general," said Marita Medzachian, Educational Central Council chairperson. The Central Executive presented each new member with a symbolic gift, after which the new members, past members, and ARF members had the opportunity to interact, and sing songs around a camp fire accompanied by Karnig Sarkissian. To become full fledged AYF member, applicants must complete an educational program and take an oath during a formal ceremony. The Armenian Youth Federation Western United States serves Armenian American communities west of the Mississippi through education, athletics, political activism, cultural activities and social settings. To learn more about the AYF please log on to Two Novices Reflect on Their Road from Badanees to AYF By Nora Injeyan I had been waiting for what seemed to be forever to go to AYF camp, take my oath, and pass the ranks from badanees to AYF. When the weekend began, Unger Karnig Sarkissian was our director and all seemed good. However, we were met with the most horrific, arduous task that could ever be asked of a novice--a task that would make some of the weaker novices have second thoughts of whether or not they were willing to join this organization: complete an entire mock general meeting. It seemed as if it would not end, but when the meeting was over, everyone was much more confident that they could enter the meeting and could keep up with the best of them. That night, I was privileged to be given the responsibility of being "bahag" to help protect the camp from bears. All I have to say is that the flashlight was not turned off once that entire night and that they could not have picked a "bahag" who was more terrified of her own shadow. As we were waiting in anticipation to take our AYF oath, the next part of the weekend was our "personal oath." This was my favorite part of the weekend and I don't think many people would disagree. Everyone stood up and told their fellow ungers why they were joining AYF and what promises they would keep to themselves once they were members. I had never been more convinced that the future of the AYF is well taken care of then when I was in that room listening to my fellow ungers. Many people were either on the verge of tears or already there. There was so much emotion put into every word uttered that could not have been faked or duplicated. Every single person was serious about joining AYF and doing everything they possibly could to aid the everlasting struggle for a free, independent and united Armenia. It was one of the greatest things I had ever experienced as a novice and as an Armenian and there is no way I could put all the emotion I felt into words on a piece of paper. Finally, it was time to take our oath. It did not seem like it was happening, but it did. I was ecstatic; everyone was just going around saying congratulations and hugging. We were just so happy that we were officially "AYF-AGANS!" That night, after all the dancing, eating, and chilling camp stories, we gathered round the camp fire and sang "heghapokhagan" songs. From "Kini Lits" to "Revolution," to "Kezi Harkank" and to "Name That Tune," courtesy of Unger Karnig, we sang them all. And then, just like that our weekend was over. It happened way too quickly and after saying goodbye to all the new ungers, we headed home with a new found respect for each other and the organization. Now, for all my new ayf-agan ungers, lousapanagan harts, ter gam tem to that weekend? I SAY TER! By Sanan Shirinian After being an ARF badanee for 5 years, it is only natural to move on to the AYF ranks when I turned 16. However, one cannot be a member overnight. I took the necessary educationals, studied hard for the test, and thankfully passed. The last step was to attend the Novice camp and take my oath. This was, of course, my favorite part of the entire process. I expected camp to be like the hundreds of other camps I've been too, but Novice camp was so much more than that--it was 3 days of transformation. We arrived late Friday night and went for a hike. We stopped at a familiar location and stood in a circle. Each one of us got to say why we wanted to join AYF. Standing there in the darkness of the woods, listening to everyone's voice as they spoke, I realized that these people and I have a future together. On Saturday, we had a discussion about what we think AYF should be doing in 5 to 10 years. All of us struggled to answer that question, and since we were the kids that would be deciding the future of AYF in the following years, it was a little scary not having a solid answer. Fortunately, ideas were slowly brought up and discussed. There was even a heated debate between a fellow Novice and myself. This discussion made me realize that there is always going to be disagreements within the organization; however, we have to compromise because at the end of the day we are all still ungers. Before giving our oath that night, an older unger gave us a few inspirational words. He said that love is the strongest human emotion, and without love, we cannot accomplish anything to its fullest. If we have love for this organization, and all of the work it carries out, then we can truly commit to it. Even though we might not all agree with everything AYF does, we do not give up on it, and we do not turn our backs to it, because we have love for it as a whole. As I listened to this unger speak, I could not help the smile on my face because I knew that that night was going to be the beginning of something that will affect my life completely. Finally, the time had come. All the novices were on one side of the campfire, and the AYF-agans were on the other side. Our godfather, Raffi Hamparian, read us the oath, and we repeated it. As we promised aloud to abide by the bylaws and to be loyal members of the organization, I felt heaviness in the air. I saw the older ungers nodding and welcoming us to the club. It was a surreal moment. I felt proud and incredibly lucky. The executive members stepped on our side of the campfire and placed necklaces on our necks, and one by one hugged and congratulated us. This 10 minutes of my life seemed to have been in slow motion. I enjoyed every second of it. In all honesty, I still can't comprehend the fact that I am part of the greatest organization in the world. I am a newborn of the greatest family in the world. That night, all of us sat around the campfire. From newly transferred members, to executives, to CC representatives, we sat together and sang in unison. It was an image that I will never forget. And as we all sat there singing together, fighting for the same cause, having a same goal, I realized it was going to be a great 10 years. 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. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress