Month: October 2005

INSURER TO PAY $17 MILLION FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLASS-ACTION SUIT
By VOA News

Voice of America
Oct 13 2005

Photo: Armenians lay flowers at memorial to Armenians killed under
Ottoman empire

The French insurance company, AXA, has agreed to pay descendants of
some of the more than 1.5 million Armenians killed in Turkey under
the Ottoman empire.

Under terms of a settlement reached in a U.S. court, $17 million will
be shared by Armenian heirs of AXA’s policyholders who died in what
Armenians say was genocide.

This is the second lawsuit pertaining to the killings to be settled
in U.S. courts. In February, New York Life agreed to pay $20 million
to descendants of its Armenian policyholders who were victims of the
alleged genocide.

One of the plaintiffs’ U.S. attorneys, Mark Geragos, said the cases
are historic because they are the first to be heard for genocide
survivors. Mr. Geragos, who is of Armenian descent, said the ultimate
goal of the lawsuits is for the United States and Turkey to officially
acknowledge the genocide.

INSURANCE FIRM TO PAY OUT ON OTTOMAN ARMENIAN POLICIES

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Oct 13 2005

The French insurance company Axa on Thursday agreed to pay $17
million to settle a case brought by the descendants of Armenian policy
holders the claimants say were killed during the First World War by
the Ottoman Empire.

Guncelleme: 10:31 ET 13 Ekim 2005 PerºembeLOS ANGELES – Turkey has
strenuously rejected suggestions that the Ottoman Empire carried out
a policy of genocide against its Armenian citizens.

Under the settlement, Axa is to pay at least $3.0 million to a
number of Armenian charitable groups based in France, with another
$11 million set aside for the descendants of the original policy
holders of insurance policies with companies that were subsidiaries
of Axa operating in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Many of the claims
were never met.

Some Armenians claim that up to 1.5 Armenian Ottoman citizens were
killed in 1915 and in the years following in what they describe as
a deliberate act of genocide.

Turkey denies that there was any policy of mass killings, though
does acknowledge that some 300,000 Armenians and many Ottoman Turkish
citizens died during the conflict of the First World War.

–Boundary_(ID_xrnvX+M9pfKE0MQigA3x8g)–

EUROPEAN BOWL HIT BY WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIA: PLAYERS DENIED VISA

International Korfball Federation, Belgium
Oct 13 2005

The IKF has been informed by the Korfball Federation of Armenia that
six members of their delegation hoping to travel to participate in
the European Bowl have been refused a Visa.

The team had been planning to travel to the Netherlands and then
make onward travel from there to Catalonia. Such an occurrence as
the refusal of a Visa has never before happened in any IKF Tournament
anywhere in the world. We bitterly regret the situation and the IKF
has been forced to reluctantly accept the Armenian’s withdrawal from
the Tournament which is being used as the route to qualification
for the European Championships, scheduled for Budapest next April,
and the World Championships due to take place in 2007.

Matches schedule:

Day 1 Portugal vs. Poland (1845 hrs) Opening Ceremony (2000 hrs)
Catalonia (Spain) vs. Russia (2045 hrs)

Day 2 Russia vs. Portugal (1900 hrs) Poland vs. Catalonia (Spain)
(2045 hrs)

Day 3 Russia vs. Poland (1900 hrs) Catalonia (Spain) vs. Portugal
(2045 hrs)

Day 4 3rd vs. 4th (1100 hrs) 1st vs. 2nd (1245 hrs)

The first three days will have the pool matches and on the final day
matches based on the end of pool positions to decide the medal winners.

The European Bowl is a new IKF event being used as a qualification
event for the European Senior Championships 2006 to be held in Hungary
and the World Championships 2007 to be held in Czech Republic. The
inaugural edition will take place in Terrassa (Spain) from October
27-30, 2005.

JUMP ON HISTORY BANDWAGON WHILE YOU CAN
By Jeff Schmucker

Atchison Daily Globe, KS
Oct 13 2005

I believe it was Max Lerner who once said, “The so-called lessons of
history are for the most part the rationalizations of the victors.

History is written by the survivors.”

Other arguably more famous people in history have used or paraphrased
this quote, by saying: “History is written by the victors” but the
meaning seems to hold true.

After all, you won’t read many books glorifying the Nazi regime from
World War II because, as many readers probably (and should) know,
they “lost” the war.

But history isn’t just about winners and losers; it tells the story
of where we’ve been and how far we’ve come as a civilization. If we
study it closely, it will also warn us of mistakes best not repeated.

So the question is, if history is so important, why don’t public
schools emphasize teaching it at the same level as English and
mathematics?

With so many tests and standards, teachers seem forced to teach the
curriculum based on ensuring students can pass multiple tests, but
not necessarily whether they are truly learning about the subject.

History isn’t something you can really cram. It’s very encompassing,
and there are many elements surrounding a time period that are needed
to be known to truly understand.

With so many government requirements for teachers, different ethnic
groups are jumping on the history bandwagon by petitioning lawmakers
to ensure the history of their group’s struggles are included in
school history lessons.

According to a story on CNN’s web site called,
“Schools directed to expand history curriculums”
(),
along with studies on the Holocaust, Civil War and slavery, the
Great Depression, segregation and other American history subjects,
groups are also pushing for students in different states to learn
about Cesar Chavez, a farm labor activist, the Irish potato famine,
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, the Armenian genocide of the early
1900s and other historic events and issues.

When you pile these on top of world history and geography, it’s simple
to see that teachers and students have a full plate before test time.

Then is it any wonder people are ignorant of basic geography and
history?

If you watch Jay Leno’s “Jay Walking,” you’ll see some sad examples
of how easily people forget information they supposedly learned in
grade school.

“Name two states that do not border the United States,” Mr. Leno
asks someone.

“Uh…is it Canada and Mexico,” answers the participant.

Somewhere in the United States, there is a history/geography teacher
clenching his or her fists and asking, “Why do I bother?”

While I know Alaska and Hawaii are the two states not connected to
the other 48 states, there are many historical and geographical facts
that I know I should know, but I’m as ignorant as the thousands or
millions of other people.

And how can we reduce this problem when history happens every day?

I’m sure it was much easier for teachers to teach history before World
War II and onward when more than 50 years of history wasn’t included
in their lesson plans.

There we go again, adding more work for teachers as they were forced to
add World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the civil rights era
and Desert Storm to their list along with other historical information.

So what does or does not get taught?

When Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, by Japanese aircraft,
I bet many people thought, “No one will ever forget this gruesome
day in history.”

Talk to someone in their 20s or even 30s and ask them when Pearl
Harbor was attacked. You may be shocked to discover how many don’t
know. You may be even more shocked to discover how many think Germany
or China was responsible.

Give it a couple of decades and I’m sure people will vaguely remember
9/11. It’ll just be one of those events that happened a long time ago.

So for you parents, teachers and lawmakers who feel certain time
periods should be taught in school, you’d better jump on the history
bandwagon while you can. History is happening and it won’t be too
long before other important events are forgotten.

———-

Jeff Schmucker, a Globe reporter, can be reached at 367-0583, Ext.

214, or [email protected].

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
October 13, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION CONTINUES TO MOUNT AGAINST
CAUCASUS RAILROAD PROPOSAL THAT BYPASSES ARMENIA

— European Commission Rules Out Support for Turkish
Railroad Proposal that would Institutionalize
Turkey’s Closed Border with Armenia

WASHINGTON, DC – The European Commission has added its voice to the
growing international opposition to a Caucasus railroad proposal by
the Turkish government that would, if built, institutionalize
Turkey’s border closure with Armenia, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The Commission’s position was articulated this week by the
Directorate General for Transport and Energy. In explaining why
the European Union would not support the creation of this rail
line, the Directorate noted that its construction was both
unnecessary and inefficient in light of the existing railroad
connecting Kars, Gyumri, and Tbilisi. This line, which passes
through Armenia, was effectively shut down more than a decade ago
by Turkey’s imposition of its blockade of Armenia, which continues
to this day.

The Commission’s adoption of this position comes in response to a
May 21st letter from Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian to
Jacques Barrot, Deputy Chairman of the European Commission. In
this letter, the Foreign Minister outlined the destabilizing
implications of the proposed route bypassing Armenia, and stressed
the willingness of the government of Armenia to cooperate in the
reactivation of the existing Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway, which
remains fully functional but unused due to the unilateral Turkish
blockade.

“We welcome the wise position taken by the European Commission
against Turkey’s most recent effort to effectively institutionalize
its border closure with Armenia. The well founded concerns raised
by the Commission reflect and reinforce those being addressed in
the U.S. Congress by the South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “In
pressing forward so recklessly with this politically motivated
proposal, Turkey openly disregards the Administration’s repeated
calls to end its decade-long border closure with Armenia. Clearly,
this disregard must be recognized and reckoned with by the U.S.
Congress, which should, in the coming weeks, act in an urgent and
decisive manner to check Turkey’s growing indifference to U.S.
priorities in the region.”

On July 21st, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA),
introduced legislation addressing this issue by barring U.S.
financing for such rail projects circumventing Armenia. The ANCA
welcomed this bipartisan effort, noting that it would protect U.S.
taxpayers from subsidizing a totally unnecessary and regionally
destabilizing proposal by Turkey aimed at isolating Armenia. The
measure, known as the “South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act of 2005” (H.R.3361), currently has 39 House
cosponsors and is gaining support from both sides of the aisle.

The text of the legislation notes “the exclusion of Armenia from
regional economic and commercial undertakings in the South Caucasus
undermines the United States policy goal of promoting a stable and
cooperative environment in the region.” In its operative section,
the legislation prohibits U.S. assistance “to develop or promote
any rail connections or railway-related connections that do not
traverse or connect with Armenia, but do traverse or connect Baku,
Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey.” Specific forms of
U.S. assistance prohibited would include: foreign economic and
development aid, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Trade and
Development Agency, and the Export-Import Bank.

The ANCA raised this issue publicly as early as June 10th of this
year in a question to Foreign Minister Oskanian, during a briefing
at the National Press Club. Minister Oskanian expressed concern
that this would be a wasteful undertaking for the international
community. He said that they [Turkey] are “planning on spending
something from $600 million to $1 billion to put that railroad in
place.”

The Minister closed his comments, by stressing that, “This is in no
one’s interest – not the U.S. or European Union or the countries
involved. I have raised this issue with the Administration and
they understand, they promised to follow this, and to try to talk
them [the Turkish government] out of engaging in this type of
senseless, useless activity.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkey and Armenia

Targeting the Peacemakers

The recent conviction of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink for
“debasing Turkish identity,” reveals the flaws inherent in the Turkish
judicial system. Reactionary judges, argues the German Green Party’s Cem
Özdemir, bar the way to essential processes of reform on the road to
entry into the European Union.

Spiegel Online (Germany)
October 13, 2005

By Cem Özdemir

For a section of the Armenian diaspora and more than a few narrow-minded
critics of Turkey in Europe, he is “contradiction personified.” In fact,
he should not even exist. Hrant Dink is an Armenian in Turkey, actively
supporting the Turkish democratic movement and sensing an opportunity
for reconciliation with his own history. But Dink, and others like him,
are caught between a rock and a hard place.

The editor-in-chief of Agos, the Armenian-Turkish weekly newspaper, is
not short of adversaries. At the forefront are the Turkish
Ultra-Nationalists, who would like to see him silenced sooner rather
than later. Their allies in Turkey’s judiciary underlined these
sentiments again recently. On Oct. 7, an Istanbul court sentenced Dink
to six months in jail for a “crime of ideas.” The sentence was suspended
on the grounds that he had no previous convictions.

Dink’s case highlights the flaws in the new Turkish penal code. It gives
reactionary judges and prosecutors ample scope to position themselves
consciously as the protectors of true “Turkishness” and to thwart
Ankara’s efforts to bring about reform. Indeed, elements of the judicial
apparatus are quite blatantly set against the European Union aspirations
of the AKP government and the Turkish civil rights movement. By putting
intellectual figureheads like Dink or the German Publishers’ Association
Peace Prize Winner Orhan Pamuk in the dock, the judiciary is sending
unequivocal signals to Ankara and Brussels. The timing of the charges is
anything but coincidental. Reactionary forces in the justice system are
thus adding timely weight to opposition of Turkish entry into the EU,
whether those opponents are in Turkey itself or in the European Union.

“We know very well what happened,” Dink said. If the conference on the
historical question of Armenia had been cancelled yet again, shortly
before the slated start of EU accession talks on Oct. 3, Turkish
opponents of entry to the EU would likely have had a major victory on
their hands.
Derailment was ultimately only avoided thanks to an unlikely alliance
between liberal civil rights campaigners and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s Islamic-Conservative government.

This was not exactly what the ultra-nationalists had in mind.

Yet even as the protesters gathered in numbers outside the conference
center to exercise their democratic right to free speech, they at the
same time wanted to deny those talking inside the same right. Turkey is
going to have to get used to this sort of schizophrenia, which is
symptomatic of the pain that comes with reform, as felt by reactionary
sections of the population and the state.

Dink’s courageous efforts as one of the organizers were a major catalyst
in making the conference actually happen. Even the most ardent skeptics
with regard to the killings were swayed enough to reconsider when
challenged by the compelling Dink. Many in the crowd of scientists,
intellectuals, politicians and journalists were moved to tears as he
spoke of an Armenian woman from the Turkish town of Sivas. It was the
story of a woman who had lived in Paris and whose greatest wish was to
be buried in the place where she and her ancestors had lived for centuries.

The telephone calls that followed Dink’s television appearances have
become legendary. Some Turkish people come forward to reveal Armenian
roots which they have hitherto kept hidden. Others report traces of
Armenian life in their local areas and ask for assistance in preserving
this cultural legacy. On one occasion, a whole village turned up in the
newspaper offices: descendents of Turkish Armenians who had fled for
safety to their Alevite neighbors in the Tunceli region (Dersim) in
1915, when persecution was at its worst.

Dink’s prime concern is the future of Armenian and Christian minorities
in a cosmopolitan, secular Turkey as part of Europe. He is intent on
looking forward, not wanting the past to stand in the way of the future.
Facing up to the past should, in his eyes, find its way onto the agenda
as part of a natural process of increasing freedom of opinion and
democracy. Turkish acceptance of the claims that genocide was inflicted
on the Armenian people is being touted by some as a precondition of
Turkish membership in the EU. Dink feels this is playing too readily
into the hands of the reactionaries, who are determined to see an end to
Turkey’s EU ambitions. Nonetheless, he sees reconciliation with Armenia
as a high priority, hence his campaigning for the opening of the border
between Turkey and Armenia.

His strategy is as unorthodox as it is effective. He does not allow
himself to get entangled in cynical discussions about whether the number
of Armenians murdered was 600,000 or 1.5 million. Instead, he confronts
the Turkish people with a history of which they either were ignorant, or
had only learned about through distorted channels of propaganda. His
arguments are persuasive, bringing to light what Turkey has irrevocably
lost in their destruction and denial of Armenian life. “If the Armenians
were alive today, Van (once a predominantly Armenian city in the East of
Turkey) would be the Paris of the East,” he says. Dink surprises his
people with unexpected ideas. He has proposed, for example, a memorial
to the slaughtered Armenians in Turkey. A memorial for the Turks who
fell at the hands of Armenian freedom fighters already exists.

He has also paid a price for his nonconformist views. Just a few years
ago, Dink was denied a passport by the Turkish state. He was considered
“unreliable” and was not permitted to leave the country. In spite of his
great endeavors to promote constructive debate and reconciliation
between the Armenians and the Turks, he still has to face criticism from
the Armenian diaspora. They accuse him of betraying the Armenian cause,
denounce him as a lackey in the pocket of the Turks. This is the same
man who has been brought before the Turkish courts with the very real
prospect of a prison sentence.

In the offending newspaper article, Dink is said to have insulted
“Turkishness,” as the judge put it. In fact, his column was aimed at the
Armenian diaspora. Dink’s appeal left no room for misinterpretation: The
Armenian diaspora should surrender their hostility to the Turks,
hitherto a defining element of Armenian identity. Even independent
assessors brought in by the courts could not find any disparaging
references to Turkey in his comments.

Dink’s main concern is neither the heated controversy about the past,
nor the instrumentalization of historical events. When asked by a
journalist whether genocide had taken place, he replied: “For us
Armenians, there is no discussion on that issue. We know very well what
happened.” Although he maintains that one should concentrate on looking
forward, whilst learning from the past, his reaction to his court
sentence reveals deep disappointment in his home country, Turkey. He
intends to take all legal measures available to prove his innocence. If
the sentence is not revoked, he plans to leave the country.

This should not be seen as a threat — that is not Dink’s nature.
Nevertheless, the Turkish government does need to take note of what his
statement signifies. The new penal code, which only came into effect on
June 1, 2005, is already in need of another overhaul. The law needs to
be implemented in such a way that it cannot be used as a weapon against
free speech. Nor should it be possible for judges or prosecutors to
exploit it in ways that would impede reform in Turkey. A prime minister
who was, himself, imprisoned for reciting a religious poem ought to be
well aware of that.

Cem Özdemir, 39, is a German of Turkish origin and a member of the
European Parliament in Strasbourg, where he also serves as the foreign
policy spokesman for the Green Party.

PHOTO CAPTION – DPA: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan prevented the
worst from happening, but protesters stil turned out to try to disrupt a
recent conference on Armenia.

PHOTO CAPTION – AFP: Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink: “We know
what happened.”

PHOTO CAPTION – AFP: The Turkish massacre in Armenia claimed the lives
of between 600,000 and 1.5 million people when it took place between
1915-17.

PHOTO CAPTION – AP: Turkish author Orhan Pamuk: Intellectual reformers
are being subjected to intimidation.

,1518,379511,00.html

,1518,379511,00.html

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12 October 2005

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Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

PRESS RELEASE
October 13, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION BLASTS TURKEY

— Congressional Panel Calls on Turkey to Face its History;
Drop Charges Against Writer for Armenian Genocide Remarks

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today welcomed efforts by leaders of the U.S. Helsinki Commission
to press Turkey to end the prosecution of noted Turkish writer
Orhan Pamuk for speaking openly about the Armenian Genocide in
violation of the Turkish penal code, which criminalizes public
discourse about this crime against humanity.

In a letter sent this week to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Helsinki Commissioners encouraged him to authorize the
removal of charges against Pamuk, who was charged with “public
denigration of the Turkish identity,” for comments made in
Switzerland about the Armenian Genocide.

“We appreciate all that Congressman Smith and Senator Brownback are
doing to encourage Turkey to honestly face its history and come to
terms with the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. “Their efforts are in the best tradition of
America’s proud leadership on human rights, and reflect the growing
Congressional consensus that Turkey – at long last – must
immediately end its hateful campaign of genocide denial.”

In a remark earlier today, Commission Chairman Senator Sam
Brownback (R-KS) stressed that “Dropping the charges against Orhan
Pamuk is not sufficient for Turkey to come to grips with its past,
but it is necessary,” commented Brownback. “If nothing else, the
prosecution of Pamuk feeds the worst fears of those who are
skeptical about Turkey’s commitment to freedom and democracy.”

Co-Chairman Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) noted today that, “A
stable democracy cannot blossom until the government ends the
practice of stifling free speech and removes the clouds of
deception and censorship from a true telling of history.” He added
that, “Turkey has barely taken the first steps toward coming to
terms with its history. Until the Turks honestly and openly
discuss their history, their democracy will never be on a firm
foundation.”

The U.S. Helsinki Commission, also known as Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe, is a U.S. Government agency that
monitors progress in the implementation of the 1975 Helsinki
Accords. The Commission consists of nine members from the United
States Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one each
from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.

PRESS RELEASE
ARMENPAC, The Armenian-American Political Action Committee
421 E. Airport Freeway, Suite 201
Irving, Texas 75220
Contact: Jason P. Capizzi, Esq.
Tel: (972) 635-5347
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: <;

ARMENPAC HOSTS MAJOR COMMUNITY EVENT IN MICHIGAN

Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Knollenberg and Assistant Majority Whip McCotter
Attend

Irving, TX – ARMENPAC, along with over 80 new members from the Michigan
Armenian-American community, gathered last week to recognize the Michigan
Congressional Delegation’s steadfast support of Armenian-American issues.
Congressmen Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), as well as
a representative of Congressman Sander Levin (D-MI), attended the event in
Northville, Michigan; although a scheduling conflict prevented Congressman
Joe Schwarz (R-MI) from participating, a letter was read on his behalf which
expressed the Congressman’s committed support of our community. ARMENPAC
Co-Chair Edgar Hagopian welcomed and thanked the Congressmen and community
activists alike for their “devotion and support of Armenian-American
issues.”

ARMENPAC hosted this event to provide our elected officials in Washington,
D.C. and local community members the opportunity to directly discuss
Armenian-American issues. Congressman Joe Knollenberg, who is a Co-Chair of
the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, began the evening by updating
the group on current legislative initiatives pending in Congress that relate
to Armenia; namely the Affirmation of the United States Record on the
Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.316) and The South Caucasus Integration
and Open Railroads Act of 2005 (H.R.3361). “I am hopeful that these
initiatives will eventually succeed, as Turkey is facing increasing pressure
from various sources to recognize the Armenian Genocide and maintain good
relations with Armenia should it wish to be accepted into the European
Union,” said Congressman Knollenberg.

H.Res.316 calls upon the President: 1.) to ensure that United States foreign
policy reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues
related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the
United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide and the consequences
of the failure to realize a just resolution; and 2.) in the President’s
annual message commemorating the Armenian Genocide to characterize the
systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide,
and to recall the proud history of United States intervention in opposition
to the Armenian Genocide.

H.R.3361 prohibits United States Assistance to develop or promote rail
connections or railway-related connections that do not traverse or connect
with Armenia, and do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia;
and Kars, Turkey.

“ARMENPAC thanks both Congressmen for their distinguished leadership on
behalf of our community, and for their participation in this event,” said
ARMENPAC Co-Chair Edgar Hagopian. “Our community must continually engage
our elected officials in similar dialogues, independent of such events,
regarding those issues that are important to us in order to ensure that our
concerns will be adequately represented in Congress. We are privileged and
very appreciative of our elected officials’ attention and commitment to our
community, especially Congressmen Knollenberg and McCotter, who were
determined to attend this event despite the bad weather in Washington, D.C.”

“It was a tremendous opportunity to attend and witness in person the
grassroots power of the Armenian Community,” said Congressman Thaddeus
McCotter.

At the end of the evening, ARMENPAC presented each Congressperson with a
plaque, engraved with William Saroyan’s famous verse regarding the
resilience of Armenians, for display in their office.

ARMENPAC is an independent, bipartisan political action committee
established to shape public policy by raising awareness of, and advocating
for, Armenian-American issues. ARMENPAC provides financial support to
federal officeholders, candidates, political action committees and
organizations that actively support issues of importance to
Armenian-Americans. For more information and how to join ARMENPAC, please
visit

###

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
10/13/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) Tension Runs High in Akhalkalak
2) His Holiness Aram I Presides over Holy High Mass at St. Mary’s Church in
Glendale with Over 1,000 People in Attendance
3) US Says Turkey Exerts Excessive Control over Religious Activity
4) Councilman Eric Garcetti Visits Armenia
5) AYF Eastern Region Members Gather for Annual Seminar

1) Tension Runs High in Akhalkalak

AKHALKALAK (Armenpress)–Around 1,000 anti-Armenian Russian-language posters
carrying the state emblem of Turkey were found pasted to buildings in
Akhalkalak in southern Georgia on Tuesday morning.
Signed `The Akhaltsikhe Liberation Army,’ the posters ordered local Armenians
to move out of the region, to Armenia, USA and elsewhere, otherwise `be
slaughtered as your grandparents were in 1915.’
Local Armenian organizations and many residents of the town say this is
another
attempt to terrorize local Armenians and destabilize the mostly Armenian
populated region. The local administration convened an extraordinary session
with law-enforcement bodies urging them to track down and punish the
perpetrators.
Akhalkalak, the main town in the predominantly Armenian-populated Javakhk
region of Georgia, which borders Armenia, was the site of a protest rally on
October 5, after tax officials from Tbilisi closed ten shops for alleged
financial irregularities.
The shop owners, mostly ethnic Armenians, and about 300 supporters, gathered
outside the Akhalkalak’s administration building to protest the violation of
their rights.
Local police dispersed the rally using rubber truncheons and firing shots in
the air. The clash between the authorities and the protesters left several
people injured. Police efforts to break up the rally prompted more
residents of
Akhalkalak and nearby villages to join the protest, making the situation even
more tense.
Giorgi Khachidze, the governor of the region appointed by Geornia’s President,
managed to calm the angry crowd through negotiations. Khachidze criticized the
police for excessive use of force and promised to hold some of them
accountable.
`In my opinion, they had no right to fire shots, even in the air,’ he was
quoted by Rustavi-2 TV as saying on October 6. Meanwhile, President Mikhail
Saakashvili hailed police actions, saying, `there is no serious problem’ and
emphasized that law-enforcement officials were merely maintaining order in a
region that had been poorly controlled in recent years.
Saakashvili and other Georgian officials have tried to downplay the latest
events in Akhalkalak, claming that the radical organizations advocating
autonomy for the region do not enjoy serious popular support.

2) His Holiness Aram I Presides over Holy High Mass at St. Mary’s Church in
Glendale with Over 1,000 People in Attendance

Catholicos Blesses Stone for New Glendale Community Center

LOS ANGELES–Over 1,000 people attended Holy High Mass conducted by His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, at St. Mary’s
Church
in Glendale on October 9. The Homenetmen scouts marching band welcomed the
Catholicos on his arrival as they played the national anthems of the United
States and Armenia. Hundreds of people welcomed His Holiness outside while the
church was filled to capacity inside with people eagerly awaiting his arrival.
Immediately after his arrival, His Holiness, accompanied by both Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western United States and Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern United States, proceeded to prepare
for the day’s mass. The procession into the church began when the Pontiff and
the surrounding clergy reemerged wearing their special robes and dress for the
mass. With the Homenetmen scouts lining both sides, when the procession
reached
the front church steps, His Holiness conducted a special blessing after which
white doves were released and the Catholicos and the procession entered St.
Mary’s.
In addition to the community at large, present were public officials including
Glendale Mayor Rafi Manoukian, Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams and
representatives from Western Prelacy committees and councils. Also present
were
representatives from many other community organizations.
After services, His Holiness conducted a special service at the property
adjacent to St. Mary’s Church where there are plans to build a new, modern
community center. Nazaret Apanian, representative of the Armenian
Revolutionary
Federation Aharonian Gomideh stated that the community center plans have been
in development during the last few years and that it will house the activities
of the various community organizations, especially those serving the youth as
well as a Saturday and Sunday school. After brief remarks introducing the
project, the Catholicos blessed the soil on which the center will be built as
well as the cornerstone that will be used in the building.
`Any community center that stands in the diaspora for the purpose of serving
the people is a little piece of Armenia,’ said His Holiness Aram I. `It is a
part of our homeland with the mission of preserving and spreading our Armenian
values.’

Fresno Mayor Pledges Monument for Armenian Genocide Victims

FRESNO–The Mayor of Fresno, California expressed readiness to undertake the
building of a Genocide monument in the near future to honor the victims of the
Armenian genocide. Mayor Alan Autry made the announcement on the occasion of a
visit to the city by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia, and as a response to a request by His Holiness. Mayor Autry said that
the first step would be to target an appropriate location for the memorial.
Fresno Armenian community members embraced the announcement, saying that it is
a step in right direction in establishing justice.

3) US Says Turkey Exerts Excessive Control over Religious Activity

ARMENPRESS–A recent report by the United States Mission to the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) criticized Turkey for exerting
excessive state control over minority religions, saying the Muslim country
risks eroding the centuries-old Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul, as
well as
the historic Syriac and Armenian Orthodox churches.
The report, which was delivered to the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation
Meeting in Warsaw on September 28, also called on Turkey to clarify the legal
status of 55 Protestant Churches that have been unable to register in Turkey
and are vulnerable to closure and harassment.
`We regret that authorities continue to inhibit the opening of places of
worship outside the Sunni Muslim mainstream and systematically disregard the
OSCE’s 1990 Bonn Document by expropriating the properties of religious groups
without compensation,’ the US statement said.
Concurrently, the European Court of Human Rights is weighing a decision on the
property rights of two minority foundations in Turkey. The Soorp Purgich
Armenian Hospital Foundation and the Fener Greek Boys High School Foundation
filed cases against Turkey arguing that they are in compliance with the
provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne. The 1923 Treaty affords protection to
foundations that provide public services for religious minorities.
In both cases, property gifted to the Armenian and Greek foundations were
seized as the Turkish courts upheld orders declaring that the bequest violated
a decree disallowing non-Muslims from donating real estate. If the court rules
in favor of the foundations, hundreds of buildings seized in the past may be
returned.

4) Councilman Eric Garcetti Visits Armenia

Councilmember Visits Armenian Heartland in an Attempt to Create Sister City
Relationship with Yerevan

LOS ANGELES–As a part of an official delegation of the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR), Los Angeles City Councilmember
Eric Garcetti recently returned from a nearly week and a half long trip
Armenia, where he met Armenian local and national political leadership. The
delegation included Garcetti’s staff members Baydsar Thomasian and Lynette
Amerian with husband Bruce Bogstad, and ANCA-WR Board members Leonard
Manoukian
and Vahagn Thomasian.
On their arrival, Councilmember Garcetti and the delegation were greeted
with a
warm welcome by the Armenian officials as well as American expatriates. Local
television crews who waited until three in the morning to interview
Councilmember Garcetti were also on hand.
The following day, the delegation met with several Parliamentary leaders
including Levon Mkrtchian, Armen Rustamian and the Mayor of Yerevan, Yervand
Zakharian. During these meetings, Garcetti and the Armenian officials
discussed
creating a Sister City relationship between Los Angeles and Yerevan, and
issues
that are of concern to both the diasporan and native Armenian communities.
`The meetings were all very encouraging about establishing a Sister City
agreement with Yerevan and using the Sister City relationship to promote
economic, cultural, and political interaction between the two municipalities,’
said Councilmember Eric Garcetti. `We looked at cooperation on the issues of
law enforcement and we explored possible cooperation around seismic standards
for buildings, considering we both live with fault lines in and around our
cities.’
Throughout the remainder of their trip, as Garcetti and the delegation
traveled
through the highlands of Armenia, they met with US Ambassador to Armenia, John
Marshall Evans, and the Deputy Minister on Foreign Affairs, Arman Kirakossian.
During these meetings, they discussed the possibilities for development and
success of both cities, if a Sister City relationship were to be established.
Ambassador Evans spoke of his thoughts on creating a program in which the
police and fire departments of the City of Los Angeles and Yerevan would work
with one another in an exchange of knowledge and ideas in order to promote the
capabilities of each.
`I am very hopeful of the outcome Councilmember Garcetti’s trip to Armenia
will
have for both the residents of Los Angeles and Yerevan. It will undoubtedly
create a relationship in which both cities will benefit from one another,’
said
delegation member and ANCA-WR Board member Vahagn Thomasian.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean joined Garcetti and his
delegation on their visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial. Together, they
planted trees in a grove where elected officials from around the world have
done the same in remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who were killed by
the Ottoman Turkish government.
`The truth is that the Armenian genocide took place 90 years ago,’ said DNC
Chairman Howard Dean.’Over a million people were killed. There is no question
that the United States should recognize this.’
Dean’s visit to Armenia was spurred by an invitation by the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF). During his short trip, which lasted a few
days,
he stressed his support of the Armenian American community’s efforts to gain
recognition for the Armenian Genocide. He also went on to express his support
for the congressional resolutions that urges President Bush to `accurately
characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000 Armenians
as genocide’ in his annual message to the US-Armenian community.
Garcetti was first elected in 2001, becoming one of the youngest
Councilmembers
elected in the city’s history. He represents the 13th district, which is known
as the heart of Los Angeles, and stretches between Hollywood and Downtown and
includes the area known as `Little Armenia.’

5) AYF Eastern Region Members Gather for Annual Seminar

WATERTOWN–On October 8, members of the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF)
Eastern
Region gathered in Paramus, NJ, for the organization’s annual Senior Seminar.
Participants from Providence, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, New Jersey, New
York and Washington, DC, attended the seminar, which included lectures on the
current status of the organization; an overview of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF); and a discussion on what it means to be Armenian.
Lead by AYF regional advisor Zorab Khaligian from Racine, Wisconsin, the group
talked about the dimensions of what it means to be Armenian and what types of
activities are included in its definition. Khaligian asked the group to put
the
discussion into perspective. “We have all of this commitment, socialization,
but what are we doing with it? Going with the flow and being at events is
great, but what about taking the next step? If you remain stagnant, then there
will be no AYF,” said Khaligian.
“We have our monthly meetings to discuss chapter dynamics and the successes or
failures that occur within our own cities. It is important for us, however, to
take time out to meet with the leaders and active members of other chapters to
discuss our organization as a whole,” said Philadelphia AYF chapter president
Anglela Deese, who attended the seminar. “This year’s event was a chance
for us
to discuss those issues, such as the ways in which we can run the AYF most
efficiently and successfully. I believe that a weekend like this helps us take
ownership of the AYF; this is easy to do within our own communities back home.
But we must remember that we are part of a group of youth striving for the
same
goal, and as a part of ARF youth, we strive for this goal not only in our own
cities, but with the rest of our ungers all over the world,” she said.
“I believe that this meeting was a successful event for two reasons. First, it
addressed important issues that our organization faces and presented
solutions.
And secondly, the lectures and discussions were different than the usual take
on the subjects,” said New Jersey AYF attendee Razmig Tchaghlasian.

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