ASBAREZ Online [06-09-2006]

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06/09/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Krekorian Wins Democratic Primary for California's 43rd Assembly Seat 2) Armenian Community Condemns Anti-Armenian Attacks during California Democratic Primary Election 3) Cyprus Blocks Opening of First Chapter in EU-Turkey Talks 4) Commission Finishes Decoding Black Box from Jet Crash 5) 'In The Absence of Burial Sites:' Letter urges Armenians to visit and contribute to website database 6) Outrage Continues to Grow over Ambassador Evans' Recall 7) Ambassador Markarian's Letter to The New York Times 8) Can You Sue Characters in A Novel? Only in Turkey 9) ANCA-WR Supports Construction of Genocide Monument in State Capitol 10) ANCA-WR among Exclusive California Leaders Honoring Mexican President 11) ANCA-WR Chairman Meets with Ukraine's First Lady 12) Millennium Children's Vaccine Fund Meets Avian Flu Challenge in Karabagh 13) Ford Amphitheatre Sets Stage for Element Band Solo Performance: By Heran Kerashkenian 14) Critics' Forum: Visual Arts: By Ramela Grigorian Abbamontian 15) So Many Lessons: By Garen Yegparian 1) Krekorian Wins Democratic Primary for California's 43rd Assembly Seat --Armenian community unites in support of candidate GLENDALE--The Armenian American community united in support of Paul Krekorian during the Democratic Primary election for the 43rd California Assembly district on June 6 and drove the candidate to decisively defeat Glendale city councilman Frank Quintero, sending a clear message to Sacramento. Armenian American voters turned out in large numbers to vote for Paul Krekorian in order to also send a message to Councilman Frank Quintero, whose campaign and advisors engaged in dirty campaign tactics during the last week. It is widely believed that the Quintero campaign collaborated with the California Latino Leadership Fund in sending out mass mailers and automated callers to non-Armenian voters labeling Krekorian and his wife, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), and the Armenian community as "terrorists" in a desperate attempt to scare away non-Armenian voters. Instead of having its intended effect, the unethical and racist tactics galvanized both Armenian and non-Armenian voters in support of Krekorian. "Having Paul Krekorian representing the citizens of the 43rd district will usher in a new era of empowerment and vision," said Leonard Manoukian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC). "As a person who has a strong connection to all parts of the community, we believe Paul will fill a huge void that has existed and be a driving force for building bridges and inspiring positive changes." Throughout the campaign for Paul Krekorian, Armenian Americans volunteered in record numbers, including on the day of the election where volunteers helped get out the vote, assisted at polling stations with translating while also monitoring and reporting problems and irregularities that occur during every election. During the weeks leading up to the election the local ANCs mounted an unprecedented voter education and get-out-the-vote campaign informing large numbers of voters of the issues at stake and getting people to vote. "If it wasn't clear before, we hope it is now," said Stepan Boyajian from the Burbank ANC. "The Armenian American community's voice will be heard and we will have our rightful seat at the table." Local ANCs who represent different parts of the 43rd Assembly district led community-wide efforts in support of Krekorian that made the difference. "This was a historic victory for the Armenian community and all Americans who care about justice and preserving the democratic process. It was a victory of hope over hatred, optimism over cynicism, common vision over ethnic division," said Paul Krekorian. "I am grateful by the outpouring of support from my fellow Armenian Americans and non-Armenians alike. The overall community of the 43rd district came together to reject the politics of hate and division instead favoring respect, understanding, and unity, that should be an inspiration for everyone." Unofficial results show Krekorian with 56.6% of the votes to Quintero's 43.4%, with 100 percent of precincts reporting; these figures do not yet include provisional and absentee ballots, which are still being counted. While the 43rd California Assembly seat has historically been a Democratic seat, Krekorian, as the Democratic candidate will face Republican candidate Michael Agbaba in November's general election. 2) Armenian Community Condemns Anti-Armenian Attacks during California Democratic Primary Election GLENDALE--On Wednesday, June 7, the Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA) organized a post-election press conference with a broad cross-section of Armenian American community organizations to recognize the new milestone in political empowerment and address the anti-Armenian campaign attacks intended to derail Paul Krekorian's election as the democratic nominee for the 43rd California Assembly seat. "This is a historic day in achieving a new level of political presence in California for the Armenian community, which is a symbol of our increasing political and collective strength--this is something we achieved together as a community," said Zanku Armenian, Board Member of the ANCA-WR. "It is our hope that this will usher in a new era of unprecedented cooperation, bringing together all of our strength so that we may lead the Armenian community to new levels of achievement." Community leadership representing organizations throughout the southern California Armenian American community also uniformly delivered a clear message by condemning the mailer and calling campaign sponsored by the California Latino Leadership Fund but widely believed to have been orchestrated by Frank Quintero's campaign and his political advisors. During the last several weeks of the campaign Paul Krekorian, the ANCA and the Armenian community were characterized as "terrorists" or terrorist sympathizers. In addition, the Quintero campaign, through several mail pieces, demonized the Armenian community's participation in the democratic process by making allegations of wide-spread voter fraud. "Unfortunately, during this campaign, ugly, anti-Armenian racist acts were committed against Paul Krekorian, the ANC, and our community," said Armenian. "Together, we are standing before you today to say that this is unacceptable, we are outraged and we will hold all those individuals, organizations and institutions involved in this accountable." During the press conference each of the Armenian American organizations and Armenian American public officials pledged to stand together to fight the racist attacks and to declare that those responsible for these unethical and vicious attacks against the community will be held fully accountable. In closing the press conference, Armenian said "Let me close with this symbolic statement: On June 6th we took our people's ladle and dipped it into the pot of 'Herriseh' to get our just share... and this time our ladle was made of steel." Below are excerpts of statements delivered during the press conference: ARCHBISHOP MOUSHEGH MARDIROSSIAN Prelate, Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America "Faith without toil is dead, and during this campaign we transformed faith into work, and embodied faith to successfully carry-out that which is kind and worthy. At times, this campaign departed the acceptable norms for a competitive environment, resorting instead to mudslinging in an attempt to shake our honor and unity, and to divide us. But we, as law-abiding citizens did what we had to with clear intent and knowledge. What has happened to us is unacceptable and must be pursued to secure justice and accountability." ARCHBISHOP VATCHE HOVSEPIAN Representing Prelate Hovan Derderian, Primate, Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America "We, as Armenians, have a mission to carry-out in this community. We are not intimidated by anyone because we are legal and long-time citizens of this country. We are here today under one name. We are Armenian and will not allow anyone to tamper with our pride." REVERABD JOE MATOSSIAN Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America "There is no doubt that we are shaken by these hurtful announcements against us~E when attempts to divide us are thrown our way, we will make them fail with our commitment to stand as one. We are an outstanding nationality, God-fearing and one. We will fight for justice." FR. ANTON SAROYAN Armenian Catholic Exarchate of North America "We are amazed that the guarantee to the right of freedom of expression in the Unites States is manipulated by certain individuals in an attempt to gain political victory, with excuses that are based solely on deceit and selfishness. We urge all Armenians to stand in support of all our national, social and religious organizations and institutions, specifically the Armenian National Committee, which work with dedication, sacrifice and persistence to protect our just rights and national identity." RAFI MANOUKIAN Glendale City Councilmember "There are acceptable norms to conducting campaigns, but Paul Krekorian's opponents not only crossed the line, but dared to do the unthinkable by attacking his wife, family, and nationality. In an attempt to inject fear into the community, they even accused Armenians of being "terrorists." Believe me, this matter is not over; now comes the matter of accountability, which we will demand from all those who created this environment." BOB YOUSEFIAN Glendale City Councilmember "This victory is for what is honorable, what is right. The people unanimously rejected horrible accusations by a candidate, and rejected Quintero's attempt to divide and conquer. We were tested, but sent a message that we are together and it did not work." ARA NAJARIAN Glendale City Councilmember "June 6th brought heights of elation for me, but also a deep wound~E The attack was not just on Paul but also on the ANC, and was totally baseless. Imagine attacking the work of the ANC which is to educate children; to educate and get justice for the Armenian Genocide. This is a continuation of the genocide, where the victim is demonized one more time; it's reprehensible. And I pledge never to forget; I will fight like I've never fought before. Look who we have gathered here. We are united and one force." LEONARD MANOUKIAN Chairman Armenian National Committee-Political Action Committee "The ANC-PAC selected Paul Krekorian not because he is Armenian but because he is the right man. He proved himself; his popularity grew, and when his opponent discerned this, they resorted to tactics that are an abomination, and disrespectful to the community. The ANC-PAC appealed to the community, the Armenian electorate to stand upnot for the organization but for what is rightto bring participation to the political arena and they did. We now have a community that is well-aware of their ability, energy and talent, whereas before they only saw the mere potential of its strength." Organziations and representatives at press conference: Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America; representing Primate Hovan Derderian, Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; Joe Matossian Minister to the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America; representing Fr. Anton Saroyan Armenian Catholic Exarchate of North America, Antoine Karamalian; Glendale City Council Members Rafi Manoukian, Ara Najarian, Bob Yousefian; Dr. Armine Hacopian, Vice President of Glendale Community College Board of Trustees; Angela Savoyan, Chairwoman ARS Western Region Board; Hrair Sherikian, Hamazkayin Western Region Chairman; Parsegh Kartalian representing AGBU; Nora Khatchadourian, Armenian Society of Los Angeles; Vahig Zadourian, Davidian & Mariamian Educational Foundation; Sari Shirinian, AYF; Vahe Shahinian, ANC Burbank; Khatchik Khalatian, Homenetmen Ararat Chapter; Steve Dadaian, Zanku Armenian and Steve Artinian, ANCA Western Region Board representatives; Leonard Manoukian, ANC-PAC; Alina Azizian, Glendale ANC. 3) Cyprus Blocks Opening of First Chapter in EU-Turkey Talks BRUSSELS (EU Observer)--Cyprus has blocked the opening of Turkey's first negotiating chapter with the EU, with intense weekend diplomacy expected before meeting of the Foreign Ministers on Monday. The opening of the "science and research" legislative chapter is scheduled for Monday at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers with their Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul in Luxembourg. The move would mean the first concrete work on one of the 35 negotiating chapters that EU candidate state Turkey has to go through before acceding to the bloc. As there is no real EU legislation on science and research, the EU intended to close the chapter on the same day--Monday. But at a meeting of the member states' ambassadors on Friday, Cyprus fiercely resisted the closing of the chapter, demanding political concessions from Ankara first. Diplomats said Nicosia wants to see progress on Turkey ending its continued non-recognition of Cyprus and its blockade of Cypriot shipping and air traffic. "The Austrian EU presidency regrets that we did not reach a unanimous agreement in Coreper [Member States' Permanent Representatives Committee]," said an Austrian spokesman. "We stand ready for further negotiations in order to solve this issue, also over the weekend," said the spokesman. "The topic will now be handed over to Foreign Ministers on Monday." A compromise text on the chapter prepared by Vienna contained a reference to the EU's September 21 statement, which requires Turkey to recognize EU member Cyprus, as well as open its ports and airports to Cypriot vessels and planes Nicosia has now made clear that if Ankara makes no progress in meeting these demands, it could veto the opening or closing of any chapter in Turkey's EU entry talks. The starting and finishing of each of the 35 legislative chapters requires the unanimous consent of EU member states. Diplomats said, however, that Cyprus may, after an intense weekend of diplomacy, back down on Monday, amid Turkish media reports that Gul could snub the EU by boycotting Monday's meeting. Meanwhile, the row is unlikely to affect the membership bid of Croatia, which received the green light from EU ambassadors to open and close the science and research chapter on Monday. Zagreb could enter the EU around 2009-2010, while 2015 is seen as a more likely possible accession date for Ankara. 4) Commission Finishes Decoding Black Box from Jet Crash YEREVAN (Armenpress/RIAN)An intergovernmental commission has finished deciphering the cockpit voice recorder from an Armenian A-320 passenger jet that crashed into the Black Sea on May 3, reported the Russian Transportation Ministry. The Ministry said that the recorder had captured 33 minutes of exchanges between the pilot of the plane and air traffic controllers at Russia's southern Adler airport, which services the popular resort of Sochi. "It was established that most of the conversation between crewmembers took place in the Armenian language. Armenian Embassy representatives helped translate the talks into Russian and verified the translation," the Ministry said. The statement also said the transcript would not be published in line with the standards and practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Under the Chicago aviation convention, information from the decoded black boxes is not subject to publication until the end of the accident's examination. Work on deciphering the second black box continues. According to Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatian, the decoding of just one of the black boxes does not give a complete picture of what caused the crash. Smbatian said that decoding the second black box will take two or three weeks, after which authorities can comment on the cause of the plane crash, which resulted in the deaths of all 113 on board. Meanwhile, friends and relatives of those killed are preparing to mark the 40th day after the tragedy occurred, in a ceremony to honor the dead. Relatives will be transported to the crash site in Southern Russia by the Armenian-Russian and Armenian-Georgian Business Association, who pledged to cover the costs of the trip. The ceremony will take place June 14 near the spot where the airline plunged into the Black sea. On the same day a local Armenian church in Adler will conduct a church service for the crash victims. 5) 'In The Absence of Burial Sites' --Letter urges Armenians to visit and contribute to website database In a letter addressed to their fellow Armenians, over fifty prominent Armenian community leaders from around the world are urging all those who lost family members in the Armenian genocide to visit a website (), which will allow them to document the losses suffered by their families. Visitors to the website will be able to see the map of Armenia and Turkey as the Treaty of Sevres had intended it to be. Visitors can click on cities that had a significant Armenian population prior to the Genocide and see the names of its residents who were killed during the Genocide. They can also add the names of their loved ones who perished in the Genocide. The website aims to not create a database of all those who disappeared in the Genocide, but also to help reunite families that have been separated and scattered around the world since 1915. The following are excerpts from the letter signed by Charles Aznavour, "Our Dead Have Names" Campaign organizer Jean Eckian, Director of Armenian Studies at Cal State Fresno Dr. Dickran Kouymjian, and President of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France Alexis Govciyan: "~EWe are asking men and women from all continents to stand vigilant, as the memory of the Martyrs is decried, as unprecedented violence is being inflicted on the sons and daughters of the survivors of the Armenian genocide, and as the very existence of our identity, symbolized by the vestiges of our culture, is being willfully wiped out. Today, Armenians are the target of the denial of the crime, of which their parents were innocent victims. Scorned, bruised, exasperated, but nevertheless Armenian, we have to tell the world, once and for all, that the time for geopolitical procrastination has passed. We are not claiming to be victims, but protesters for simple justice. In the absence of burial sites, enables every one of us to write in the names of those who lost their lives on our ancestral soil. Once this has been done, another task will be invoked: to ensure the permanent recognition of the Genocide of the Armenian people and the inevitable consequences of recognition~E ~EJust like a petition, the recording of the names of the victims will become a recognized document rendered to the United Nations, the only institution whose competence in this area is acknowledged by Turkey~E ~EThe time has come for all Armenians to resist. Therefore, on the occasion of the 91st commemoration of this human cataclysm, we call upon each of you to resist falling into silent consent by visiting the website now at to see for yourselves and to help show that our dead have names. This is our duty." 6) Outrage Continues to Grow over Ambassador Evans' Recall Outraged by the news of the Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans,' official recall over his truthful comments regarding the Armenian genocide, Retired Air Force Lt. Col. John A. Keusseyan addressed a letter to the Armenian community and its leaders, calling for continued and unwavering support in hopes of saving his career. "It is every Armenian American's duty to write to the State Department and raise hell," he said. "Let's flood the State Department with our letters of protest." The following is his letter: "Rumors finally materialized. An honorable man who told the truth about the Armenian genocide is being punished by "evil forces." This country is (supposedly) founded on freedom of speech, freedom of religion, etc. Apparently this does not apply to US Diplomats; they are punished if they tell the truth. What kind of message does this send to the rest of the diplomatic corps? Your career will be cut short if you told the truth and that it is okay to lie and you will be rewarded if you lied. The Armenian Americans were unable to save the career of this honorable and honest man. Why did we fail? Did we do all that we could? These are the questions that our (Armenian) leadership should be asking them selves. Now that the damage is done, how can we recover? If we do nothing, no one would dare to support our cause anymore. What we can do and should do is reward this man. We can hire him as a consultant to one of our political organizations i.e. ANCA or AAA (and believe me he will be a very valuable asset). Or an Armenian owned company can hire him and give him a prestigious position. Then we can tell the whole world that we don't let our friends down. Tell to the civil servants of America: don't be afraid to tell the truth about Armenian genocide! We will take care of you and we even let you practice your first amendment right! Even if the Government does not." --John A. Keusseyan, Lt. Col. USAF (Retired) 7) Ambassador Markarian's Letter to The New York Times In response to a letter denying the Armenian genocide by the Turkish Ambassador to the US, Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian wrote a letter to the editor of The New York Times, which was published on May 31, 2006. The following is the letter as it appeared in The New York Times. Although Turkey's ambassador to the US asserts arguably that "history should be left to historians," (NYT, May 24), the Turkish Government makes history a precondition for normalizing interstate relations with Armenia. Turkey needs first of all reconcile with its own history, and it must remove all taboos and stop persecution of Turkish authors who dare address the 1915 events. Turkish scholars will then be able to examine the rich historical record, including the 1919 Turkish military tribunal which passed a death sentence against the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide. It is the Turkish state's denialist policy that forces growing number of nations to intervene and express their position on the subject. Historical and legal experts, including Raphael Lemkin who invented the term genocide, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars, have long recognized that the 1915 events fit the definition of the 1948 Genocide Convention in all its aspects. Tatoul Markarian Ambassador of Armenia Washington, May 27, 2006 8) Can You Sue Characters in A Novel? Only in Turkey --Repression of free speech reaches new heights in Turkey (The New Anatolian/AP)--The case faced by Turkish writer Elif Shafak will demonstrate not only a judicial but a philosophical question: "Can you sue characters in a novel?" If you ask Kemal Kerincsiz--an Istanbul-based lawyer and a member of the Jurists Union Association who had his 15 minutes of fame when he sued the organizers of the Armenian Conference in Istanbul and European Parliament Deputy Joost Lagendijk for "insulting Turkishness"then the answer is yes. If a fictional character cannot be sued, then the author who created it certainly can. He has, after all, filed a complaint against Shafak and her publisher for remarks made by one of several characters in Shafak's latest best-seller, "Baba ve Pic" (Father and Bastard). Kerincsiz says that certain remarks made by fictitious characters violate Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), the infamous article about "insulting Turkishness." The novel tells the story of two families, a Turkish-Muslim one and an Armenian one, over a period of 90 years. The book's characters are strong womenwho subsequently express their strong opinions, prejudices, and memories. "I am the grandchild of a family whose children were slaughtered by the Turkish butchers," and "I was brought up having to deny my roots and say that genocide did not exist," are the sentences accused of "insulting Turkishness." Shafak went to court to testify on Tuesday, claiming that she didn't believe that taking certain parts or sentences from a novel could either be legal or accurately portray the story. "If a character in a book describes a murder or commits one, does that mean that the writer approves of it?" asked Shafak when she testified with her publisher, Semih Somken of Metis Publishing House. Shafak's somewhat surrealistic case comes during a week when freedom of the press and freedom of expression cases are high on Turkey's agenda, including a case against Perihan Magden, one of Turkey's best new writers. Turkish author and journalist Magden went on trial Wednesday, charged with turning people against military service after she defended the rights of a conscientious objector in a weekly magazine column. In her column published in the weekly Yeni Aktuel magazine in December, Magden defended conscientious objector Mehmet Tarhan who was sentenced to a record four year term in a military prison for disobedience after refusing to wear his military uniform. Turkey, she wrote, needed to establish a civilian service as an alternative to compulsory military conscription. Magden could face up to three years in prison if convicted of the charge of "alienating the people against military service." Radikal columnist Professor Murat Belge was also scheduled appear in court this week for "trying to influence the judiciary" by criticizing an administrative court decision that postponed last year's Armenian Conference in Istanbul. His article entitled "A Court Verdict" falls under the scope of Article 288 of the TCK. Radikal newspaper reporter Ismail Saymaz is also accused under the same article for his news report entitled "Torture allegation involving an 11 year old child." Another publishing house owner, Ahmet Onal, sentenced last week in relation to another book is being tried on charges of insulting modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk by publishing the book "Being an Alawite in Dersim." The book, authored by Munzur Cem and Huseyin Baysulun, is only one of 27 charges leveled against the publisher. In the most high-profile case, novelist Orhan Pamuk stood trial earlier this year on charges of "insulting Turkishness" for commenting on the Armenians genocide. The charges were dropped amid intense international pressure. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government has made clear it has no plans to change laws used to prosecute Pamuk and others despite heavy pressure from the EU--which Turkey hopes to join--to scrap repressive laws and improve freedoms. Ankara said that the charges are eventually dropped and defendants are acquitted. EU officials argue, however, that even if the charges are dropped the threat of prosecution remains as a deterrent against people wishing to express opinions. 9) ANCA-WR Supports Construction of Genocide Monument in State Capitol GLENDALE--The Armenian National Committee of America Western Region (ANCA -WR) demonstrated it support this week for AB 1210, legislation that calls for the construction of an International Genocide Monument in Sacramento's State Capitol Park. The California State Legislature took the first step this year in working to construct an International Genocide Memorial in the State's Capitol. Authored by State Assembly member Lloyd Levine, AB 1210 was introduced in 2005 and is currently in the Senate Appropriations Committee. If passed, the legislation would call for the establishment of an International Genocide Memorial Commission to determine the design, construction, and dedication for a memorial, on the grounds of Capitol Park, to honor genocide victims. The State of California has a longstanding history in protecting the rights, history and culture of all its citizens, including those who are survivors and descendents of genocide and crimes against humanity. An International Genocide Monument in the State Capitol would not only serve as a symbol for remembrance of past genocides, but also as a tool to educate thousands of students who visit the State Capitol annually for class trips. If constructed, the monument would recognize crimes perpetrated against the Sudanese in Darfur and the Tutsis in Rwanda, the Armenians, and the Jews, among others. Noting the ANCA-WR's support of AB 1210, Chairman Steven Dadaian said, "The passage of this legislation that would bring about a permanent reminder of past atrocities, is especially important in the face of genocides that are still shamefully denied today, such as the Armenian genocide." On behalf of all Armenian Americans, the ANCA-WR commends the California legislature and Assembly member Levine's leadership for their efforts to create a enduring symbol of remembrance and recognition in California for all victims of genocide and injustice. 10) ANCA-WR among Exclusive California Leaders Honoring Mexican President LOS ANGELES--The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA - WR) was among a select group of civic and business leaders at a dinner hosted by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to honor Mexican President Vicente Fox. ANCA - WR Chairman Steven Dadaian attended the May 26 event at the Getty Center Museum and had a chance to brief President Fox about Armenian genocide recognition efforts and urge the President to consider passing such legislation in Mexico. President Fox, who was on a four-day trip through Utah, Washington, and California, repeatedly stated that Mexico must regulate the migration of its citizens to the US and must bolster its economy so would-be migrants no longer see leaving as an economic necessity. In his remarks during the dinner, Mayor Villaraigosa lamented what he called "so much heat and so little light illuminating the debate over the relationship between our two countries." Addressing the economic ties between the two countries, the mayor said, "Our economy is driven by the labor of Mexican immigrants." 11) ANCA-WR Chairman Meets with Ukraine's First Lady LOS ANGELES--Los Angels Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and ANCA-WR Chairman Steven Dadaian welcomed Ukraine's First Lady Kateryna Yuschenko to Southern California during a private reception on Friday, June 6 at Los Angeles International Airport. During his conversation with the First Lady, Dadaian touched on the common history of oppression and genocide suffered by both the Armenian and Ukrainian people during the 20th century and the need to work together in addressing the issue of genocide. Mrs. Yuschenko thanked the ANCA for its support of genocide awareness in the United States, noting ANCA's valuable support in passing Ukrainian genocide remembrance legislation recently. She also fondly recalled her involvement, in the 1980s, in Ukrainian-American public affairs in Washington, DC. Accompanying the First Lady were Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States Dr. Oleh Shamshur, Consul General of Ukraine Mykola Tochytskyi, and Ukrainian American leader Peter Borisow. The First Lady's visit to the US includes meetings with health care professionals, businessmen, economic development experts, government officials, and leaders of the Ukrainian diaspora in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, in an effort to garner support for the Ukraine 3000 Foundation and for healthcare programs for Ukraine's youth. Explaining the goal of the foundation, Mrs. Yuschenko said it is to help "Ukraine create its own future and realize its global destiny. Hence, the mission of the foundation is to facilitate the search for an optimal path to Ukraine's strategic development and making this clear for the Ukrainian population." Dadaian wished the First Lady success in advancing the worthy mission, as well as a safe trip home. 12) Millennium Children's Vaccine Fund Meets Avian Flu Challenge in Karabagh LOS ANGELES--Recent reported cases of the Bird flu in Azerbaijan and Georgia prompted the Ani and Narod Memorial Foundation (ANMF), through its Millennium Children's Vaccine Fund (MACVF), to expand its health awareness program in Armenia into the Mountainous Karabagh Republic (MKR) to implement preventative measures against the spread of the deadly H5N1 virus. MACVF, with the cooperation of UNICEF, USAID, The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations, and the Republic of Armenia's Ministry of Health, currently provides seven basic vaccines--Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Polio, Pertussis (whooping cough), Tetanus, and Tuberculosis--to all of the approximately 37,000 children born in Armenia each year. The threat of an avian influenza pandemic in Karabagh caused great alarm amongst health administrators. "We cannot afford a disruption in the health and economy of this vital region," states Raffy Ardhaldjian, ANMF Chief Volunteer Officer, "We had to nip this potential epidemic in the bud." Training in Stepanakert, the capital of Karabagh, was initiated by ANMF/MACVF on March 27, with the Ministries of Education and Health along with the Hanganak NGO actively involved in the training of nurses and teachers from Stepanakert, Askeran, and Shushi. Frida Yeritsyan from Armenia's National Institute of Education trained the participants on innovative and effective methods for working with children to avoid the spread of the avian flu. Representatives from the MKR Ministry of Agriculture and Department of Emergency Situations were invited to answer specific questions of the trainees. With the main objective to enhance public awareness on avian influenza preventive measures, ANMF organized reproduction and dissemination of informational materials in MKR: 2000 copies of two-sided leaflets, 500 copies of posters for schools, and 800 copies of teacher's manuals with the detailed description of new interactive methods for working with children. Training was also conducted in the Martuni, Hadrut, Martakert and Lachin regions of Karabagh. MACVF continues to strive toward its goal of immunizing 560,000 in Armenia within the next ten years. To learn more about the organization, visit <; 13) Ford Amphitheatre Sets Stage for Element Band Solo Performance By Heran Kerashkenian LOS ANGELES--Element Band will present its first solo performance at the Ford Amphitheatre on Friday, June 16, at 8:00 PM, with an evening that promises a dynamic concert and many surprises by a band that has taken Southern California by storm. With its recently released premiere CD "Yev O Phe," Element has attracted an incredible mix of listeners to give the band a fan base that spans not only three generations, but has also transcended the diverse musical preferences prevalent in Armenian culture. It has also left fans wanting to hear more of their selections. "The time was right," says the band's arranger and musical director Ara Dabandjian, who also plays an array of instruments in Element. "We usually play five or six songs when performing, but we have so much more that has never been heard." In its two years together, the band has performed at the Kodak Theatre with legendary Greek singer Demis Roussos and at the Ford Amphitheatre with French Gypsy Band Bratsch, but has yet to give a solo performance. Their concert at the Ford Amphitheatre will feature 24 mostly Armenian songs and several English selections, enhanced by the grace of dancers and the energy of a drum circleall in the open-air setting of the Ford Amphitheatre. The band's sound is bold: Flamenco, Tango, Rembetika waft in and out of performances of traditional Armenian songs as well as their English songs. And to achieve this, the band uses the accordion, bouzouki, mandolin, classical guitar, violin, and the purity of the band's vocalists to serve up a compelling combination of fiery Mediterranean and European sounds that are partnered with hauntingly raw Armenian. Tickets for the June 16 performance are $30/$50 and can be purchased through the Ford Amphitheatre box office: (323) 461-3673 (Wednesday - Sunday 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM) or by visiting <;w ww.fordamphitheater.org. The Ford Amphitheatre is located at 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles, CA 90068. 14) Critics' Forum: Visual Arts The Community's Museum: Art And History At the Ararat-Eskijian Museum By Ramela Grigorian Abbamontian Like many of the artifacts contained within, the Ararat-Eskijian Museum (AEM) is a hidden treasure awaiting discovery. Nestled quietly in Mission Hills on the campus of The Ararat Home of Los Angeles, the museum is the physical manifestation of the dream of one individual, Genocide survivor Luther Eskijian, who created the museum "to preserve our Armenian culture and historical treasures for generations to come." In 1989, at the age of 78, Genocide survivor Luther Eskijian embarked on a quest to realize his 30 year old dream of creating a museum where his collection could be used to preserve the cultural identity of the Armenians. "I have been a collector of historical artifacts, coins, maps, art, documents and books since my early childhood. I was drawn to collecting these items first for their historical value, second, because of their beauty, and finally, to preserve these collections for others to enjoy," notes Eskijian in the Founder's Statement. Using his connection with the Ararat Home (as its volunteer advisor of many years), he proposed adding a museum and a sanctuary to the site. Working diligently as architect and general contractor for about four years, Eskijian, at the age of 82, witnessed the fruits of his dream when the museum opened its doors in 1993. The mission of the museum is clearly articulated on its website (< />): “The
Ararat-Eskijian Museum~E was created to enrich, inspire and educate the
community through the display of artworks and exhibits, presentation of
programs, and collection of research materials featuring the history and
cultural heritage of the Armenian people.” A detailed list that follows
expounds how the museum aims to achieve this mission, including collecting
valuable items, accepting the community’s contributions of artifacts, focusing
on research and education, housing a library (of primarily Genocide-related
materials), and offering cultural programs. These are ambitious aims for a
tiny
museum, yet as a review of its most recent activities will soon illustrate,
the
museum appears to tirelessly strive for these goals. These efforts fill a
critical need because, as its mission statement reminds us, the museum “serves
the largest Armenian community in the diaspora and is the only Armenian museum
on the west coast.”
In its 6,000 square feet–relatively small exhibition space–the museum’s
impressive and eclectic collections include antiquities, decorative arts,
drawings, historical documents, musical instruments, paintings, prints, rugs,
sculptures, stamps, coins, and textiles. Considering the inspiring story of
the
museum’s founder, its collections, its programming, its role as a site of
remembrance, and its close relationship with the community, we might conclude
that though young and still nascent, the museum is nonetheless an important
thread in the fabric of the community and a powerful vehicle of its
preservation.
Like most small museums, AEM is staffed primarily by volunteers and a few
paid
employees. The powerhouse behind the museum’s operations is Maggie
Mangassarian-Goschin, who began volunteering at the museum in 1998 and has
since dedicated countless hours to making its mission a reality. In fact, she
can easily be considered the museum’s unpaid director and–as most
directors in
small museums will attest–wears a number of different hats, including
programming, staffing, curating, and even housecleaning and maintenance.
Though
the small group of staff and volunteers are clearly dedicated to the museum,
more volunteers are always needed to achieve the large-scale goals of the
museum.
A key feature, though not the entire focus, of the museum is its presentation
of the 1915 Armenian genocide. Visitors to the museum are greeted by the
“Mother Armenia Rising Out of the Ashes,” the bronze sculpture flanking the
entrance. Dedicated to the victims as well as survivors of the Genocide, this
living memorial has elicited a myriad of reactions from viewers, most notably
prayers, tears, and flowers placed at her feet. Museum staff has often
glimpsed
the elderly residents of the Ararat Home deep in thought beside the woman and
child figure. One wonders: what are they thinking and remembering? What are
their personal stories? And more to the point, who preserves them? These
critical questions further reinforce the essential role of the museum in the
community.
In another section of the small area dedicated to the Genocide, artists Nora
Nalbandian and Guilda Deirmendjian have painted “The Der Zor Memorial
Mural,” a
tortured desert landscape pervaded by light and vibrant colors from above, in
what seems to represent the hope of God. A box of human bones retrieved on a
mission to Der Zor by some museum members sits in front of the mural, a
reminder of the unmarked graves of the victims.
Initially, the alcove was intended as a silent site of meditation. Yet as the
number of non-Armenian visitors increased, so did their questions. “What is
this mural about?” “Where are the bones from?” The museum has since recognized
the visitors’ concerns and has added extensive wall text and photographic
reproductions to tell the story of the Genocide. Though the text at times
almost overpowers the silent testimony of memory, it is a necessary addition,
since one of the museum’s goals, as Goschin reiterated in a recent interview,
is to introduce Armenian culture and history to the non-Armenian public.
Without the labels, there is always the risk that visitors would admire the
objects simply for their beauty, instead of as emblems of historical value.
The rest of the collection, as delineated earlier, is quite diverse–not
uncommon among collectors like Eskijian, who amass an assortment of objects
through the years. That large collection of objects, along with the museum’s
small exhibition space, poses a challenge in creating appropriate and cohesive
displays. But surprisingly, the varied selection also presents a more
expansive
view of Armenian history, marking its origins (the oldest items date from 2500
years ago to the Urartian and Hittite periods), its Christian faith, its
persecution, and its contributions to various neighboring countries.
Like its collection, the museum’s programs are also eclectic and varied, and
include film screenings, art exhibitions, lectures, and musical performances.
Its programming has burgeoned rapidly in the last couple of years,
triggered–according to Goschin–by the exhibition organized by three UCLA
graduate students who temporarily adopted the museum to curate a student art
exhibition entitled “In Celebration of Life: Armenian Identity and Culture of
the Diaspora” (April 2002).
The museum’s impressive list of programs features such prominent scholars and
artists as filmmaker Michael Hagopian, historian George Bournoutian, art
historian Levon Chookaszian, and Genocide scholar Vahakn Dadrian. Audience
numbers at these events number anywhere from 50 to 100. Another step in the
right direction has been the museum’s recent collaboration with other major
Armenian institutions, a move they intend to–and in fact, should–pursue, in
order to introduce the museum to new audiences and continue offering quality
programs. Notably, AEM has joined forced with NAASR (National Association for
Armenian Studies and Research) and recently jointly hosted the lecture, “‘Kiss
My Children’s Eyes’: A Search for Answers to the Armenian Genocide through One
Remarkable Photograph” (March 2006). The lecture featured Pulitzer-Prize
winning Boston Globe investigative journalist Stephen Kurkjian, who discussed
his quest to identify the group of Armenian men standing under Turkish
guard in
front of a building in Gesaria (Caesarea) in 1915.
Currently, the museum is in the midst of preparing a teacher workshop for the
Fall to introduce teachers–first from Armenian private schools and then from
area public schools–to the collections and the different ways of integrating
the various items in the collection into educational courses, including Social
Studies, History, and English. Also in the works are a High School Volunteer
Program and the continuing development of relations with university professors
to help them encourage their students to visit the museum.
Another long-term goal of the museum is supporting local artists. To that
end,
the museum recently curated “The Visual Poetry of the Homeland: The
Photographs
of Vahé Peroomian and Ara Meshkanbarian,” (September to October 2005). In the
accompanying “Dialogues with the Artists: Interview and Reception,” the public
was introduced more intimately to the artists’ motives and inspirations. While
the museum would like to do more in terms of supporting local artists, it does
not yet have the manpower, time, or funding to organize exhibitions on a more
consistent basis.
The Founder, Eskijian, reminds the public on the museum’s website that, “The
Ararat-Eskijian Museum belongs to all Armenians.” And in its mission
statement,
the museum “encourages the community to contribute historical artifacts and
actively participate in the preservation of family histories and experiences.”
In this way, the museum has become a living repository, each donated item
breathing new life into its growing collection.
While the museum endeavors to be a place for the community, it also
desperately needs support. This need is especially critical for a museum
dedicated to a small ethnic community. Ideally, a reciprocal relationship
should exist between the two–the museum preserving the community’s culture
and
heritage and allowing it to take pride in its accomplishments, with the
community in turn allowing the museum to thrive with its support. In Ron
Chew’s
article “In Praise of the Small Museum” (Museum News, March/April 2002, p.38),
Steve Olson, Assistant Director of the Museum of Church History and Art at the
time the article was written, warns that “if you added up all the collections
in the country, numerically, most of the artifacts would be found in small
museums. If we don’t help the small museums, we’re literally risking the
fabric
of our own heritage.”
Is the museum, then, solely for Armenians? Goschin and other museum staff
would reply that it is not, and like most Armenians, express their desire to
share their rich culture with others. But the museum also inspires Armenian
and
non-Armenian visitors alike to reflect on their own cultures and recognize
similarities with those of others by emphasizing the common need to preserve
their stories for future generations.
The museum is currently open only on Saturdays and Sundays, between 1:00 and
5:00 PM, as well as the first Tuesday of every month after the Women’s Guild
Luncheon at the Ararat Home. Admission to the museum and to all events is
free.
Ramela Grigorian Abbamontian is a PhD candidate in Art History at UCLA. She
has
been with the Ararat-Eskijian Museum since 2001. You can reach her or any of
the other contributors to Critics’ Forum at [email protected]. This
and
all other articles published in this series are available online at
<;www.critics forum.org. To sign up for a weekly electronic version of new articles, go to <;www.cri ticsforum.org/join. Critics' Forum is a group created to discuss issues relating to Armenian art and culture in the diaspora. 15) So Many Lessons By Garen Yegparian I really hope this'll be the last election related piece for a while. Three back to back on the same topic can become boring. But, it's necessary. The Armenian community is savoring a sweet victory right now. Paul Krekorian has won the Democratic Party nomination in the 43rd Assembly District of California, which houses the largest concentration of Armenians in an electoral district outside Armenia. But since I last wrote, much has transpired in this race beside the victory. On Friday June 2, a despicable mailer, targeting the Armenian community and calling us terrorists hit selected homes in the 43rd AD. Which homes? Those of non-Armenians, of course. It points out that Tamar, Krekorian's wife, is a "representative" of the ANC [Armenian National Committee]-whatever that's supposed to insinuate. Then, the mailer proceeds to make a Burbank ANC project, "Books for Burbank," through which books were donated to the Burbank Public Library, seem sinister. Through all this it purports to connect Krekorian to terrorism. It bears the name of the California Latino Leadership Fund (CLLF) as the source of this "independent expenditure" mailer. Of course the community, and all decent human beings, were incensed and a weekend of intense TV programming on local cable ensued. Some of our old friends, the EI's (electoral idiots), took their usual contrarian, destructive positions. They attempted to minimize the harm done by the mailer. They argued that Frank Quintero, the other candidate for the seat, was unaware of the "independent expenditure" mailer described above. As if all this were not despicable enough, on Sunday, June 3, automated calls commenced, conveying much the same message as the mailer. As the cable TV battle between the sellouts and genuine representatives of Armenian interests raged, other efforts were bearing fruit. A number of elected officials representing parts or all of the 43rd AD issued letters condemning the mailer and the hate speech it utilized. But there was a strange silence too. Quintero, who claims to represent Armenian concerns, had nothing to say, at least until mid-day Monday when a poorly written condemnation was received in the ANC offices. The same letter was posted to Quintero's website along with an equivalent sent to the CLLF. If someone is not familiar with the Armenian community and details of this issue, he/she would never know what the letter is about. The ANC (only as an acronym), the mailer, and the issue as a whole are cited, with no clear explanation or references to what has transpired. It is assumed the reader knows. Clearly, it is just a ploy, a facade to mask guilt. Otherwise, why would it take so long to issue a statement? Everyone knew about it on Friday. Why would it be so poorly written? Finally, why would the version sent to the ANC contain the sentence "We suspect this is another one of the Krekorian campaign's dirty tricks" when the version on the campaign website did not? Why did the condemnation by Quintero and his defense by Armenian supporters focus on the Armenian community, not the non-Armenian community which had actually received the mailer? Some of the connections suggested by following the money and probing the publicly available information about the CLLF are truly chilling. Add to this that over three weeks ago I'd heard that such a mailing was brewing but the Quintero campaign had been talked out of doing it by its Armenian supporters, at least one in particular. On election night I was told a first-hand story. The relater, upon learning of the mailer, had called one of Quintero's Armenian supporters and told the latter of it. That supporter had replied "I told that... weeks ago not to do it," referring to a conversation with Quintero. But of course all this is hearsay; it wouldn't stand up in a court of law. But the court of public opinion has a different standard. The backlash from all this hurt the Quintero campaign more than it helped. As it is, this dirty level of hit piece represents a last, desperate gasp by a campaign that knows it is fighting a losing battle. It came on the heels of polling information showing Krekorian leading significantly with very little time left till Election Day. So, they gambled, and lost. It was heartening to hear story, from a non-Armenian, of friends she had who would have never voted for an Armenian. But after seeing the mailer, they voted for Krekorian. Couple this with the righteous indignation felt, because of this assault on our dignity, by an overwhelming portion of our community, and the actionvoting--it engendered, and you have a fundamental cause for Krekorian's victory. Ironically, if those who issued the mailer sought to break the developing strength of the Armenian community, they served the exact opposite purpose. It brought Armenians together in the service of a shared community interest, not the inane unity-for-unity's-sake, but unified action backing up an appreciation of what was going on and what had to be done. It served to build our community. Unfortunately, the news is not all good. Let's start with the specific and expand to the general. Stepan Partamian, who was profiled by the Los Angeles Times and has become quite a cable personality with his acerbic descriptions and critiques of our community's foibles and failings became a focus of the clash in this election. For the record, Stepan and I happen to have opposing Armenian political party affiliations. But, as a fundamentally decent human being, it is easy to relate to him and what he went through. His Monday morning show was cancelled because of repairs to the studio that were not completed on time. Fair enough. But that got cast into doubt when on his Tuesday morning (Election Day) show, while replying to another programmer's criticisms of his positions regarding the campaign and deploring those Armenians supporting Quintero, Channel 26's management (evidently pro-Quintero) turned off the audio to his program. It's a call-in show, and he realized what happened. So he packed up his things, on air, and walked off fifteen minutes before the show's ending time. He will return to the air Monday morning, June 12, on Channel 55. So much for freedom of speech, decency, and courtesy. But that's not the only lesson to be learned here. Clearly, we will always have slimy Armenians who are willing to do anything, not for our collective interests, but for either personal or partisan interest. The Hnchagian Party/Armenian Council of America's support of Quintero seems to have been based on an approach of "wherever the ARF/ANC is, we're not." While this is depressing, it's not surprising, since we are human. It just behooves us to be aware of this situation and act accordingly. Perhaps in the future, some creative, preventive measures can be taken to avoid this kind of contentiousness within our community and allowing external political forces to roil it so much. But we are in a learning, growing process as we mature politically. The same is true of those who supported Quintero, not out of any vindictiveness, but purely self interest. As a practical matter, these considerations too must be integrated with our growth so to not fray our clout. However, the positive approach I advocate in the preceding paragraph does not mean that the meddlers are off the hook. These, who attempted to play spoilers--be they inside or outside the community--must be taught a lesson. How is not quite clear to me, but political pain must be inflicted on those who stooped to unacceptable lows in this campaign. If not, I fear they or others like them might do the same thing in the future. The clear message "don't mess with us" must be sent loud and clear. Finally, to the extent that this became an Armenian-Latino clash, is something I do not advocate and find contemptible--pitting two disenfranchised groups against one another. But an interesting notion was posed to me. Could it be that this excited Latino voting interest less than that of Armenians because it is just another seat for Latinos, but the ONLY one for Armenians? It has been an interesting electoral season, these last two months. Let's all lick our wounds, rest, and prepare for the next round of political battle as we creep forward in our struggle to complete the triad of securing a free, independent, UNITED Armenia--that is regaining Western Armenia. On a completely different note, those in the Los Angeles area on June 18 should seriously consider going to the Alex Theatre in Glendale for the premier of "The Long Journey from the NFL to Armenia," a documentary of professional football player Rien Long's trip to Armenia and his connection to his Armenian roots. This is the kind of movie that bridges the gap between Armenian reality and what appeals to the average American. Go to for details. 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) 2006 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. --Boundary_(ID_5MEZcWBl1aX+9AhFoDLFUQ)--